Page 49 of All the Right Words
Harper was shocked. ‘Are you serious? We need to check on Gina.’
‘Why?’ Olivia asked.
‘Because a shitty thing just happened to her,’ Harper was unhappy to explain.
Olivia shrugged. ‘She wouldn’t give a damn about any of this.’ She paused and then added. ‘And frankly, I’m not sure whyyoudo. I mean, what the hell was that in there?’
‘What? The drink?’
‘It was a bit unnecessary, don’t you think?’ Olivia said in a stern tone
Harper had never heard her use before. She realised they were about to have their first row. Harper quickly decided she was okay with that. ‘Unnecessary?’ she repeated.
‘Yes. I mean, I get it,’ Olivia said. ‘She was being gross. Why did it have to be a big dramatic drink throw, for Christ’s sake? Why not just tell her to shut up?’
‘This wasn’t about her being gross to us. She was beingunbelievablyrude to Gina,’ Harper explained indignantly.
‘I don’t think Gina thought she was the love of her life, Harper,’ Olivia said in a tone Harper found deeply condescending.
‘I don’tcare. They were on a date. You don’t behave like that. You just don’t.’
‘Look, your sense of chivalry is commendable, but Gina is a big girl. She doesn’t need anyone to protect her.’
‘She may well not need it. But doesn’t shedeserveit? I mean, look at everything she does foryou.’
Olivia got an odd look. ‘What do you mean?’
‘She’s a superstar assistant. Why, what did you think I meant?’ Harper asked, confused by how confused Olivia was.
Olivia blinked. ‘Just that.’ She sighed. ‘Maybe you’re right.’
Harper thought that sounded like the kind of apology offered to shut you up. She wasn’t impressed.
Although, in retrospect, maybe Harper had gone alittletoo far. But damn, she was justsooffended on Gina’s behalf. Harper knew that dating could be a minefield of selfish idiots, and clearly, Gina had stepped on a whopper. But Alisonhadn’t. She’d gotten her foot in the door with Gina. Why would she have voluntarily taken it out so rapidly? She couldn’t have thought she was going to do any better. Gina was a person who made you want to know her, to be liked by her. That was the only effect she’d ever had on Harper, that was for damn sure. If she’d have been in Alison’s shoes…
Well, she wasn’t. She wouldn’t ever be. They were colleagues. Harper was dating Olivia. So why was this the second time tonight her mind had gone to that place?
The answer hit her like a drink in the face.
‘Look, I think I need to… I need to go home,’ she told Olivia. She was trying not to panic. But she felt like she’d done something wrong. It was just a thought—a bloody silly one. But somehow, deeply sinful. She and Olivia were trying. There had been a spark, and they were getting to know each other, taking it slowly, acting like adults, finding their way. Her affections couldn’t just jump to the next person in her eyeline. She wasn’t Alison. She didn’t behave this way. She couldn’t just lose interest in Olivia and decide she wanted to get with her frickin' assistant. Who she wasalsotrying to develop a working relationship with and barely managing to do.
‘What, right now?’ Olivia asked. ‘Do you need to feed the cat?’
Harper looked at Olivia, confused. That had been a lie. They’d talked about it. ‘What? I don’t have a cat. You know that.’
Olivia looked like she was going to say more. But then she said, ‘Sorry, ignore me. Let's not let this ruin the night. Maybe we could-’
‘I’m going home,’ Harper said, and she walked away without a backwards glance.
Twenty-Nine
‘So what the hell have I missed?’ Olivia demanded on Monday morning. Gina didn’t even have her coat off yet, and she’d been called into Olivia’s office like a naughty schoolgirl. ‘What do you mean?’ Gina asked, standing in front of her desk with her hands on her hips.
‘It didn’t click at first, but now IknowI missed something. Something with Harper. Like she’s referring to something we talked about. Only, we didn’t talk about it. Which means I’ve had a bang on the head, oryoutalked to her, as me. And I missed it somehow. I checked the text conversation. I can’t find it. So I ask again. What the fuck am I missing here?’
Gina’s shoulders slumped. ‘Olivia, I’m sorry.’
‘For what?’ Olivia asked.
