We Can't Keep Meeting Like This Novels & Stories

All the days of the week are marked red. “What does that mean?” Jameson asks leaning in closer to see the screen. “It means we don’t have any free days to meet up to do the work.” Oliver says sighing deeply. “I still think we’re better off doing the work individually.” Jameson says shrugging at us. “That might be the only option we have.” I say and Kelly frowns staring at the phone. “Is it possible to move a few things around?” She asks looking at the three of us.

“Let’s just focus on work, okay? My personal life isn’t really your business.” “Right. Sorry.” The rest of the meeting is stilted, awkward. We get through the agenda, but the easy rapport we’ve built over the past weeks is gone, replaced by this uncomfortable formality. When we finish, Maya gathers her things quickly. “I have another meeting in ten minutes. Same time tomorrow?” “Wait.” I don’t know what I’m going to say until the words are already coming out. “Do you ever have dreams about things you can’t quite remember?”

Some suggest that, since Thanox appeared to me, I'm the right person who is likely to know when Thanox will attack again. And they're right. If Thanox is going to attack again, his nasty attitude will probably cause him to mock me about it again. The meeting continues. Everyone looks and sounds tired from the endless repetition of meeting after meeting. But no one dares stop trying. No one. We can’t give up. Yes, we're all tired and unsure of what the future holds for us, but surrendering to exhaustion is not the solution.

This is one of the worst things that can happen right now. I looked up as Holden walked in and he didn’t have a good look on his face. More bad news. This day was going to hell quickly. “Mayson, I have tried to put this off as long as I could. Baby, we are going to have to cancel the meeting today. No matter how much work you have done it is not going to be enough to get the permits to break ground. You put in a lot of hard work this morning and I am proud of you for trying. We are just going to have to start from scratch and try again in a few weeks. I called Councilman Jordan and he said that is the earliest that we can get another meeting.” This made it even worse. I could feel the tears

But so much had changed since then. “I don’t want us to stay in two different cities,” I said and went for the coffee mug. After taking a sip from his, he said, “Well, we could meet during weekends.” “Can we?” I prompted, “We’re both working 24/7. We’ll not have the luxury to fly every weekend.” Sighing, he slumped his shoulders, “Let’s think about it later, yeah? It’s your first day back, you can’t be late.”

“Meetings. Announcements. Strategy.” I let a slight pause settle before I spoke again. “I think it’s time we step outside of that.” Her breathing shifted slightly on the other end. “What do you mean?” she asked. “A real dinner,” I said. “Just us. No expectations. No contracts.” I allowed my tone to remain steady. “I think we need to talk about us.”

“Provide for me? Conner, I don’t expect anyone to provide for me, but me. I never asked you for anything. This you forced on me.” “We should have married when you graduated school. The plan was set, but now we’re years behind schedule. Because our fathers let a woman come between them.” “You could have searched for me on the internet. I had stopped trying to reach you by then. You made headlines, spending time with women. I figured I was a forgotten part of your past.” Conner was unsure of how to respond. She’d twisted it all around. “I need to have a staff meeting. I don’t need to do it in person. We can do a secure video conference call. It’ll last an hour or two if everyone gets involved.

"I get the place professionally cleaned after, and that's included in what I charge other groups." "And lastly, I've spoken to most folks and the general consensus is that we're all still okay with meeting every weekend. If we start getting bored or something, we can push it to every other week, or once a month." He sat back down, nodding at Molly that he'd finished. She smiled and looked at everyone else. "Any other quick announcements?" she asked. No one spoke up, so she glanced at Duncan and nodded. "We've got a returning... guest, I guess, and a newcomer" he said, looking over at where Conner was sitting between Becky and Marie.

Once more, they were adrift. One Thursday, Sophie realised that she couldn't recall the last time they had actually spoken for more than ten minutes. Two weeks. Maybe three. She called him. "We need to talk." "That opening never means good things." "Not breaking up talk. Reset talk. Again. James, we're doing it again. Letting work consume everything." "I know. I've been thinking the same thing." He sighed. "What do we do? We can't both pause our companies. These expansions are critical.

“I don’t know. I did not answer any of them. I think it’s because we missed our sessions; she must be calling to check up on us and ask why.” Sophie frowned. “Did you not send them a letter?” she signed. Rhys shook his head. Great, Rhys. Sophie mused. Just great. “She must think we are avoiding her now after what happened at the homecoming.” “Look, I want you to forget about this place for the next two days, alright? I know this meeting is strictly business, but after that, I’d like us to have fun. Relieve yourself of all the stress.” He leaned back on the seat and closed his eyes. “I know I need a break.”