Page 28 of All the Right Words
‘Well…’ Olivia shrugged, looking away. ‘That’s an exaggeration, but I did work hard for Michael. I guess that much is true. But you? You foundBrenda. That took us up a level. You have to know that, right?’
Harper laughed it off. ‘So actually, you and I built up Parker Press? Is that what we’re saying?’ she joked. She didn’t buy it, though. Brenda was just luck. Kind of.
Olivia laughed. ‘Yeah. Maybe it was.’ She smiled and picked up her drink. ‘To us.’
Harper clinked with Olivia, having a good time. ‘To us.’
Harper sipped her drink. And then she realised that Olivia wasn’t drinking. She was sliding around the booth, and Harper realised a little too late what was happening. ‘Oh…’ she began, but Olivia didn’t hear the uncertainty, taking her face in her hands and kissing her.
Seventeen
Harper was enquiring about brothers, and Olivia was being cagey. Gina could smell an opportunity slipping through her boss’s fingers. ‘Olivia, expand, would you? Tell the woman something.’
Olivia did. It was pretty good stuff. Gina couldn’t understand why she was needed any further. She was just prodding Olivia to say more. What was Gina providing beyond an audio handhold? The whole thing was pointless and uncomfortable.
And to cap off the shit show of an evening, her burger had yet to arrive. Gina was this close to calling the guy to chew him out. An hour and twenty to do a ten-minute drive? Had he stopped off for hisowndinner? Her burger was going to be stone cold.
Gina realised she was tuning out of the conversation. She’d better give a quick listen, just in case.
‘So actually, you and I built up Parker Press? Is that what we’re saying?’ Harper was saying flippantly.
‘Yeah. Maybe it was. To us.’
There was a clink, and Harper replied, ‘To us.’
Gina sighed. She had done a touch of company saving of her own today. But likely, but no one would notice. Maybe Brenda would have fixed the problem herself, given a bit more time. Was this low self-esteem, her inability to give herself some credit? Or was it just easier? Feeling good about yourself just took so much bloodyeffort. It was much easier to feel like she didn’t give a shit about anything, including herself. Caring was exhausting.
Gina realised she hadn’t heard any talking in a minute. Was it an awkward silence?
That thought was interrupted by a notification. The delivery guy was almost at her door. She put herself on mute, jumped up and went to open it.
‘Where the fuck haveyoubeen?’ Gina asked the long-awaited Juan casually.
The pudgy middle-aged guy blew out a breath. ‘I’m ever so sorry. I was on my way here, and I got a text from the wife saying she was divorcing me and taking the kids. I had to go home and have it out.’
‘Jesus!’ Gina exclaimed, wide-eyed.
‘It turned out her sister had too many sambuca’s and got hold of the wife’s phone to play ahilariousjoke.’ He shook his head angrily. ‘So, I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to microwave the grub.’
‘So, you’renotgetting a divorce?’ she checked as he unzipped his thermal bag and pulled out a grease-stained paper sack.
‘Nope. Do you think you could maybe not report me?’ he asked with what he probably thought was a charmingly cheeky smile.
‘I’m not gonna report you,’ she said with an eye roll. ‘But I don’t think I can tip you either,’ Gina said plainly as she took the distinctly cold bag.
Juan laughed. ‘You’re alright, kid.’ He went back to his motorbike.
Gina shut the door, muttering to herself, ‘I’m thirty, you cheeky bastard.’ As she stood in the drafty hallway with her cold food, she realised the unmistakable sound of lips smacking was feeding into her ears. Oh god,no thank you. Gina was hanging the fuck up right this sec-
‘Oh, sorry, I just…’ Harper suddenly said awkwardly. Gina’s finger, hovering over cancel, paused.
‘Is everything OK?’ Olivia asked.
‘Yeah, of course. Fine,’ Harper said quickly.
Fine? Gina winced.
‘Hang on. I think my phones, doing a, err...’ Olivia said, and the call ended.
