Sick Like Me (Sick Like #1)

Chapter 46

FORTY-SIX

I let out a loud groan as I threw my head back. My knees hit the desk, shaking it slightly. Stefan, sat beside me, let out a sound near on a protest.

Despite my actions, my headache still throbbed behind my eyes. I had been staring at the computer screen for too long, and the bright lights of the room did nothing to help. It only just added to the mild pain.

“Ash, do you mind? You’re going to tip my water all over the place,” Stefan near on snapped at me.

That was out of character for him usually, but he was getting stressed with work also. He was rushing to make sure his work was done before he left, while also making sure it remained at the high standard he was used to.

I opened my eyes and shot him a look with narrowed eyes. “Did you just raise your voice at me?”

He rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked up in a small smile. “Just because you’re getting promoted to assistant manager doesn’t meant mean you can mess my desk up, got it?”

“I may not be sitting next to you this time next week, shouldn’t you be spending your time enjoying my presence before I’m gone?” I faux pouted, gently nudging his ankle with my foot.

“You say that as if you’re moving away, or moving buildings. You’re so pedantic sometimes,” He laughed and picked up his glass of water with a glass straw inside, sipping it slowly as his eyes looked around the room. “It sucks that it seems like the department is getting smaller. I feel like there isn’t much progression opportunity here. Everyone else probably thought so, too.”

“You handed your notice in already, dumbass. You’re only here for three more months. Things may change in that time, you know,” The thought of losing Stefan stung a little, but he had better things to do with his life—plans that made me excited to see him grow and change.

Stefan had decided to go into a more public relations role. He was great at showing people off with a great image, so it was perfect for him. He was going to work at a family friend’s firm before he decided to take the permanent leap into that field of work.

Just on time, Casey Butler waltzed into the room with a travel mug in one hand, and her handbag resting on her opposite arm. She looked tired, but then again she always did. She was a busy woman, after all.

I just hoped my new promotion wouldn’t make me as busy.

Casey placed her bag down on top of her desk, then she pulled out her chair and sat down. She let out a sound of relief, then she closed her eyes.

“You two gossiper,” She called out, and at first I hadn’t even registered she was speaking about Stefan and I. But Stefan turned in his chair to face her, his eyes narrowed. Then I realised she was calling for our attention.

So I turned in my chair to face her too, my eyes wide. “Huh? ”

“How old is the company?” She asked out of the blue, and I felt my eyebrows furrow into a frown at her question.

“Excuse me?” I asked, unsure if I had heard what I thought I had heard.

“How old is the company?” She repeated, her words slower and slightly louder.

Stefan shrugged to reveal he had no clue. I chewed the inside of my lower lip, wondering if the answer to her question would be the final decider in if I got my promotion or not. “Um, 20 years old?”

Casey tutted and shook her head, but she smiled to show she was being light hearted and not serious. I had no clue why she wanted to ask such a question, but I felt she had a meaning behind it.

“25, the company is 25 years old in a month’s time,” She began as she spun her chair to face us, resting her elbows on her desk then her chin on top of her joint hands. “And they’re hosting a company-wide gala.”

She looked around the room, then pointed her finger as she turned her hand just enough so she could point at us. “And you two are going, no ifs or buts about it.”

“I don’t—” I began, to which Casey pulled one hand free and held it up in my direction, silencing me.

“Don’t you dare even say you don’t have a dress before you give me the to chance to explain further,” She then linked her hands once again. “The company is adding a ￡300 bonus to your pay this month just to get an outfit for the gala.”

I pushed my lips together, impressed that the company would do such a thing. But then again, King Family Furnitures pushed the image of ‘togetherness’ and this was likely the bonus they hoped would convince everyone to attend the event.

“Fuck yeah, a new suit,” Stefan cheered, to which Casey shot him a narrowed eye look.

“Don’t you dare swear in this office again,” She warned .

“What’s she gonna do, fire me?” I heard him mumble under his breath, and I had to stop myself from laughing.

Stefan rolled his eyes and shrugged before he pulled himself back to his desk. He rushed to open his web browser, and gave no fucks as he opened up a shopping site.

We were strictly forbidden from shopping online while at work. In fact, we were strictly forbidden from doing anything personal on our computers while at work.

Stefan had once excused they never shut the sites off from use, so they were just begging for us to abuse the ‘rule’. He was also leaving the company soon, so he had no care in the world for broken rules.

