Men at Work [Quick Read] Read Online Free PDF Page A

by this time and would be more open to having a laugh, but as he looked around the office most people seemed genuinely busy. This was fine today, because he had something on his mind and for once it wasn’t Emma, it was a large brown folder.
    The Regional Study folder had been sitting on the edge of his desk for a good ten minutes now, ever since Douglas had given him strict instructions about what he was to do with it. The first part was to hand over the folder to one of the Admin girls. The second was to explain the parts of the folder that needed explaining. And the third was getting the girls to type up the article, copy it and pass it on to all department heads by the end of the day. On any other day of the week (or at least any other day without Emma being in this office) this would have been a pleasure. But today (and indeed any day that had his girlfriend sitting less than six inches away from his elbow) it was going to be a nightmare.
    The girls in Admin (or as they liked to be known, “the Ad Girls”) were easily the hottest girls on the entire fourth floor. No one had ever quite worked out why Admin always seemed to attract the best looking women, but no one really cared about the answer. “It’s like asking a weather man why it’s a sunny day,” Ian had said to Amar when the topic came up. “The fact of the matter is, no one cares why it’s a sunny day when it’s a sunny day. All that matters when it’s a sunny day is that you go outside as much as possible and enjoy it.”
    There were three Admin girls in total. Jodie, Danni (Ian’s favourite) and Sam. The girls were all in their early twenties and although they had many things in common ( Heat magazine and a fondness for hair extensions, for example), there was one thing that truly united them. The fact that they all thought Ian was the most fanciable guy on the fourth floor. Ian knew that being “the most fanciable guy on the fourth floor” was not much to feel big-headed about. But even though he would never have cheated on Emma in a million years, it gave him a warm glow inside.
    While Emma wasn’t the jealous type, this didn’t mean she wouldn’t make his life a living hell should she suspect that he spent his afternoons at work being witty and charming for the Ad Girls.
    Which was worse? wondered Ian. To fall out with your boss for the second time in a day because you hadn’t done your job or fall out with your girlfriend because she thought you were a cheating scumbag? It really was a lose/lose situation unless he could come up with a way out. Suddenly it came to him. The perfect plan that would allow him to talk to the Admin girls without Emma suspecting a thing.
    “I’m gasping,” said Ian, standing up. “I’m going to make myself a brew. Fancy one Em?”
    Emma shook her head. “I’m off tea at the minute. I saw something in the paper last week about how too much tannin isn’t good for you.”
    “Okay,” said Ian, not to be defeated. “How about a glass of water? You’re supposed to drink two litres a day aren’t you? I’ve barely seen you drink a drop.”
    Emma shook her head again. “I know you’re right but I’m not in the mood for water today.”
    “But a glass of water drunk every hour keeps your brain ticking over.”
    “My brain’s just fine, thank you,” laughed Emma. “What about you though? You never drink water at home. Your kidneys must look like a pair of dried up old prunes.”
    “They’re fine,” said Ian swiftly. “Okay, so you don’t want tea or water and it’s too early for a white wine, so how about . . . a diet Coke?”
    “Now that,” said Emma, “would be perfect.”
    For forty-five minutes after his return from the shop to get Emma’s giant bottle of diet Coke, Ian sat willing his girlfriend to go to the loo so that he could talk to the Admin girls. But Emma must have a bladder the size of a football because even after an hour she hadn’t made a move towards the loo.
    “You seem