PA's. Max longed to tell Dan to be very careful about what he said, the stories would be round the office in no time tomorrow. Her need to keep a low profile had gone horribly wrong, but what did she expect bringing a man like Dan here? There was nothing about him that did not attract your eyes, whether male or female she acknowledged.
"Good evening, to you all," her boss said, sounding as though he had already had a few glassfuls of the punch. Max always remembered him as a dower man, never much in the way of a smile crossed his lips, except for tonight.
"Good evening sir," the other's murmured.
"Oh, we aren't going to be so formal tonight. You know it’s first names only, so, Bob, please. And this is my wife, Elaine."
Everyone smiled at Elaine, who looked on good naturedly. She was an old fashioned wife, from before the need to have eye candy on your arm became a must.
"Now, I know you Maxine, and who have you bought with you?" He turned to look at Dan.
"This is my boyfriend Dan." She waited for someone to shout liar, imposter, but that duty only fell to the voice in her head.
"Dan, nice to have you here." And so it went around the table until they all were introduced. Thankfully by then the first course arrived, and they ate, the conversation light and stilted.
Wine glasses constantly filled by waiters who appeared from nowhere, soon Max felt the buzz in her head telling her to stop drinking. She tried to sensibly switch to water instead, but her head already felt slightly lighter than the rest of her, not quite anchored as it should be.
Luckily he turned his attention to she rest of the people at their table while they ate. The PA's were in awe, and wanted to talk about themselves and their ambitions, which suited Max perfectly.
"How you coping there?" Dan asked, quietly.
"OK. The food is making me feel better."
"It's good isn't it. I guess they don't skimp on quality at dinners like this."
"No. Not when the reputation of the firm is on the line. There are specially invited guests, other than employees. Big clients, prospective clients too. That's why we all have to be on our best behaviour."
"I thought you were always on your best behaviour, or is there a wild woman in there waiting to come out."
"I'll have you know I am very well regarded professionally."
"I don't doubt that Maxine, you fit right in here. But what about at home, when no one is looking?"
She stared straight into his face, "What do you think?"
"I have my fantasies, but I would like to know the truth, see it for myself."
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, so she forked more of the first course in her mouth, and tried not to let the heat inside her get out of control.
"So what plans do you two love-birds have?"
It took a moment for Max to realise Elaine was watching them with interest, an indulgent smile on her face. "None, really." Max tried not to sound defensive in her reply.
"Of, you don't mind me prying do you? It's so nice to meet a young couple so in love."
Max nearly choked on her asparagus. She reached out for her glass of water, to find it being placed in her hand by Dan.
"Here, Sweetheart."
"Thank you," she coughed, and took a sip. One look at Dan's face told her he was going to run with this one, he had a mischievous glint in his eye. Her heart sank.
"Well, Elaine. We don't make too many plans. Max works so hard, and is very dedicated to the firm. I expect you can sympathise with that.” Obviously, Elaine could, so Dan carried on. "In the near future we hope to visit Max's father."
"Oh, so you haven't met Max's parents yet?"
"No, we haven't had a chance. My parents live overseas." Max wanted to kick Dan under the table, but restrained herself.
"Oh, really. Are they retired?"
"I think Max's father is similar to Bob perhaps, don't know what retirement is all about. Is that about right, Max."
She nodded, wiping her mouth on a napkin, and then dabbing her eyes where tears had sprung up from her
"Good evening, to you all," her boss said, sounding as though he had already had a few glassfuls of the punch. Max always remembered him as a dower man, never much in the way of a smile crossed his lips, except for tonight.
"Good evening sir," the other's murmured.
"Oh, we aren't going to be so formal tonight. You know it’s first names only, so, Bob, please. And this is my wife, Elaine."
Everyone smiled at Elaine, who looked on good naturedly. She was an old fashioned wife, from before the need to have eye candy on your arm became a must.
"Now, I know you Maxine, and who have you bought with you?" He turned to look at Dan.
"This is my boyfriend Dan." She waited for someone to shout liar, imposter, but that duty only fell to the voice in her head.
"Dan, nice to have you here." And so it went around the table until they all were introduced. Thankfully by then the first course arrived, and they ate, the conversation light and stilted.
Wine glasses constantly filled by waiters who appeared from nowhere, soon Max felt the buzz in her head telling her to stop drinking. She tried to sensibly switch to water instead, but her head already felt slightly lighter than the rest of her, not quite anchored as it should be.
Luckily he turned his attention to she rest of the people at their table while they ate. The PA's were in awe, and wanted to talk about themselves and their ambitions, which suited Max perfectly.
"How you coping there?" Dan asked, quietly.
"OK. The food is making me feel better."
"It's good isn't it. I guess they don't skimp on quality at dinners like this."
"No. Not when the reputation of the firm is on the line. There are specially invited guests, other than employees. Big clients, prospective clients too. That's why we all have to be on our best behaviour."
"I thought you were always on your best behaviour, or is there a wild woman in there waiting to come out."
"I'll have you know I am very well regarded professionally."
"I don't doubt that Maxine, you fit right in here. But what about at home, when no one is looking?"
She stared straight into his face, "What do you think?"
"I have my fantasies, but I would like to know the truth, see it for myself."
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, so she forked more of the first course in her mouth, and tried not to let the heat inside her get out of control.
"So what plans do you two love-birds have?"
It took a moment for Max to realise Elaine was watching them with interest, an indulgent smile on her face. "None, really." Max tried not to sound defensive in her reply.
"Of, you don't mind me prying do you? It's so nice to meet a young couple so in love."
Max nearly choked on her asparagus. She reached out for her glass of water, to find it being placed in her hand by Dan.
"Here, Sweetheart."
"Thank you," she coughed, and took a sip. One look at Dan's face told her he was going to run with this one, he had a mischievous glint in his eye. Her heart sank.
"Well, Elaine. We don't make too many plans. Max works so hard, and is very dedicated to the firm. I expect you can sympathise with that.” Obviously, Elaine could, so Dan carried on. "In the near future we hope to visit Max's father."
"Oh, so you haven't met Max's parents yet?"
"No, we haven't had a chance. My parents live overseas." Max wanted to kick Dan under the table, but restrained herself.
"Oh, really. Are they retired?"
"I think Max's father is similar to Bob perhaps, don't know what retirement is all about. Is that about right, Max."
She nodded, wiping her mouth on a napkin, and then dabbing her eyes where tears had sprung up from her
Similar Books
