The Second Time We Met by Frances Mensah Williams

Author:Frances Mensah Williams [Williams, Frances Mensah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Family Life, General
ISBN: 9781542038867
Google: JDG8zgEACAAJ
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Published: 2022-08-14T23:00:00+00:00

17

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

‘Right, I’ve got a job for you!’

Paula strode into the room clutching a sheaf of papers and marched up to Cara’s desk. Her uniform black trousers were teamed with a lime-green blouse, while the vivid slash of red lipstick signalled that Useless Dave was in the building.

Caught off-guard, Cara quickly slid her phone under an open file, hoping her gimlet-eyed manager hadn’t seen her using it. Making personal phone calls during office hours was high on Paula’s long list of no-nos and winding up her supervisor with a second infraction within a week would have been pushing it. Cara was still smarting from being read the riot act after being forced to admit the post-event evaluation for Tabitha’s party Paula had been fruitlessly searching for didn’t exist. A stickler for rules – ‘What do we have if we don’t have good processes?’ – Paula had been apoplectic.

‘Is that a new top you’re wearing?’ Cara observed, forcing an ingratiating smile.

Paula glanced at her suspiciously and ignored the comment, waving the sheets of paper impatiently. ‘I’ve just had a meeting with Malcolm, and for some reason he wants you to take the lead on this event. I told him that if I had my way, you wouldn’t be starting any new project until I was sure you understood the importance of our processes. Not that he’s much better,’ she sniffed. The MD’s relaxed attitude to procedures irritated Paula even more than his frequent threats to consign Useless Dave to the unemployment line.

‘But as he’s the boss,’ she reluctantly conceded, ‘I suppose I’ve got no choice.’

‘Oh? What’s the job?’ Cara asked curiously.

‘You’re in charge of setting up a fun,’ the word seemed to stick in Paula’s throat, ‘team-building away day for an advertising agency.’ She flipped to the bottom of the last page and her eyes widened.

‘Well, at least they’re up for spending some decent money. Let me see your concept ideas as soon as possible – and don’t come up with anything too weird!’

Before Paula could walk away, Ben’s quiff reared up across the partition, his eyes bright with curiosity. ‘Advertising? That sounds interesting. Can I work on it with Cara?’

Ready to dismiss the suggestion, Cara held her tongue. After the birthday party debacle, it mightn’t be such a bad idea to have some back-up next time. Furthermore, with Ashanti having grudgingly agreed that Cara could accompany her to the signing ceremony at Nine Elms Records later that week, Ben could provide her with useful cover while she snuck off.

‘That’s not a bad idea, Paula,’ she said casually. Sounding too enthusiastic was a sure way to make Paula refuse on principle since actively enjoying work was another no-no on her list. ‘Ben used to work in advertising, and it would be good to have his input.’

Paula nodded and dropped the papers onto Cara’s desk. ‘Fine, I’ll let Betsey know. But, Ben, that doesn’t mean you get to slack off on your other projects, and you, Cara, don’t forget to fill out the project forms and input all the quotes this time.

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