“No, no, you haven’t,” I said. I hardly knew what I meant, so Edith’s reply wasn’t a surprise.
“Haven’t what?”
“Got the wrong end of the stick. It’s just… I didn’t really think you liked anyone, let alone me. And isn’t it a bit…inappropriate?”
“You’re not underage, are you?”
“Of course not! Do I look underage? How would I be driving—?”
“Be quiet, Jessie. I’m being facetious. So why do you think it’s inappropriate? I’m an adult, you’re an adult… I’m single. Are you single?”
“Y-yes, but that’s not what I mean.”
“So enlighten me, for Christ’s sake.”
“Well, you’re kinda my boss. We’re meant to be working. Not… I dunno…whatever.”
“Don’t you just have the way with words. For one, I’m not your boss. Technically speaking, I’m your client. Not really the same thing. And it’s irrelevant, anyway. I’m not proposing we get down and dirty right here, right now.” She took a sip of her own drink, somehow managing to give me an intense stare that made me wriggle on the cushion as heat blossomed in my abdomen. “We’ve got way too much to do. But if you’re not busy afterwards… And once the job is done, I won’t really be your client anymore either, if that makes you feel any better.”
“Yeah,” I eventually said, “all right. Afterwards…”
Chapter Five
Following my agreement, lamely worded as it was, we lapsed into silence. I finished my meal as quickly as I dared without risking indigestion, quietly pleased that Edith seemed to be doing the same.
Unsurprisingly, we then speedily cleared away all the remains of the takeaway and got right back to work. As inspiration to hurry up goes, the promise of getting laid is incredibly effective.
In spite of that, though, I was kind of glad we hadn’t finished the job yet, because I needed time to think. To process. I’d gone from idly admiring Edith’s looks while being secure in the knowledge that it was very much a look-but-don’t-touch situation, to it being a hurry-up-and-finish-the-job-so-you-can-touch situation. I also had to reconcile all that with how I felt about sleeping with someone who was essentially a complete and utter bitch. She’d let on that she had more layers than just the pure bitch outer layer, but I couldn’t erase from my mind the way she’d spoken to me, to Jacqueline. It had been horrible and uncalled for. And I’d been warned about her before even getting here. Her behavior clearly wasn’t a one-off, nor could it be put down to PMS or something.
She was hot, and I fancied her more with every passing second, but was I selling out my principles—and basic decency—for the sake of a shag?
I was still mulling it over, no closer to an answer, when I realized just how near we were getting to completion. And not a moment too soon—we had about an hour and a half to go before the store was due to open, and I suspected that we’d be joined by some other members of staff pretty soon. Someone from the management team, at the very least, to check out the installation of the window display and maybe give the final sign-off.
Not that we’d be able to do very much about it if they didn’t sign it off. There was no way we’d be allowed to change or work on the display while the store was open—health and safety madness being as it was—and there was equally little chance that they’d close the store for the day. They’d have to like it or lump it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edith checking her watch. In spite of the lightening sky over the last couple of hours, we’d been so busy that we’d still managed to lose track of time.
“Jessie?”
“Hmm?” I said, looking over at her.
“Bob—the store manager—will be here pretty soon. I just, uh, thought we should talk while we’ve still got the chance. While we’re alone.”
She seemed unsure for the first time since I’d met her. It was nice—seeing she had a human side, after all. Perhaps the mildly fierce large dog had been downgraded to something that was all bark and no bite. A Chihuahua, maybe. “Okay…”
Straightening up with a wince as her joints and muscles protested, she moved over to where I was hanging up some funky lightshade-type things, which would be between the mannequins, giving the effect of them being in an actual room. She rubbed a hand over her hair, sighed. “Look, I know things didn’t exactly get off to the best start between us. You really haven’t gotten the most favorable impression of me, so I’ll understand if you want nothing more to do with me. But I feel like I should explain anyway…”
“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.” I carried on with what I was doing, sensing somehow that Edith would find it easier to get the words out if I wasn’t looking at her expectantly. Inside, though, I was dying to hear what she had to say.
“I do want to. Look, it’s really and truly not an excuse, and I’m not proud of the way I behaved—I owe Jacqueline a mammoth-sized apology—but, well, it’s a combination of things, I suppose. I really don’t mean to be such a bitch to people, but once I start, it just seems easier to carry on being that way. I’m kinda shy, especially around new people, which makes me prickly. I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you too, by the way. I was rude and harsh, and I apologize.”
Huh. Well, that had taken me by surprise. And she wasn’t done.
“I’m also a perfectionist, which makes big projects like this a huge stress factor for me. Everything’s got to be just right, and if it isn’t… Well, you don’t want to know.”
“I think I can guess,” I replied, giving her a small smile.
Looking chagrined, she continued, “The stress makes me irritable, and I just take it out on those around me, even though I know I shouldn’t. The words are out of my mouth before I even know it, and I desperately wish I could take them back. I’ve worked damn hard to get to where I am now—it’s a seriously tough industry, and a lot of trust is placed in me—and I can’t afford to make mistakes. I can easily get kicked back down the career ladder.”
