Page 47 of Falling for You
Isn’t a party enough?
‘What happened at the party? Tell me about it.’
I push my fingers through my hair. ‘I’d rather it not be a story about my life,’ I say. ‘I usually review events.’
‘We’re just spitballing!’ Brian says, holding his hands up innocently. ‘I’m just trying to get the ball rolling. Tell me about this party.’
I sigh. ‘Fine. It was a masquerade ball for Halloween, launching a big perfume.’
‘Fancy! Hey, Helen.’ Brian waves his arm at Helen who is walking past again and beckons her over. ‘Nate went to aballlast weekend.’
Helen raises her eyebrows at me. ‘Get you.’
‘So, what did you dress up as?’ Brian asks.
‘I didn’t,’ I say. ‘I just wore a mask and a suit.’
‘You didn’t dress up?’ Brian repeats. ‘On Halloween?’
‘Some people did,’ I say. ‘There was one girl dressed as a bat.’
As soon as I say it, the image of her pops into my head. Her dark, shimmering eyes and that big laugh.
‘I saw that,’ Brian grins, turning to Helen. ‘Did you see that?’
I frown as, to my annoyance, Brian has started giggling. ‘Saw what?’
‘That look! Tell us about the bat girl, then.’
‘There is nothing to tell.’ Honestly, this man is like a child.
‘He’s going red!’ Brian chides. ‘Go on, tell us.’
‘I had a drink with her.’
‘And?’
‘And it was nice.’
‘And?’
‘And nothing!’ I cry, trying my very best not to explode at him as I turn back to my laptop. ‘I had to leave, I didn’t gether number or her name. It was a ten-minute conversation, if that. It was nothing.’
Silence falls across the office and I click through my emails, hoping to signal that the conversation is over. When I glance up, I spot Helen and Brian beaming at me smugly.
‘What?’ I snap.
‘There’s the story!’ Brian says triumphantly, slapping his knees and getting to his feet.
‘There is no story,’ I say, bewildered. ‘Nothing happened!’
‘Oh!’ Kayleigh says, excitedly turning to Brian. ‘We could do like a “Are you my Cinderella?” type story! We could include Nate’s picture and try and find her!’
Brian clicks his fingers into two guns towards Helen. ‘Love it. Let’s do it.’
‘Do I not have any say in this?’ I say indignantly.
‘Not unless you can come up with a better idea,’ Brian grins, sauntering over to the finance department.
