Page 78 of Friend of the Family

‘As you might know, Grace has left the company, so this young lady is starting on Monday while I look for someone permanent. Tanya’s been great, of course,’ he said, nodding politely at the blond temp, ‘but she’s found a permanent position elsewhere, so I need someone flexible but reliable.’

Amy watched with a fixed smile as Josie shook hands with Douglas, who beamed at her warmly.

‘Douglas, you have a call,’ said Tanya.

‘Of course. Amy, I’ll just be a minute.’

As Tanya put the call through to Douglas’s office, Amy stayed rooted to the spot. When Josie also didn’t move to leave, she knew she had to say something.

‘Congratulations,’ she managed through thin lips. ‘This is a great opportunity for you.’

Josie broke into a big smile. Amy noticed she had thicker make-up on than usual. She was used to seeing the girl tanned and natural, but now she had a full face on that made her look older than twenty-one.

‘I’ve always wanted to work in magazines, so it’s a dream come true. You hear stories about people having to do work experience for ever, but this way I should be able to get a deposit together for a flat in London.’

‘I thought you’d gone back to Bristol.’

‘I did, but I came back as soon as I got this offer,’ she replied.

‘Look, Josie, about what happened in Provence . . .’ An apology hovered on Amy’s lips before she stopped herself. She was an inveterate apologiser: when people bumped into her in the supermarket; when people elbowed her out of the way to get on the Tube during rush hour. David used to laugh at her and say it was a British thing, but Amy didn’t know anyone else who said sorry quite as much as she did, and in her quieter moments she wondered if it was because she was so grateful for the life she had, a life she wasn’t entirely sure she was worthy of.

‘I’m just glad you’re all right,’ Josie said. ‘Peter and Juliet were very worried about you. We all were.’

There was a smugness to her words that put Amy on edge. We all were. Who was the ‘we’? Was David involved in that collective? She desperately wanted to ask Josie if she’d spoken to him since Provence, but she didn’t dare. Instead she shook her head. ‘Let’s just put it behind us, shall we?’

‘Good idea,’ shrugged Josie. ‘Seeing as we’re going to be working together.’ She gave Amy a ghost of a smile. It was knowing, triumphant, a punch in the stomach.

More and more questions were on the tip of Amy’s tongue now. She wanted to know how the Genesis job had come about; what exactly Josie’s relationship with Douglas was. It seemed strange that she would be offered a role like this so readily, but as she had found out, Josie would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. She didn’t suppose Douglas would be any more immune to her sultry charms than David had been.

But of course, she couldn’t ask those things. Instead she gave Josie an awkward smile as Tanya called her name.

‘Amy? Do you want to come through?’

‘Well done again. On the job.’

Josie shrugged, like she was used to walking into top-level secretarial roles. ‘It’s only for a few weeks,’ she said, but Amy was damn sure that wasn’t her plan. Josie played the grateful ingénue well, but she was ambitious. She’d get her feet under the table, parlay the temporary into permanent, use her position to keep on top of openings in the company – and when you had the MD in your corner, who needed a CV?

‘Good luck.’ She winked, and Amy bristled.

As she walked into Douglas’s office, her head was still whirling. Josie had manoeuvred herself into a top position in the company. Did that make her lucky, pushy or manipulative? And what did it mean regarding David? He was still protesting his innocence, and of course Amy hoped with all her heart that he was telling the truth, but if Josie was the player she was beginning to appear, then perhaps he had been used. But why? What was in it for Josie?

‘Are you not going to sit down?’ said Douglas, motioning towards the chair in front of his desk.

She told herself to get a grip. ‘Sorry. I was just thinking how great it is you’re giving Josie this opportunity.’

‘It should work out. The way she sorted out that whole cock-up at William’s leaving party was quite impressive, didn’t you think?’

Amy smiled weakly.

‘But right now, I want to concentrate on you.’

He sat back behind his desk and put his hands behind his head.

‘So I’ve read your proposals for Mode with interest.’

She could see that a tiny section of his shirt had popped open, exposing a flash of white flesh.

‘Do you want me to go through it point by point? I’ve got a PowerPoint presentation with me . . .’