Sushi for Beginners - Marian Keyes [160]
But exactly what good were raised eyebrows to her? she thought irritably. It was other parts of his body she’d like raised for her, thanks very much. Fair enough, he was just out of a relationship and perhaps he needed time to recover. But he’d had, oooh, at least two weeks, how much longer did he need?
She smiled sadly to herself. She hadn’t been in great shape either, after the Oliver episode. She’d wanted to run back to London, get into bed with him and never leave again. He still hadn’t rung her, he clearly wasn’t going to, but life must go on…
‘The pressure getting to you?’ Jack came and sat on her desk.
She was mortally offended. ‘No, just, you know,’ she sighed. ‘Bastard celebrities.’
‘You never give up.’ His admiration could have been photographed. ‘D’you need some time out? How about we have sushi for lunch? On me.’
‘I wish.’ The words were out before she could stop them, prompted by the vision of eating sushi from his naked body.
‘Um, excuse me?’ His laugh was pleasantly dirty.
‘Nothing.’ She wall-eyed him, but couldn’t help a knowing smirk. For a long moment they locked eyes, then simultaneously the flirty tension dissolved into laughter.
‘You mean you’re going to take me out?’ she asked.
‘Aw, no, sorry, I can’t spare the time. But how about a takeaway, like the last time?’
‘Get someone else to do your dirty work,’ Trix snapped.
‘I’ll go.’ Jack surprised everyone. ‘Anyone else want some? How about you, Ashling?’
‘No, thanks,’ Ashling said huffily, suspecting she was being patronized.
‘Sure?’
‘Quite.’
‘Not even if I get you some of the less scary pieces, and take you through it all?’
‘No.’
‘Right, I’m off,’ Jack announced. ‘And take it easy,’ he advised Lisa. ‘Everything’s coming together nicely.’
Though she told everyone that their work was crap and that the magazine looked like ‘a piece of shit’, Lisa couldn’t deny that progress was being made. The books, film, music, video and net pages were in place. As were the horoscopes, Trix’ s ordinary-girl article, the sexy-hotel-bedrooms piece, Ashling’s salsa spread, a gorgeous food page from Jasper Ffrench, a profile of an Irish actress who’d starred in a controversial erotic play, a warts-and-all ‘My Day’ from the novelist, and Marcus’s ‘It’s a Man’s World’ article, which everyone loved. Plus, of course, that fashion spread.
Eight pages at the front of the mag were devoted to showcasing four achingly hip, up-and-coming Irish stars – a handbag designer, a DJ, a personal trainer and an articulate, sexy eco-warrior who was king of the soundbite. The ‘What’s Hot and What’s Not’ list was nearly ready. Lisa knocked most of it up in five minutes and gave it to Ashling to finish. According to Lisa’s list, hillwalking was ‘Hot’ and Hilfiger was ‘Not’.
‘Is hillwalking hot?’ Ashling enquired, in surprise.
Lisa shrugged. ‘Haven’t a clue. But it goes nicely with Hilfiger.’
As well as the content, the magazine looked great. The colours, images and typesetting were slightly different to those of other women’s magazines and Colleen looked somehow edgier and funkier. Lisa had pushed Gerry to the outer limits of his patience before she got a look she was happy with.
‘Where do you sail?’ Lisa asked, as Jack arrayed sushi on her desk.
‘Dun Laoghaire, where the boats come in.’
‘Dun Laoghaire,’ she mused meaningfully. ‘I’ve never been there.’
‘You’d like it.’
‘I must get out there sometime.’
‘You must.’
Oh, for crying out loud! How heavily did a girl have to hint around here?
Perhaps he was wary of her combination of dynamism and good-looks, she acknowledged. It wouldn’t have been the first time. And there was the added complication of them working together. And of her being married. And of him being on the rebound…
OK! She realized she had no choice but to open her mouth and say, ‘You could take me the next time you’re going.’
‘Would