Sex, Lies, Secrets & Wives (5 chapter sample read only)

Chapter 4 - Putting Names to Faces

Steph arrived for work earlier than usual courtesy of a restless couple of night's sleep, which meant that now, at just after half past ten she was now knackered.

She was on her second cup of coffee when Rosie appeared in the doorway and asked,

"Are you still hung over from the wedding?"

Steph laughed. "No! Actually I only had one glass of champagne all day, this is lack of sleep!" she told her assistant gesturing to the huge bags under her eyes that only she could see, although she did look tired.

"I see!" said Rosie, "More coffee or tea?" she asked.

"Give me half an hour and then tea would be nice," Steph replied as she flicked through her emails and stopped at one from Brooker Incorporated.


Dear Miss Pryor,

Many thanks for your detailed, yet concise 'proposed' contract between Brooker Incorporated and Baker, Ross and Riley for Legal Services.

Your attendance is requested with Mr Jack Baker at the pre-arranged meeting with Mr Brooker.

In the event that you are unable to meet at the pre-arranged time, please contact me to rearrange the appointment.

Regards,

Andrea Stewart, P.A. To CEO Brooker Incorporated


Steph nervously wondered if she had made some glaringly obvious error in her proposal and that was the reason why they were insisting she attended when her phone brought her back to the here and now. She picked her phone up and Rosie informed her that Jack Baker was on the line making her even more nervous that something was amiss.

"Good morning Mr Baker, how are you?" she asked.

"Fine thank you. I trust you are rested and ready to work," he said and continued, "Have you checked your emails yet because Brookers want you to attend our meeting this afternoon?" he asked.

"I've just seen it," she said.

"Right then I will meet you downstairs at two o'clock and we're meeting at three, so cancel everything for the rest of the day and bring whatever may be useful, and dress smartly," he said making Steph feel slightly uneasy that she would ever be dressed any other way for work.

Rosie appeared and asked, "You are popular this morning!" Steph frowned in confusion as Rosie explained, "Well I have an email about your meeting this afternoon and these have just arrived," she said holding out a boxed arrangement of red roses. "There's a card!" she added.

Steph gestured for her to put them down. "That tea would be nice now."

Rosie knew when to leave and did just that. When she returned with tea the flowers were where she'd left them. "You may need to move them."

Steph accepted her tea with a confused frown at Rosie's words as she left again, but quickly returned with a huge hand tied bouquet of mixed cream and ivory blooms, secured with a chocolate brown bow, her earlier words now clear.

Steph stared between the flowers and Rosie's grin, then asked, "Do we have vases?"

Rosie nodded and returned a couple of minutes later with several vases.

"Rosie, do I look smart? Smart enough for a meeting with Baker and Mr Brooker?"

Rosie studied her appearance briefly. "Yes. If you were wearing a shift dress I would say maybe a bit too sexy, well the way you fill them anyway and trousers can be threatening to men, even in this day and age. So, a grey pinstripe pencil skirt with the matching jacket is perfect and a white button through blouse is always a winner."