Page 10 of The Facilitator, Part 2

“Thank you. No more talk of them now. I’ve enjoyed our dinner and I’m sorry I asked that question,” I said.

Gabriella raised her coffee cup to me. “I’ll drink to that. I’m pretty sure we’ll have our time with Addison at some point soon.”

I regretted saying goodbye, despite knowing I’d see her in a couple of days anyway. I’d had the most wonderful evening and really wished it could have been longer. While I was on the way home, I texted Mackenzie.

I’m on my way home, see you soon.

His reply was immediate.

I’m not home yet myself. Decided to grab dinner with the husband-to-be.

Okay, have fun! I typed.

I’d showered and changed, and was sitting in the living room with my feet curled up under me, reading a proposal from work.

Trymast wanted to pitch for a major advertising project at the O2 in Greenwich.

It would be a nice contract to have, and I knew the company was more than capable of delivering.

I wanted to go over the pitch one last time before signing it off.

I wouldn’t be delivering the pitch, of course, and I missed that element of the business.

I put the proposal to one side and picked up my mobile.

I scanned through and then sent a text to Jerry.

He would be on my mind all weekend otherwise.

I want to meet up early next week, if you’re free I typed. I kept it brief and to the point. I didn’t want him to think I’d forgiven him that easily for standing me up.

Babe, I thought you weren’t talking to me. I’m with Mum, taken her for pie and mash. You need to see this place; it’s fucking awesome. I’ll call you over the weekend.

I didn’t reply, there was no need, but I smiled at the thought of them in a pie and mash shop.

I loved his mum and made a mental note to pop in and see her.

I hadn’t for a while and I knew she asked after me constantly.

I guessed she’d thought Jerry and I would eventually end up together.

She’d often tell me all she wanted was to see him settle down.

She could die in peace, she’d say, knowing there was another woman looking after him.

Jerry would love nothing more than to be looked after, for sure.

The sweep of headlights across the floor-to-ceiling windows startled me. I hadn’t realised I’d dozed off and I winced as I straightened my neck. I seemed to be overly tired of late; maybe I needed another early night, but one without Mackenzie joining me.

I walked to the front door to greet him.

“Hi, did you have a nice time?” he said as he climbed from the car. He patted the roof after he’d shut the door as a signal for the driver to leave.

He was wrenching his tie loose as he strode towards me.

“I did. I honestly don’t think I’ve laughed as much in a very long time. I’m going to miss her when she leaves, for sure. How about you?”

“It was interesting. I could murder a coffee.”

I laughed at the ‘murder.’ Mackenzie was picking up some funny Britishisms and they seemed odd with an American accent.

He shrugged off his jacket and left it crumpled over the banister as he passed the stairs to the kitchen. His tie was placed over the back of a stool at the kitchen island and he rolled his sleeves up as he prepared his coffee.

“Are you staring at me?” he asked.

I chuckled. “No, I’m staring at your forearms. I like a little arm porn and yours fit the bill perfectly.”

“Arm porn? Is that what you’re reading about. Maybe we should search the Internet for some.”

Within seconds, he had an espresso for him and a milky coffee for me.

“I’m sure you must have an account with PornHub or something,” I said, laughing.

“Why would I want to? I get everything I need right here.” He winked when he spoke.

Mackenzie could be a real charmer when he put his mind to it. “However, that said, we have our date at the club tomorrow. I want to choose your outfit.”

I raised my eyebrows at him as I lifted the cup to my lips.

“My list, my rules,” he reminded me.

“So when it was my list, why wasn’t it my rules?” I teased.

“Because.”

“Because?”

“Because I make them up as I go along.”

He downed his coffee and I winced at the imagined burn to his throat. “I need to shower, I’ll be back shortly. Then you can tell me all about your evening.”

It was nice to curl up on the sofa and just chat. I told him about the secret wedding, he’d need to know, as he was a witness also. I also mentioned there might have to be a delay on sending Alex to America. Mackenzie then surprised me.

“I’m not so sure he’s as eager to leave as he was initially,” he said.

“Why do you think that?”

“He hasn’t said anything directly, but I know he thinks Gabriella isn’t as excited to return home. She’ll always have a place in my business, but here she has more of a free rein. I’m not so convinced she wants to work under Alex.”

“I guess it’s a role reversal for her and she might find that hard. Has she said anything directly?” I asked.

“No, but I thought I might take her to dinner one evening next week and see if she’ll speak openly about the move.”

“I think you should and sooner would be better. She has plans for this wedding in three weeks, and now I’m wondering if she waited until now to delay the move. Would she do that?”

“She’s not one to connive. I don’t know, though. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

“What will you do if he changes his mind?” I asked, as the implication for both Mackenzie and my job settled over me.

“I don’t think he would, he’s not that unprofessional.

He’d go until I could organise something else.

I have other businesses he can be involved in here in the UK, if it comes to it.

Anyway, enough of all that talk.” Mackenzie pulled my legs onto his lap and massaged my feet.

I lay back against the arm of the sofa and enjoyed his touch.