Adam Fenn here. When you get this I’d like you to ring me if you can. The number is—’
I snatched up the receiver. ‘Hello, Mr Fenn. I was just on my way out. What can I do for you?’
‘If this is a bad time I can ring again later.’
‘No. It’s fine. I’m not in a hurry.’
‘It was just….’ He paused and cleared his throat. ‘I’ve beenthinking about something you said the other day. Were you serious when you asked if I had a job suitable for you?’
The breath caught in my throat. ‘Why – do you have something in mind?’
‘Well, yes, but I’m not sure it would be the kind of thing you’d like.’
‘Try me.’ I held my breath.
‘It’s not easy on the telephone. Maybe we could meet? I happen to be in Leicester today. I could run out to the house if….’
‘No,’ I cut in. ‘I was coming into town anyway.’
‘Right. Do you know The Bell?’
‘Yes. I know it.’
‘Could we meet for coffee or a drink at, say around twelve o’clock?’
‘I think I could manage that.’
‘Good. I’ll explain everything when I see you then.’
For a reason I refused to acknowledge I was glad I was having my hair done and when I looked into the mirror at
Armand’s
with my hair newly cut and highlighted my confidence gained the necessary boost. In the cloakroom I saw that it was already a quarter to twelve. No time to lose. I hastily repaired my make-up then I went outside and hailed a cab to The Bell.
Adam Fenn was waiting for me in the lounge. He stood up when he saw me come in and I saw that he was wearing a light grey suit and blue shirt and tie.
‘Hello again. I’m glad you could make it.’ He pulled out a chair. ‘Coffee? Or would you like a drink?’
‘Coffee’s fine, thank you.’ As we waited I glanced at him. ‘I was surprised to get your call this morning.’
He looked concerned. ‘I hope you didn’t think it an imposition. I wasn’t sure whether you really were joking the other day. And you had been saying you were at a loose end.’
‘I was serious actually,’ I said. ‘I don’t know what made me blurt it out to you like that though, which is why I tried to back-pedal.’
He smiled. ‘I see.’
The coffee arrived and I poured for us both. ‘So, what is this job you have in mind?’ I asked.
He spooned sugar into his cup and stirred thoughtfully. ‘I needsomeone attractive and personable to help sell the pools,’ he said.
I shook my head. ‘I’m not a saleswoman.’
‘No. I visualize this person as more of a rep’.’ He leaned forward. ‘How it happens at the moment is this. We usually get enquiries through the website which we follow up with brochures in the post – photographs, prices and descriptions etcetera.’
‘Yes. That was how we did it.’
‘But I’ve been thinking how much better it would be to provide the personal touch, a stylish lady such as yourself to take along the brochures in person and advise.’
‘I don’t know very much about swimming pools,’ I told him doubtfully. ‘I mean apart from using one.’
‘That’s all right. I’d give you all the training you’d need, clue you up on the technical side. The plan would be to visit the customers in their homes, advise on sites, pool sizes – you know that we do several different models – explain the installation procedure, maintenance and things like that. We’ll make a DVD for you to play for them and perhaps leave them to watch at their leisure.’
‘Sounds like a very good idea.’
‘There’d be a fair amount of driving, but I’d provide you with a vehicle.’
There was a tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. I was definitely excited by the idea. ‘I’d rather use my own car,’ I said.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Which is…?’
‘A Mercedes convertible.’
He threw back his head and laughed. ‘Better and better. What a boost for the company’s image! I’d pay you a car allowance of course.’
‘Well, naturally,’ I said with a straight
I snatched up the receiver. ‘Hello, Mr Fenn. I was just on my way out. What can I do for you?’
‘If this is a bad time I can ring again later.’
‘No. It’s fine. I’m not in a hurry.’
‘It was just….’ He paused and cleared his throat. ‘I’ve beenthinking about something you said the other day. Were you serious when you asked if I had a job suitable for you?’
The breath caught in my throat. ‘Why – do you have something in mind?’
‘Well, yes, but I’m not sure it would be the kind of thing you’d like.’
‘Try me.’ I held my breath.
‘It’s not easy on the telephone. Maybe we could meet? I happen to be in Leicester today. I could run out to the house if….’
‘No,’ I cut in. ‘I was coming into town anyway.’
‘Right. Do you know The Bell?’
‘Yes. I know it.’
‘Could we meet for coffee or a drink at, say around twelve o’clock?’
‘I think I could manage that.’
‘Good. I’ll explain everything when I see you then.’
For a reason I refused to acknowledge I was glad I was having my hair done and when I looked into the mirror at
Armand’s
with my hair newly cut and highlighted my confidence gained the necessary boost. In the cloakroom I saw that it was already a quarter to twelve. No time to lose. I hastily repaired my make-up then I went outside and hailed a cab to The Bell.
Adam Fenn was waiting for me in the lounge. He stood up when he saw me come in and I saw that he was wearing a light grey suit and blue shirt and tie.
‘Hello again. I’m glad you could make it.’ He pulled out a chair. ‘Coffee? Or would you like a drink?’
‘Coffee’s fine, thank you.’ As we waited I glanced at him. ‘I was surprised to get your call this morning.’
He looked concerned. ‘I hope you didn’t think it an imposition. I wasn’t sure whether you really were joking the other day. And you had been saying you were at a loose end.’
‘I was serious actually,’ I said. ‘I don’t know what made me blurt it out to you like that though, which is why I tried to back-pedal.’
He smiled. ‘I see.’
The coffee arrived and I poured for us both. ‘So, what is this job you have in mind?’ I asked.
He spooned sugar into his cup and stirred thoughtfully. ‘I needsomeone attractive and personable to help sell the pools,’ he said.
I shook my head. ‘I’m not a saleswoman.’
‘No. I visualize this person as more of a rep’.’ He leaned forward. ‘How it happens at the moment is this. We usually get enquiries through the website which we follow up with brochures in the post – photographs, prices and descriptions etcetera.’
‘Yes. That was how we did it.’
‘But I’ve been thinking how much better it would be to provide the personal touch, a stylish lady such as yourself to take along the brochures in person and advise.’
‘I don’t know very much about swimming pools,’ I told him doubtfully. ‘I mean apart from using one.’
‘That’s all right. I’d give you all the training you’d need, clue you up on the technical side. The plan would be to visit the customers in their homes, advise on sites, pool sizes – you know that we do several different models – explain the installation procedure, maintenance and things like that. We’ll make a DVD for you to play for them and perhaps leave them to watch at their leisure.’
‘Sounds like a very good idea.’
‘There’d be a fair amount of driving, but I’d provide you with a vehicle.’
There was a tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. I was definitely excited by the idea. ‘I’d rather use my own car,’ I said.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Which is…?’
‘A Mercedes convertible.’
He threw back his head and laughed. ‘Better and better. What a boost for the company’s image! I’d pay you a car allowance of course.’
‘Well, naturally,’ I said with a straight
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