New Beginnings

by Megan Keith

  “Mind if I join you?” he asks, then takes a seat before I get to answer. “I’m glad I caught you. I’ve been meaning to have a chat.”

  “What about?”

  “I just wanted to know how things were travelling. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get a grasp on everything that’s going on around the office.” He motions for me to keep eating. “Sorry to do this on your lunch break. Hey, since when did they have chips on the menu?”

  “Special order,” I mumble around a mouthful. “Today only.”

  “Oh, I wished I’d known that.” He shakes his head, eyeing off my chips. “So are things on schedule, Seth?”

  “The mainframe is up-”

  “No computer jargon, please.” He holds his hands up to stop me. “It does my head in.” I watch him take a bite of his sandwich and wonder how I’m supposed to answer his question without talking computers. “Just a yes or no will do.”

  “Yes.” Though Jim is the office manager, and the one that hired me, he hasn’t had much to do with the process and is more or less just a user of the software.

  “Good.”

  I laugh. “So you wanted to sit down with me to discuss it, but you only want a yes or no answer? Meeting over then.”

  “Yep. I’m a simple man.” He grins before taking another bite of his sandwich. He groans. “Aren’t you glad I told you about this place? Best food, best coffee … mmm mmm.”

  I spot Bianca looking our way. She gives me a wink. Best staff, I add silently. “Yeah, I am.” My phone buzzes. “Excuse me.”

  “By all means, it’s your lunch break,” Jim says around a mouthful of food.

  Pulling my phone from my pocket I see I’ve got a text from Bianca. I look up to where she’s standing behind the counter and see her still watching me, now with a cheeky grin on her face. I swipe the screen.

  Bianca: Is that THE Jim? Your boss?

  Seth: Yep

  I put my phone back on the table and eat some more of her delicious food. Already it’s acting as a hangover cure. A minute later my phone buzzes again.

  Bianca: Your description of him was spot on! Say something to make him laugh.

  Seth: No

  I grin and shake my head at Bianca who’s giggling on the other side of the room before placing the phone, face down this time, on the table, relieved that Jim hasn’t seen the previous texts and half-expecting Bianca to send more.

  “What are your plans after this Seth?” Jim asks. “When the contract’s up, I mean. Are you going back to Melbourne? Or do you have work lined up nearby?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know.” I’ve been having a hard time thinking about it. I love the work at KR but I know it will be ending soon and I really should be putting the feelers out for another job.

  “I might not have a clue about anything you’re doing, but if the computers all work, the customers are happy with the website stuff and I can figure out what the hell I’m doing from my desk at the end of all this - I’d be more than happy to offer you a stellar written recommendation.”

  “Thanks Jim, I’d appreciate that.”

  “Then you’d owe me, of course. Like you already do for showing you this place.” He laughs at his own joke. I catch Bianca’s eye and wriggle my eyebrows at her. Let her think that was my doing. Seconds later my phone buzzes again.

  Bianca: Good work! Now pick your nose and flick it at him!

  I choke on a chip and then laugh so hard I have a hard time breathing. I see Bianca quickly disappear into the kitchen and excuse myself from the table to chase her down. I hear her before I see her, she’s doubled over, laughing. She doesn’t see me straight away so I lunge for her, catching her off-guard, grabbing her around the waist and tickling her, causing her to laugh even harder. One of the other girls, who occasionally works here, hastily leaves the kitchen with a smirk on her face while Bianca squeals.

  “Stop!” she yells.

  “Not until you apologise for making me choke.”

  “Nope.” I dig my fingers into her sides and she squeals again. “Please stop!” She tries to wriggle from my grasp but I’m too strong for her as I pin her in the corner of the room.

  “Apologise!”

  “No!” She laughs.

  She tries to dodge away from me but I again overpower her, pressing her body with mine against the wall. We’re both laughing and gasping for air when she finally stops moving. Her face is inches from mine and her hot, fast breath is against my neck. Without thought, I find myself leaning towards her. She looks up at me with her bright blue eyes and a wide grin that quickly fades when mine does. I lean closer and she makes a soft whimpering sound that makes my cock twitch, bringing me back to reality. The fact that we’re currently pressed together, our chests heaving against one another, doesn’t quite fit the requirements of the friends’ zone she’s placed me in.

