Page 26 of Fundamentals in Flirting

Teddy started to laugh – a deep, rumbling belly-laugh. Some snorting was also involved. He may even have had to wipe away a couple of tears.

“Hey! It’s not that funny!”

“It kind of is though, isn’t it?” he said, trying to straighten his face and failing miserably.

“No! I’m on my last chance here. If I lose this job in my probationary period I may not get another one in first-opinion practice, and there’s nothing else nearby, anyway. I need this job. I can’t go back to my clinical fellowship at the university, so without it I’m essentially screwed.”

“Oh.” He abruptly stopped laughing.

“Yes, Teddy,oh.”

I plucked at a loose thread on my shirt.

“Why can’t you go back?”

Should I tell him this?

He’d probably cheated on hundreds of women in his time. He’d think I was being emotional and hysterical (just like Jonathan did). No, now was not the time, and he was definitely not the person to unload this baggage onto.

“I just can’t.”

“Is there anything I can do?” He looked sincere, any amusement having vanished without a trace.

With a sigh I rubbed my hands over my face. “Maybe there is one thing you could do.”

“What is it?”

“You could tell Giles that I have been unwaveringly polite and professional, and that you don’t think I’m prickly to deal with. Please?”

Teddy looked thoughtful and smiled. “Yeah, I can do that for you.” He paused, and narrowed his eyes. “On two conditions.”

“Conditions?”

Uh oh. I do not like the sound of this.

“Yep.”

“And they are?” I asked, pinching the bridge of my nose with my fingers, readying myself for something entirely onerous and annoying to come out of his mouth.

“One: you accept these kind and considerate gifts that I brought for you. Graciously. Maybe even with a smile.”

“Fine.”

I tried to smile and he wrinkled his nose.

“Forget the smile.”

I stuck out my tongue.

Excellent professional skills here, Hannah.

This was going superbly well.

“Say ‘Thank you, Ted’.” He gave me a pointed look and a little James Bond eyebrow action.

I glared. “Two?”

“Two: you agree to help me with my house renovations in your spare time.”

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