Page 11 of Strictly Business

“He’s cute though, so I’ll probably see him again, and just hope he’s open to a little bit of direction if you get my drift,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.

I laugh and nod. God help the poor guy is all I can think to that.

“That’s actually a really good argument for dating someone older,” Brook says thoughtfully. She flashes me a smile. “They’ve been about a bit, learned what a woman wants. Maybe I should try it.”

“Maybe you should,” I say with a laugh.

Brook shakes her head, and a visible shudder goes through her.

“Ugh no thanks. No offense Serena, you do you and all that, but the thought of grey pubes and wrinkly asses puts me right off. I’d rather take someone young and teach them myself,” she says. “Doesn’t the thought of an old man body put you off?”

“No,” I say laughing. “Well, I mean yeah, the one you describe sounds pretty gross. But Wyatt isn’t like that. Even with his clothes on you can see he works out. And I mean he’s only the same age as my Uncle Craig, so forty-two. It’s not like he’s a pensioner.”

“Ok, so he might not have grey pubes just yet and all of his teeth might still be his own,” Brook says with another laugh, and I can’t help but laugh with her.

While we are laughing, our waiter brings our main courses and we both thank him. He nods an acknowledgment of our thanks and hurries away. The place isn’t that busy and I think he’s probably a bit scared of what Brook might ask him to do next after last time he came to the table.

“So, what’s the job like? And the people? Other than Hot Grandpa of course,” Brook says when the waiter has gone.

I wrinkle my nose up at her.

“Eww. Less of the Hot Grandpa shit,” I say with a laugh.

“Just calling it how I see it,” Brook giggles. I shake my head and she stops laughing. “Ok, I’ll behave. How is the job and the people there other than Hot Wyatt?”

“I love the job,” I say. “I really thought I’d be taking a back seat and kind of watching Wyatt work, maybe doing bits and pieces of research for him. But he looked through my portfolio and he said I was already ready for my own campaign. I’ve been working on it today actually. It’s a dog food brand.”

“That’s amazing,” Brook says. “Obviously you’re going to smash it. It’s good to know you’re working somewhere that appreciates you though and not just have you making coffee and shit because you’re young.”

I nod and pick my glass up and raise it in the air.

“I’ll drink to that,” I say.

“To smashing it and being appreciated by Hot Wyatt,” Brook says with a smirk.

I roll my eyes, but I repeat the cheer anyway. We clink glasses and each take a drink of our drinks and return our glasses to the table.

“So, it sounds like a pretty chill place to work then,” Brook says. “What are the others like?”

“I get the impression it’s chill yeah, as long as you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing. Wyatt doesn’t seem like the sort of boss who wants to micromanage your every move which is good. I haven’t met that many people yet. I’ve met someone from pay roll who was nice and Adam from IT who was nice and super helpful. And Wyatt’s PA, Ruth.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Brook asks.

“Why should anything be wrong with her?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” Brook says. “Just the way you said her name. Your voice changed.”

I shrug my shoulders.

CHAPTER8

Serena

“She doesn’t like me, and I don’t know why. To be honest, I don’t really care because she’s not really someone I’d be friends with any way, but it is a bit annoying that she’s just decided not to like me for no reason,” I say.

“What makes you think she doesn’t like you?” Brook asks.

“Oh, she made it pretty clear when she was giving me a tour of the building,” I say. “It might not be personal though. She might just be a mean girl type who is like that with everyone.”

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