  I slowly, reluctantly, release the tight hold I have on one of her wrists and step back, letting my other hand drop from her waist. Now I feel like I need to apologise. We’ve never been so physical with each other and fuck if I’m not turned on.

  “Not sorry,” she says breathlessly, the corners of her mouth turning upwards again.

  “What if that was a really important business meeting? That guy is my boss, Bianca.” I speak with authority, acting way madder than I’m actually feeling. Though I am irritated that I want to kiss her so bad and can’t. “You could get me in trouble. I almost spat my food in his face and you think it’s a big joke.”

  She looks panicked all of a sudden. “Shit. Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ve seen Jim here plenty of times, he’s always struck me as a bit of a joker. I didn’t mean any harm,” she apologises, the words falling fast from her lips.

  I crack up laughing, unable to hold it in a second longer. “I’m just messing with you.”

  “You’re such a dick!” She shoves me away and I can’t tell if she’s mad or now messing with me.

  “Me?” I chuckle. “I wasn’t the one that texted to flick boogers at my boss!”

  “So you really won’t get in trouble?” she asks, then bites her lip thoughtfully.

  “My contract is iron clad.”

  She shakes her head at me and pushes the door open. “I’m gonna get you back you know,” she mutters over her shoulder.

  “I’d say we’re about even,” I reply, following her out and then heading back to Jim.

  “All good?” Jim asks with a grin.

  “Yep.” I wonder what he saw exactly.

  “Wow, you really do owe me for sending you here! For hooking you up with her?” He nods to the counter but I don’t turn around, instead I attempt to finish my lunch. I shake my head in response, my mouth full of food. “No?”

  I quickly swallow. “We’re just friends.” Unfortunately.

  “Oh, okay.” He taps the side of his nose like it’s a conspiracy. “Got ya.” He nods and I can’t find it in me to argue. We may only be friends but she’s fast becoming one of my closest friends ever and I guess, in a way, I do owe Jim for that. And though Jim is inferring we’re more, I don’t really want to fight that either - I almost kissed Bianca in there. Shit! What the hell am I doing?

  Bianca

  What the hell am I doing? Ever since Seth and I had that run in in the kitchen I haven’t been able to get him off my mind. Oh, who am I kidding? I would’ve been thinking about him anyway. We almost kissed in that kitchen … at least I think we did. I look towards the room wistfully as the door swings open and Scar walks through.

  “You wanna knock off early?” she asks, breezing past me to the door. I silently watch her flip the sign to ‘closed’. “Earth to B!” She waves at me, walking back in my direction. “You can go home if you like. Oh wait. Seth’s picking you up right?”

  “Oh, um, no … at least I don’t think he is. We didn’t plan anything.”

  “I’m happy to do clean up tonight if you like then.”

  “Sure.” I dip down and grab
my bag from beneath the register. “I’ll see you at yours?”

  “Yep. See ya later.”

  I walk home in a bit of a daze, thoughts of Seth’s dark eyes and his pouty lips as they descend toward mine plague me the whole way there. The more I think about it the more confident I am that he almost kissed me. If I confronted him about it would he deny it? Would he push me away regardless of his attraction? Is he over his ex? ‘I wish I met you first…’ Oh god, I really wish so too!

  When I get in the door, I go straight to the bathroom to get ready for Scar’s. While I’m showering my thoughts continue to turn to Seth. After the tickling episode in the kitchen, and the almost kiss, I’m sure he’s attracted to me. Something is definitely going on between us. I’m sure he was jealous when he thought I was with Matt … and he said I was pretty … but if he’s nursing a broken heart, and leaving soon, maybe it’s not a good idea for me to pursue anything.

