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“I’m going to get another coffee,” Neil said. “You want one?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
He returned after making the order.
“What did you want to talk about?” I asked.
Neil swallowed, taking his time to pick his words. “How are you doing? In the job, I mean. I know it hasn’t been long, but are you getting on okay?”
The sincerity of his concern caught me off guard. “Well, uh, okay, I guess. I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job, but I know you have high standards.”
“As I should.”
“Of course. I also have high standards. Well, I thought I did, but compared to you…”
A server placed a small white plate with a delicate little stack of macarons in the centre of the table.
“Did you order this?” I asked Neil.
He nodded. “Go ahead.”
I stifled the little spark of joy that threatened to work its way onto my face. “Thanks. They look amazing.”
Now that he had bought them, it would be rude not to try one. I took a bite and let it melt on my tongue like a sweet, crispy cloud.
Neil rested his chin on his fist, watching me with apparent interest as I ate. It was slightly unnerving.
“Aren’t you having one?” I asked.
“They’re for you. I don’t like sweet things.”
I wondered if he had noticed me looking at them before. He must have. He was observant. “They’re good. Thank you. What were we talking about? Oh yeah. Do you think I’m doing okay with the job? I know I’ve made mistakes.”
“Very few, considering no one was here to train you. After Bridget, I have no complaints.”
“She was bad?”
“Useless. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she’d fare well in any other job, but she wasn’t good enough for me.”
“And I am?”
“So far, yes.”
This was high praise indeed. Coming from Neil, at least. Perhaps I wasn’t struggling as much as I thought I was.
Neil leaned back in his chair. “You know, I had my doubts about this arrangement, but I think it’s going to work out nicely.”
I smiled politely while the knowledge I planned to leave the job as soon as possible niggled at the back of my mind.
Chapter Twenty-One
In the few weeks since I became Neil’s secretary, I had avoided my old colleagues from the comms department, but I knew I couldn’t avoid them forever.
“Milly!” came a voice from across the cafeteria.
I looked up from my table and saw Ellen squeezing through the lunch crowd. Her blonde curls bounced as she bounded towards me. “Oh, hey.” I forced a smile, though my insides knotted.
How much does she know?
