Never Giving Up

Chapter 35

The heat from the coffee hits my throat hard as I swallow it, causing me to wince until it passes. It doesn't take long to pass and when it does, I look back at Allison who is simply staring down into the half-empty cup of coffee she's holding with both hands.

Just looking at her, I can tell she hasn't slept much. Her hair is tied back into a messy ponytail and her make-up is as simple as it can be considering the shades of make-up she uses are marginally darker than mine. She could have used my foundation but she chose to use the BB cream instead with only mascara on her lashes and her eyebrows darkened and defined with an eyebrow pencil.

You can't say she hasn't made an effort when she has. She's made as best of an effort as can be expected after what we both went through last night. I knew her sleep would be disturbed and most would expect mine to be the same but it wasn't. I slept like I normally do – soundly and comfortable. Even more comfortably when Luca finally came to bed, when that was I don't know. I can just remember feeling him slip into the bed, pull me in close, place a kiss on my shoulder, then whisper goodnight.

Next thing I knew, it was morning and Allison and I were both going through our morning routines earlier and slower than usual. If it wasn't for us having work to go to today, we'd both be curled up together on the couch pigging out on anything we could get our hands on. Sadly, that isn't to be the case.

"What time do you finish work at today?" I ask, breaking the silence in the kitchen between Allison and myself.

She takes a deep breath and draws her elbows into her sides, pulling her cup closer to her. "I finish at one today."

"That's not like you."

"I know but I have an interview with another company," she confesses.

I share a glance with Luca who is busy drinking his cup of tea and eating a croissant. He raises his brows and signals for me to ask more questions. I look back to Allison. "An interview? Are you looking for another job?"

"I've already got the job. It's just to go over the final details before I start next week."

"Wow," I breathe. "You kept that quiet."

"Are you working your two weeks notice?" Luca enquires.

"I have. Tomorrow's my last day." She looks at me. "I needed a change and to be frank, it's come at the perfect time for me after everything that's happened. I don't want to continue working for that company knowing I could potentially run into Greg's dad one day when he's there for business."

"That's a good point." I finish the remainder of my coffee now it's cooled down. "At least you can move on and not have to look over your shoulder thinking either him or his dad will turn up. Did Greg know you were applying for other jobs?"

"I didn't tell him," she confesses.

"I don't know if I should say that that's good or . . ."

"I know what you mean but it is good. I just didn't think that I'd be where I am today at my age," Allison sulks. She stares down at her cup then suddenly takes a deep breath and looks back at me with a forced smile on her face. "Anyway, I can always look on the bright side of life. I'm free to be who I truly am and the right guy will come along who will treat me how I'm supposed to be treated. There's plenty more fish in the sea as they say."

I smile. "That's true."

"I've just got to get my life into another gear and decide my next move other than thinking of where I'm going to live in the meantime and how I'm going to get my belongings from Greg's house without seeing him."

"I can send one of my guys to his house to get them for you," Luca suggests. "And you can stay here until you get a flat or something sorted."

I look at Luca in shock.