Need You

Chapter 20

One week later, Tom called me into his office soon after I got to my desk. I left my coffee on the desk and went to his office.

"Good morning Harry. Have a seat." He said.

"Yesterday," He began. "the company signed a deal with Beyond Beautiful, a company which produces makeup and a bunch of other things needed for enhancing beauty. I'm putting you in charge of that account."

Continuing, he said, "I'll send you all the necessary information about Beyond Beautiful and their finances. Make sure to get in touch with the team you'll be working on this account with and also Beyond Beautiful's accountant."

"Okay but how will I know the people I'm working with?"

"It'll all be in the email I'll send." I nodded. "This is a big account so I need you to work hard on it. I know you will." He added with a grin.

"Alright, I'll get on it right away." I smiled and said as I got up to leave.

By the time Amanda texted me, I had gotten in touch with the team I'd be working with and also in touch with Beyond Beautiful's team. Their accountant had sent me some documents which I was yet to read.

I decided to read them after Amanda and I had gotten lunch.

I saw in the hallway staring at her phone. "Hey."

"Hey." She smiled. Getting closer to the door on our way out, she asked, "Did you know Gina was back from her vacation?"

"No." I said. "She's finally back after a month. I wish I could go on vacation for a month." I said jokingly.

"Weren't you in Europe for more than a month recently?" She laughed.

I almost froze. I couldn't believe she still remembered that lie I told her. Leo knew I was in jail and I was sure it only a matter of time before he spilled it to the three people who had helped me greatly - probably because they didn't know the truth.

"I would be more deserving of a vacation which lasted a month."

I let her laughter push back my worrying thoughts and then I replied, "Well, I was in Europe for work, not a vacation." It was a lie but what else would I have said.

"Gina just texted that she's waiting for us at the restaurant."

"Okay."

We hailed a taxi got into the back.

"I was given a new account to work on today." I said to Amanda.

"Oh?"

Amanda worked in YouShip's legal department so I was sure she knew but I still told her about the deal YouShip signed with Beyond Beautiful.

"Yeah, that's one of the biggest deals YouShip has signed. Beyond Beautiful is a rapidly growing company and they just made us their main distributor."

"I spoke to some members of their team and honestly I'm quite glad to be working with them." I said honestly.

"I wish I got happy whenever I got a new client."

"Mm?" I got confused by that statement.

"It would show me that I like my job." She muttered.

"Do you not like your job?" I asked.

"I do; it earns me a good pay and all but I wish I got excited about it." She said with a pout.

If she hadn't mentioned it, I would've never known she didn't love her job. "When you were a child, what did you want to do when you grew?"

"Um..." She paused. "I don't think I ever decided on what I wanted to do. There were a lot."

"A lot?" I asked amused. I wanted to know what she meant by a lot.

She started mentioning quite a number of professions and I couldn't hold back my laughter.

"You did mention lawyer in there." I pointed out.

"I did want to become a lawyer but it wasn't what I actually wanted to become."

"So how did you end up becoming it?"

"Well, I guess my parents got tired of my long list and my indecisiveness and thought I should just go with the one which was possibly the best paying."

"And that was law." I added and she nodded.

"Did you want to become an accountant when you were a child?"

"Not exactly. I just knew I wanted to do something which dealt with numbers. And then I chose accounting which is great, but I wish I could interact with people more."

"Yeah well, you still got to do what you wanted. I still don't know what exactly I wanted to do." She said.

"I think most of the time, what we want to do is in relation to what we like doing. As a child, I loved Math. I'm sure if you take note of what you like to do, you'd finally make a choice from your long list of professions."

"Mmm." She nodded. "It's not that long." She quipped.

We got to the Ethel's Diner and it was a fun reunion for Gina and Amanda. I went to the office to greet Ethel. Nikki was busy so lunch was just Gina, Amanda and me.

"Too bad she can't have lunch with us." Gina said as she watched Nikki moving from one table to the next with a big smile on her face.

"It's all his fault." Amanda pointed her finger at me.

"What is my fault?"

"It's because of you that Nikki can't have lunch with us."

"That's true." Gina supported. "Nikki told me what you did."

I honestly didn't understand how it was my fault. "What did I do?"

"You work here for a month and then look at what you do to the place." Amanda said and I looked around puzzled.

"I didn't do anything."

"Oh really? Then why are there so many people in here." She said with a small smile and I bowed my head in amusement.

Looking at her, I mentioned, "That is not entirely my fault. Nikki was the brains behind it and so she kind of brought this on herself."

"I need to use the washroom." Gina announced as she left the table.

"Hey have you ever been convicted for a crime?" Amanda asked suddenly after a few moments had passed with either of us saying nothing.

"What!?" Why would she ask me that? Did Leo tell her?

I felt like she was waiting for an answer as she stared at me. I should just say no. Why did she even ask!?

"Just say no." She stated surprisingly. "I'm sure you haven't been convicted but I just need you to say no so that I know I've done my job."

I was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Just say no. Or have you ever been convicted for a crime?"

"Of course not." I answered immediately. Then I asked her what she meant when she said, "so that I know I've done my job."

"The company has a policy that states that any person who is released from jail and comes in search of a job soon after should be denied."

"What!? That's crazy."

"I know, but that's how it has been even before I started working there."

That meant that if I had told them about my conviction then I wouldn't have even been considered.

"I'm sure this explains why you were asked if you've ever been to jail at your interview."

"Mm?"

"Weren't you..."

"Yeah yeah yeah, I was asked." I lied.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey there! It's been twenty chapters and in my mind I think there's still a lot to come.
Thank you very much for reading and voting. Please do VOTE for this chapter too. Tell me what you think of the story so far. Can you tell anything that will happen in future chapters from reading this one? Let me know.

Instagram: thewritedude