Then there was the risk that she’d mark herself out as difficult or unprofessional by refusing to do the work she’d been given. All things considered, it might be better to put her head down and get on with this. It would be a difficult few weeks, but ploughing on was probably preferable to publicly dredging up past pain.
‘Okay,’ Rachel said, subdued but certain.
‘Okay?’
‘Yeah. I don’t think I have much choice here, do I? Sticking with the account seems like the lesser of two evils.’
‘It’s going to be fine,’ Jack said bracingly. ‘And it’ll be over within a few weeks, just like the BHGH pitch. Once we get this done, we’ll be on to the next big thing – other people will be manning the account – and we never have to talk about any of this again if you don’t want to.’
Rachel nodded. Jack reached for her hand again, squeezing it and then letting go as they turned to walk back into the building.
‘Will you be all right?’ he asked as she headed towards the ladies.
‘I think so,’ she said. ‘And … I’m sorry I had a go at you before.’
She leaned on the door to the women’s toilets and looked at the floor.
‘Forget it,’ Jack said before she could go in. ‘But … do you think we could actually try being friends now? It seems like you might need one, and you never did give me a straight answer to that question.’
Rachel looked back at him, drained and weary, wondering how long it would take to fix her puffy, mascara-streaked face.
‘I think you already know it,’ she said, turning away from Jack as she entered the bathroom. ‘You always bloody did.’
20
That evening Rachel arrived home from work to find Anna clattering around the kitchen in a tiny pink dress. It was brilliant cerise with a structured bodice, covered in a feather-light tulle that flared from her waist to fall in layer upon layer of soft, delicate waves.
On anyone else it would have been garish, but Anna’s short hair and the black studded belt she was wearing offset its sugary sweetness. She had a pair of black strappy sandals on her feet, their heels so high that Rachel felt dizzy just looking at them.
She dropped her bags on the kitchen table and stared. ‘If I’d thought you’d be this dressed up for dinner I’d have at least thrown on some lip gloss before I came home.’
‘Funny,’ Anna said, smiling. ‘I’m out with Will tonight. It’s our four-year anniversary, remember?’
‘Ahhh. Yes, you did mention it. You look ace. But, er – what are you doing?’
Anna was still opening cupboards and drawers indiscriminately, picking up magazines, books and envelopes, then huffing and putting them back down again.
‘Looking for my phone,’ she said. ‘Bloodything. I’m late. Will should be here any second.’
‘I’ll find it,’ Rachel told her. ‘You finish getting ready. You’ll break your neck racing around in those shoes.’
Anna retreated to her bedroom, re-emerging a few minutes later wearing a tiny black leather jacket and carrying a clutch bag.
‘Here,’ Rachel said, handing over Anna’s battered old iPhone. ‘It was in the fruit bowl …?’
Anna was known for putting her phone down in odd places, then blithely walking away. Rachel had been baffled but not surprised to find it nestled next to a bunch of browning bananas.
‘Huh. Thanks,’ said Anna. ‘Are you sure I look okay?’
‘Nope, not okay – stunning. Where are you off to?’
‘I’ve no idea, but Will said to dress up – so I hope for his sake it isn’t pizza and a pint at the pub.’
Rachel laughed. ‘I’m sure it won’t be. Will you be back tonight?’
‘Yeah. An overnight bag doesn’t really go with this outfit, and I have an early meeting tomorrow. The head wants to go over our plans for engaging Year 11 with extra revision sessions – plans that currently consist of “arrange a few tutorials, then hope the kids show up”. Unless she’s willing to offer cash incentives in exchange for attendance, I’m not sure what else she expects us to do.’ Anna rolled her eyes.
‘Ugh, don’t think about it tonight. Have a brilliant time. I won’t wait up.’ Rachel winked.
