wasn’t well enough to share it with her, the day had ended on a marginally more positive note. She’d wanted to explain to him how things were not as she’d hoped at the bank, but that could wait until tomorrow, when he was feeling better. It was just one bad day, after all, Jessie told herself. She shouldn’t take it personally. Tomorrow will be better , the eternal optimist in her voiced. It simply had to be, because it simply couldn’t get much worse.
Bored and emotionally drained, Jessie decided to go to bed early and end the disappointment of the day. Plus, maybe Jack would still be awake and they could finally talk.
But Jack was already asleep, snoring gently. Tomorrow , Jessie told herself. She would feel better in the morning. That’s what her mother always said, and she really hoped she would be right in this instance.
Chapter 17
Jessie’s tomorrow was better. Marginally. At least she didn’t walk into the office to suffer another humiliating demotion. Indeed, by the middle of the week, things were positively looking up: she received a few positive comments on her work from Rachel. Of course, it was all via email and not to her face, but still, it seemed things had settled down. Penny even appeared to have downgraded her surveillance of Jessie, limiting herself to a few cursory disapproving glances whenever she left her desk, rather than the constant nitpicking looks she’d dished out initially. Apparently Jessie was no longer considered a serious threat, requiring the gatekeeper to be on constant high alert. Penny even cracked a smile when Jessie brought her back a piece of cake one lunchtime.
Another reason for Jessie to feel more chirpy was that on Thursday her missing luggage finally arrived. Her humungous suitcase was waiting for her when she got home from work. It was dirty, battered, and bruised, but the contents had survived and would live again after a thorough airing out. Jessie almost cried when she saw all her familiar things staring back at her from the bed. All the things that she’d selected so carefully to bring with her, back when she’d been so optimistic and hopeful.
She sighed with relief when her eyes clapped eyes on her Victoria Beckham dress. It was crumpled to hell but otherwise unharmed. Then she realised, sadly, that it wasn’t like she was going to wear it anytime soon—Jessie wouldn’t feel comfortable rocking it into the office knowing full well that her awesome VB dress was exactly the same as her boss’s. What if they turned up to the office wearing the same bloody frock on the exact same day? Of course it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it wouldn’t exactly endear her further to her boss. Plus, she didn’t want to play the who-wore-it-best game with Rachel. Jessie knew who would win.
‘So, how was your first week?’ Rachel asked brightly come Friday, as she waltzed over to Jessie’s desk and leaned on the partition like she owned the place. Throughout the course of the week, Jessie had admired how confident the woman was, seemingly at all times. Rachel was wearing another pair of fabulous shoes and had teamed them with a stylish, yet office-appropriate dress. Jessie hadn’t seen her repeat any of her dresses, shoes, or accessories during the course of the week. Not once. And she’d been paying particularly close attention.
‘Good, thanks,’ Jessie replied, sitting back in her chair to better look up at her boss.
‘I’m glad to hear it. I’m impressed, Jessie,’ Rachel said.
‘I’m pleased,’ Jessie responded after a pause. For some reason she’d expected Rachel to elaborate.
‘Would you like to come for a pedicure tomorrow?’ Rachel suddenly asked, somewhat randomly.
‘Um, thank you,’ Jessie replied, totally surprised by the invitation and the activity. ‘But I already have plans with my boyfriend,’ she added smoothly. The idea of getting beauty treatments with her boss on a Saturday didn’t hold a huge amount of appeal for
Bored and emotionally drained, Jessie decided to go to bed early and end the disappointment of the day. Plus, maybe Jack would still be awake and they could finally talk.
But Jack was already asleep, snoring gently. Tomorrow , Jessie told herself. She would feel better in the morning. That’s what her mother always said, and she really hoped she would be right in this instance.
Chapter 17
Jessie’s tomorrow was better. Marginally. At least she didn’t walk into the office to suffer another humiliating demotion. Indeed, by the middle of the week, things were positively looking up: she received a few positive comments on her work from Rachel. Of course, it was all via email and not to her face, but still, it seemed things had settled down. Penny even appeared to have downgraded her surveillance of Jessie, limiting herself to a few cursory disapproving glances whenever she left her desk, rather than the constant nitpicking looks she’d dished out initially. Apparently Jessie was no longer considered a serious threat, requiring the gatekeeper to be on constant high alert. Penny even cracked a smile when Jessie brought her back a piece of cake one lunchtime.
Another reason for Jessie to feel more chirpy was that on Thursday her missing luggage finally arrived. Her humungous suitcase was waiting for her when she got home from work. It was dirty, battered, and bruised, but the contents had survived and would live again after a thorough airing out. Jessie almost cried when she saw all her familiar things staring back at her from the bed. All the things that she’d selected so carefully to bring with her, back when she’d been so optimistic and hopeful.
She sighed with relief when her eyes clapped eyes on her Victoria Beckham dress. It was crumpled to hell but otherwise unharmed. Then she realised, sadly, that it wasn’t like she was going to wear it anytime soon—Jessie wouldn’t feel comfortable rocking it into the office knowing full well that her awesome VB dress was exactly the same as her boss’s. What if they turned up to the office wearing the same bloody frock on the exact same day? Of course it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it wouldn’t exactly endear her further to her boss. Plus, she didn’t want to play the who-wore-it-best game with Rachel. Jessie knew who would win.
‘So, how was your first week?’ Rachel asked brightly come Friday, as she waltzed over to Jessie’s desk and leaned on the partition like she owned the place. Throughout the course of the week, Jessie had admired how confident the woman was, seemingly at all times. Rachel was wearing another pair of fabulous shoes and had teamed them with a stylish, yet office-appropriate dress. Jessie hadn’t seen her repeat any of her dresses, shoes, or accessories during the course of the week. Not once. And she’d been paying particularly close attention.
‘Good, thanks,’ Jessie replied, sitting back in her chair to better look up at her boss.
‘I’m glad to hear it. I’m impressed, Jessie,’ Rachel said.
‘I’m pleased,’ Jessie responded after a pause. For some reason she’d expected Rachel to elaborate.
‘Would you like to come for a pedicure tomorrow?’ Rachel suddenly asked, somewhat randomly.
‘Um, thank you,’ Jessie replied, totally surprised by the invitation and the activity. ‘But I already have plans with my boyfriend,’ she added smoothly. The idea of getting beauty treatments with her boss on a Saturday didn’t hold a huge amount of appeal for
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