The Expat Diaries: Misfortune Cookie (Single in the City Book 2) (30 page)

‘Well certainly, but I’ll need to check our records, for accuracy you understand. It may take a few minutes. If you’d rather, I’m happy to fax–’

‘Yes, sir. We’ll wait.’

‘All right. Just a moment, please. I’ll ask our accountant.’

‘So Ms. Cumming is being paid by you?’

‘Of course she is. Why else would she be here?’

Man Two shoots me a look.

Josh punches his speed dial, spinning his chair away from us and speaking in a low voice. ‘Thank you,’ he says as he hangs up. ‘The twenty-first of June this year. That’s when Hannah started. She may be a recent hire but already she’s proving her mettle.’

No, no, no, I want to scream, I don’t want him to lie. I’ve been here since February. He’s in enough trouble for letting me work without a visa. He shouldn’t compound it by lying. They might put him in jail. He could lose his company! We need to come clean and take our chances that it won’t be too bad. ‘Josh,’ I say quietly. ‘I think–’

Man One interrupts, possibly not realizing that I’ve spoken. ‘Do you have your records, sir, showing Ms. Cumming’s visa?’

The moment of truth. Josh might be an amazing boss but even he can’t conjure a visa out of thin air. As my mother would say, the jig is up. Oh God, my mother. First Sam, now this. It’s won’t be easy to dispute her claim to righteousness now.

‘Of course, it’s right here.’ Josh reaches into his drawer and withdraws a stapled pack of papers. Abracadabra. ‘I’m happy to make copies for you, if you’d like.’ They nod, scrutinizing the papers.

‘Fine. Mrs. Reese?’ he calls. ‘Mrs. Reese?’

She appears in the doorway. ‘Yes, Josh?’

‘Will you please make two copies of these papers for me? Thank you.’

I watch her carefully as she takes the papers. Her expression doesn’t change, but the stillness in her face tells me her thoughts. ‘Now,’ he says. ‘If there’s nothing else I can help you with…’

‘Thank you, Mr. Bolton. We’ll just need to see Ms. Cumming’s passport.’

He looks at me. ‘I’m sure Hannah doesn’t have her passport with her. Can we fax a copy to you tomorrow? Or come over with it?’

The officials agree that we should go to their offices, and stand to leave. ‘Thank you, Ms. Cumming,’ says Man One as we shake hands at the stairwell, as if this was all just a silly old misunderstanding. ‘That was a very interesting story.’

As soon as they’re safely down the stairs Josh motions me to his office. He closes the door.

‘Josh, I’m so sorr–’

‘Hannah, I don’t know what to say except sorr–’

We stare at each other. ‘Why are you apologizing?’ I ask him.

‘I should have sorted your visa months ago. I kept meaning to but then with one thing or another, I put it off. It was stupid. You could have been in serious trouble.’

‘I thought I was dead! But Josh, how
did
I have a visa?’

‘You didn’t,’ he says simply. ‘At least, you didn’t until about an hour ago. When Winnie called I knew I had to sort something quickly. I called in a lot of favors, friends of friends and so on, and got the papers done up. Luckily I was near Wan Chai to pick them up or you’d have had to talk for a lot longer! They’re not quite legitimate but only insofar as the Immigration men were right. They’re the real thing. A real visa, I mean. They just weren’t in the records. Well, they will be now, filed away as if they’ve been there all along. We need to get your visa stamp first thing tomorrow. Don’t ask. You’re legal now, that’s all that matters.’ He grins.

‘Josh, you’re amazing. Okay, I don’t need to know the details. In fact, it’s better if I don’t, in case I ever have to testify against you,’ I say, beaming. ‘But I do need to talk to you about something. Do you know who called Immigration on me?’

He nods, and sighs. ‘Yes, it occurred to me as I was running around.’

‘There’s more.’ I tell him everything, watching his expression get sadder and sadder. ‘I’m sorry,’ I say when I’m done. ‘I know she’s a long-time family friend.’

