Here's To 1 Lovelock Drive

Day 288-294 of The Andie Chronicles (The Finale For 2023)

Day 288

There we were, back at the dining room table once again. It was James and me, with our laptops, our notebooks, and our chaotic working schedule. Once I had spoken to Sherry yesterday, I immediately came home from the gym. 

James was waiting for me at my dining room table, ready to talk out what all of this meant. We worked until close to one in the morning before passing out, only waking when our alarms at seven prompted us to climb out of bed. It was familiar. It felt amazing. 

And I marvelled at what chaos could do for ailing friendships. I felt closer to James more than ever. I felt like with him by my side like this, we could come through the other side.

But coming to a decision about everybody joining Highway? Well, I still hadn't quite done that. I know it was bad. The date for the launch was days away. And if I wanted to get my friends on board with me and save them from Douglas Gallo, I had to do it right now. Yet, this was one of the first times in a long time that I felt like I was on the same page as them. 

I wasn't sure if this was permanent. I couldn't risk it being temporary.

Every time the thought entered my brain, something else about the article would come up to destroy it. As I was putting lunch on the table for James and me, some slapped-together toasted sandwiches, he quickly turned his screen towards me and showed me an article. 

There was Taylor, hosting what looked like a makeshift press conference in front of his building on Collins Street. I wasn't sure what was going on or why he was speaking to the press until he mentioned my name.

“I'm in full support of Andie. Whatever she wants to do, I will back it. It's all about business. And sometimes you have to make them tough moves.”

“Oh my”, gasped James. “Is he really saying this?”

“Yes, I'm afraid he is.” I couldn’t figure out why he felt the need to come out to the press and say all of this. I mean it was nice of him, in theory, but was it really necessary?

“Well, maybe this is a big middle finger to his brother. Maybe he's tired of being the younger brother in all of this.” 

James could be right, I thought.

Or maybe this was a declaration of his feelings towards me, built into a business announcement. Yet, I thought we had moved on. I thought if we were going to work together, everything was going to be okay.

“I hate saying this again. Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I repeated. “James, I have to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“It's Taylor. It turns out that there's more than one Gallo brother interested in me. I'm not interested in him in return. But I think it's the reason why he's pulling away from GG. And doing things like this.”

James tried to contain his smile. “Why are you laughing?” I scolded my best friend. 

“Oh, please. Even a blind person could see those stupid doe eyes he has for you.”

I let out a deep sigh. “Do you think GG knows?”

“I'm not sure she wants to see the worst in Taylor. Though if those to split up, it wouldn't be a divorce it would almost feel like she was doing it all over again.” He paused, listening to the end of Taylor’s news piece. “I wouldn't normally say this, but I think you're better off telling GG what happened. Or didn't happen. Just don't pull the wool over her eyes.”

“You think that's what I'm doing?”

“No, I don't think it's you. But I don't think Taylor is going to give her what she needs to move on. I hate to say it, but you might be the one that has to break her heart.”

Of course, it had to be me, I thought. But who better to help ease the heartbreak than someone who's just recovered from their own. And I would be there for GG. I hope she understood.

---

Day 289

“So this is the gym?”

“I can't quite tell if you like what you see or you hate what you see.” 

James examined the steel structure. I didn't know how to describe this place to James before he arrived. What I had to stress was it wasn't like any South Yarra or Richmond gyms he was used to. Ones that were clean, modern, and full of yuppies. It was more of a bodybuilder’s gym, a place where the equipment was heavy and industrial and didn't pretend to look like something it didn't need to be.