Free Temporary Intrigue by Judy Huston Page B

disappointment Gail couldn’t hide.
    Keeping one step ahead wouldn’t be possible forever, of course, but it was one small victory to chalk up to herself.
    It was almost four o’clock before she remembered to ask Amanda about the reception.
    “It’s a cocktail party to welcome some overseas visitors to the region,” said Amanda. “The Mayor will be there, I think, and the hotel bosses. The marketing department people have to put in an appearance too.”
    “When is it?”
    “Two weeks from Friday night. It’s a lead-in to a big tourism convention that starts the following Monday. Gail’s chairing the organising committee for the convention, so she’ll be tied up with pre-convention stuff for the next two weeks, then with the thing itself for another week, thank goodness.”
    Amanda raised her eyes in gratitude.
    “Melissa’s going on leave at the end of this week, so we should have an easy time,” she added.
    “Am I supposed to go to the reception?” asked Dimity, doing a mental check of her wardrobe. Cocktail parties weren’t usually on her agenda, but she did have one flirty little black number she’d bought for Sandy’s engagement party and had never worn since.
    Amanda resumed typing furiously as Gail loomed on the horizon.
    “Is there a problem?” Gail’s tone made it clear that an answer in the negative would be best for everyone.
    “I was wondering if I’m expected to go to the reception,” Dimity said.
    Gail made a sound suspiciously like a snort.
    “Of course not!” Her eyes zoomed up and down Dimity’s unspectacular, well-fitting dark blue skirt and jacket, as if envisioning her in the hot pink suit and stilettos. “ Temporary staff don’t go to these events!”
    She walked out, shaking her head.
    “Well, excuse me for breathing,” muttered Dimity. “So what’s it to do with me?” she asked Amanda.
    “I think whoever’s doing your job is supposed to confirm our function room is available and organise the food and drinks,” Amanda said vaguely. “You’ll need to see Malcolm.”
    That sounded simple enough, although the downside was that it meant bringing herself to Malcolm’s attention. Grabbing Shane’s CV, which had been on her desk since Monday, Dimity retraced her steps along the third floor corridor, thankful that this time at least she was wearing sensible shoes.
    Malcolm had also returned from Melbourne and was in his office. As she had feared, he welcomed her rapturously, almost salivating at the news that she was temping in the marketing department, and promised to look at Shane’s CV. But he was suddenly all business when she explained the main reason for her visit.
    “Sorry, darl,” he said, after checking his computer. “You should have confirmed by last Friday. The room’s been booked by another group for that date.”
    So the girl who had walked out without any notice had been supposed to organise the venue. Gail had probably been aware of that, Dimity thought resentfully.
    “Don’t you have another room they can use?” she asked, preferring to plead with Malcolm than to admit failure to Gail.
    “Nothing available here, but there are plenty of other places in town. Want to check them out with me?” He leered suggestively.
    Leaving the CV with him, Dimity spent a fruitless half hour on the phone calling some of the city’s better known function centres. All were annoyingly well organised, fully booked for the relevant date.
    Well, the reception was more than two weeks away. She made a mental note to ask Melissa for advice in the morning, then returned to floundering through the ocean of work from Gail that continued to arrive on her desk much faster than she could deal with it.
    It was a relief to get home to an empty house. Shane and Leigh had gone out, leaving a mess in the kitchen, but she ignored it in favour of taking Bert for an evening walk. A good stress reliever for them both, she decided. But despite being glad to have the place to herself,