Page 45 of The Fallback

‘Are you going out tonight?’ Nadia asked.

Rosie turned to her and grinned slyly. ‘Second date with Graham.’

‘Wow, that was fast.’ Nadia grinned back.

Rosie had left Mitch after their lunch in the park and gone straight back to her office and messaged Graham. This time it was going to be different, she was determined. Graham was lovely and she was damn well sure she was going to make herself feel a spark next time they kissed. If Mitch could meet someone then she could, too. She wasn’t going to let him win at this; she needed to move on.

Graham didn’t seem interested in playing it cool at all and immediately asked Rosie when he could see her again, so here she was, in one of her favourite dresses, awesome trainers and a glint in her eye, ready to take her chances.

‘Excited?’ Nadia asked, practically feeling the energy radiating off Rosie.

‘Yup. I’ve got a good feeling, Nadia!’ Rosie ran over and wrapped her arms around Nadia, giving her a hug.

‘It’s so lovely to see you this happy.’ Nadia hugged her back. ‘Have you told Mitch?’

Rosie released Nadia and rummaged through her make-up bag, pretending to be suddenly very interested in applying more blusher.

‘Erm, Rosie I think that’s enough,’ Nadia said in concern. ‘You’ll end up looking sunburned.’

Rosie stuck her tongue out in the mirror but she did put the brush down.

‘No, I haven’t told Mitch, he’s too into the new girlfriend to care, though.’

‘Oh,’ said Nadia.

‘What does that mean?’ Rosie bristled.

‘Nothing!’ Nadia held her hands up. ‘It means “oh” that’s all.’

‘Hmm.’ Rosie continued to eye Nadia in the mirror as she applied mascara.

‘I mean, I guess…’ Nadia leaned against the wall in a nonchalant manner. ‘I guess I just wondered whether Mitch had seemed jealous at all when you told him?’

‘Jealous? Why would he be jealous?’ Rosie put down the mascara wand in surprise and turned to look at Nadia.

‘I don’t know?’ shrugged Nadia. ‘I suppose I was just wondering if you were trying to make Mitch jealous and that was why you were going on a second date with someone you didn’t like so much the first time around?’

‘I did like him!’ protested Rosie. ‘I mean Idolike him.’

‘OK, sure. Well, you look super sexy,’ Nadia said, walking up behind Rosie and putting her arms around her waist. ‘I’d definitely do you if I wasn’t married.’

‘Good to know I’ve got a back-up option if you and Nico don't work out.’

‘Sure thang,’ Nadia said, winking at Rosie and giving her a thumbs up as she headed out the door. ‘Text me!’ she shouted. ‘And let me know if you get laid tonight!’

The door to the bathroom had swung shut, so Rosie only heard this as a muffled shout. Which meant that everyone outside in the corridor, everyone with their office doors open would have heard it loud and clear. Rosie hung her head in dismay and wondered just how long she would have to hide out in the bathroom before everyone had left for the evening and she could safely leave without anyone knowing that Nadia’s comment had been directed at her.

* * *

Rosie stepped out into the evening, it was dark already and the lights were on in the buildings around the square her lab stood in. The rain that had poured down that morning had stopped but left behind large puddles which caught the headlights of passing buses and taxis.

‘Rosie!’

Rosie turned to see Rachel back in the entrance hallway. She walked back towards her boss mentally running through a checklist of anything she could have done wrong, thinking that this really wasn’t a healthy way to react each and every time her boss wanted to talk to her.

‘Sorry to stop you on your way out, I wanted to know how you were getting on with the BioChem project?’

Rachel glanced around her as if concerned that BioChem’s rivals might have spies camped out in the entrance lobby to their building.

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