‘Because you’ve lasted longer than any of the other trainees under the wicked witch’s supervision.’
‘Wicked witch. You called her that yesterday.’
‘Well, she is, isn’t she?’
Emma laughed. ‘She is to me.’
‘Well, there you go then. She goes through trainee managers like most people go through socks.’
‘How does she get away with it?’ Emma asked.
‘Who knows? But somehow she manages to persuade management to believe her rather than them. I certainly wouldn’t trust her, though. She’s always sneaking around listening in on people’s conversations when they least suspect it.’
‘So what’s her background?’ Emma asked. She’d given up on getting to know Heather after she’d continually rebuffed herinvitations to socialise, but maybe this was a way to find out more about her.
Nick shrugged. ‘She doesn’t let on about her own life.’
‘And she’s not interested in coming out with us,’ Jenny added. ‘I’ve asked her several times, but by the look on her face you’d have thought I’d asked her to do something horrible.’
‘She obviously considers herself above us, so we don’t bother with her anymore,’ Louise said.
‘Which is no hardship,’ Nick added. ‘She’s really not a nice person.
‘We’re well out of it, if you ask me,’ Toby said. ‘At least with each other we can relax and have a good time. You couldn’t do that if she was around.’
They all agreed and changed the subject, but, despite how horrible Heather had always been to her, Emma couldn’t help feeling just a little bit sorry for her, and she wondered if Heather was lonely.
One by one everyone left, leaving just Emma and Nick. Throughout the evening he’d sat next to her and, because of the limited space around the table, Emma had been aware of the closeness of his leg next to hers. Now that it was just them, there was more room, but still he didn’t move away from her. Once again she began to feel uncomfortable.
She edged away from him. ‘I think I’d better get going as well.’
‘I’ll see you home.’ He picked up his jacket.
‘No, there’s no need. It’s only a couple of stops on the Northern Line.’
‘All the same, you’ve had a few drinks and I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you. You live in Kennington, don’t you?’
‘Yes.’ Emma wondered how he knew where she lived. She certainly hadn’t told him.
‘I don’t live too far away from you so I’m going that way anyway.’
‘Okay then.’ She decided that she’d just have to keep him at a distance.
But she needn’t have worried. Nick was the perfect gentleman all the way back.
‘Well, this is me,’ Emma said when they arrived outside her flat.
‘Nice area,’ Nick said.
‘It’s not bad.’
He stepped towards her, staring intently into her eyes, and for one crazy moment she thought he was about to try to kiss her.
‘Thanks for seeing me home.’ She moved backwards to create some distance between them.
‘My pleasure.’
‘Well, goodnight then.’
