Page 29 of Kicks

“Damn, he’s handsome.”

Now he clearly had Kat’s full attention as she snapped her laptop shut.

“Is that right? Tell me more.”

Eddie already regretted confiding. As lovely as Kat might be, she had a tendency to get over-excited by things. He should have waited until he saw Tyler and Scott.

“Forget it. Fancying a potential customer is not on my agenda.”

James came over. He had a smug Brad with him.

“Morning, Eddie,” he said. “I hope things went well this morning.”

“Not bad,” Eddie replied, refusing to make eye contact with Kat.

“Got the contract then?” Brad added.

Eddie scowled. “They’re thinking about it. I’ll probably hear later this week.”

“Sure,” Brad replied. “I’ll see you after lunch. You can tell me all about it.”

Brad sauntered off to his desk by the window. He always sat there. His excuse being he needed to concentrate. Eddie suspected it had more to do with the fact people avoided him like the plague so he got in first and sat alone.

“I hope you’re taking this seriously, Eddie,” James said.

“Of course I am,” Eddie replied.

“Good. If I were you, I’d put everything into this. It would be stupid not to.”

The meaningful stare that accompanied those words were probably supposed to encourage. Instead, Eddie wanted to scream. The weight of expectation crushed him like a boulder.

How do people deal with this?

James drifted off to the kitchen area.

“He practically said his job is yours to lose,” Kat said.

Did he say that? Or is Kat hysterical?

“I need some space,” Eddie said, getting up.

“What’s the matter?”

“Kat, can you take it down a notch? Please. I’m trying my best, all right?”

“Eddie…where are you going? I’m sorry.”

“I know. It’s just a lot. Plus, I’ve got to go and give out free johnnies to a load of spotty students this afternoon. With Brad.”

When had things got so complicated?

“Come on, Ed,” Kat replied. “You’ve got this. It would be awful if you had to sleep with this guy to get the sale.”

“Not my style, as you well know. In fact, none of this is me. I might look for a new job. Fuck this place.”

Eddie didn’t wait for a response. Instead he made a beeline for the toilets. If he said anything more in the office, Brad would get wind that he had him on the ropes.

Fuck.