The Importance of Being Married (25 page)

PROJECT: MARRIAGE DAY 16

To do

1. Look fabulous.

2. Be elusive.

3. Put computer cleaning fluid in Marcia’s potted plants.

On Monday morning I was at work early. To my immense relief, Marcia wasn’t at her desk when I arrived and Anthony didn’t appear to be in his office, but every time I heard the door open, I flinched slightly, and every time I heard someone working toward me, I braced myself.

“So, everything going well for the meeting next Monday?” Max asked, appearing at my desk suddenly and making me jump.

“Fine,” I said tightly, wondering if he knew anything. “It’s all going just brilliantly.”

“Good. Because you know this is a really important meeting, don’t you? For you as much as the firm. This is really your chance, Jess. So anything you want to run by me, you just let me know.”

I sighed. Anthony was right about Max. He was completely obsessed with work. “Sure,” I said tersely. “I will.”

“Great!” He smiled brightly, and I looked at him suspiciously. Max never smiled. Had Marcia texted him, too? Was I just one big joke to everyone now?

“What?” I demanded. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing!” The smile left Max’s face immediately. “I was just smiling. You know how you said I should smile more?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t remember.”

“Oh.” Max looked slightly dejected. “Oh, well, I’ll just go back to normal then. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Do I look that awful?” I asked, miserably.

“No, not awful. Not at all. Just a bit…tired, maybe. Not your usual self.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to be my usual self,” I said, archly. “Maybe I’ve had enough of my usual self for a bit.”

“Really? Why?” Max looked thoroughly confused. “You have a nice…self.”

“Yes, well, it’s good of you to say that, but you don’t have to spend every minute with my ‘self,’ do you?”

Max thought for a moment. “Now, are we talking about self here as some kind of Durkheimian ego? Or are you talking more about the metaphysical idea of ‘self’? Interesting how you’ve detached the self from you as though they are two component parts. Either you’ve got a tremendous theory to spring upon the world, or you’re verging on the schizophrenic.”

“Schizophrenic?” Marcia said suddenly, appearing beside Max. “You know, if you two actually applied yourselves during working hours instead of discussing psychology, you might not have to work late and on weekends. Ever thought of that?”

My eyes narrowed; I stared resolutely at my computer.

Max frowned. “Absolutely, Marcia. And if you didn’t spend your days booking facials, you might have a career ahead of you.”

Marcia smiled thinly. “Oh, I have a career in front of me, don’t you worry about that, Max. So, Jess,” she said, turning to me. “How was your date?”

I looked up incredulously. “My date? My date was fine, thank you very much. But then again, I presume you know all about the gory details already?”

She looked at me innocently. “Gory details? So it wasn’t good? I happened to speak to Anthony yesterday about a client meeting with RightFoods and he seemed to think your date went really well.”

Max’s eyes widened. “Anthony?”

“Sure.” Marcia smiled. “Didn’t you know? Jess and Anthony are dating.”

“No, we’re not,” I said hurriedly. “We had one date. That’s it.” Then I frowned and turned to Marcia. “You talked to him about…RightFoods?”

She nodded and rolled her eyes dramatically. “Nightmare client. Anthony saw them on Friday night and I wanted to know how the meeting went because I’ve got to call them today.”

I bit my lip. “Oh. I see.”

“But I couldn’t get hold of him because he was out with Jess here,” Marcia continued, smiling innocently at Max. I felt my eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Right, well, interesting as this all is, I’d better be off. Work to do…” Max said distractedly.

“Me, too,” Marcia said with a shrug. “Far too much work, in my opinion.”

“And you’re sure you’ve got Project Handbag under control? You’re sure you don’t want any help, or feedback?”

“No, Max,” I said dismissively. So Anthony had been telling the truth? Marcia had been texting about work all the time? “No, I’m absolutely sure.”

“Good. That’s good.” He turned and walked away. I felt my heart quicken slightly as I turned back to Marcia.

“So, how was it?” she asked.

I wanted to smile, wanted to punch the air, but I managed to rein it in a bit. “Fine.”

“Just fine?” she asked. “Oh well. So anyway, I want some coffee. You?”

