The Bluestocking by Susanne O'Leary

Author:Susanne O'Leary
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romantic comedy, Novel set in Ireland, small town & rural, Career woman, Coming of age, Irish romance, Irish romantic comedy, chick lit
Publisher: Susanne O'Leary
Published: 2017-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

The following day, after a night with practically no sleep, I met with the staff to plan the launch of the weight loss feature we had decided to call “Fit for Life.” I had e-mailed Pandora’s notes to Mary, and she had turned them into a terrific article with bullet points for the diet and exercise recommendations. We also had Joe from the gym on board and a dietician friend of mine who had promised to write up a fact sheet. It was going to be terrific.

Pandora arrived at the office full of enthusiasm, and we soon got stuck into the plans for the launch and subsequent weigh-ins at the Killybeg gym. Everyone gathered around her, even Dan, who had started a diet and exercise routine with Joe. He was looking trimmer already, but that was probably because he pulled in his stomach and straightened his back as soon as Pandora sashayed into the office.

I felt a pang of sadness as I looked at my staff working with Pandora. What a wonderful team they were. I knew they all worked hard to make a decent living, even if it was a struggle for some of them. Mary was a single mother with two children, Fidelma was supporting her elderly parents, and Sinead was saving up to buy a house and finally move out of her parents’ home. Dan had no real financial problems, but he had just told me the other day that he and Sally were getting serious and were planning to get engaged. What would happen to them when I left? What would happen to me? What a huge wrench it would be to leave them behind and move to an enormous city. I knew I could do the job I had just been offered, but the stress levels would be multiplied by several thousand.

But then I suddenly felt a spark of excitement when I thought of the night before and that job offer. Unbelievable. Me? The editor of the largest literary magazine in the UK? It didn’t seem real. I hadn’t told anyone yet. Maybe if I did, it would become more of a reality.

***

“I can’t believe it really happened,” I said to Jonathan later that day over tea in my garden, which was cool and fresh after the storm the night before.

“But it did, and you’re ecstatic,” he said, smiling at me over his mug.

“And scared.” I gathered Cat into my lap and stroked her absent-mindedly. “It’s so big and such a huge step. And I have just moved here and got to know you and Liz and started to put down roots.” I looked at him, willing him to tell me what to do. “But I was thinking... I could commute. I could keep the flat and come here every weekend. There are flights to London from Cork several times a day. It wouldn’t be that hard. Would it?”

Jonathan put his mug on the little garden table. “Are you telling me or asking me?”

“I suppose I’m asking you.

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