Just as he said, what was they going to do? Fire him? Too late for that.

“Stefan,” I whispered a warning, to which he shot me a look over his shoulder.

“What?” He asked, forcing a tone that was meant to make him sound innocent.

I pushed my lips to one side of my face, revealing he was pushing his luck. But he just grinned at me, knowing I wouldn’t risk ratting him out, as he turned back to his computer and slid the mouse down to show him an array of suits in all colours.

I shot a look at Casey, and found her busy on her own computer. Casey, while seeming to be a strict manager, was actually quite chilled. I had no doubts she was doing just as we were—shopping for the perfect outfit.

I also suspected she would be choosing her husband’s outfit, too.

So I followed in the steps of Stefan and opened a site which I knew sold dresses that looked formal enough.

Within seconds, I found a dress I loved. I clicked on the icon to show the full page, revealing a berry coloured dress, with a square neck. The dress was a twisted maxi dress, with cape sleeves .

I nodded slowly in appreciation at the images. It wasn’t something I would usually have worn, but it was good enough and it seemed to have a sense of wearability about it—something I wanted if I was to buy another fucking dress for some dumb work event.

I hadn’t worn that damn black dress since, and I felt sour at the fact I had spent money just to wear it once. I had to find an excuse to wear it again, I promised myself.

Just in time, the email came through from the HR department. I saw in a small square at the top right of my screen, a notification from the email app revealing a tiny excerpt of the email.

I clicked the box, and my screen closed the internet browser and opened the email app up. My computer was a bit old, so it took it’s time to load. But finally the email opened and my eyes ghosted over the words on my screen.

Good afternoon,

Your managers may have already spoken to you about this, however we thought it best to share a company wide email to keep all staff in the loop.

Mr and Mrs King founded the King Family Furniture company almost 25 years ago. To thank all staff who have invested their time and efforts into the development of the company, Mr and Mrs King are hosting a gala to thank you all.

On the 4th of June, please join us in celebrating the company and its achievements at The Verdant Royale. Why not make a weekend of it, and book a hotel room? Why not golf with Mr King, or spend the day in the spa and pool with Mrs King?

We look forward to seeing you there! Please RSVP with your manager so we can arrange meals and drinks, all on us !

Use the attached discount code to get exclusive discounts.

We will have some exciting promotion announcements to share, and where better to celebrate such great news than in the countryside surrounded by your closest work family?

Kindest regards,

Your HR team and Mr & Mrs King

“This company sure loves to give back to us,” Stefan smirked as he closed off the email.

His hands worked along the keyboard, then sure enough an image of The Verdant Royale greeted our eyes. I moved closer to Stefan after shooting Casey a look, to which she seemed to be just as focused on her computer as we were.

I had never heard of the hotel, but it sure sounded luxurious. But that was to be expected after all the events the Kings’ had been involved in that I had attended. From their ‘welcome home’ event, to the hotel in Monaco, they saved no expense.

I looked over Stefan’s shoulder at the slideshow of photos, humming with mild surprise at the hotel. The photos showed a hotel that looked historic in build, but the windows and driveway were all updated to modern features.

Behind the hotel stood rolling green hills, and looked to be home to a pristine golf course as golf buggies whizzed around in the background in the form of blurs.

Stefan clicked the next image on the slideshow and it revealed green arches made of bushes. In small green spaces stood trees, benches either side of the area to admire the image of the tree.

The walkway and driveway were all paved with stones, grey in colour. In the middle of one of the green spaces, the largest green space, sat a greyish beige fountain with four tiers. It looked beautiful, a place I would book to stay at in my free time .

“That place looks amazing,” I whispered, to which Stefan nodded slowly.

“I have always loved this place. I went there as a kid for a family wedding, and ever since, I’ve wanted to get married there,” Stefan whispered in return, but he sounded almost dreamy as he spoke.

I smiled and gave a small laugh. “That’s sweet. Well, I hope you get your big fancy wedding there. I want to be best man,” I moved back to my desk, going back to considering the photos of the dress I had been viewing previously.

“You’d be best woman, dickhead. Not best man,” He rolled his eyes, but smiled. “You and Peyton can share the role, so long as you wear dresses the same colour as my suit or tie.”

I nodded my head in agreement with a wide smile. I threw my hand out sideways to him and stuck my little finger out. He didn’t waste a second thought as he moved his hand to entwine his little finger with mine, and shook our hands before connecting our thumbs.

“It’s a deal.”