Notice Me

  “Sorry it has been difficult,” I replied pushing him away. I couldn’t allow myself to be distracted. I had to end this.

  “Shannon?” Charlie asked confused. His beautiful blue-green eyes boring into mine.

  “Charlie, please can we sit down?” Charlie walked over to his sofa taking a seat. I was going to sit next to him, but opted for his white kitchen stool instead. Some distance was probably a good idea.

  “Shannon, please don’t do this,” Charlie pleaded. Was my face that easy to read?

  “Charlie, what do you expect me to do, Megan is my best friend.” I could feel the tears beginning to swell at the corner of my eyes.

  “But you love me Shannon. Are you telling me you care more about Megan’s feelings than mine?”

  “Megan has helped me Charlie. I wouldn’t be the person you fell in love with if it wasn’t for Megan,” I raised my voice slightly.

  “You would be exactly the same amazing person without Megan, Shannon. She needs you not the other way round. I have watched your friendship. I know how it works. Megan needs you. You do not need her.” Charlie was angry now. “It’s like she has scrambled your head. You do not owe her anything. She treats you like her personal slave!”

  “Charlie, you were her boyfriend. What sort of person does that make me? I slept with you the night you guys split up. I am evil.” I was a little hysterical. Charlie stood up to comfort me. I had no power to pull him away this time as my body shivered at his powerful touch.

  “Shan, we fell in love. There is nothing evil about that,” he whispered, soothing me by stroking my hair in his tight warm grasp.

  “Why does it feel so wrong then, Charlie?” I asked weeping into his chest.

  “Because you are too sensitive for your own good, but it’s one of the many things I love about you Miss Davis.”

  “You really aren’t making this easy for me,” I sighed looking up into his dreamy eyes.

  “I am not losing you Shannon. I love you too much.” Charlie kissed my forehead. “Anyway, you can’t get rid of me. I am moving to New York.”

  I looked at him with widened eyes. What had he done? “I… what do you mean moving to New York?”

  “Sir Straton thinks it’s a brilliant idea. I told him how being in London was too much for me after Megan. So he has told me to work from New York. I go in four days.” Charlie looked smug. He knew he had me. I wouldn’t be able to resist him if he was living in New York.

  “I… I can’t believe you Charlie,” I was laughing amazed at how happy the thought of him so close made me.

  “I know we didn’t really talk about it Shan, but just imagine it. We will be alone and be able to work out our feelings for each other. I know what I want from you, but I will give you the space you need to work out your own mind. We will have to be careful. Have our own apartments, but I don’t think it would be too difficult.” Charlie had obviously thought this plan through.

  “I don’t know what to say Charlie. I came here to tell you it’s over.”

  Charlie lifted my face up so I could stare right into the centre of his exquisite eyes. “You know deep in your heart you didn’t come to do that, Shannon.” Charlie’s soft whispering voice began to penetrate my defences. “You love me remember? Megan will have some other poor man in six months. We can tell her when you feel the time is right. I don’t care how long it might take.”

  “Charlie,” I complained. He really wasn’t being fair.

  “Shannon, I love you. I am never going to give up on us ever. You are my whole life!” My defence shattered as Charlie crashed his lips against mine. I wanted to fight back but couldn’t. I loved him with every fraction of my heart. It was easy thinking I could let him go when he wasn’t stood in front of me. Now here in Charlie’s arms I had no resistance left inside me. I would never be able to be parted from him.

  ****

  New York was everything I had dreamed of but more. In my months of waiting for this time to happen never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Charlie being part of it.

  Charlie had an apartment not too far from the Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn. The apartment was perfectly situated near the subway. Charlie had no office so he needed to access New York from any angle. From his main window you could see the skyline of New York. It was breathtaking any time of day. Sir Straton had really pulled some strings to get Charlie this desirable apartment. Charlie was really going up in the world since winning his award in London. It was a long away from his tiny apartment in London.

  Entering his apartment for the first time reminded me of seeing Megan’s penthouse.

  The whole space was surrounded by glass, the deep blue kitchen was open planned, and two large brown couches were in the centre of the room with a warm invited thick white rug on the oak wood flooring. His black plasma TV was huge. I had no idea what all the gadgets were that came with it. The whole space was open planned with a metal spiral staircase leading up towards his bedroom with the biggest bed I had ever seen covered in at least ten gold and silver pillows. It was like entering a showroom, but more luxurious.

  “What do you think then?” Charlie asked completely over excited.

  “Amazing,” I replied still in awe. “It makes my place look like a dive.”

  “I love your place. I can’t see us being able to spend too much time here. The press are still watching me.” I nodded. It would only take a matter of weeks for someone to notice us here. “Did you read the article about me and that model in the paper this morning?” Charlie chuckled.

