Page 20 of Just Do It
I looked up again. ‘Back from whom?’
‘Finn!’ She rolled her eyes at me. ‘I’ve been flirting with him all week and there’s absolutely nothing.’
‘Oh, I see.’ I scrabbled around for something useful to say. ‘Well, it’s his loss.’
This was true. Bella was a nice girl. Bright, witty and attractive.
‘Thanks.’
‘Isn’t he… umm… a little old for you though?’ I was pretty sure Finn had a good fifteen years on her.
She sat back and swung her long slim legs off the desk. ‘I like an older man. Guys my age are so immature.’
‘Ah.’ I nodded, not really sure what else to say.
Clearly bored with my company, and realising that Finn wasn’t returning any time soon, Bella slid off the furniture and clip clopped off up the corridor.
‘So? How was your first week staring at the man who gave you the best sex you’ve ever had?’ Colette asked in the same tone as if she’d just asked me what dressing I wanted on my salad.
‘Shoosh!’ I said, waving my hand for her to lower her voice although two women beside us had perked up and wereattempting to pretend they weren’t now ear-wigging on our conversation.
Colette took a sip of her drink, unconcerned and waited for an answer.
‘I wasn’t staring at him.’
She smiled. ‘Not even a little bit?’
‘Fine. A little bit. But that’s all.’
Colette rested her chin on her hands. ‘Would it really be so bad?’
‘What?’
‘Going out with Finn.’
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
‘For one, he hasn’t asked. He’s tried to be friendly but notthatfriendly.’
‘And two?’ she asked.
‘Two, I’m not looking for a relationship. I’ve worked so hard in this field and I still haven’t been given my own dig. I thought for sure I’d have been awarded leadership this time and still got passed over. So now I need to double down on my efforts to get noticed. I want that dig, Col. It’s what I’ve wanted ever since I was eight years old, tucked away in a corner of the library reading about Nefertiti. Even all these years later we don’t know for sure where she’s buried. I don’t expect to be lucky enough to find such an icon but I want the opportunity to search. I want to lead such an opportunity to search for more answers. And as gorgeous as Finn is, I—’
‘You forgot fantastic in bed.’
‘What?’
‘Finn. How gorgeousandfantastic in bed…’
I rolled my eyes but neither of us bothered to hide our grins. ‘Fine. No matter how gorgeous and fantastic in bed Finn is, I can’t let myself get distracted. Not now. I need to keepmy focus sharp and my name current by publishing papers and networking even more than I am now.’
Colette let out a sigh. ‘Bad timing.’
I plopped my chin on my hands, mirroring my friend. ‘Really bad timing.’
‘Could you not do both?’ She giggled. ‘So to speak.’
