Twelve Days The Beginning - By Jade Reyner Page 0,7
she pinned him with a glare and watched as he chuckled. Deleting his e-mail, she opened the one from Mr Vaughn Granger.
Fri Dec. 14th 8.42am
Hi Elise, I know we didn’t really get properly introduced last night, but I just wanted to apologise for my behaviour. I was out of line. Would love to get to know you better, how about lunch to make up for it?
Vaughn.
What the..??? OK, think Elise, think. What behaviour? What was he talking about? What happened last night? As far as she could remember they had barely exchanged more than two words and he had spent the night in a drunken stupor wrapped around Olivia. Speaking of which, where was she today? She typed in a response.
Fri Dec. 14th 9.04am
Mr Granger,
Whilst flattered that you have taken the trouble to e-mail me, I have to plead complete ignorance as to what you are referring to. You have not upset me in any way and lunch is completely unnecessary.
I look forward to working with you in a professional capacity in the future and am sure that, once sober, you have many qualities to commend you.
In the meantime, thank you for your needless apology and please refrain from using Company messaging systems for personal conversations in the future.
Elise Grayson.
OK, maybe the last line was a bit strong, but seriously, who did he think he was? Before she had time to close it down, her e-mail pinged again.
Fri Dec. 14th 9.06am
Elise,
I understand that you found my erm...chat-up technique somewhat offensive and I wished to apologise. I was, as you put it, far from sober and believe me, my head is making me pay this morning.
Re: use of company e-mail system, I wasn’t aware that they were monitored?
Yours, Vaughn.
He had her there, the e-mail system wasn’t monitored. Mr Andrews Snr. believed in trusting his staff and felt that installing a big-brother style of monitoring system would have a detrimental impact on staff morale. She knew that other staff used it for ‘flirtatious’ purposes from time to time but that didn’t mean that she was comfortable with things being less than professional herself. She needed to put this to bed.
Fri Dec. 14th 9.10am
Mr Granger,
Firstly, you are not ‘mine’.
Secondly, I have no problem with your chat-up technique as it was not aimed at me. I am pleased that you find the ‘most beautiful girl in the world’ routine still effective. For me however, it lacks imagination.
And finally, you are correct that the company e-mail system is not monitored. That does not mean however that I wish to abuse the system and continue this conversation in any way.
Elise.
PS. Where is Olivia today, by the way?
That should do it. Hopefully he would get the message that she was in no way upset or offended and leave her alone. Perhaps he could crawl along to wherever he had left Olivia and carry on where they left off. Honestly, men! As if she didn’t have enough going on with Dale. Just as that thought popped into her head, she wondered if Vaughn knew that she was married and also how the hell he knew that she found his chat up technique a bit ropey? Against her better judgement she typed out another e-mail.
Fri Dec. 14th 9.13am
PS.FYI I am married, so please don’t waste your lunch money on me.
PPS. How the hell did you know I was talking about your chat up lines anyway?
Deciding that enough was enough now, Elise closed down her e-mails and began tackling her in-tray pile, all the while studiously ignoring the endless pinging coming from her messaging programme. After counting ten pings in a row, she gave up all pretence of working and opened her e-mails again.
Fri Dec. 14th 9.15am
Elise,
FYI I am well aware that you are married.
That does not mean you are not mine.
I have absolutely no idea where Olivia is.
YOURS Vaughn,
Elise read and re-read the e-mail several times whist waiting for the words to sink in.
Just who did this arrogant prick think he was? HIS?? She didn’t even know him, had spoken only a handful of words to him and had certainly not given out any vibes to suggest she was in any way interested. What an egotistical maniac! There were still nine unopened messages sitting in her in box and, before she could change her mind, she checked the ‘select all’ box and deleted them. She had no interest whatsoever in anything that man had to say. She could barely remember what he looked like, for Christ’s sake. What the