The Mighty Storm|| ethma

2

I arrive home from work, after somehow managing to compile a list of suitable questions for the interview with Ethan tomorrow, drop my handbag on our coffee table, sling my jacket on the arm of the sofa and kick my shoes off.

Simone is in the kitchen. We share a modest two bedroom converted ground floor apartment just outside the main san fran city, which we rent from Simone's cousin who is a property developer. Our rent is really reasonable as Marc and Simone are close. We would never have been able to afford it otherwise.

I wander in to the sound of the kettle boiling.

"Want one?" she asks holding up the coffee jar.

"I'd love one, thanks."

I get the chocolates out of the cupboard, then Simone hands me my coffee, and with the chocolates under my arm, I follow her back through into our small living room.

I sit next to her on the sofa, putting the box of chocolates between us.

"So how's your day been?" I ask, as I take a bite of a small rounded chocolate.

This is my opener to telling her about Ethan.

'How's your day been Simone? ... Mine you ask? Well, tomorrow morning I'm going to be interviewing Ethan Dolan.' – cue lots of screaming from Simone and maybe a little from me.

"Good," she beams, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. "In fact, it was actually great." She turns to face me, tucking her legs under her bum. "We landed Penners."

"You did?"

"We did! And then afterwards Daniel took me into his office to tell me they're promoting me to senior Ad Exec!"

"Argghhh!" I scream.

"I know!" she screams back.

"That's brilliant, Simone! I'm so pleased for you! And mega proud!" I give her a one armed hug, trying not to spill my coffee on her.

Simone works for an Advertising agency. She's been working on landing Penners for ages, so I know how big a deal this is for her. She loves her job, and as proven, is very good at it.

She's also stunningly gorgeous and has no clue as to the actual effect she has on men. With her lovely swishy, long blonde hair, saucer blue eyes and skin the colour of cream.

She is sweet, kind-hearted and über wonderful, and I just love her to bits.

"We should celebrate tonight," I enthuse, getting more and more on board with the idea as I talk about it. "I was supposed to be having dinner with Will, but I'll cancel. We can get dressed up, have cocktails at Mandarin's ..."

"No." She waves me off. "You can't cancel on Will."

"I can, and I will." I start to laugh at my own joke.

"You're a dork." She nudges my leg with her foot, chuckling.

"And you wouldn't have me any other way," I grin.

"That I wouldn't."

"Look, he'll understand, Will's a very understanding man." I take another bite of my chocolate and drop crumbs all over my T-shirt. I brush them off. "Tonight isn't a big deal, we were only having dinner. Seriously, you and I will go out and celebrate – I'll call Will now."

Honestly, I could do with the distraction of alcohol tonight because my nerves are fraught over the whole Ethan interview thing, and Simone is my very best drinking partner.

"You're sure?"

"I'm definitely sure." I grin.

"Then you are definitely on."