The Headhunters Read Online Free PDF Page A

the full force of Jo’s annoyance and slopped coffee over his tray.
    Gemma said, ‘Oops.’
    Jo ignored the guy. ‘Him, not you. I’m not saying just because I’ve been out with him a couple of times he’s got to be totally loyal to me, but you are my friend and it was the first time he’d met you. That entitles you to some respect.’ She gave a sharp, angry sigh. ‘That’s Rick and me finished. I wasn’t that keen on him anyway.’
    Gemma said after a pause, ‘Are you sure about that?’
    ‘You heard me, Gem. He’s just a bad memory now.’
    ‘Then you wouldn’t curse me and my progeny for a thousand years if I went out with him?’
    Jo, tiptoeing as lightly as Gemma, said, ‘But what about Jake? Isn’t he your boyfriend?’
    ‘Jake?’ Gemma squeaked at the suggestion. ‘God, no. Don’t run away with that idea. He’s only a customer—at the printer’s, where I work. We’re doing some Christmas cards for the wildlife thing he’s part of, and he said he’d seen me at the bowling. When he asked me to play some ends with him I thought it was naughty talk, but it wasn’t. The guy’s got the sense of humour of a wombat. I felt sorry for him, so I went as an act of charity. He hasn’t a clue how to chat up a girl.’
    ‘He got a result with you.’
    ‘Get away.’ She laughed. ‘A game of ten-pin. Call that a result? Not where I was brought up, ducky. If you want the truth I was trying to think of ways of unloading him on someone else when we met last week and you were the unlucky one who copped him.’
    ‘So you won’t be seeing him again?’
    ‘The son of Frankenstein? You’re joking. I’ve done my bit for customer relations.’ She clapped her hand to her mouth. ‘You don’t actually fancy him, do you? Omigawd, Gemma puts her foot in it again.’
    ‘I didn’t say I fancy him,’ Jo said—which was true. She hadn’t said anything about him. She hoped she looked indifferent. ‘He was okay with me. I’ve nothing against him.’
    ‘Me neither,’ Gemma said, ‘but you wouldn’t want to wake up in the morning and find that face next to you on the pillow. Know what I mean?’
    ‘His looks don’t bother me.’
    Gemma gave her a nudge. ‘I think you do fancy him on the quiet. A bit of Rocky Horror , eh?’
    ‘I wouldn’t call him that.’
    ‘Nor would I—to his face. Well, you have a clear run as far as I’m concerned.’
    ‘Oh, thanks,’ Jo said, and tried to make it sound ironic.
    ‘Got any plans for tonight?’
    ‘Nothing definite.’
    ‘Not for publication?’
    ‘Yet to be decided.’
    ‘He hangs out at the bowling place most Saturdays, I heard. Play your cards right and you could even get to see the penguins again.’
    Jo screwed up her paper napkin and threw it at Gemma.
    ‘I was going to give you the latest goss on Mr Cartwright,’ Gemma said. ‘Don’t know if I will now.’
    ‘Goss on the boss? Go on. It had better be good.’
    ‘Well, he’s started chatting up this woman in accounts called Fiona. She’s a good twenty years younger, about twenty-four. This isn’t like him. Whatever I’ve said about him in the past, he’s not a skirt-chaser.’
    ‘Given the incentive, they all are,’ Jo said. ‘Pretty, is she?’
    ‘I suppose. Well, yes. A redhead.’
    ‘Say no more. Is he married?’
    ‘Divorced. He lives alone.’
    ‘Then I don’t see what the problem is.’
    ‘Fiona is the problem. The thing is, she’s a single mum. There’s a four-year-old son. She needs the work and she’s afraid if she gives him the big E she’ll lose her job.’
    ‘Are you sure she isn’t out to pull him?’
    ‘Jeez. You want to work with him.’
    ‘Some women are turned on by power.’
    ‘Running a print business in Fishbourne? It’s not exactly Microsoft International.’
    ‘Have you talked to her?’
    Gemma nodded. ‘She’s the homespun type, a bit short of confidence. Doesn’t know how to handle it.’
    Jo giggled a bit. ‘Handle what? What exactly has he