Free Alice Brown's Lessons in the Curious Art of Dating by Eleanor Prescott Page B

tried to think of some unsuspicious words. ‘Has he
approved the artwork
?’
    ‘Yes! He’s seen your picture and he’s keen to meet as soon as possible.’
    Kate’s heart leapt. She wanted to jump out of her seat and dance right in the middle of reception, but instead she uttered a tight little ‘Uh-huh’ and tried to keep the excited wobble out of her voice. In the corner of her eye she could see Julian desperately trying to earwig. He was leaning so close he was practically falling out of his chair.
    ‘That sounds like a positive development,’ she managed, neutrally.
    ‘I’m emailing you his photo, so take a look and let me know what you think. But I’ll just talk you through a few of his details, if that’s OK?’
    Kate nodded wordlessly. She had a date! Her first date! She felt giddy with excitement.
    ‘He’s thirty-seven, and just like you wanted, he’s tall, dark and handsome. He’s been with us a few months, and all the ladies we’ve matched him with so far have thought he was . . . and I quote . . . ‘
gorgeous
!’ You also said you wanted someone who wore a suit to work, was a manager of some kind and drove an upmarket car. Well, Sebastian’s a trustfund manager, so that ticks a few more of your boxes. I don’t know what kind of car he drives, but he’s just got back from two weeks’ skiing in Val d’Isère, so he ticks the sporty box too. Oh, and you mentioned you’d like a man with good teeth, so when I last met him I sneaked a look and I’m pleased to report they’re white, straight, and in the right places!’
    Kate blushed, remembering her list of preferences.
    ‘He suggested you meet at The Privet for dinner. Do you know it?’
    Kate gasped. Did she know it? The Privet was
the
place to eat and had a waiting list a mile long.
    ‘God, yes,’ she said a little breathlessly. ‘That’s, err . . . That would be most acceptable.’
    She did her best not to giggle with glee. Beside her, Julian made a great show of looking at his watch. The receptionist took the hint, lifted a telephone and started making barely audible enquiries. Kate didn’t have much time left.
    ‘Well, thank you very much,’ she said to Alice. ‘You have my go-ahead to proceed.’
    ‘Don’t you want to wait and see his photograph?’
    ‘No, everything sounds in order.’
    ‘Great! I’ll call him straightaway. Shall I tell him 8.30 at The Privet on Wednesday?’
    ‘Anything I should know about?’ Julian pounced nosily the moment Kate hung up.
    ‘No, everything’s in hand.’ Kate smiled, doing her best to look calm and controlled whilst her insides did cartwheels. She had a date! A date with a tall, dark, handsome man who – if she wasn’t very much mistaken – sounded like a filthy rich studmuffin to boot!
And
he’d seen her picture and it hadn’t put him off! She could scream with happiness. Julian peered at her inquisitively, but luckily a thick, oak-panelled door swung open and Geoffrey Laird stepped into the room.
    ‘Terribly sorry to have kept you,’ he apologized. ‘We’ve had a few issues with canning. But we’re all intrigued to hear your ideas for dragging Pedigree Pooch into the present and sexing us up!’
    Julian slapped Kate’s back matily.
    ‘Geoffrey, trust me,’ he bragged, ‘you won’t be disappointed. My girl Katy’s come up with a cracker.’
    ‘Splendid!’ said Geoffrey, rubbing his hands together in anticipation as he ushered them into the boardroom.



AUDREY

    Although she was her favourite employee, it always irked Audrey that Bianca would, without fail, ignore the ringing phone and start shutting down her computer at 5.26 p.m. every day. She was as regular as clockwork – a trait that ordinarily Audrey admired in people, but one that on
her
time and at
her
expense never failed to gall. Office hours, as per the contract, were clearly stated as 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. with an hour for lunch. This daily early abandonment was not just irritating but, surely, in a