  “Yeah, but at least they are way off the mark.” I laughed. It was a good thing the press had got it so wrong. I knew my life wouldn’t be worth living if Megan ever found out.

  “I think you are far more beautiful than that model, Shan,” Charlie wrapped his arms around me.

  “You would say that.”

  Charlie laughed as he kissed my nose tenderly. “Am I staying at yours tonight?”

  “Yeah,” I replied still looking around.

  “You’re nervous about your job aren’t you?” Charlie whispered. How did he know me so well? “You will be fine Shan. The first day in a new job is always the worst. At least you know a few of them already.”

  “I know. I can’t believe they are giving me my own office. I hope I don’t let them down.”

  “Shannon, you are amazing at marketing. Will had always said you were better than him. You will blow them away. I just know it.” I could see in Charlie’s eyes he truly believed that.

  “How did I ever manage to get you, Charlie? I can’t understand it.” I smiled up at him touching the side of his face with my hand. He leaned his head into my hand. “I never thought I could feel like this.” I was so taken back by my feelings for him. Every day they seemed to grow stronger.

  “Shannon, you complete me. I can never be without you. I love you too much.” Charlie took my face in his hands sighing in contentment as he kissed me.

  My apartment was in Manhattan. Only the Brooklyn Bridge stood between Charlie and me. Not that it mattered how far apart our apartments were since Charlie nearly always stayed at mine.

  I was lucky to have two weeks to get used to New York before I started my job. Charlie had arrived a week before me making sure all his affairs were in order before I arrived. It also didn’t look suspicious to anyone. Megan had heard through the grapevine Charlie was moving to New York, but didn’t put anything together. New York was an obvious choice for any up and coming photographer.

  On the plane to New York I could hardly control myself, but not with nerves. Being apart from Charlie for a week had been almost unbearable I didn’t have any room to be nervous.

  Charlie was at my apartment when I arrived, with a full candlelit dinner for two. He knocked me breathless as he kissed me. I had the feeling the week had been long for him too.

  We knew how easy it would be to be together in this area. It was an everyday normal neighbourhood. No billionaires or paparazzi within a five mile radius.

/>   Megan and Charlie’s breakup was slowly becoming yesterday’s news. It was a relief to Charlie not to have all the press after him. Megan was the celebrity not him. The only picture they wanted from Charlie was his new flame. How could he get better than Megan Field? Deep down I wondered that myself.

  My apartment was small and basic, but it was all we needed. I sensed that Charlie preferred to be here, it was comfortable more like his flat in London.

  In my time here so far with Charlie, as selfish as it was, I never thought about Megan once. This was our space where we could love one another freely.

  The early morning sun streamed through my aged multi-coloured curtains. I still needed to change them they were so hideous. I groaned knowing today was the day. My first day working for Headcom International. I groaned again as my alarm sounded. My nerves began to react at full speed filling my stomach. I hoped I wasn’t going to be sick.

  “Sweetheart it will be fine.” Charlie rolled over to put his arms around me. “Shannon, you are white as a sheet. Are you alright?” Charlie asked worried.

  “I think I might be sick,” I replied getting up rushing to the bathroom. “Don’t watch me!” I almost screamed as I realised Charlie had followed me.

  “The first time we met you were sick, Shannon. I have seen it all before,” Charlie laughed “Anyway, I wanted to make sure you were okay.” I just rolled my eyes. Luckily I wasn’t sick so Charlie had to leave me alone to try and have a relaxing shower.

  It didn’t help at all. I kept thinking about the unknown. Who would I meet today? Would they like me or worse would I make a huge mistake on my first day?

  I knew Headcom wasn’t like the Field Organisation. It was smaller in itself because it specialised in one area of business. Headcom was the marketing front line of Downing International Organisation. The biggest organisation in the world. They owned half of the oil distribution, much of the stock exchange as well as over one million smaller businesses. It was safe to say I really had my work cut out making a good impression here. This of course was the whole reason my nerves were reacting so bad.

  Within an hour I was ready to go in my grey designer suit. My long brown hair was rolled into a tight bun. I even made an effort with my make-up by adding eye liner and a new green eye shadow to my usual routine. Charlie had been so fantastic helping me relax, but the butterflies in my stomach now felt like birds of prey trying to get out as I stepped to open my front door.

  “You look beautiful Shannon. You are going to knock them dead,” Charlie whispered in my ear. “I will be here when you get back later. I love you have a wonderful day.” I turned to kiss him before I opened the door and left.

  I knew how to get to the Rockefeller Plaza. Charlie had taken me on the subway when I first arrived in New York. It was one less thing to worry about.

  I stood up on the way heading for 49th – 50th Street so I could make a quick exit. I didn’t want to miss my stop. The birds in my stomach were still begging to be realised. I knew I wouldn’t be this nervous tomorrow once I knew what to expect.

