*
The rest of her Sunday was spent in a restless haze of naps and carbohydrates. Ben had called her twice, but Eleanor couldn’t face speaking to him. Even seeing his name flash up on the screen sent waves of sickening guilt through her. There was no way she could see him today. Her nerves and heart couldn’t take it. Luckily, she’d managed to palm him off with a very apologetic and very hungover text. He’d been so sweet and so Ben-like about it, even offering to drop food and supplies over to her flat. The guilt cut her even deeper.
By Monday morning the hangover had all but gone, leaving only the emotional scars behind. The best way to get through the day was going to be by immersing herself completely and silently in PowerPoint decks and Excel spreadsheets. Meetings were an absolute no. Her team would have to find a way to fend for themselves for once. Her brain needed tasks and logic and focus. What she didn’t need was conversation and thinking time.
It was a drunken kiss.
One stupid kiss.
And with Fin … of all people! It meant nothing.
‘She lives! Another wedding survived.’ Sal’s voice rang out behind her. Eleanor jumped, throwing her notebook off the desk.
‘Jesus, twitchy much?’ Sal handed her the book and perched on the edge of her desk.
‘You’re the one who crept up behind me, what did you expect!’ Eleanor snapped.
‘Woah.’ Sal held her hands up defensively. ‘What’s up with you?’
Eleanor sighed. ‘Nothing, I’m sorry. I don’t feel so great.’
‘Tequila?’ Sal smirked.
‘Don’t.’ Eleanor squirmed. ‘Why do I do it to myself?’
‘Because you’re a sucker for pain, like most of the human race. Was it good, though?’
‘Yeah, it was fine. How was your mum’s party?’
‘It was boring. Standard family stuff.’ Sal shrugged. ‘Come on, tell me more about Laura’s! I saw some of the pictures, she looked stunning as per.’
Eleanor hesitated. Normally Sal would have been the first person she told about her drunken antics, but Sal knew Ben, and Eleanor knew what she’d done was stupid. Surely there was no point making more drama than was necessary?
‘You know, it was your classic, expensive, elegant and tear-jerkingly beautiful wedding. What did we expect from Laura?’
Keep it high-level. No detail. Don’t give her anything to go on.
‘And Fin?’
Eleanor’s stomach tensed.
‘What about him?’
Sal’s eyes narrowed. ‘As in … did he have fun?’
‘Oh yeah. Loads of fun. I think he disappeared off at some point with one of Laura’s new work colleagues.’ Eleanor’s voice had become extremely loud and a little too high-pitched. ‘Didn’t see him for most of it.’
‘I see.’ Sal folded her arms across her chest and continued to eye Eleanor suspiciously. ‘Are you sure everything’s all right? You’re being weird and I don’t know why.’
Eleanor felt beads of sweat blossom on her forehead. She pulled the corners of her mouth into an unwilling smile and forced herself to calm down.
‘Just a lot of deadlines for this week, and I think I overcompensated my hangover with too much coffee this morning. I’m not built for triple shots like you.’
‘Hmmm. Well, if you’re sure.’ Sal raised an eyebrow. ‘Make sure you lay off the caffeine for the rest of the day, though, OK? You know how wired you get.’
Eleanor nodded obediently. ‘Sure thing.’
‘Good. I have to run; I’ve got a new intern starting and apparently I have to be around to show face.’ She sighed.
