For exactly nine days life came pretty close to what I imagine paradise must be like. Then I received a call from my old boss Theresa.
“What did I tell you about staying in touch, Lee? I know you’re probably busy courting several people, but it doesn’t mean you should neglect your friends.”
“Friends don’t speak about their friends in the way you just spoke about me, Theresa.”
“What are you talking about? I gave it to you straight, exactly the way in which friends should.”
“Fair enough, boss. How’s life treating you? Not sick of your business partner yet?”
“Indirectly, she’s the reason for my call.”
“Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Our agency is doing really well, so well even that we need to expand. We’re approaching your friend Alex. We want to persuade him to come work with us, and his copy-writer, of course. They make an impressive team.”
“Well, that’s never going to happen. No offence, Theresa, but Alex doesn’t want to work for Claire.”
“We’ll make them a very generous offer. You know money is everything in this business.”
“And you’re telling me this because?”
“Given your history with Claire, I thought it was the right thing to do.”
“My heart is warmed. You are aware of the fact that Alex has only been working with the new copy-writer for a few months, right?”
“Oh yes, Lou Gallagher, she’s brilliant. Together they’re absolute genius, which is why we want to snatch them up as quickly as possible.”
“I have several objections to this plan, but I may as well save my breath, I suppose.”
“This will be good for Alex. I promise you. We’ll make him thrive.”
“It’s not Alex I’m worried about.”
“Then what is your concern?”
“Lou Gallagher is my girlfriend. The prospect of her working for Claire Burns doesn’t really make me jump for joy.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that. But, Lee, you must realise this is business. It’s not personal.”
“Do tell that to Claire.” I was on my way to Lou’s for another night of revelling in that magic mixture of unending lust and silly giddiness only a new love inspires. I turned the corner and I saw her standing in the door frame, her eyes narrowed to slits as she sucked at a hand-rolled cigarette. The distinct fragrance of tobacco was so inherent to her now that I looked forward to its sting in my nostrils. Nevertheless, I was brooding on a plan to get her to quit − a plan so cowardly it mainly involved getting Alex to be on her case about the disadvantages of smoking all day at work. As I approached her, catching the first faint hint of a smile that turned my insides all goofy again, I realised that there was no way I could ever stomach my girlfriend and my best friend working in the service of Claire Burns. 
“Hey you,” she said. Usually the sign for me to forget about everything but the two of us together, but it didn’t work this time. I kept wondering how much money I would have to compete with and if it was my place at all to ask them to decline. “What’s up?”
“One of these days, you’re going to get an offer that will be very hard to refuse but, if you want your life to be drama-free, I would strongly advise you to say no.”
“Can you a bit more specific, please? I mean, that’s very vague, even for you.”
“Claire, my ex and co-founder of Sanders & Burns, wants to pay you and Alex generously to join her company.” 
“Oh that,” she said. “Don’t worry about that. She requested a meeting today but Alex dismissed the possibility immediately.”

To be continued…