‘I get that, but you have to push the boundaries a bit otherwise we’d never move forward.’ Mina couldn’t understand the company’s attitude. Last year their mince pies averaged a measly five-out-of-ten in the magazine and online taste tests.Good Housekeepingonly gave them a three, and quite frankly she didn’t blame them. Her recipe would have at least garnered some interest, rather than rating bland mediocrity.
‘Mina. Listen to me. Simon is out for blood. You need to keep your head down. You’ve got a lot of holiday owing. Why don’t you take a couple of weeks off? Think about what you really want? Is a career here going to fulfil your creativity? You’re a brilliant recipe developer but… is this the right place for you?’
Mina stared at him. ‘Are you sacking me?’
‘No, not all. You’re one of our best – when you stay on track. I’d hate to lose you, but I worry that this isn’t what you need. Why don’t you go away for a little while, think things through? Hopefully when you get back he’ll have calmed down.’
‘But I’m not in the wrong here—’
Ian raised an eyebrow and she shut up. Actually, a few weeks’ holiday was quite a nice idea. Maybe she could do with some thinking time. There was a whole world out there; perhaps it was time to do something like Hannah and take some time for herself.
‘Hi Hannah.’
‘What?’ asked her sister with a tone of instant suspicion.
‘Why would you say that?’ Mina felt aggrieved as she sat on the end of her bed eying the rather small pile of clothes she’d already earmarked to go in her case.
‘Because you bothered to say hi and use my name. Normally you dive in as if we’re already mid-way through a conversation. Personally I find it endearing, but when you say, “Hi Hannah”, I know you want something.’
‘Well, now you come to mention it. Is there any chance you could give me a lift to the airport on Thursday afternoon?’
‘Wind back a sec. Airport. Thursday. What,thisThursday, as in two days’ time? What’s going on?’
‘You know how you said that putting hair removal cream in Simon’s shampoo would be a bad idea?’
‘Oh God, you didn’t.’
‘No, wait. I didn’t. I refrained.’
‘Thank goodness for that.’
‘I went for the blue hair dye instead.’
‘Oh flipping heck, Mina. Why do you do these things? Seriously. Consequences. Remember consequences.’
‘Yeah, well this time, HR are giving me a hard time.’
‘Why?’
‘Because Simon has complained about me as a colleague.’
‘That slimy weasel. It’s nothing to do…’
‘Don’t think I haven’t told them that, but Simon is making a big fuss. It’s been suggested I take a couple of weeks’ holiday. I don’t see why Ishould– but I do fancy a holiday.’
‘Oooh, where are you going to go?’
‘I’m going to Switzerland to see Amelie.’
‘Well, that’s unexpected. You’ve got the world at your feet, I thought you’d be going backpacking in Bali, surfing in Sydney, cruising in Croatia, or riding in—’
‘Exactly: too much choice. This was easier and I could do it instantly. She’s always said I’m welcome. And I thought, why not? I haven’t seen her new place.’ To be honest she hadn’t really thought about it that much. When she’d had an email from Amelie yesterday morning, on impulse she’d invited herself.
‘People say that, they don’t always mean it.’
‘Well, she seemed to think two weeks wasn’t long enough,’ argued Mina. ‘Besides I need to get away from work for a while, and I booked flights. I’m flying to Zurich on Thursday afternoon, staying overnight in a hotel and then getting a train to her place on Friday. Have you got any ski kit I can borrow?’
‘Mina, you are hopeless. Yes, I’ve got kit you can borrow. Although TK Maxx do very good-value stuff.’