Groaning, she covered her face with her hands. “The trouble is, if I don’t stop behaving this way, I’m going to get what’s coming to me anyway. They’ll either sack me, or make me move to some tiny backstreet store in a crappy town somewhere. And I deserve it. It’s my own stupid fault.” The tone of her voice had changed, it sounded almost squeaky, and it took me a good few seconds to realize what was happening. She was crying.
“Hey,” I said gently, stopping what I was doing and turning to her. I eased her hands away from her face and held them. “Listen to me. Come on. I’m not saying the way you behaved was okay, because it certainly wasn’t. But you’re not stupid, not at all. It sounds to me like you have a problem, and you need to do something about it.” I let out a weak laugh. “Fucking hell, get me! I sound like a bloody psychiatrist. But seriously, Edith, all the stress and anger isn’t good for you—job-wise or health-wise. You need to find another way to let it out, without taking it out on other people. And aiming a mammoth-sized apology at Jacqueline is probably a good place to start. I accept your apology, by the way.”
She slipped her hands out of my grip and wiped her tears, giving me a watery smile and a sniff. “Thank you. I agree with everything you said—psychiatrist or not. Though maybe seeing someone isn’t a bad idea…”
“Hey, that’s up to you. I’m just telling it like I see it.”
“And I appreciate it. I kinda feel better having just spoken about it all to someone. I’ve always found it hard to open up… I bottle things up instead.”
I shrugged. “I’m practically a stranger. Maybe that’s why. Anyway, don’t worry about that—the last thing you need is to start stressing about the whys and wherefores. You’ve got enough to deal with. Come on, let’s get the finishing touches put to this window—which looks fucking awesome, by the way—impress your manager and get out of here.”
This time her smile was brighter. “It does look fucking awesome, doesn’t it?” Leaning over, she kissed my cheek. It was a pl
atonic, friendly gesture, but my traitorous body didn’t seem to see it that way, as the heat that had been simmering away in my abdomen flared up, big style. Damn. “Thank you. Perhaps you’ll let me buy you breakfast as a gesture of my appreciation? There’s a nice place just down the road from my flat…” She dropped her gaze to the floor.
Now I saw the shy woman I’d been told existed, but hadn’t yet met. And she was cute. Fucking adorable, in fact. “All right,” I said, returning her smile. “That sounds great.”
“Okay. Good. Well, uh, I suppose we’d better do those finishing touches then, hadn’t we?”
I agreed, and not a moment too soon, because no sooner had we moved back to our respective tasks than we had company. An older guy, suited and booted, strode across the shop floor. “Edith?”
She popped her head up over the display and waved at him. “Hi, Bob. Morning. Let me just finish this and I’ll be right with you.”
“Oh, there you are. Didn’t see you there. No rush. I’ll go and get the kettle on. I take it you’re almost done?”
“We are. This is Jessie, Bob, from the shop-fitters. Jessie, this is Bob, the store manager.”
“Hello, Bob. Nice to meet you. Sorry I can’t shake your hand right now…” I raised my full hands and gave a wry smile.
He gave a dismissive flap of his own hands. “No need for all that formality. It’s nice to meet you too, Jessie. You ladies have done a fantastic job here. I bet you’re exhausted after being at it all night. Just the two of you…?”
“Yes,” Edith cut in. “There was, uh, a problem with Jacqueline. I’ll tell you about it later.”
He frowned a little, but clearly wasn’t going to push. Probably because I was there. “Okay. Right, time to put that kettle on. Who wants a drink?”
We still had to clear up the rubbish and put the mannequins in the window, but I figured we had time. “Yes, please.”
Edith and I gave Bob our requests and got right back to it.
He sauntered away in the direction of the staffroom, whistling cheerily.
“He always like that?” I asked, jerking my head in his direction.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, so cheerful. Down-to-earth? You’re like chalk and cheese, you two. I bet the rest of the staff don’t know if they’re coming or going with him being so happy and you being… Well…you know. Do you get on with him?”
Stepping out of the window and onto the tiled floor, she gazed after him for a moment before moving to retrieve the first mannequin. “Yeah, I guess so. He’s a good boss. And a nice guy.” She sighed. “God, I don’t want to be… You know… Any more. I need to get this problem sorted, and fast. I need some stress relief.”
Grinning as I took the mannequin from her and started maneuvering it into position, I said, “Well now, I can’t wave a magic wand and make it all go away, but short-term stress relief is something I can probably help with.”
Chapter Six
Edith was right about the place near her flat being nice. It was a great café, very cozy and with excellent menu choices. We ended up there after a silly song-and-dance that involved her walking in the direction of the nearest Tube station as she normally would after work, and me taking off in the van, then picking her up farther along the street, out of view of the shop. We’d both agreed it would be best all round if what happened between us stayed between us. Especially since there was a chance Edith would be in trouble anyway once Jacqueline managed to speak to someone about what had happened. No point rocking the boat further.
After finishing a truly delicious cup of strong coffee and a plate of fluffy pancakes which I’d doused liberally in golden syrup, I felt able to take on the world. Which was just as well, really, given it didn’t look as though I’d be getting any sleep anytime soon.
