The Hard Sell by Katherine Dean

Author:Katherine Dean [Dean, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-08-30T04:00:00+00:00

twenty-seven

Text from Anne, to Michael

I need some help. Can I talk to you?

Text from Michael:

Yes.

twenty-eight

This time, Anne came to him. Michael’s offices weren’t far from her work. Close enough to walk without arriving, out of breath and with her hair mussed up. Before she went in, she still took time to smooth her hair down in the mirrored window of the buildings outside.

His office was a small one. It looked new and blandly corporate, with expensive furnishings scattered around. A shared receptionist out the front directed Anne to his office. It had that tiny new business feel about it. It felt uncomfortable, small and quiet after being used to the bustle of her own workplace and the hum of employees pretending to work. This was different. Scrappier somehow.

She wondered if she should knock on one of the closed office doors, but he must have been looking out for her because his door opened as she approached. He had a sharp blue suit, expertly cut to highlight his tall, muscled frame.

He smiled as he approached. “Hello, Anne,” he said. “I’m glad you came.”

She nodded, uncomfortable. Small talk. Still couldn’t do it. “Nice office,” she said, “Cosy.”

He was standing very close to her now. She could almost feel the heat from his body. “We’ve just moved in,” he said. “I’d give you a tour. It’s so small you can see just about everything from here. Cosy. Like you said.”

“It’s not a criticism,” she said hastily.

“It’s fine,” he said, still smiling. “This is just the beginning. I’ve got big plans to make something of this. Shall we go? There’s a coffee place near here that’s good.”

This discomfited her. She hadn’t planned to go anywhere with Michael. This was just business, after all. She’d only come to him because she was worried office spies might see her.

He must have read her thoughts because he was looking at her evaluatively. “It’s very discreet,” he said. “I won’t put your reputation at risk, don’t worry.”

“Sure,” she said, surprising herself. “Coffee would be great.” Her heart skipped as she said it and she sternly reminded herself to settle down.

They left Michael’s office and walked a little down the street to a nearby coffee shop. There were tables and chairs on the footpath, but Michael put his hand on her arm and led her down to the back of the cafe, where there were just two chairs and a table against the back wall, out of the way of everyone else and hidden from anyone who might pass by. He took his jacket off and slung it over the back of a chair before sitting down. It was hot in the cafe and she wanted to do the same. That’s what they’d always done when they got coffee together before everything changed. She kept her jacket on and stayed buttoned up.

They ordered coffees and sat together, not saying anything. The silence didn’t feel uncomfortable. Anne knew Michael’s eyes were on her, although she couldn’t meet his gaze. She

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