Page 47 of Love or Your Money Back
CHAPTER
Ongoing Evaluation
Okay, Freddy.
I am now flying solo, but I have missed seeing you this week. Who’d have ever thought I’d say that sentence, let alone type it into a computer and email it to you?
Ahmet was over the moon when I told him I wanted to date him exclusively. He phoned his mother and told her he was ‘going steady with a wonderful girl’. His mother was so happy she screamed down the phone line. Ahmet has now arranged for me to meet her, which makes me both happy and nervous.
I called Marcus last night to say I couldn’t date him anymore, and he took the news well. He said we should still be friends, and asked if I had a sister.
Monday 18th July
Thank you for sending me vitamins, Freddy. They are appreciated. I am less grateful for the pages of data on diet and exercise. However, I did join a gym as advised and guess what? Ahmet has joined too so we can exercise together.
Your assistant says you’re busy arranging meetings for the Frankfurt Book Fair. Is anyone interesting in the diary?
Monday 25th July
I can now tell you that Ahmet is durable. Not in a sexual way, Freddy. I haven’t slept with him or ruined my exclusive image. But we went hiking in the Welsh mountains for a long weekend and got utterly soaked.
It was so much fun.
Ahmet bought both of us every piece of all-terrain gear imaginable, including waterproof socks.
But we were still both shivering by the time we got back to the hotel, laughing our heads off.
Well, I was laughing anyway. Ahmet was asking about laundry services and getting our clothes dry, which was helpful.
Ahmet did an excellent job of the laundry.
He took hours. I eventually found him bare-chested in the laundry room with another bare-chested man (a cyclist) having a deep and meaningful conversation (presumably about cycling or hiking or both).
Ahmet clearly felt guilty that he’d been away from me too long, but I told him, ‘Honestly Ahmet, you should never feel guilty about doing the laundry.’
SEPARATE ROOMS, Freddy. Ahmet had already arranged this, being the perfect gentleman that he is. But I would have requested it because I listened to you and your whole exclusive thing.
This was the first long weekend I’ve ever spent away from the team, and I have you to thank for it.
You were right about systems and processes and designated team roles and delegating.
It was all sorely needed, and I appreciate the changes you’ve made.
Although I still think the timesheets are a bit 1984.
I’ll argue with you about that when I see you in person.
Do you know the best thing about the weekend? I barely thought about Chris at all. You might not think this is a big deal, Freddy, but it is. I always think about Chris when I go away because we used to travel together a lot. But I missed you more than I missed Chris. Now THAT’S progress!