“I didn't say anything,” I protest.
“You didn't have to,” he responds without missing a beat. “It’s written all over your dumb face.”
“Why do I talk to you again?”
“Because you need someone to tell you the truth. So as the resident asshole in your life, I guess it falls to me to tell you you’re fucking up. You work together. What happens when this runs its course?”
I think he expects me to joke back. This is how we relate to each other, jokes and insults, mixed in with useful advice and camaraderie. But this time I don't feel like joking around. This is not a new experience having Ethan come over right after some chick leaves. But watching Mya walk out the door… it was different.
Because she's the only one I've ever wanted to stay.
“I don't think that’s going to happen, E. For the first time, I'm not the one running away.”
His face betrays his surprise. We've been friends ever since I got hired at Mirage. I get the sense that he doesn't let many people in. Neither do I. But he's one of the few people that know about what happened with Tessa. I don't normally like to talk about it but after too many beers one night, the whole story came tumbling out. Surprisingly he's a very good listener. I get the sense that he's been hurt in his past, too.
“Well, hell. You know I think Mya is fantastic.”
“Yeah, she is. Beautiful, smart, and not afraid to hand me my ass.”
Ethan shakes his head. “Never thought I'd see the day. But maybe you’ve done it. Maybe you’ve found the one.”
Somehow hearing him say it out loud makes it sound ridiculous. And that makes me angry. I don't want to fast forward to thinking about when this all ends.
Maybe I just want five fucking seconds to live in a world where a guy like me deserves a girl like her.
As if he knows what I'm thinking, Ethan tugs at his tie. “Not every girl is like Tess. Mya seems genuine. Like the type who’ll stick.”
I want to believe that more than I can express. But wishing for things won't make them real. And putting my feelings out there won't make Mya feel the same.
“Make yourself at home. I just need to jump in the shower.”
Ethan looks like he wants to say something else but just knocks on the wall. “Take your time. I need your pretty mug to convince the client to sign.”
“Is that why you take me to these meetings?”
He points at his scowling expression. “There’s a reason I’m a lawyer. You think this is going to convince anybody to part with their money?”
Now I know he’s joking because he’s a good-looking guy and since he’s a partner in his own law firm, wealthy too. He’s basically where I want to be in life.
“Ethan, do you really think the forever thing is even possible?” Not sure what comes over me but I suddenly want his take on it.
“I thought I’d found it once. I can relate to this situation more than you know. I was her boss. She was the only one who would take my shit and give it back just as good. But in the end, her heart belonged to someone else. And things weren’t the same after she left. That’s part of the reason I left Virginia and opened a new location in D.C. I needed to get away.”
Then he sighs. “I’m the wrong person to ask, man. You should never ask a lawyer to comment on the human condition. We see people at their worst.”
It’s a measured answer and a mature one. But it’s the look on his face that tells me how he really feels. He thinks getting involved is a mistake.
He’s a smart guy, one I respect highly. He’s got his shit together. If a guy like him can’t make a relationship work, then what the fuck am I doing?
The next two weeks are intense. Mya and I focus on the project, holing up in my office to work on the campaigns. Our other clients have been handed off until the Lavin presentation is finished. We don't take off early, we work through lunch and each night we stay longer and longer.
But I didn’t mind the long hours because it gives me an excuse to be with Mya all day.
She’s funny, impatient as hell and loves to play devil’s advocate. We bicker, tease and push each other to discover new strengths while also compensating for each other’s weaknesses. I’m exhausted but I’ve also never had so much fun.
To reduce the chance for leaks, James has asked us not to use any of the interns or junior associates. So Mya and I have done all the research ourselves and created our visual aids and graphics on our own. Not that I mind, it’s actually kind of fun to go back to the grunt work.
In the beginning I thought he was just being paranoid but once the news about Lavin Bridal is announced, the fashion world goes mad. All my industry contacts are salivating for news on who has the account. We’ve made it past the first round but we’re well aware that Andre Lavin has plenty of options when it comes to marketing. We have one chance to impress him. If we screw it up, this chance won't come again.