  Turning off the taps I reach for my towel and I’m so lost to my thoughts that it takes a moment for it to register that my phone is ringing in the other room. I run to the bedroom but by the time I pull the phone from my bag it stops. My heart leaps to my throat when I see I’ve missed two calls from Seth. Shit, how long was I in the shower? I quickly hit call back.

  “Hey!” he greets me and I can tell he’s smiling.

  “Sorry I missed your call. I was in the shower.”

  “Oh? Are you home? I thought you might still be at work.”

  “Yeah, I’m home. Scar let me off early.”

  “How’s your hangover?”

  “Gone. Yours?”

  “Gone. Lunch definitely helped.” An awkward silence crackles between us, obviously we’re both thinking about what happened at lunch.

  “Um, well, was there something you wanted? Because I’m kinda all wet right now, so I’m gonna go…” I hit myself in the forehead realising how dirty that just sounded.

  “Oh,” Seth clears his throat, “Ahh … Okay, you go take care of that then.”

  “I didn’t mean-I just got out of the shower!” Quick, change the subject! “Are you coming?” Fuck! “To Scar and Ben’s I mean! Are you-”

  “Yes!” He laughs uneasily. “That’s why I was calling, to see if you wanted me to pick you up from work. But I guess you’re home now so … did you want me to come? I mean, to pick you up from your house?”

  “Yeah, that’d be good.”

  “Okay, see you soon.”

  I quickly hang up the phone and toss it on my bed with a groan. How awkward was that? And then I laugh. He got just as flustered as I did. I’m so not alone in this. He may not be ready to be in a relationship but he sure as hell is attracted to me. My decision is resolute. This is going to happen.

  I take more care than usual when picking my outfit for a normal Friday night at Scar’s. I pick my best jeans, dark denim skinnies that cling in all the right places, and a tight fitting top that shows off my best assets.

  Deny it all he likes, Seth’s attracted to me and I’m not going to make it easy on him to ignore that. If this doesn’t get him to make a move then at least I’ll be torturing him all night as payback, for tickling me to death and pretending to be mad with me earlier today.

  Seth

  Is she trying to kill me? I keep my eyes on the road but my mind is on the woman sitting in the passenger seat of my car. She looks so different tonight, ‘dressed to impress’ is the expression that comes to mind. Surely that’s not for my benefit.

  “You look really nice tonight, Bianca.” Nice? She looks sexy and hot! But we’re friends and friends don’t say things like that to each other. Nice will have to do.

  “Thanks,” she says quietly, a little too quietly.

  By the time we pull up in Scar and Ben’s driveway I realise she’s barely spoken since I picked her up. I think back to the way she was joking with me earlier today and I want that fun girl back.

  “Dressing up for Matt?” I tease, instantly relieved when a smile graces her face.

  “Oh yeah, you know it,” she teases right back. I turn to get out of the car but she stops me with a hand to my forearm. “Wait. I um,” she holds her hand over her mouth, “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.” Then we’re back to where we started earlier today, in fits of laughter as we stumble our way inside the house.

  “Hey guys! Scott bailed,” Ben says, handing me a beer. “Renee is due to have this baby any day now and he doesn’t want to leave her side.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “He’s a good guy,” Bianca says from behind me.

  “Hair of the dog?” I ask, passing her the beer. “I’m game if you are.”

  She nods and takes it from me and I grab another for myself. Something’s different between us, not uncomfortable, or awkward, just … different. I can’t put my finger on it. I can’t help staring at her either as she talks to Scar about Renee becoming a mum. She’s so animated and smiley and it’s sexy as hell. Until her face drops and she wraps Scar in a hug and pulls her from the room, and I realise I was so busy staring that I missed part of the conversation.

  “I need a smoke,” Ben says at the same time I ask him, “Is Scar okay?” He nods his head towards the back of the house and I follow him outside, watching as he lights his cigarette.

  “Scar and me, we’ve been trying to have a kid. And with Scott and Renee … it’s just getting harder to take.” He scrubs his hands over his face. “We both can’t wait to be parents and it’s just not happening.”

