Evie looked down at her phone as her notification signalled another email. Opening it up, she rolled her eyes. It was Steven again. This time, it seemed the whole purpose of the email was to describe a new centralised storing system for clients’ files. She pinched the bridge of her nose. It wouldn’t work. She could see that just by reading the email. Everyone keeping their clients’ files in their own offices worked. He just seemed to be changing things to put his stamp on the firm, not to improve the services they provided.
‘You okay?’ Molly touched her arm.
Glancing up, Evie nodded. ‘Yes, I think I am. I just need to pop outside and send an email.’
‘Okay. I think we’re going to head up to the flat and spend a bit of time with Elsie and Ian, so if we’re not still in here, that’s where we’ll be.’
‘Okay, thanks.’ Smiling, Evie shrugged into her coat and pulled open the back door. Stepping out into the courtyard, she peered into the kitchen before closing the door. All of these people had come together to do their best to make Elsie and Ian’s big day tomorrow perfect. And each one of them had accepted her into their bakery family, no questions asked and not expecting anything in return. She knew what she had to do. She knew what she wanted to do.
Sitting down at the small metal garden table, Evie ignored the cold seeping through her jeans and began writing out the email. She copied both Melissa and Steven in and was polite, but to the point. She could no longer see a position for herself at the firm.
And send. She’d done it. She’d resigned.
Clasping her phone in her hands, she gripped it to stop them from shaking. She was jobless, unemployed. She shook her head. She needed to start planning. There was a lot to do if she was going to make the move here. She’d need to sell her apartment and find somewhere to rent down here in the meantime. Collect her things. Draw up a business plan.
Leaning back against the cold chair, she grinned. She was doing this. She really was. She was moving and starting her own business. New horizons were opening up for her, she was jumping into the unknown. She glanced back towards the kitchen. But she wasn’t alone in this venture. She had friends by her side. She had Jack by her side.
Chapter Twenty Four
Pushing herself tositting, she pushed the duvet off her and checked the time. It was only half-eleven. Everyone had left early, insisting Elsie and Ian needed a good night’s sleep before their wedding day. She couldn’t sleep, though. She should be feeling light, free, but the shadows of doubt had already begun tugging at the edges of her mind.
Switching on the bedside lamp, she leaned against the pillows and picked up her mobile. She’d had notifications from her email account, but also from Jack. She scrolled through to his message. He was just chatting, asking her how the preparations for the reception had gone. He’d been active only five minutes ago. Would he still be awake?
She messaged him quickly,Are you still up? x
Yes, still up. Do you fancy going for a walk? xxx
Yes. Meet you in five? x
Good plan. I’ll walk down to meet you xxx
Standing up, she slipped into her jeans and pulled her jumper over her head before tiptoeing out onto the landing.
Downstairs, she fought her way through Diane’s bedsheet tunnel and let herself out into the night air. With the door locked behind her, she perched on the window ledge and scrolled through her emails. Clicking them open one by one, she frowned. They were all from Melissa. All begging Evie to ring her back.
She checked her missed calls. She’d had nine! All from Melissa. Evie must have only been asleep for twenty minutes, if that. How had she missed all of these calls?