‘Yes, I do,’ I said, tilting my chin to emphasise that I was taller than him. He pushed himself up. ‘Go on then. Speak to HR. I suppose I’m going to have to promote you permanently — which means I do have to give you a bloody pay rise.’
He picked up a small plastic box from the windowsill and tossed it at me.
‘You’ll need these.’
Typical David. Through the clear plastic lid, I could see my name, Olivia Middleton, Account Director on a stack of business cards.
‘By the way, what did you do to upset Emily? You’ve achieved in two weeks what Fiona’s been trying to do for three months.’
I frowned at him, puzzled. There was a letter on his desk, which he picked up and with a flourish he began to read.
‘It is with regret that I formally tender my resignation. Since the advent of Olivia Middleton in the role of temporary Account Director, I have found my position totally untenable.’
He tutted, looking sternly at me.
What? Cheeky cow. How many times had I saved her bacon?
David continued. ‘She has made my working life intolerable with her constant, unfounded criticism and the unremitting undermining of my position in front of other team members.’
I stared at David, my face frozen while my mind raced. Two-faced witch. Five minutes ago in the office she’d given no clue that this was how she felt.
Giving an exaggerated sigh, he softened his voice with a sympathetic tone to read, ‘Since assuming responsibility for the team, Olivia has gone out of her way to humiliate and insult me on a regular basis in front of my juniors.’ He shook his head with mock disapproval at me. ‘Sadly I have no choice in the circumstances but to terminate my employment with Organic PR.’
He laid the letter on his desk and looked at me. ‘What do you have to say for yourself?’
‘You don’t believe all that,’ I started indignantly.
‘Noo! Think I’m dense!’ He slapped his hand on his desk and cackled with laughter. ‘God, she’s a pain in the arse. You deserve the car for putting up with the silly cow and not coming moaning to me every five minutes. Bloody Fiona’s in here every week. She’s—’
‘Did you give me this job to piss her off?’ I interrupted, clenching one hand behind my back as the pennies and pounds began to drop. My stomach was churning and I felt sick and shaky.
He grinned devilishly. ‘It did the trick, well done.’ Completely ignoring my outraged glare, his expression changed to one of shrewdness. ‘You’re a smart girl, Olivia. Luscious Lips pay us quarter of a million every year — I don’t piss about when fees are involved. She’s off to another agency. Says she’s taking her expertise and ideas where they’ll be appreciated. Silly bitch.’
Her ideas. That was rich. Ever since I’d known her, she’d been desperate for promotion. Now I knew why it had never happened and why it was unlikely to. I bet she’d taken all the credit for the Luscious Lips campaign to impress the new agency.
‘She’s on a month’s notice — leave her to stew over the next week. I’ll leave it up to you to sort out next Friday. Up to you whether she fucks off straight away or stays for the month. Still have to pay the little madam. Make it bloody clear she won’t get a reference if she plays silly buggers.’
With that I was dismissed. He was a wily devil, he knew damn well after reading that little litany that my blood was up but he had just given me carte blanche to do as I pleased.
As I left his office, he growled, ‘Just don’t tell everyone what a pussycat I am.’
As if.
* * *
David had always believed I was a sharp cookie, but he was clearly wrong. The contents of Emily’s letter had been a complete surprise. Leaving the top floor, I’d taken the back stairs, very slowly, disbelief running through my head. My hand was shaking so much I could barely grasp the handrail. Any delight at the unexpected promotion was well and truly overshadowed by the tone of Emily’s letter. Had I really upset her that much?
By the time I got back to my desk, she’d gone. I had a vague recollection of an arrangement to go to Bar 29 next door for post-work drinks. As the office was virtually empty, I guessed most people had decamped there. No doubt Emily was among them. No one hung around long on Friday evenings. Unfolding the A4 paper, I stared at it, my stomach twisting uncomfortably.The words jumbled up on the page as my eyes ran over the offensive words again and again.
We’d had our ups and downs but they’d always been normal flatmate irritants. Like pinching the last teabag and not buying more, generally her, or using all the hot water, usually me. Although it had been difficult recently, I thought that with the stress of the premiere over we were back on an even keel.
I don’t bear grudges. With every fallout we’d ever had, I was always the first to apologise or smooth things over. I couldn’t believe that this was what she really thought of me.
Shaking, I pulled out my phone. Sod the cost, I needed to speak to Kate.
Snatching up my holdall with one hand, my mobile in the other, I headed for the stairs. Pressing buttons as I stumbled down, I never gave a thought to what the time might be on the other side of the world.
She answered as I hit the pavement and the Friday night throng on the street. To get out the way, I ducked into a doorway on the opposite side of the road. From my vantage, I had a complete view of the office, stretching up three floors above the busy street. Waiting for Kate to answer, I eyed the top floor bitterly.
