Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
I took a moment to breathe. “I guess there’s a lot we still have to work out, huh?”
“Take some time to think about what you’re willing to do, Abby, before making a final decision. Again, there’s no pressure. We appreciate that you’re even considering this.”
“Okay, I’ll think about everything and get back to you soon, Kate.”
“Great.” She sighed. “One more thing.”
My heart couldn’t take much more. “Okay…”
“Sig asked that you call him.”
***
I decided it didn’t feel right to make a final decision without at least speaking to Sigmund first, so I was glad he’d encouraged that.
And a couple of days later, I was ready to make that call. It had taken me a while to mentally prepare myself. I’d also wanted to discuss the situation with my father first.
It was around 8 PM UK time when I called, on a weeknight, so I figured Sig would be home. I felt jittery as I waited for him to answer.
“Hello?” His deep voice vibrated through me.
“Hi.” I could hardly get the words out. “It’s Abby.”
“I know.”
“You have my number programmed into your phone?”
“I do.”
“You must have expected me to call, then.”
“I did.”
“I see you’re just as talkative as always.”
“And you’re just as smart-mouthed.”
Falling back into our argumentative rapport brought me some comfort. “What made you decide to move forward?” I asked. “You pretty much ghosted me before I left England. I put my money on never seeing you again.”
“Despite being busy with work, as I previously explained, I was giving you space to enjoy the last of your trip.”
“But the purpose of my trip was for you to get to know me.”
“You can’t really know someone in a week anyway.”
“So you’re still unsure about me? You didn’t answer my question. What made you say yes to this?”
“I’d made the decision to go through with this before I met you, as you know. I’ve concluded that it doesn’t matter whether I’m ready, because ultimately, I’m not doing this for me. I’m doing it for Britney and her parents. I won’t stand in the way.” He paused. “And I agree with Phil and Kate’s choice of surrogate.”
“I passed your test, then?”
“I still think you’re a bit bonkers. But you’re genuine. I’ll give you that. And you’re right… I doubt I’d ever find anyone better.”
I waited for the punch line, but it never came. Warmth flowed through my body. “That’s very kind. I sort of thought you didn’t trust me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t let you drive me anywhere.”
I laughed. “I have to say, though, I was surprised by the requirement that I move.”
“Is that not something you’re open to?”
“I didn’t say that. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“It makes the most sense, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, I suppose it does. I talked to my dad. He’s encouraging me to do it, especially since you’ve offered me a job, which is most appreciated.”
“You need your father’s permission?”
“Not at all. But I’m his only family here. My sister lives on the West Coast. I’d be leaving him alone for more than nine months, so I wanted him to be okay with it. That matters to me.”
“Well, good, then.”
“Do you have any siblings?” I asked.
“No. I’m an only child.”
“I see.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, the fact that you’ve offered me a position at your company is very gracious.”
“The job won’t be brain surgery. But we’re in need of someone who can help on the customer-service end of things. We manage a lot of properties where things are constantly going wrong. You’d be drafting responses, taking calls, and keeping track of any open-ended disputes with clients and contractors until they’re resolved. It requires someone who can write and communicate well. I figured as an English major you must be able to write, yes?”
“Yes. That sounds like something I can handle.” I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, having a bit of an out-of-body experience. “Where would I be living?”
“I figured you’d want to stay with Lavinia.”
“Wouldn’t that be too far from your office in London?”
“About an hour-and-a-half commute. But you’d only have to report to the office once or twice a week to show face. I could send a car for you on those days. You can work from home the rest of the time. Once you’re properly trained, it’s an easy job to do remotely because it’s all phone calls and emails.”
“That sounds like a dream, honestly—aside from you being my boss.”
“You won’t be working directly under me and probably won’t see me much. You’ll report to our customer relations manager. Most of the tasks you’ll be taking on belong to him currently. But he’s going to be helping us with some new acquisitions, expanding his role a bit, thus the need for support on the customer-service side.”
“Ah, okay. Good to know. Probably better that I won’t be reporting to you.” I hesitated a moment. “Will we…tell people what’s going on? Why I’m really in the UK?”