Getting him Back Read Online Free PDF Page A

– for a while, anyway – just not
forever.
     

Chapter Seven
    H ey
ho the bitch is gone
     
    I went
into work on Monday feeling pleased with myself. I couldn’t wait to
tell Doreen all about freckly Mark. We’d spent the rest of Saturday night chatting and
when we’d left the club he’d given me a quick kiss and his
telephone number. We’d gone out to the cinema last night and even
though I vowed not to fall for him, I did enjoy the feeling of
being fancied again. He couldn’t keep his hands off me during the
film and so don’t ask me what happened at the end. (Or the
beginning – or the middle!). He was gorgeous too, in a cute sort of
way. He was also funny. Before last night, I don’t remember the
last time I laughed until my cheeks hurt. Catherine was right.
Freckly Mark was exactly what I needed right now. I knew it
wouldn’t get serious. We were having too much fun for
that.
    I saw Doreen
busily typing away. ‘Doreen, guess what?’ I said, throwing my bag
down on the desk and putting my coat around the back of the
chair.
    Her eyes
widened. ‘What?’
    ‘I’ve found a
way to get my Mark back!’
    I told
her everything that happened. She continued to type as I spoke; she
was the best at multi-tasking. ‘Well, I’m glad you’re happy, love,
but I hope you don’t break this young man’s heart. He sounds ever
so nice.’
    ‘You don’t need
to worry about that, Dor. I’m not planning on dating him for long
enough to break his heart.’
    She raised her
eyebrows. ‘It’s not the length of time you are courting that
matters, Terri.’
    I was about to
question her further when her boss, Steve came over to us. ‘Terri,
Mia’s asking for you. She wants to see you in her office, right
away.’
    A feeling
of dread came over me. I knew my happy feeling wouldn’t last long
once I’d entered this place of evil. I smoothed down my skirt,
tidied my hair and knocked on her door.
    ‘Come in.’ I
tried to identify the tone in her voice but it didn’t sound evil or
happy; just neutral.
    I opened
the door and was surprised to see Mia looking bedraggled. Her
usually neat hair was pinned into an up-do, with so many loose
strands it looked windswept and her usually immaculate face was
pale and drawn. Her eyes seemed red and puffy, as though she’d been
crying. ‘Sit down,’ she said, pointing to the chair. ‘I just wanted
you to know, that I’ll be taking some time off. I know I lectured
you about not bringing your personal problems into the workplace
and I need to lead by example. I told you I’ve been having personal
problems, didn’t I?’ She moved some of the loose strands of hair
from her eyes and attempted to put them back into her
bun.
    ‘You did, yes.
You said you don’t bring your personal problems into the
workplace.’
    She
nodded. ‘That’s right. Things have gotten worse, though and so I’m
going to have to take some time off to sort them out. I can’t
concentrate on work when things are this bad.’
    I wanted
to ask her what problems she had but she was my superior and I knew
my place.’ I hope you
get things sorted,’ I said, ‘So who will I be working for while
you’re gone?’
    She smiled.
(The second smile this year, I think). ‘I don’t intend to be away
for long and so I thought, from your experience and your
qualifications, that you could take over for a while.’
    I felt my
heartbeat speed up. Was Mia Cowell actually allowing me to take
over her job? ‘That would be great,’ I said.
    ‘I knew I could
count on you, Terri. I’ve left a list of things I need sorting. I
hope to be back in two weeks. Can you manage until then?’
    I nodded. ‘Is
there anyone I can go to for help if I need it?’
    ‘Yes. You can
go to Steve. I’ve cleared it with him.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    ‘Oh and I’ve
hired a PA from a temp agency for you. Don’t try to do everything
yourself. Give her the work you would normally do for me, ok?’
    I nodded.
She stood up, put on her coat and grabbed