Part 18 (2/2)

I tried to return his look but found that I could not as I felt a rush of adrenalin rip through me. He beat me at my own game. The moment of exhilaration pa.s.sed and I finally understood why he had such a good reputation as a salesman. Not only did he have integrity and courage but, when he felt at ease, he was also extraordinarily s.e.xy.

Chapter 28.

I remained in the room with Phil while Mike and his solicitor exchanged words. I noticed them hug warmly as she departed. Clearly they were more than acquaintances; the way they looked, laughed, touched and moved indicated a much closer relations.h.i.+p. Mike, now I was experiencing him up close, was a friendlier person than I had thought. It made me wonder why Dave harboured hostility towards him.

Phil, with a puppyish expression, fussed about me.

”That was fantastic, Penny! Absolutely brilliant.”

Such praise I can live with, but I actually felt exhausted. Its hard to force niceness and that was exactly what I had been doing for most of the last two hours. It was time to cool Phils ardour now the job was done.

”That is sweet of you,” I said, with a look that communicated not just my appreciation, but also the gap in status between us.

His face, while still smiling, developed a small frown and his body language became submissive.

”Thank you,” was all he could say.

”Can you tidy up the loose ends here? I need to get ready for this evening.”

Phil nodded and still smiling, offered a further comment.

”I learnt a lot today,” he said.

A curious look came over his face.

”What made you change your mind about Mike?” he asked.

This comment caught me short for a moment.

”Lets just call it a womans intuition, shall we?” I responded.

”Nothing more?” he asked again inquisitively.

Clearly he was not convinced. I flicked my head back, and let my locks fall about my face alluringly.

”Dont you believe in womens intuition, Phil?”

His smile returned as well as his confidence. If he had felt dominated a few moments ago, all trace had left him. He started to walk out of the room and his final remark not only surprised me, but also deflated my ego a bit.

”I certainly believe in a womans cunning!” he remarked.

As I stood there, I thought back over the whole day. A number of shocks, surprises, twists and turns had left their mark. I thought of the way John had helped, Mikes willingness to accept a settlement when he could have thrown the book at me, and Phils shrewdness at seeing through me. I had one of those ”ah ha!” moments in life. Suddenly things came together. Perhaps men were not jerks after all.

Chapter 29.

What a day it had been and there was still quite a way to go. I visited the womens toilets. As I delicately added a small amount of rouge to my cheeks, Jo the marketing manager came in looking very pleased with herself.

”You look happy,” I remarked.

”Yes, good meeting. We signed a contract this afternoon. It will give a boost to our training programme, and get the new team ready.”

”Sounds good,” I chirped. ”Im off tonight to see Dave strut his stuff at the launch. Are you coming?”

”Yes, of course, Ill be there. Always enjoy watching Dave strut his stuff!” she remarked.

Her comment surprised me, but as Id had a totally stressful day, I let my hair down a bit as well.

”Hmm! He can look quite das.h.i.+ng at times, cant he?”

”Yeah! Ill say. Shame hes taken. All the good ones are.”

”You looking?” I asked, thinking back to the book John had recommended to me.

”Arent you?” she answered.

I thought for a moment. Was I? I didnt really know. Certainly, I enjoyed fantasising about people sometimes people I knew but did that mean I was looking? Jo smiled at me as she washed her face and removed some of her make-up. She was not a stunner but even without make-up her skin was quite good. She had cut her hair quite short a mistake I thought because without a good size bust it gave her a rather boyish look. Long hair would have made her look womanly. Jo looked professional, not attractive.

As these thoughts flashed through my mind, I also considered her question. Over the last couple of months I felt a change in myself. With Carole announcing her marriage, having a second child, with meeting John and feeling more comfortable with men as friends, perhaps I was ready to look. I considered Mike, and how hard he had tried to make things work with his wife. Clearly, there were men who wanted marriage. Even John, flirty as he was, had a maturity and confidence that came from understanding how to keep a relations.h.i.+p interesting. Then there was Dave, the sadness in his eyes when he thought of his wife, the total commitment he seemed to have for her. I certainly felt that I wanted that before I died.

”Maybe I am!” I finally answered.

”Really? With Dave?”

I could not help but laugh out loud at this suggestion.

”No! Not Dave. Hes nice and all, sweet really, but I dont think hes my type.”

Jo seemed pleased that she was not in compet.i.tion and moved a little closer.

”Theres a rumour going round that his wife is ill, that she wont live long. He might be back on the market soon.”

Her comment made me both cross and curious. I found it hard to believe that Dave himself would mention this to anyone else. Perhaps he had. Perhaps I had misjudged him.

”Whats the rumour?” I asked, deciding to dig a bit.

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