'Morning, Sally.' I try not to sound too upbeat. She lifts a heavy head and offers a small smile before returning to her filing. I feel bad for her. 'Where is everyone?' I ask. She shrugs. Oh, this is bad, so I resign myself to shutting up and getting on with things.
My morning is very productive. I finalise a few accounts and update myself on all of my live clients. At twelve forty five, I leave for lunch.
I enter the bar and spot Kate at our usual table. She scowls at me as I approach. 'Your telephone etiquette needs some work.' she snipes.
I had been rather abrupt this morning, but I was too busy dealing with my challenging man to worry about telephone manners. 'I'm sorry.' I sit down and come face to face with a big glass of wine. 'Fuck! Kate, get rid of it!' I shove it to her side of the table.
She gives me daggers. 'I thought you might need it.'
Yes, I really do, but Jesse will be here soon and what would it look like if I'm sat here slurping wine? That would be cruel and extremely thoughtless. I make a grab for Kate's glass and she throws herself on it.
'Kate, he'll be here soon.'
'Hey! Put the wine down!' she demands in a stern voice. 'He's not my boyfriend.'
I can't believe she's doing this. How inconsiderate of her. She refuses to let go, and I glare at her as I release her glass. She picks it up and takes a long swig while watching me.
'You cow!' I toss at her, and she grins around the rim. I grab my wine and down the lot in one foul swoop. Kate bursts into laughter. Oh God, that was good. It's been almost two weeks since I've had a drink which is an all-time record for me. I let out a long, satisfied gasp.
'You did need it.' Kate confirms the obvious.
'Yes. And probably another.' I sulk. Guilt washes over me at my weakness and I look over my shoulder before running to the bar to deposit my empty. I feel like a delinquent child. 'Oh, and don't tell Jesse you love him. It makes his head swell.' I moan as I sit back down.
She laughs. 'Shall I pick you up at six from your office?'
Yes, let's get this conversation out of the way before Jesse gets here. 'Is that all right?' I know it will be, but after her reprimand on telephone manners, I feel like I should make the effort.
'Sure it is. Have you spoken to Matt?'
'Yeah, he's expecting me, but Jesse doesn't know I'm going and it has to stay that way.' I say warningly. Kate raises her eyebrows but says nothing. 'He'll trample.' I shrug. I think that wine has gone straight to my head. I feel woozy. 'How's Sam?' I ask.
'He'll be here soon. I thought, as you had landed Jesse on me this morning, I would see if he wanted to join us too.' She says it like Jesse joining us is the only reason for her inviting Sam. I know different.
'Hey, do you know what's happened with Victoria and Drew?' I ask eagerly. Kate must know something.
Her eyes widen. 'Oh, you won't believe it!'
'What?' I sit forward, completely rapt with the obvious sign of dirt to dish.
'Drew asked her to go to The Manor. Little prissy was not impressed!' Kate is delighted, but I'm suddenly filled with dread.
If Victoria knows about The Manor, does that mean she knows who owns The Manor? Did Drew tell her everything? Has she done the math? Oh good God, I pray not. She isn't the most clued up of girls, but if she has worked it out, then there would be no doubt that she has told Tom. This is getting beyond tricky. Tom hasn't mentioned it, though, and that would be one big, juicy discovery for Tom to get his teeth into. Maybe she is stupid. I hope so because the last thing I need is Tom and Victoria on my case and spouting off around the office.
'What do you want to eat?' Kate asks, snapping me from my worrying thoughts.
'I'll have a BLT on granary, please.'
'What about Jesse?'
I frown to myself. I have absolutely no idea. I don't even know what any of his favourite foods are. 'Ask if they have peanut butter.' I shrug.
'Peanut butter?' She screws her face up in distaste. I'm with her there. 'Oh, here he is.' Kate