‘A real friend wouldn’t do those things. Nor would she jeopardize this company. Leave it with me, okay?’

As I leave to tell Winnie all that’s happened, I hear him call for Mrs. Reese. He called her Camilla.

‘A toast,’ says Josh, raising his glass beneath the fairy-lit mango trees. Red lanterns glow overhead, making it easy to forget that our sofa under the stars (well, under the light pollution) is nestling between Mong Kok’s skyscrapers. The Backyard just might be my favorite Hong Kong bar, I think as I raise the last of my grapefruitini. ‘To work permits!’ Stacy grins at him, lightly stroking his hand. ‘I was afraid we’d lost you today, Hannah. I’m very glad we didn’t.’ Everyone clinks glasses.

‘And to Hannah’s promotion! Congratulations, sweetie!’ Stacy adds. ‘It
is
a promotion, right Josh?’

‘Absolutely. It’s a promotion.’

‘To Hannah’s promotion!’ Winnie grins. ‘And to second chances. I didn’t think you were going to get a break there, Han. I should have known Josh would figure something out. Here’s to second chances. I’m so glad you got one!’

Me too. This day couldn’t have worked out better. For me, at least. Despite everything Mrs. Reese has put me through I still felt a little sick thinking about what Josh must have said to her.

They were in his office for a long time, and when she emerged she went straight to her desk, got her handbag and left. Josh appeared in the doorway, ran his hand through his mad hair, and called me in. ‘Mrs. Reese is taking a few weeks off, before deciding what she’d like to do. Hannah, why didn’t you say anything earlier? I feel like a fool, that I didn’t see what she was doing before this. Not just with you, I mean. When I think of your predecessors… I feel like a fool.’ He held up his hand to my protest. ‘It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done. The important thing is that we go forward, and that I’ve got a team I can trust, and rely on. You’ve done a very good job for me, and I expect that’ll continue long into the future. I hope this whole business hasn’t put you off of us.’ I shook my head. ‘Good. Then I’d like to discuss your future…’

So here I am, gainfully employed in a job I love, with a boss who, for the first time in my life, believes in me as much as I believe in myself. This feels good. It feels really good. I may not know exactly where I’m going, or what the future holds for me, but I know I’ll make the most of it. I’ve proven that to myself. ‘I’ll get the next round,’ I say, grabbing my bag, which bdlllings in response. My heart skips as I dig out my phone.

Just got your emaik honey, Dad and I are so proud of you. Congratultions. We lovyou. xx Mom

Now will you come home for Christmas?

Yes, Mom, I’ll go home for Christmas. I know my own mind now, and I’m strong enough to withstand any convincing she might wish to do. After these past few months, I’m strong enough to withstand anything. Opening my wallet to check for cash, the tattered fortune catches my eye.
Following your heart will pay off in the near future.
Maybe it will after all, I think as I pay for our drinks… ‘I’ll grab them in a sec,’ I tell the bartender. ‘I’ve just got a couple of texts to send first.’ I take out my phone, thinking about second chances, and text Sam.

I’ll make no promises. I know what I want, and more importantly, I know what I deserve. It’s what my heart, and my head, demands.

The End

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The Expat Diaries: Misfortune Cookie
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Did they? Didn’t they? If you want to know what happens next with Hannah and Sam, read on for the first two chapters of the final book,
The Expat Diaries: Twelve Days to Christmas
.

About the Author

Michele Gorman is the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling author of eight romantic comedies. Born and raised in the US, Michele has lived in London for 16 years. She is very fond of naps, ice cream and Richard Curtis films but objects to spiders and the word “portion”.

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Fed up with always struggling to lose weight, best friends Katie, Ellie, Pixie and Jane start a social club where size doesn't matter. It soon grows into London's most popular club - a place to have fun instead of counting carbs - and the women find their lives changing in ways they never imagined.
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