Liam has cheekbones like Johnny Depp.
He is also charming and is very attuned to his sexuality. His smile is frequent, his voice soft and his eyelashes long. We have spent the afternoon together brainstorming ideas looking for new clients, working on raising our social media online profile, and investigating…
Liam has cheekbones like Johnny Depp. He is also charming and is very attuned to his sexuality. His smile is frequent, his voice soft and his eyelashes long. We have spent the afternoon together brainstorming ideas looking for new clients, working on raising our social media online profile, and investigating App development.
“You know your stuff,” he says.
I yawn and stretch. I don’t tell him this was my speciality or about the project I put together for Gower and Proctor
“You have a good handle on the local market,” I reply, “that’s the important key.”
“What gym do you go to?” he asks.
I am suddenly self-conscious. I don’t want to be looked at or scrutinized. I place my hands in my lap and hunch my shoulders.
“Sorry! It’s just that you look like a woman who looks after herself and works out. It’ just that there’s a gym across the road I go to and–” He averts his gaze from my face and begins picking up the papers where he has scribbled ideas.
“Thanks for your help this afternoon,” I say, “I’ll put some notes together for the management team at the next meeting.”
“Elly?” Lily’s face comes around the door. “Oh, hi Liam. Are you finished?”
“Yes princess, we are.”
“Elly, Mum’s on the phone. Can I wait in here with you?” She brushes past Liam and sits in his chair. Her feet don’t reach the floor. I wish him a happy weekend and he flashes me a smile on his way out.
“So what’s the gossip? Come on dish the dirt, tell me what’s going on,” I say.
“Well–” her tongue reaches out to touch her top lip. “Charlie’s Mum is getting married again and Charlie is really fed up,” she says, “so I want to get her something for her birthday.”
“OK. So Charlie is your friend.”
“Yup, my best friend. You see she’s still upset over her Dad’s wedding plans.”
“I thought you said it was Charlie’s mother who was getting married?”
“He is. They both are. You see Charlie’s father’s girlfriend worked with Charlie’s Mum but she’s left that job now, and Charlie really wants to go to Florida on holiday with them.”
“So, is Charlie fed up about her mother getting married?”
“No, it’s because they want to go on a honeymoon to South Africa.”
“And Charlie wants to go to Florida?”
“Her Dad is taking her to Florida,” Lily says impatiently.
“That’s great then,” I reply, wondering if it was.
“No, it’s not. Charlie hates her Dad’s new girlfriend who is going to be his wife, who’s going with them to Florida.” Lily explains making it quite obvious that I am slow at understanding the whole situation. “But I’ve told her what to do,” she adds smugly.
“Oh? And what advice have you given her?”
“I said she was better off getting on with her because she will probably be around for a long time, and besides its ten years until we go away to University.”
“Oh? And how did Charlie take that?”
“She’s cool.”
“Good.”
“So, what’ll I buy Charlie for her birthday?”
“Um, not sure. You want to look with me on the internet?”
Her face lights up.
We spend fifteen minutes scanning gifts and accessories both of us leaning across the table looking at the screen.
“Books, DVD, music?” I suggest.
Lily frowns and continues to stare at the screen. “They were arguing again last night.”
“Who? Charlie’s mother or Charlie’s father?”
She sighs theatrically and lowers her voice. “Mummy and Daddy. They thought I was asleep but I could hear them downstairs.”
When I look closely I see she has dark circles under her eyes. “I love these stars,” she says, tracing a small finger on my tattoo under my left ear lobe. “I want one.”
