I sit down on the barstool, and Danny takes a stool opposite me, sitting beside Cat.
“Thanks for dropping by.” I turn to Tristan and Jack.
“I’m sorry we can’t stay,” Tristan says. ” I can’t get out of this law dinner. I had to stop by and give you your present.”
“Although you probably don’t want three old blokes cramping your style.” Jack raises a brow.
“Who’s Mr handsome at the bar? Is he your date?”
I dart a glance at Danny. A frown creases his brow as he processes Jack’s words.
“No!” I say quickly as the waitress brings three scotches for the men.
She looks at Danny and does a double-take, recognising him, then her eyes light up like she’s won the jackpot.
“Here’s your drink.” She puts a hand unnecessarily on Danny’s shoulder, making me want to scrab her.
“Mr. Walker.” she purrs, giving him sex eyes as Jack chuckles beside me, muttering ‘every time’ under his breath.
Annoyed, I divert my attention from the flirty waitress. “Where is your law diner?” Tristan brings the scotch to his lips, smelling it before knocking it back. “Mayfair. It’s the annual dinner for the law society. I’m speaking at it.” “Are you two going?” I ask Jack and Danny.
“To listen to Tristan talk?” Jack lets out a laugh. “God, no. I’m meeting a lady for dinner, and workaholic Walker is working tonight.”
I look at Danny, slightly disappointed. I wanted him to stay for my birthday and go to sleep with me tonight. That’s the only gift I wanted. But Danny staying behind when Tristan and Jack left would look suspicious.
“It doesn’t beat having a song written for you.” Tristan smiles, handing me an envelope.
“You can’t sing.” I roll my eyes. “That would have been the worst gift ever.”
“Tristan, this is too much,” I scold, scanning the paper. It’s a weekend in the South of Italy for me and three others.
Julie whoops beside me. “Yes! Holiday!”
“Nonsense.” Tristan scoffs. “Right, I really need to go now. I’m already late.”
He knocks back the rest of the scotch and slams down the empty glass as Jack and Danny follow suit.
“Ladies and Stevie, it’s been a pleasure. Charlie, enjoy the rest of your birthday.”
“I will,” I smile, hiding my disappointment as Danny puts on his jacket and leather gloves.
He turns when Tristan steps away from the table.
“Before I forget.” He hands me an envelope, and our hands touch. “Happy birthday Charlie. It’s just a card. Open it when we are gone.”
Confused, I feel something lumpy in it.
His eyes have a glimmer of reluctance, but he nods his goodbye and follows Tristan and Jack out the door.
I rip open the envelope, and something sparkles up at me.
“Oh my god.” Julie shrieks as we all stare open-mouthed at the exquisite diamond pendant necklace.
“Is it real?” I gasp.
“Of course it’s real!” She hisses. “And clearly wasted on you. It’s from Tiffanys. That necklace costs about five grand.”
“That’s more than 6 months’ rent!” I choke. “I can’t accept this.”
“Woah,” Suze says. “This thing between you two is clearly more than sex.” I swallow the lump in my throat.
No, this isn’t just sex. This is in a different league to anything I’ve ever experienced.
I am hopelessly, utterly irrevocably in love with this man, but I can’t admit it out loud.
I want this man from my very core. I’ve never wanted anything more, and that thought terrifies me because to love this deep means I have so, so much to lose.
Charlie
One week later.
“Charlie?” Someone cries my name as I enter the flat after work on Thursday. The voice sounds strange, like they’ve been crying.
I take my shoes off and pad quickly through the hallway to the living room.
Julie sits slumped on the sofa, her face flushed like she’s been crying for a long time. “Julie?” I drop my laptop bag and run over to her. “What’s happened?” Tears slip from the corner of her eye.
“Charlie.”
She starts howling again.
“Sorry… accident.” is all I manage to decipher from the sounds she is making.
I’m freaked. I’ve never seen Julie like this.
“Julie?” I shake her hand softly, trying to break her hysterics.
She lowers her head to the ground, not looking at me.
“Charlie, our emails.” She swallows a sob.
“Emails,” I repeat, confused. What is she talking about?
“Our emails about getting revenge on Danny, way back when things were weird between you two.”
I remember.
“Yes?” A sense of dread hits me.
“They were on my work email server and… and some of the media team found them.” I sit up alert. “And?”
“And.” she wails. “There’s a story… I couldn’t stop it. I begged them.”
“I’m so stupid, Charlie.” She whispers through tears. “and so sorry. Please forgive me.” “A story?” I ask, my heart in my throat as my brain tries to understand what she says.
“Show me,” I add, breathing hard.
She nods, wiping the wet from her cheeks, then takes out her laptop. “I see all the articles before they go live.” She turns the laptop to me and inhales sharply.
The large font headline hits me.
Nexus CEO Danny Walker rocked by sleazy office sex scandal.
With every word, my skin crawls like insects are running over me.
“He’s been seeing someone else?” I whisper.
“Wait, no,” she says. “It’s you; the article is about you.” I scan the lower font below the headline.
My name. Everywhere. His name. Our secrets are laid out in black and white but distorted through a sleazy exaggerated lens.
Danny Walker, 41, reportedly offered employee Charlotte Finnegan an undisclosed sum to perform sordid explicit sex acts.
Danny Walker has long been dogged by allegations of womanizing…..
… exposing himself and making indecent propositions….
The blood drains from my face, and the words dance in front of my eyes.
“But that’s not why he offered me a buyout.” I cry. “This is all wrong. All fucked.” I stare at the screen, no longer reading it.