Page 85 of Wife After Wife
What the hell?
“Nate, it’s not like that. He’s left his wife and I’m moving in with him.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Yeah, it is right.”
“What... really?”
“Really.”
“Well, bugger me. I don’t know what to say.”
“How about congratulations?”
“OK. That. Sorry, I’m a bit gobsmacked. The first I knew there was anything going on was Friday night. Although, I did notice him hanging around your office. And you did get promoted unfeasibly quickly.”
Ana frowned. “That was before there was anything between us. Never question that.”
“Sorry. OK, then. I’d better...” He sidled out of her office.
She felt uncomfortable. She had such respect for Nate, and he’d never look at her in the same way again. Before, she’d been his stardesigner. Now, she was the boss’s... what was she? Girlfriend? Live-in lover? Had “coming out” at the Christmas party been such a good idea after all?
Terri was the next to drop by. “Ana. That photo shoot at the Tower of London in Feb. You booked Randi to do the makeup, but I need her for Kate Moss. OK if we find you someone else?”
“Fine.”
“So, um...”
“Yes?” Her tone didn’t invite confidences. She hated to be the subject of office gossip.
“You’d rather I got to the point.”
“I’d rather you didn’t say anything about it.”
“I’m a journalist. That’s not going to happen. I’m in charge of theRack, I’ll torture it out of you if I have to.”
“Yes, we’re together. End of story.”
Terri said nothing.
“You’re still here.”
“I don’t know why I care, because you’re a cold fish. But I do mind what happens to you.”
“I don’t need you to. I can look after myself.”
“Hm. You and Harry, then. What’s the story?”
“Why would I share it with you?”
“You might need me to deal with the office gossips, for one. If no one knows what’s going on, they’ll just make it up. As far as they know, he’s a happily married man and you could be a home-wrecker. Everyone loves Harry. They’ll think you seduced him. Let’s face it, that dress wasn’t the last word in subtlety.”
Ana turned to face Terri. “I didn’t seduce him. We’ve been friends for a while. He’s been having marriage problems for years. Finally he and Katie have split up. She’s gone to Wales and he’s divorcing her as soon as he can, which is ages away because she’s Catholic and won’t agree to it. In the meantime he’s moved to a flat in town, and I’m going to be living there with him. Soon.”
“Holy fuck, that was quick. Out with the old, in with the new, eh?”
“Not that quick. We’ve waited ages. We’ve done everything properly. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get on with all this.” She waved her hand at the pile of work on her desk.
