Loving My Best Friend

Ch 5 - The Lunch

Emily sat in front of Oliver at the restaurant. She had taken Oliver to the same burger joint they used to go together when they were younger. It was one of their favorite places. Everything reminded her of the times when they used to be best friends. They were inseparable but had known that their own mistake would separate them and damage their friendship beyond repair.

“You still come to this place?” Oliver asked her and she looked up from the menu.

“No, it’s been a while since I came. Do you?” She asked him and he shook his head, staring at the menu.

“Do you not like it anymore?” Emily asked, thinking she had made a mistake taking him here.

Oliver looked up at her and sighed. “It’s the same reason you didn’t come here. It was our place, and I didn’t want to…”

Emily narrowed her eyes at him. “You didn’t want to do what?”

Keeping his stare at her, he moved closer and almost whispered. “Remember how you left me alone.”

Emily reeled back from the accusation and blinked at him. Shaking her head, she said, “I never left you alone, I just needed some time alone to sort things out between us. I told you in the letter.”

Oliver sat back and crossed his arms. “Exactly how much time do you need? Years or maybe decades?”

Years? Decades? She had no idea how much time she would need to get over him. It might take a lifetime.

Emily eyed the way he crossed his arms, making his muscles bulge. He had not been that muscular before, she remembered.

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked civilly since that night. How do I know if we are ever going to be best friends or even friends again?”

“Ask yourself. You were the one avoiding me,” Oliver said, and waved at the waiter to order.

“You could have come and talked to me,” Emily said, placing the menu card down. “But you were so busy with your girlfriends, you never bothered to talk to me.”

“So now you’re jealous of my girlfriend?” Oliver said and ordered when the waiter came. After him, Emily ordered and the waiter left.

“I am not jealous of your stupid empty-headed girlfriends. I am just saying that I wasn’t your priority,” Emily said, and looked away. She hated how she came after everything for him. If he was so bothered by her not being in touch with him, he could have gotten in touch with her himself. She wasn't always going to run away from him.

Oliver eyed her and smirked. He loved riling her up. He loved the way she frowned whenever he talked about his girlfriends. His girlfriends weren't that important to him. In fact, he could hardly remember their names.

“What if I say you are?” He said and Emily sarcastically chuckled.

“Of course, I am now. Because I am your boss, I should be.” Emily emphasized, and Oliver gave her a bored look.

He shook his head. “I don’t consider you my boss.”

“You will. I promise,” Emily said, narrowing her eyes at Oliver, who just shrugged nonchalantly.

He wanted to say that he didn’t consider her his boss but his best friend, but never got to tell the latter, since a woman walked up to their table all of a sudden and exclaimed loudly.

“Oh my god, Oliver is that you?” The woman exclaimed in happiness while her eyes were stuck on Oliver like a kid in a candy store.

Emily looked up and saw a beautiful woman with a model-like figure, dressed immaculately, ogling Oliver with her bottom lip between her teeth. Oliver, however, was squinting at her, trying to jog his memory to recognize her.

Sighing to herself, Emily shook her head, seeing him lost while looking at the strange woman. She knew in an instant that he didn't remember her. It was a norm for him to sleep with women and not remember them ever. They weren't people for him and Emily felt pity for those women. But they never learned. They kept pursuing him and she couldn't blame them.

“It’s Adley. Remember we met at Finn’s birthday party?” The woman said.

It was then Oliver narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly, making the woman grin widely. Though Emily still doubted that he remembered her and was just playing along. “Yeah, I remember you. We never got to meet again.”

She nodded with a sad face, as if to see how much tragedy that was, while Emily scowled, looking away.

“Yeah, but we can amend that. I can join you here,” the woman, Adley, said.

Hearing her say that, Emily turned to look at her and gaped at her audacity to invite herself. She glanced at Oliver who was staring at the woman still in thought instead of refusing, and Emily had enough.

She cleared her throat loudly, finally getting Adley’s attention and directed a fake smile at Adley. “I am sorry. You will have to catch up sometime else because right now Oliver is having lunch with his boss. Me! So if you have nothing important to say, then can you leave us alone? We have a lot of work to discuss.”

With that, Emily picked up the menu and pretended to read it while Adley left looking disappointed.

The woman smiled sweetly at Oliver again. “See you later, Oliver.”

Oliver nodded with a smirk and when his gaze fell on Emily, she was eying him like a hawk. Her green eyes were glaring daggers. His smirk only widened seeing her fuming.

“Jealousy suits you,” Oliver said.

“What? I am not jealous,” Emily said, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks by lifting the menu higher and avoiding his gaze.

“You can lie to yourself, but not to me. I see through you,” Oliver said while snatching the menu away from her hands.

“Get over yourself, Oliver,” Emily said, avoiding his searching eyes, and then the waiter came interrupting their banter with their orders.

~~~~~~~~~~

After Emily got back to her office, she learned through her secretary that the hotel bookings for the weekend had been made. She was going to Miami for a business conference.

“That’s great, thanks.” Emily said to her secretary and went inside her office.

Later that evening…

Emily got home and saw her mother cooking in the kitchen.

“You, in the kitchen? What are you cooking?” Emily asked, surprised and excited.

Her mother smiled and offered her to taste the gravy. Tasting it, Emily hummed. “Tastes great. I can’t wait to have it.”

“How’s your work?” Her mother asked and Emily frowned. Her mother barely ever asked about her work.

Nodding, Emily replied. “Good, why do you ask?”

Emily’s mother smiled. “Oliver’s working with you now. That’s why I asked. You must be having a good time at work now that your best friend is there.”

Trying not to roll eyes at the word best friend, Emily nervously chuckled. “Oh yeah, we had lunch today. Caught up with each other and had … fun.”

To avoid further inquiry, Emily quickly picked up her bag and ran towards her room. But just before entering her room, her phone rang and she saw Bernard Hansen, Oliver’s father’s name on the mobile screen.

“Hi, Mr. Hansen,” Emily said after answering the call.

“Emily, I hope I didn’t disturb you,” Bernard Hansen said.

Emily chuckled and said, “Not at all, I just got home. So how are you?”

“I am good, kiddo. Just wanted to ask if you’re attending that conference I mentioned earlier?”

Emily thought for a while and remembered that the conference she was going to attend in Miami was indeed recommended by Bernard Hansen.

“Yes, yes. I am attending it this weekend. Is there anything wrong?”

“No, I actually wanted you to take Oliver with you. He could gain some exposure as well, since you know he will be joining his own company soon.”

Nodding in thought, Emily said, ”Yeah, no problem. He can come with me. I will make the arrangements, don’t worry.”

“Thanks, kiddo. Well, I will talk to you later, then.”

“OK, bye.” Emily said and hung up.

It took a moment for her to digest the information. So, Oliver would be accompanying her to the conference too. Seeing him in the office wasn’t enough, now that he was going to be spending the weekend with her too. She groaned.

It’s only for a few months, then he will be gone to his company… Emily reminded herself.