Sushi for Beginners - Marian Keyes [85]
Even though she was generally viewed as a doom-mongering old boot, her words had a sobering effect on everyone. Especially on Lisa. Still no word on the advertising revenue. Her nerves were cast-iron, but even she was finding this wearing.
Jack came out of his office.
‘They’ve just rung,’ Mrs Morley said. ‘They’ll be here in ten minutes.’
‘Thanks,’ Jack sighed, running his hands distractedly through his tumbled hair. He looked tired and worried and Ashling suddenly felt sorry for him.
‘Would you like a cup of coffee before your meeting?’ she offered, sympathetically.
He turned his dark eyes on to her. ‘No,’ he said, narkily. ‘It might keep me awake.’
Well get lost in that case, Ashling thought, all sympathy gone.
‘Ashling, take a look,’ Gerry invited. Ashling rushed to his screen and was full of admiration for how he’d laid out the article. A four-page spread, which looked colourful, funny, engaging and interesting. The text was broken up into strips and sidebars, and the entire piece was dominated by the erotic photo of the dancing couple, the woman’s long hair sweeping the floor.
He printed it all off and Ashling took it to Lisa, as though it was a sacred offering. Without speaking, Lisa surveyed the pages. Even the expression on her face gave nothing away. The silence endured for so long that Ashling’s excitement started to dampen and turn into worry. Had she got it all wrong? Perhaps this wasn’t what Lisa had wanted at all.
‘Spelling mistake here.’ Lisa’s voice was toneless. ‘Typo here. And another one. And another one.’ When she got to the end she shoved the sheets away and said, ‘Fine.’
‘Fine?’ Ashling asked, still waiting for an acknowledgement of how much work and worry had gone into it.
‘Yes, fine,’ Lisa said, impatiently. ‘Tidy it up, then run it.’
Ashling glared. She was so disappointed she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t to know that this constituted very high praise from Lisa. When employees of Femme were subjected to her screaming ‘Get this piece of shit off my desk and completely rewrite it,’ they used to take it as a tribute.
Then Lisa changed the subject totally when she remembered something. Over-casually, she asked, ‘Hey, who was that man you were with last night?’
‘What man?’ Ashling knew exactly who she was talking about, but was exacting a tiny, petty revenge.
‘Blond bloke, you left with him.’
‘Oh, Dylan.’ Then Ashling said nothing more. She was enjoying this.
‘And who is he?’ Lisa eventually had to ask.
‘An old friend.’
‘Single?’
‘He’s married to my best friend. So you like my article?’ Ashling said stubbornly.
‘I said it’s fine.’ Lisa was irritable. Then her next words rubbed salt into the wound. ‘I think we’ll make it a regular feature. Knock together another piece about meeting men for the October issue. What did you suggest at the first meeting we had? Going to a dating agency? Horse-riding? Surfing the net?’
She remembered everything, Ashling thought, impossibly burdened by the thought of having to make this monumental effort next month and every month. And never getting fecking well praised for it!
‘Or you could do something on the chances of meeting men at a comedy gig,’ Lisa said, with an artful smile.
Ashling shrugged uncomfortably.
‘Has he called you yet?’ Lisa asked suddenly.
Ashling shook her head, embarrassed at what a loser she was. Had he rung Lisa? Probably, the gloaty cow. After some seconds without speech the curiosity got too much. ‘Has he called you?’
To her surprise, Lisa also shook her head.
‘Prick!’ Ashling said energetically, cruising on relief.
‘Prick!’ Lisa agreed, with an unexpected giggle.
All at once it seemed very funny that he’d rung neither of them.
‘Men!’ The burdensome anticipation Ashling had carried since Saturday dissolved into giddy laughter.
‘Men!’ Lisa agreed, frothy with merriment.
At that moment, both of them were drawn to look at Kelvin, who was standing mid-floor, idly scratching his balls and staring into space. He