Free The Out of Office Girl by Nicola Doherty

says, shaking out her blond mane andre-adjusting her silk headscarf. ‘I don’t want to get lines. But then I think it would be nice to have a tan in my new headshots. And I do take the sun very well.’ She looks at me with false concern. ‘You’re very red, though. And – is that a sunburn on your upper lip? If it goes brown you’ll have a moustache.’
    ‘I’m fine,’ I mutter, sitting down beside Federico. This brown dress is the worst possible thing to be wearing on a day like today; I am literally roasting in the sun.
    The waiter arrives with our food. I’ve ordered linguine with scallops and cream, and I’m famished, not having had anything at breakfast. My linguine is delicious; silky and creamy, with a touch of lemon, and beautifully meaty scallops.I know it’s misery eating, but at the moment I feel only food can cheer me up. The prices are sky high, and I’ve belatedly realised I never agreed an expenses budget for this trip. Are they going to expect me to pay?
    ‘Is that pasta nice, Alice? You’re going to end up in a carb coma if you’re not careful,’ says Annabel.
    ‘In Italy we eat everything,’ says Federico ponderously. ‘And we smoke. Ilove to smoke.’
    ‘Oh, yes, absolutely, I eat what I want too. Life’s too short,’ says Annabel, carefully fishing a crouton out of her salad.
    ‘Nobody smokes in LA,’ says Sam. ‘It’s illegal almost everywhere. Even the bums have given up.’
    ‘Except weed, that doesn’t count,’ says Luther. ‘And I smoke, and Dominique smokes.’
    ‘Does she?’ I’d like to hear more, but Annabel is saying, ‘I hope it won’tbe smoky in Tesoro.’
    ‘I don’t think we’re going to Tesoro, Annabel,’ says Sam.
    ‘We could go,’ says Luther. ‘What the hell.’
    ‘You’ll get papped,’ says Sam, and, seeing Annabel’s face, I realise that’s exactly what she’s hoping.
    ‘What’s Tesoro?’ I ask Federico discreetly.
    He waves his hand. ‘It’s a nightclub, near Taormina, very nice, very . . . not everybody can come. I know the owner. Yes,let’s go.’
    My heart sinks even further. More outings for Luther. Even if he’s not raising hell, he’s certainly not going to be tucked into bed at 10 p.m., eager for an early start on his book tomorrow morning. This project is slipping completely out of my control.
    ‘How about tonight?’ says Annabel.
    Luther shrugs. ‘Sure, why not?’ He turns to me. ‘Do you want to go, Alice?’
    ‘I don’t think Ican,’ I say. ‘I’ve basically only got this dress to wear. I’ll have to go shopping at some point, but I can’t go if it’s tonight. Don’t let me stop you, though.’
    ‘Yes, I imagine they have a strict dress code,’ says Annabel. ‘It’s such a pity none of my stuff would fit you,’ she adds, so nicely and normally that, for a second, I wonder if I’ve forgotten some sort of trying-on session. Even onceI’ve remembered, I can’t believe that she’s actually lying. I have a new-found respect for her acting skills.
    ‘No, I forgot,’ says Federico. ‘It’s closed tonight. Open tomorrow.’
    ‘Then let’s go somewhere else tonight,’ says Luther.
    ‘We can go to Pearl Bar,’ says Federico. ‘They have a private room, it’s quite nice. I’ll ask Marisa.’
    ‘Great,’ says Luther.
    ‘So I’ll reserve a table for five. . . six? You’re coming?’ Federico asks me.
    ‘It sounds like Alice isn’t up for going out,’ Sam says. ‘But count me in.’
    My mouth is still half open. Thanks, Sam, for telling me what I want to do. I’m suspicious: does he want to keep me out of things deliberately?
    ‘Let’s get out of here,’ says Luther, and everyone starts getting up to go.
    ‘Um, did we pay?’ I ask, confused.
    ‘We don’t pay forstuff here!’ says Luther, standing up. He says this in a generous way, as if I’ve had a cup of tea at his house and he’s telling me not to wash up.
    We do, though, because I can see Sam signing something and taking