Page 9 of Glow

“Maybe I’ll try one,” Sheila replied. “Never let it be said I’m a stick-in-the-mud.”

God forbid.

“I’ll help you, Scott,” Carla said. “Let’s finish this meeting another day. It’s cooler in the main office.”

“Guys. Do me a favour,” Scott said, as they stood. “Don’t complain too loudly about the temperature. Barry was crying earlier.”

Barry Cunningham was Pleasure Seekers very highly strung office manager. He had taken the discomfort of his colleaguesvery seriously. Scott had last seen him in the male changing rooms, pleading down the phone with a repair company. It appeared they were very busy.

Sheila sighed. “He does his best, I suppose.”

Carla and Scott locked eyes. Carla shook her head.

“Right, let’s go,” Scott said.

The HR team filed out of the little room.

“Carla, I’ll go and grab my wallet.”

He ran over to the desk he was using that day. Pleasure Seekers operated a hot desking policy. Scott loved it. Sometimes he would choose to sit with his team. Others, he would gravitate toward Tyler and Eddie. A strategy he had employed that day.

“Fuck me, it’s warm,” he said, under his breath, to Tyler.

Tyler sat opposite his colleague and friend of all the flatmates, Amanda Pickering. She frowned at Scott.

“Barry is doing his best,” she snapped.

Scott had a theory that Barry and Amanda had a love affair a few years ago. He glanced over at Tyler, who made a face.

“I’m sure he is, Amanda,” Scott replied. “He’s never let us down yet.”

Amanda reddened. Scott didn’t think it was a heat rash.

Having retrieved his wallet, Scott held it up. “I’m going to take matters into my own hands. Ice cream?”

“No thank you,” Amanda replied.

Tyler had brought Amanda out of her shell when he’d first arrived. Before then she’d been the office grouch. A position Sheila had evidently set her sights on.

If she wants a reference, I’ll gladly oblige.

Amanda still had a tendency to clam up around Scott. He suspected she knew he was on to her. He’d interrogated her enough times.

“No thanks,” Tyler said.

“Suit yourselves. Don’t be jealous when I return with the biggest Mr Whippyyou’ve ever seen.”

He wandered over to the main doors, where Carla waited for him. At almost forty, Carla had joined Pleasure Seekers around the same time as Scott. They’d instantly got on like a house on fire.

She always wore her flame-red curls down. They seemed to have a life of their own and gave her a startling appearance that she played up to with an ever-present slick of red lipstick.

They walked through into reception.

“We’re going to the ice-cream van,” Scott said to Charlotte, the receptionist. “Can I tempt you?”

“You certainly can,” she replied.

Scott winked as he and Carla waited for the lift.