You’re not the one who lied and cheated, Rachel told herself.You’re not the person who repeatedly said ‘I think you’re the one’, then started shagging a skinny Kim Kardashian lookalike.
Nevertheless, Rachel felt as if she was about to be caught out: exposed in her imperfect body, unremarkable job and generally humdrum life. She was livid with Jack, but also with herself: incensed that his mere presence apparently had the power to mortify her.
For a mad moment she even wished she hadn’t ended things with Laurence. Meeting Jack as a still-single thirty-year-old was simply too tragic. She wondered if he would think it pitiful that, after all this time, she still lived with Anna.
If only she’d moved on – or up–enough to imply that what had happened between them was old news, now completely beneath her notice. Because at all costs, Rachel realised, he must be prevented from thinking that any of it still mattered. Itdidn’tstill matter, she told herself: she wouldn’t allow it to.
Rachel straightened her spine in her chair, suddenly determined to be braver. She squared her shoulders and looked, as directly but nonchalantly as she could manage, in the direction of the Mountaintop Media team.
The expensive-suited man was being introduced as the company’s managing director. He started speaking, but a quick scan of her workmates’ faces told Rachel that a number of them – mostly women – weren’t fully tuned in.
She felt rather sorry for him, standing next to Jack; while everyone should be listening to his excited speech about the merger, too many pairs of eyes were dancing left – towards his younger, more glamorous associate.
Right on cue, aNew instant messagenotification appeared in the corner of Rachel’s laptop screen. It was from Kemi, a junior copywriter with the sort of bone-deep self-confidence Rachel wished she’d had at twenty-three. Or ever, frankly.
Rachel liked Kemi a lot, worked with her regularly and – for safety’s sake – often escorted her home after work nights out.
Kemi Percival
Can you believe all this?
Also: WHO IS THAT GUY on the left??
YUMMMMMMM
Please god, I don’t ask for much … But can he transfer down here please
And sit at the desk next to mine
…
Ugh, she was still typing.
…
Preferably naked
Maybe with a red rose between his teeth
…
Don’t say I’m not romantic.
This was a double whammy from Kemi. As well as struggling to ignore the clear, continuing gorgeousness of her ex, Rachel was now fighting to extinguish the flame of dread that had started flickering in her chest. Until Kemi mentioned it, Rachel hadn’t considered the possibility of staff transfers. But why would Jack be here if he weren’t somehow going to be involved in running the London office?
She decided to try to be the adult in this conversation.
Rachel Ryan
I guess staff transfers are a possibility
Nudity in the office, not so much
Bit risky btw – you never know who from IT is reading this stuff
Anyhow, I’m listening, not ogling