I was in the clear work-wise, at least. I didn’t have any jobs to do today—basically what I’d been expected to do was finish the project at the store, find a not-too-expensive place to stay and sleep for a few hours, get something to eat and head back up north to the office. There, I’d drop the van off and head home. As long as the van was returned by six o’clock that evening for someone else to use it, that’d be just fine.
As for the lack of hotel bill in my expenses, I already had a white lie fabricated for that. I’d say I finished the job and felt able to drive straight back to Leeds. But then when I’d hit the motorway I’d suddenly felt shattered, so I pulled in at the next service station and got some shut-eye in the van. I didn’t think anyone would complain—I was saving the company some cash, after all.
I just hoped I would get some sleep in the not-too-distant future, otherwise the fictional sleeping in a service station might become a reality. It was broad daylight and those car parks were probably crammed with CCTV, but it still wasn’t something I particularly aspired to.
“You ready?” Edith asked as I pushed my empty plate away with a contented sigh.
“Sure am. We just need to settle the bill, don’t we?”
“No. I need to settle the bill. This is on me, remember?”
I held up my hands. “All right, all right. Whatever you say.”
She flashed me a smile, then grabbed her handbag and headed up to the counter.
By the time she returned, I was standing by the table, waiting for her.
“Okay, let’s go,” she said, indicating I should go in front of her.
I was glad she couldn’t see my face as we strode out of the café and onto the street. In spite of her confiding in me about her issues, I was still struggling a little bit to reconcile this cute, polite, smiling woman with the dragon I’d met the previous evening. She had to be as tired as I was… Would the bitchy side re-emerge as exhaustion hit?
I guessed there was only one way to find out. She deserved the benefit of the doubt, though, I felt.
We stayed quiet on the short walk back to her building—we’d already been there briefly, to drop my van off in her designated parking space, which she didn’t use as having a car in London was pointless—but mercifully it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was more as if we’d already said everything that needed to be said and now the next step between us was inevitable.
And exciting, I realized. I’d spent so much time angsting over whether I wanted to do this, whether I was doing the right thing, that I’d forgotten what it was all about…fun. Two consenting adults, having fun together. Suddenly, I had butterflies in my tummy.
By the time we got to the front door of Edith’s flat—with a diversion to the van to pick up my overnight bag—I’d resolved to throw caution to the wind entirely. Sod it, you only live once! And I’ve always thought it was better to regret something you had done than something you hadn’t.
There was no way I’d forgive myself if I let the opportunity with Edith slip through my fingers. Particularly since she wasn’t quite the evil bitch I’d first thought.
“After you,” she said, unlocking the door and pushing it open.
“Thanks.” I stepped over the threshold and into the unknown. The place looked pretty much as I’d expected—fresh, modern, stylish. I moved into the living room area and put my bag down beside the sofa, then paused, wondering what to do next.
Appearing beside me, Edith said, “You can sit down, you know. You don’t have to ask permission. Make yourself at home. Can I get you a drink or anything?”
I was just lowering my bum to the cream leather sofa when I had a thought and straightened back up. “Actually, do you mind if I take a shower? I’m all grubby and dusty, and I think I’ve probably got sawdust in my hair. I’m good on the drink front too, thanks. That coffee I just had at the café will be pumping through me for a good while yet. I’m not even sure there was any water in it!”
Edith chuckled. “They do make seriously strong coffee in there, don’t they? I call it rocket fuel—and it certainly helps jet me from this side of London to work. And yes, of course you can use my shower. Not a problem. Just give me a moment to go
and put out a clean towel for you, and it’s all yours.”
“Thanks. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
She shrugged. “No rush. I’ll be here.” With that, she headed back toward the hallway we’d just come through to get to the living space. I picked up my holdall and waited for her to come back.
“All right,” she said when she reappeared. “There’s a fresh towel on the loo seat. It’s an electric shower, so just push the button to switch it on. The temperature should be okay, but give it a minute to regulate before you get in.”
“All right. Thank you.”
A few minutes later I was happily ensconced in the cubicle, with lovely hot water pounding down on my grubby hair and skin and pummeling my aching muscles. I stood for a few minutes, letting the surface muck and sweat rinse away. Then I turned and grabbed the shampoo from my wash bag, which I’d placed on the shelf mounted in the corner of the cubicle.
I’d shampooed and conditioned my hair in a few minutes, and I left the latter to soak in for a while longer as I retrieved my shower gel. I’d just squirted a healthy blob of the pearlescent liquid into my palm when the cubicle door opened. I gasped in surprise, but made no move to cover myself—what was the point? She’d known damn well I was in there, therefore she’d come in for one reason, and one reason only. So much for that shy woman I’d gotten a glimpse of earlier.
“Hello,” I said, my gaze sweeping her naked form as she joined me, pulling the door shut behind her. It looked like the piercing in her tongue had a considerable amount of company. My mouth suddenly dry, I managed to continue with, “Can I help you?”
“Well,” she said, her own gaze raking across my skin and making the butterflies in my tummy considerably more active, “I was kind of hoping we could help each other.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah… Wash each other’s backs, perhaps?”