Trust Me (Trust Me, Find Me 1)
He didn’t know who this bloke was, but if Annie had a boyfriend, then he’d had a lucky escape not asking her out.
There’d clearly been a thing between the two of them, although judging by Annie’s reaction to him now, it didn’t look as if they were still friends.
He could still read her well enough to sense that she wasn’t pleased at all that he’d turned up unannounced at the door.
“Seb, this is Jac. He lives next door. Seb’s my boss in London.”
He eyeballed Jac.
“And Annie’s good friend.”
The fiery glare she hurled back at Seb after he said that, made Jac smirk.
He was right. She wasn’t a happy bunny.
“I’d better be off.”
Jac grabbed his coat.
“I’ll leave you to it. Good to meet you Seb.”
Her boss didn’t grace Jac with a response.
Annie looked torn as she guided Seb to sit down at the table, following Jac with her eyes as he went to the porch to put on his boots.
Neighbour? Is that all he was to her?
“Jac, wait up. Please.”
She rushed through to the porch as he was finishing tying his laces. He straightened up as he saw her approaching. Her face was flushed and her bright green eyes sparkled angrily.
“This. It’s not what you think. I’ve no idea why Seb’s here. And he’s not bloody well staying, either.”
Placing his hands on her shoulders, he steadied her.
“Why would he come here, Annie? There’s obviously some unfinished business between you two.”
Running her teeth over her bottom lip, she stared up at him, her eyes pleading.
“We’re not together. I mean, we were once, but it wasn’t anything. Except a big mistake. I’m not sure what he wants… But, whatever it is, I don’t want him.”
His pulse raced.
Unable to help himself, he ran his palm gently across her soft, reddened cheek.
Inexplicably drawn, he felt himself bending towards her. His lips, at last, gently finding hers for the lightest, fleetest of kisses.
She didn’t resist. Or recoil, this time.
She was trembling.
“Jac, what did you want to ask me?”
“It’s alright, Annie. Go sort this, first.”
His lips brushed over hers again, resting there a while longer. He felt her mouth parting, but he pulled away.
“We’ll talk again.”
Taking a deep breath, Annie shook her head, and made her way slowly back into the kitchen, to face whatever it was, with Seb.
CHAPTER 10
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Seb tells me from the outset that he isn’t staying, and I drive him to the station myself, to make sure that he catches the last train back to London.
The visit hasn’t been about our relationship. I’m not sure why he felt the need to wind Jac up like he did; he said himself that we’re well and truly over. Now it’s sunk in, he’s relieved about that too.
No, this visit is all about him. Or more explicitly, about him saving his own neck.
Trusty Rusty, our ancient SUV, isn’t exactly the style of travel he’s accustomed to. At first, I’m ashamed about the state of it, myself. Dad was never very tidy. But, it’s hilarious watching him trying to save his expensive woollen coat from the bits of dirt on the tiger seat cover.
“Don’t tell them, Annie. I beg you.”
I switch off the engine.
Even though I’ve told him, I don’t know how many times, what I’m going to do; he still seems distrustful of my intentions. And I’m quite enjoying watching him squirm.
“I’ve got a huge mortgage and school fees to pay.”
His whining is pathetic.
“If I lose my job, Marnie will leave me, for sure.”
“She should've left you long ago.”
My voice sounds more bitter than I feel. In truth, the only thing I feel is irritation that he’s invaded my world.
Hands rigid on the steering wheel, I stare forward at the windscreen.
“I told you. I’ll do it.”
He takes that as a dismissal.
And it is.
I never want to look at him or speak to him again.
He hops out of the rusty truck without another word, shutting the door on his coat. Wrestling it free, he slams the door hard behind him for a second time, then dashes off for the train.
I watch Seb disappear out of my life, but my mind is full of Jac.
And how my heart thumped as his lips found mine.
Before I head back home, and while I’ve got a phone signal, I decide to make the call.
It clicks through to Lisa; Director of People Empowerment.
“Annie.”
She sounds surprised to hear from me.
“We’re in the process of writing to you about a matter. How are you?”
I’m pretty wound up as it is. And the way she stresses the fake emphasis of concern lights the fuse. In fact, it takes me all my self-control not to scream.
I just about manage that, but I can’t suppress an unstoppable urge to shock her out of that corporate smugness of hers.
“I’m not so good actually, Lisa. My father hanged himself on the same day you suspended me.” Boom.
Silence.
Lisa’s flummoxed.
It was a pretty crappy thing to fling at her.
“You’re entitled to compassionate leave,” she says quietly.
“Does that mean, I’m not suspended?”
“I’m afraid not.”
Another silence.
“So, this silly misunderstanding still hasn’t been resolved?”
Hesitation again.
L
ike the sea sucking backwards from the shore.
Luckily, Seb has given me the heads up.
“Annie.”
Her tone is cold.
“We’ve had some further allegations made since your suspension. About your personal conduct, that goes against organisational policy… with an unnamed member of staff.”
“What! Who made those allegations?”
Lisa confirms what Seb has told me, but I want to find out where it’s come from, so I’m playing along.
“A formal complaint has been made by one of your subordinates. She says that she was forced to cover for you and to listen to your unprofessional comments at work.”
This is more than Seb has told me.
He said that they’d been told that I was having an office affair. Breaking their relationships policy. He said nothing about unprofessional behaviour.
Covering up? Unprofessional comments? Allegations by one of my team?
My mind races.
Who could it be?
Someone who’d benefit from me gone.
The tsunami hits land, and its realisation sweeps me away.
It couldn’t be, could it?
Not Stacey, surely?
Not my friend?
“There’s no easy way to say this,” Lisa continues, “We need to set up a full disciplinary hearing about your professional conduct. I’ll email you with a date, probably next month now, due to your personal circumstances.”
I can’t take it all in.
“Who told you these things?”
She doesn’t answer.
The betrayal floors me.
“What about him?”
“We need to know who it is you had a relationship at work with, Annie. You need to tell us.”
This is why he came.
There’s a full minute’s silence on the phone between us.
This is for Marnie. Although we’ve never met, the woman has now attained sainthood, in my mind.
I don’t give a toss about him.
“We’ll pick this up at the hearing,” Lisa drones on. “In the meantime, you must clear your mind of work. Your wellbeing is important to us, Annie. Make time to grieve. If you need to talk to anybody, we can arrange for a counsellor. Try some yoga.”
“Fuck your yoga!”
I end the call.
My wellbeing was fine until she suspended me.
It’s confirmed. Seb has cost me my job.