I stared at her uncertainly. Marcia never made me coffee. She hadn’t offered in all the time we worked together. “Coffee? Really?” I heard myself say.

“Yes, you know, hot drink with caffeine in it?” Marcia raised an eyebrow at me, then tossed back her hair. “Look, Jess, I know we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye exactly. But I’d like it if we could be…you know…friends.”

“You would?” I stared at her incredulously. “Why?”

Marcia laughed lightly. “Well, first, we work together. Second, it looks like our boss is crazy about you, so it’s in my interests that we get on. And third…” Her lips pursed. “Third, you’re actually okay. You know, once you get to know you.”

“Right. I see.” Anthony was crazy about me. Had I heard correctly? How did she know? Had he said something? I smiled tentatively. “Well in that case, I guess we can. Be friends, I mean.”

“Great. So, coffee?”

“No. No thanks. But thanks, you know, for asking.”

“No problem.” She stalked off toward the kitchen; moments later, I saw Anthony walking toward me. Immediately I started to type ferociously, my face getting hotter and hotter as he came closer, until he was standing right beside me. Crazy about me. Marcia thought he was crazy about me.

“I…um…I was wondering if you had a moment,” he said quietly. “To talk…”

I took a deep breath. “Talk?” I asked, still typing. It was everything I could do not to throw my arms around him and plant my lips on his. Playing it cool was going to be nearly impossible. “Um, okay. But I’m a bit…tied up right now. Maybe later?”

“You don’t have a moment now?” His voice was soft and serious. I wanted to take his hand, to apologize for throwing him out, to suggest we go right back to my flat now to pick up where we left off…

But instead I cleared my throat. “Sorry,” I managed to say. “I’ve just got so much work to do. But maybe this afternoon, if you’re free?”

“This afternoon,” Anthony said uncertainly. “I guess that would be okay.”

“Great. So, I’ll see you then?”

I turned back to my computer.

“Any particular time this afternoon?”

“Time?” I was staring at my computer screen as hard as I could, willing myself not to turn around. “Well—”

But before I could finish, the receptionist Gillie rushed over. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers so large they covered her face completely.

“Jess!” she exclaimed. “These arrived. For you. Like a minute ago!”

I stared at her. “Me?”

“Yes! Aren’t they amazing! Nicest bouquet I’ve ever seen. I tell you, you want to hold on to whoever sent you these. Must have cost a packet!”

“Um, thanks, Gillie,” I said, taking them from her, my eyes widening as I realized how heavy they were. They were from Anthony. They had to be.

“Shall I get a vase?” Gillie asked, eyeing the card on the side hopefully.

“Oh. Yes please. Thank you.” I looked up at Anthony, a big smile on my face, but he looked back at me uncertainly.

Gillie clicked her fingers, and Marie, the other receptionist, arrived with one already full of water.

“We had one already prepared,” Gillie explained, grinning as Marcia returned to see what the fuss was all about. “So come on, open the card. Tell us who they’re from.”

“The card. Of course.” I took it, my hands trembling slightly as I pulled open the small white envelope and took out an equally small card. There was a heart on it.

Slowly, excitedly, I opened it up and read the words inside.

Jess, you’re one in a million. Please reconsider my proposal. I’ll never let the hedge fund take over my life again—you’re the only thing that has ever mattered to me. Sean.

I stared at it uncomprehendingly.

“Sean,” Gillie sighed, reading over my shoulder. “He your boyfriend, is he?”

“Um…” I reddened, still utterly confused. Sean?

“You’ve got a boyfriend?” Marcia arrived back, carrying coffee. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.” She looked at me sharply, her eyebrows raised.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Marie interjected. “He wants her to reconsider.”

“Yeah,” Gillie agreed immediately. “Ex-boyfriend. And Jess is the only thing that matters to him. Ahhh. That’s nice.”

I nodded awkwardly.

“Hedge fund people are loaded, aren’t they?” Marie said, with a sigh. “Anthony, you know about stuff like that. Aren’t hedge fund people loaded?”

Anthony looked at her strangely. “Yes. Yes, I believe they are.”

“A loaded ex who only cares about you,” Gillie said dreamily. “I could do with one of those.”

“You and me both,” Marie agreed.