Confident Women (Extract)

Chapter Seven

Maybe I can revive the nail polish conversation. What were they just saying? Oh no. It’s too late.

“I saw Liam this morning,” Scarlett says.

Okay. Breathe. I can still bluff my way through this.

“Oh?” I barely lift my eyes from the paperwork I’m not reading.

“He says you didn’t call him last night.”

“What?” I fix my stare on her. “You told him I was going to call?”

She stares back at me blankly. “Well that’s why I gave you his number, isn’t it?”

“Jesus, Scar. Don’t you think I deserve a bit of privacy?” I snap.

“Scarlett’s the one who got the number for you in the first place.” Helen turns her chair to face me. “You could act a little bit grateful about it.”

I let out a deep sigh and rub my temples. “Okay. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you want to go out with him?” asks Scarlett.

“I…I don’t know,” I admit. “When I bought that stuff, it wasn’t because of a man.”

“It wasn’t?” She glances at Helen with wide eyes.

“So what was it about?” Helen leans back and folds her arms across her chest.

I’m going to have to tell them something, aren’t I? And I’ve got about five seconds to think of a story that sounds as convincing as the truth.

My eyes fall on my handbag sitting underneath my desk. Inside it  are the pages torn from the magazine. The ones with Olivia Bright’s step-by-step guide printed on them.

It was stupid of me to think I could hide this from them. They’re only going to find out anyway. I might as well tell them and deal with the humiliation swiftly.

It probably won’t be that bad. Maybe my colleagues will think it’s a good thing that I’m embracing my inner confident chick. I bet they’ll be really supportive and give me some good advice, too. Both being women of a naturally confident nature, Helen and Scarlett probably know loads of things about it. Maybe more than Olivia Bright.

Having convinced myself that they’re going to take this seriously, I slide the two pages out of my bag and place them on my desk.

“What’s that?” Scarlett cranes her neck to see.

“It’s just a stupid article.” I pass it over to her. “I kind of thought I’d give it a try. I mean, why not?” I try to give a causal laugh, but it sticks in my throat and comes off sounding forced and nervous.

“Have you read this stuff?” Scarlett runs a finger down the list before passing it to Helen.

“What’s a new bra going to do?” mocks Helen.

That isn’t what she was supposed to say. They’re acting just like Zara. And now they’re going to think I’m a complete idiot for even mentioning it.

“You’re right,” I agree. “It was a silly idea.”

“Have you been doing these things, then?” Helen asks. “Is that why you took that position at the charity shop?”

“Voluntary work is something I’ve always thought about,” I lie.

“And what about number three? Good luck getting a pay rise!” Helen hands me back the pages, and I instantly screw them into one big paper ball that I don’t have to think about anymore.