Fishing For A Dream [Book Three]

Chapter 7 - I'll See You In My Dreams

It was a rare quiet day at work. The evening before had been our extremely belated office Christmas party, and although we'd only planned to have a nice meal, a few drinks, then maybe go somewhere to dance, that was not what ended up happening. Instead, as was typical, - and Rose and I were stupid for not knowing it would happen - a majority of us had ended up staying out until three in the morning, doing tequila shots in a karaoke room inside a nightclub in Clapham. Needless to say, everyone was feeling a little worse for wear.

"I feel like shit," Rose groaned, shuffling into the office with a can of Red Bull and a large bar of chocolate in hand. "It's like Dawn of the Dead out there."

Sunglasses on, the hood of my pink Treat People With Kindness hoodie pulled up and as far forward as possible, and without a scrap of make-up on, I sat low in my chair, messaging Harry before he went to sleep. He was being wonderfully sweet about my hangover, and was only mildly making fun of me for the long, rambling voice note I'd sent when I got home, telling him about how much I loved him and missed him and couldn't wait for us to go away somewhere when his tour ended. He told me I'd started singing 'Just One Look' by The Hollies at one point, but I flat out refused to believe him, purely because I couldn't handle the embarrassment.

"What time shall we call it quits?" I asked. "We were fools for even thinking any of us would be in a fit state for work. We should've listened to Vicky when she suggested last night that we should just tell everyone to work from home."

Rose sat down in her chair and glanced at her wrist, then remembered she'd forgotten to put her watch on as she'd stumbled out the door that morning. "I say we go at two. We can all go home and come back tomorrow rested and fresh. I just want my bed." Taking a long swig of her energy drink, she then added, "Next year, we're definitely all having the day off."

"Ugh! I don't want to think about next year." Mumbling, I sent Harry a final goodnight, then dropped both hands down towards the floor, falling limp in my chair. As my head fell back against the headrest, I nodded in agreement. "Two sounds fine to me."

Closing my eyes, I was about to fall asleep when I felt my phone vibrating in my hand. I thought perhaps it was Harry calling to say a proper goodnight, but when I heavily raised my hand to look at the screen, I was surprised to see Will's name.

He and Terry had finally been on their long-awaited and much-needed honeymoon in Bali, and non-hungover Layla had offered to pick them up from the airport to save on having to pay for parking. They had declined at the time - saying they would simply get a cab - but I imagined they had changed their mind after such a long flight, and instead were eager to get home. Although, by the time I got there, it would be much quicker for them to just get a taxi.

"Hello, Mr Daniels-French! How was paradise?" I asked, sounding considerably more chipper than I felt.

On the other end of the call, I could only hear the sound of traffic and what sounded like somebody sniffing back tears. Then suddenly the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I sat bolt upright in my seat as I waited for Will to say something.