  When I arrived at 30 Rockefeller Plaza part of me wanted to run away and scream. Could I really do this?

  If my six month work placement went well I could be offered a job with the largest company in the world.

  “Name please,” asked the receptionist at the grey marble desk.

  “Shannon Davis. I am the work placement for Headcom,” I replied with a shake in my voice. I looked around half expecting to see Megan come out of nowhere to help and protect me, but I knew this time I was on my own.

  “Oh yes. I have your security cards here. Do you have your passport? I need to take a copy. Please sign here.”

  My hands were still shaking as I signed the piece of paper and handed the receptionist my passport.

  “If you take the lift to your left then push for the 48th floor.” The receptionist replied smiling as she passed my passport back to me. “Mr Caldecott will be expecting you.”

  “Thank you,” I replied looking for the lift. I was stunned by the magnificence of the reception area. The marble was so polished I could see the shadows of people rushing around off the floor. The grand fish tank in the middle of the space was constructed with real gold I was sure. The fish inside had to be worth over twenty thousand dollars. I was thankful that Headcom owned just two floors in this tremendous building.

  I found the lift, also set in gold. I pushed for the 48th floor, trying to settle my stomach and breathing. I smiled to myself thinking just how similar this was to when I first met Megan. This time I knew I was completely alone, but I deserved to feel this way considering what I had taken from her. I fought back the tears, now was not the time to regret the choices I had made. There had never really been a choice from the moment Charlie told me he loved me. Only after a month it was impossible to imagine not being with Charlie. My whole life would shatter without him.

  I had reached my floor now. As the doors opened I took a deep breath. It suddenly dawned on me I had Charlie. The most gorgeous man in the world. I somehow had managed to gain his love, that in itself would have appeared impossible to me a year ago. Working here was nothing compared to that. At least with this job I knew what I was doing. If I had realised I loved Charlie before he told me I wouldn’t have had a clue what to do. The power that thought gave me was staggering as if I could take on the whole world. I lifted my head up high striding into the Headcom office with total confidence.

  The day seemed to flow quite fast. The director of the company Mr Caldecott, a slightly overweight older man with short grey hair and beard, introduced me to his team. The Headcom team consisted of about thirty five people, who I was introduced to one by one. I finally met Bradley who Tim Scott had informed me about. Bradley seemed a bit of a joker, but very easy to get on with. He had lovely deep blue eyes. They reminded me of Will’s. He was of a rugby build with a shaven head. He was quite good looking, but if you compared him with Charlie – no contest.

  I finally was shown my office which gave me a sense of relief to be able to start work. I had been given three new contracts ready for marketing in over thirty countries. I was glad to be thrown in the deep end. I knew I could handle it.

  “Hi I’m Lorna.” A small red headed woman stood at my door. “I have only just come in so thought I would introduce myself.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Shannon.”

  “I have heard a lot about you. I am Bradley’s girlfriend.” I looked up at her and smiled she must know Tim Scott as well. “It was all good I promise!”

  “Was it from Tim?” I asked almost laughing.

  “Yes, Bradley went to university with him. Every time Tim comes to New York he pops into see us. Mostly he talks about Megan Field.”

  “That’s nice,” I said almost sarcastic.

  “I know you weren’t happy about him and Megan. He told us about that last time he visited.”

  “Oh no, Lorna. It’s fine. Megan was just as much to blame don’t worry.” I hoped I hadn’t offended her.

  “What time are you having lunch? Do you want to join me?” Lorna smiled almost pleading with her deep brown eyes.

  “Sure,” I smiled back. “Is about one okay with you? I have a few phone calls to make first.”

  “Perfect. See you at one.”

  Lunch was nice. Lorna was very bubbly and easy to talk to. We spoke mostly about Megan. Lorna was fascinated like everyone else about my life with Megan Field as my best friend.

  “So how is Megan coping since her boyfriend dumped her? Tim said she was bad.”

  “She is getting better. She has sort of thrown herself into her modelling career.” I laughed.

  “To show him what he is missing? He was a photographer, is that right?” I was sure I was turning red because I felt guilty. I wasn’t planning for this sort of conversation. In America no one really knew who Megan Field was let alone Charlie.

  “Yeah he was,” I replied looking away from Lorna’s brown eyes.

  “I
bet you must really hate him for doing that to her?”

  “Well, Megan did mess up in the first place. I was the one who made him take her back. In the end the trust had just gone I think.” I realised I was defending Charlie way too much. “But if I saw him again, I would probably kill him.”

  “Tim said you and Megan were that close. It must be nice to have a friend like that,” Lorna replied thoughtful. I just smiled and nodded.

  By the end of my first day I was rather pleased with myself. I had made a friend in Lorna and set up two marketing strategies. The best part of my day however was going home to Charlie.

  “So,” Charlie asked scooping me up in his arms as soon as I got through the door. “How did it go?”