Getting Over Mr. Right by Chrissie Manby

Author:Chrissie Manby [Manby, Chrissie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-345-52903-9
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2012-07-10T04:00:00+00:00

The following morning I woke with qwerty imprinted on my forehead and a mouth that tasted like a camel’s backside, a whole hour after I should have been at work and just half an hour before I was due to give a presentation to the people from Effortless Bathing. You cannot imagine the speed with which I left the house. Fortunately, having fallen asleep in my clothes, I didn’t have to bother dressing.

“Fuck’s sake, Ashleigh,” said Ellie when I arrived in the office, “they’ve been here for half an hour. What happened to you?”

“Tube,” I said. “Northern Line.”

“I came in on the Northern Line,” said Ellie. “It was fine for me.”

“Then it must have gone wrong right after you got off,” I told her.

“And what are you wearing?” She screwed up her nose at my jeans.

“We’re an advertising agency. Can’t I look creative?”

“It would help if you looked clean,” she said. “Weren’t you wearing that exact outfit last night?”

“Of course not,” I told her.

Really, it was too much, the way my assistant kept questioning me. We would have to have a conversation about her impertinence after the meeting. Right then I didn’t have time to argue. I asked Ellie to get me a coffee.

“You’ll probably need something stronger,” she said.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“The big boss is sitting in on this one.”

“What?”

Ellie nodded.

“Why didn’t anybody tell me?”

“None of us knew. But Clare thinks it’s because he has a crush on the Effortless Bathing marketing guy.”

“Who? Jeffrey?”

He wasn’t what I would have called a hunk.

Ellie nodded again.

“Christ,” I said. “That’s all I need.”

“You’ll have to hope that the lovely Jeff takes Barry’s mind off your terrible presentation.”

“My presentation is not going to be terrible. Honestly, Ellie, anyone would think I hadn’t given you your first job. I’m your mentor. You’re supposed to look up to me.”

“Remind me why,” said Ellie. “Exactly.”

If I hadn’t had a meeting room full of people waiting for me, I would have torn a strip off her. But I didn’t have the luxury of time to fight. Also, part of me was certain that I was going to ace the presentation I had worked so hard to finish. In fact, by the time Ellie stepped out to get cappuccinos for everyone (except Jeffrey, who had lived in France for six months and thought it was the most disgusting thing imaginable to have milk in your coffee after ten), she would have to admit that I rocked.

“Sorry I’m a little late,” I said to everyone as I stepped into the boardroom. “Northern Line.”

“Terrible,” everyone agreed without question.

I ignored Ellie’s eye roll.

“I hope you haven’t been too bored while you’ve been waiting, and I hope I’m going to make it up to you now with my presentation.” I gave them my winning smile and was gratified to receive winning smiles all around in return. Even from Barry. I guessed that he was merely trying to make himself seem like a cheerful sort of chap while in the presence of Jeffrey,

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