  “I can’t imagine how hard that must be. I’m sorry mate.”

  “I’m really worried that if it doesn’t happen soon it might never. Scar hides her emotions well but … she’s reaching breaking point.”

  Bianca

  “It will happen Scar, I know it will.” I rub my arm on her back as she silently cries. “It’s unfair that it’s taking so long but I know there’s a special little person that will make his or her way to you. Of course there is! Who wouldn’t want to have you as a mum?”

  “Ben will make the best dad.” She sniffs.

  “He will. Your baby is just being stubborn like its parents, but it’ll happen eventually.”

  She doesn’t respond, and I don’t expect her to. She’s heard it all before, from me, from the people around her. I know Ben and Scar have been trying for nearly a year now and the constant disappointment must be so hard. She didn’t take it well when Scott and Renee first announced they were pregnant, and now their baby’s almost here…

  “Hey,” Ben says, bobbing down in front of Scar. “Come here, babe.” He envelops her in his arms and she starts sobbing again so I leave the room. I find Seth a little way down the hall.

  “She okay?”

  “I hate seeing her like this, she’s always such a tough chick. Scar always puts on a happy face and tries to problem solve for others. But she’s hurting Seth, she’s hurting so much and I can’t do anything for her.”

  My eyes feel wet with tears and Seth must notice because he pulls me into his arms and holds me close. It feels right, natural, so I wrap my arms around him, too. After a minute he lets me go, but leaves his arm around my shoulders as he walks me back towards the kitchen.

  “You know what we need?” he asks.

  “More hair of the dog?”

  “Exactly.”

  ***

  I’m checking my hair and make-up in Scar’s bathroom for probably the fifth time since we got here. I readjust my tight fitting shirt, unbuttoning another button to reveal a little more cleavage. “Ahh, that’s better,” I whisper-slur to myself. “If that doesn’t get a rise out of him, nothing will.” I giggle and sway a little on the spot. It’s time for me to quit drinking if I want any of this plan to work. I stumble my way back to the kitchen where Scar hands me another beer. I shake my head and place it back on the bench. “I think that’s enough for this little duck.”

  “You feeling okay?” She holds the back of her hand against my forehead, her earlier breakdown shoved to
the recess of her mind as she teases me. Typical Scar. “Seth’s still drinking. Are you sure you don’t want to drink him under the table again? Take him back to your place?”

  “What?”

  “Oh yeah, I heard about your drinking challenge and that he slept over last night.” She smiles smugly and nods her head. “You conveniently left out those details, huh?”

  Shit. How long was I in the bathroom? The kitchen goes silent and I want to kill Scar. All five sets of eyes are on me; Scar, Johnno, Ben and Travis are all smirking, but Seth’s face is flushed and he quickly looks away. That’s not a good sign.

  “Guys, it wasn’t like that,” Seth says defensively – also not a good sign. “I had too much to drink and crashed on the couch. Nothing happened. We’re just mates. Isn’t that right, B?” he asks, his eyes drilling into me as if he’s trying to convey something, though I’m not quite sure what.

  “Yeah,” I answer quietly, “mates.” I turn from the room, heading back to the lounge so that I can hang my head in shame and embarrassment. I feel like a fool. Playing this stupid charade - trying to seduce him, trying to get him to admit that he’s attracted to me by dressing up for him. I’ve been sticking close to him and making sure to lean into his side at every opportunity tonight. All I’ve succeeded in doing is making a fool of myself. Obviously. Scar comes in and sits beside me on the couch. “I’m such an idiot, Scar. He’s not interested. You heard him!”

  “What I heard was a guy who was embarrassed and didn’t want people thinking something happened when it didn’t. He’s just being a gentleman and a good friend.”

  “Friend. See?”

  “Just because he’s being chivalrous doesn’t mean he’s not interested and thinking unchivalrous thoughts. I’ve seen him checking you out tonight.” She nudges me.

  “You have?” I grin goofily and then catch myself. “Geez, listen to me. I sound like such a school kid.”