Chapter 9
1053 Words
"Berlin timeline," Henrik said.
Soren looked up but it was too late, every eye in the room was on him. Henrik was at the head of the table, his glasses slipping down his nose. Daniel sat to his left with a folder open, already gearing up for a fight. The rest of the board members were sitting stiff like they’d been superglued to their chairs and William, he was two seats down with a hand over his mouth, trying and failing not to look smug.
"Push it to Q3," Soren said boredly, "the numbers don’t support Q2."
Henrik nodded, scribbled it down and moved on.
Soren dropped his gaze back to his notepad where he wrote down Berlin, Q3.
Underneath it, in his own handwriting was written ...Juno.
He dragged three hard lines through it but it didn’t help, he could still read it perfectly.
Daniel picked up where he left off about the brand restructuring, the Ashton connection and how it was critical for the next year brand image. Soren nodded where necessary.
Half his brain stayed in the room, the other half was back in that restroom.
Juno leaning against the sink, arms crossed, asking if he could kiss him like he was asking a random question.
The way Juno kissed him and the way he had kissed back like he’d been arguing within himself about it since Juno walked into the restaurant.
"Soren," Henrik called again.
"The Ashton connection stays off the table until I say otherwise," Soren cut in. "Move on."
Daniel’s jaw tightened but he moved on.
Soren stared at his notepad, at the word he’d cancelled out still there under the ink.
The meeting dragged on for another ten minutes, then ended, everyone left the conference room and Soren was back in his office with his jacket off, a report open on his table and pretending that his brain wasn’t miles away in a bathroom that smelled like cheap soap.
The door opened without a knock, Liam walked in, dropped into the chair across Soren and grabbed the little globe paperweight off the desk. He started tossing it between his hands like he was 12 again.
"Put that down," Soren said without looking up.
"It’s just a paperweight."
"It’s a century old navigational instrument."
"It’s a ball with lines on it." Liam caught it one last time and set it down, "you zoned out during Daniel’s update."
"I was thinking."
"About Berlin?"
"About work."
"You wrote something on your notepad then you kinda blacked it out."
"Notes," Soren said, "bad ones apparently."
Liam leaned back with his sharp eyes. "Who is he?"
Soren didn’t answer.
"Who is he, Ren?"
"Don’t you have work?" Soren asked.
"I allocated it to people," Liam said waving it off. "Capable people, so who is he?"
"There’s no one."
"You’ve been distracted for two weeks." Liam counted it off on his fingers, "you bailed on a dinner, pushed back the call with the Henderson twice and just now, you zoned out while Daniel was talking.
Soren stayed quiet.
"So who is he?"
"Drop it Liam."
"I’ll drop it when you give me an answer." Liam leaned forward with his elbows on the desk, "you wrote down his name, didn’t you? On the notepad. Then you realized what you were doing and cancelled it."
Soren didn’t move.
Liam pointed at him like he’d just solved a puzzle. "You did, you absolutely did," he sat back grinning. Ren...."
"Don’t."
"You wrote his during a board meeting."
"I wrote down some notes."
"And you had to cancel them out?"
"They were wrong."
Liam stared then he laughed out loud, "this is the best thing that’s happened to me all week."
"I’m thrilled for you."
"Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?" Liam leaned in again, "for you to sit there looking like that?"
"I don’t look like anything."
"You look like a man who wrote something stupid and is now lying about it." Liam’s grin softened, just a little. "What’s his name?"
"Liam."
"Just his first name, I won’t push further."
"There’s nothing to push for."
"His first name Ren."
"Get out of my office."
"I will when you give me a name." Liam crossed his arms, I’m free till two so I can sit here all day."
Soren looked at him, Liam looked back with that same grin he always had since he figured out Soren hated being cornered.
"Juno," Soren said.
Liam blinked, "Sorry?"
"That’s all you’re getting."
"Juno," Liam said it slowly, "that’s… interesting."
"Goodbye Liam."
"Where did you meet him?"
"Goodbye."
"Is he why you’ve been..."
"Liam."
"Okay okay," Liam stood straightening his jacket. "I’m going," he picked up the globe paperweight again. "The meeting with the creative agency is tomorrow at ten, dad wants you there. Not physically there while your brain is somewhere else."
"I’ll be there."
"Mentally present would be great." Liam grinned, no Juno detours.
"I will fire you."
"You wouldn’t, I’m your favorite."
"Mia’s my favorite."
"Mia told me to ask you for money by the way."
Soren looked up, "how much?"
"She didn’t say, she just said she needs some."
"Tell her to text me, I’ll send it today."
Liam typed on his phone, "She’s gonna ask for triple."
"I know."
"And you’ll send it?"
"Obviously."
For a second the grin dropped, Liam just looked at him.
"You know," he said quietly, "for someone who acts like people are great inconvenience, you’re really easy to love Ren."
Soren looked down at his desk, "get out."
"I’m going." Liam slipped his phone into his pocket and headed for the door. "Juno, he muttered to himself...Interesting."
"Liam."
"Gone, I’m gone." He paused with his hand on the door, "Ten o'clock, be there and no writing of names on your notepad."
He grinned one last time, for what it’s worth Ren… it’s good to see you distracted, It’s been a while.
The door shut as he left and silence hit the room hard.
Soren sat there, stared at the door then at the notepad on his desk. He flipped it over, picked up his pen and tried to work.
The pen didn’t work, dry ink of course.
He swore under his breath, shoved the notepad in the drawer and locked it like that would help.
- Writer
