ground hostesses checked ticket print-outs and passports. Friday evening was always mega busy at Dublin airport and she had no time even to browse in duty free, let alone buy anything, as she had rushed through Terminal 2’s crowded departure area.
She had been looking forward to a romantic Saturday-night dinner with Luke at their favourite restaurant, but he had decided instead to stay in London for the weekend as he had to be back there for an early Monday-morning business meeting anyway, and he had suggested that she join him there.
‘Come on, Erin, we haven’t been together in London for ages. It’ll be fun and besides, the place I’m staying in is fabulous! Wait till you see it!’
‘Okay,’ she’d agreed and she went online and managed to get a ticket.
She liked London, and so many of their friends were working there. Luke was staying in a plush hotel near Canary Wharf. Tonight they’d grab a quick dinner and meet up with some friends , then tomorrow night Luke had managed to get them a booking at Le Cave, one of the city’s hottest restaurants.
The flight was packed and Erin listened to some music as she wound down and tried to relax.
Two and a half hours later she was sipping chilled champagne in one of the fanciest hotel rooms she had ever been in, as Luke organized a taxi to take them to the Thai restaurant where they were meeting Lisa and her boyfriend Gavin, and Damien and his new girlfriend Hope.
London was hopping with restaurants and bars, packed with a Friday-night crowd, and the minute they walked into the restaurant Luke met two guys from the London office.
‘Hey, Emil and Justin – this is my girlfriend, Erin. She’s over for the weekend.’
‘Bet Luke’s glad to have you here, Erin, instead of sitting in his lonely hotel room working!’ they teased, shaking her hand and inviting them to join them.
‘Sorry, but we’re meeting friends. I’ll see you guys on Monday,’ said Luke, steering her towards the back of the noisy restaurant, where Lisa was waving madly at them.
Erin hugged Lisa. She really missed her old college buddy.
‘Wow, you look great!’ she said, taking in the long, glossy hair, perfect smile and sexy but expensive outfit that Lisa was wearing.
‘I’m earning good money here, so I’ve decided to take a bit better care of myself.’ Lisa giggled. ‘It’s the first time in my life my hair has looked really decent and there’s a fancy dental clinic near the office where the staff get a great discount, so now I’ve got a perfect smile.’
‘Lisa, it’s brill that the job is working out so well for you.’
‘It beats being on the dole in Dublin any day of the week! How are things going in your office?’ Lisa asked as Erin sat in beside her.
‘Things are pretty tight,’ Erin admitted. ‘A good few clients are gone.’
‘Gone to another agency?’
‘No, just gone – into liquidation or receivership. So many old clients and companies have just shut down or are really struggling, with no advert or media budgets really, so there isn’t that much work and everyone is scrabbling for whatever they can get.’
‘It sounds pretty grim!’
‘I suppose it is pretty grim,’ Erin said. Lisa was probably doing lots of high-end quality graphic work, whereas she was just trying to make ends meet.
‘There are quite a few good jobs here,’ suggested Lisa, glancing over at Luke.
‘I’ll think about it.’
‘Gavin and I would love to have you two over here with the rest of the Irish posse.’
Damien, an old schoolfriend of Luke’s, gave her a big hug and introduced his new girlfriend, Hope.
‘We met in Hong Kong and she followed me back here.’
‘Hey, tell the truth!’ laughed Hope, a petite Chinese beauty. ‘I got sent on a three-month placement in the London office and you begged and begged me to stay on or I would break your heart.’
‘That’s true,’ he admitted sheepishly. ‘I couldn’t let you go. When “the Damo” falls … he
She had been looking forward to a romantic Saturday-night dinner with Luke at their favourite restaurant, but he had decided instead to stay in London for the weekend as he had to be back there for an early Monday-morning business meeting anyway, and he had suggested that she join him there.
‘Come on, Erin, we haven’t been together in London for ages. It’ll be fun and besides, the place I’m staying in is fabulous! Wait till you see it!’
‘Okay,’ she’d agreed and she went online and managed to get a ticket.
She liked London, and so many of their friends were working there. Luke was staying in a plush hotel near Canary Wharf. Tonight they’d grab a quick dinner and meet up with some friends , then tomorrow night Luke had managed to get them a booking at Le Cave, one of the city’s hottest restaurants.
The flight was packed and Erin listened to some music as she wound down and tried to relax.
Two and a half hours later she was sipping chilled champagne in one of the fanciest hotel rooms she had ever been in, as Luke organized a taxi to take them to the Thai restaurant where they were meeting Lisa and her boyfriend Gavin, and Damien and his new girlfriend Hope.
London was hopping with restaurants and bars, packed with a Friday-night crowd, and the minute they walked into the restaurant Luke met two guys from the London office.
‘Hey, Emil and Justin – this is my girlfriend, Erin. She’s over for the weekend.’
‘Bet Luke’s glad to have you here, Erin, instead of sitting in his lonely hotel room working!’ they teased, shaking her hand and inviting them to join them.
‘Sorry, but we’re meeting friends. I’ll see you guys on Monday,’ said Luke, steering her towards the back of the noisy restaurant, where Lisa was waving madly at them.
Erin hugged Lisa. She really missed her old college buddy.
‘Wow, you look great!’ she said, taking in the long, glossy hair, perfect smile and sexy but expensive outfit that Lisa was wearing.
‘I’m earning good money here, so I’ve decided to take a bit better care of myself.’ Lisa giggled. ‘It’s the first time in my life my hair has looked really decent and there’s a fancy dental clinic near the office where the staff get a great discount, so now I’ve got a perfect smile.’
‘Lisa, it’s brill that the job is working out so well for you.’
‘It beats being on the dole in Dublin any day of the week! How are things going in your office?’ Lisa asked as Erin sat in beside her.
‘Things are pretty tight,’ Erin admitted. ‘A good few clients are gone.’
‘Gone to another agency?’
‘No, just gone – into liquidation or receivership. So many old clients and companies have just shut down or are really struggling, with no advert or media budgets really, so there isn’t that much work and everyone is scrabbling for whatever they can get.’
‘It sounds pretty grim!’
‘I suppose it is pretty grim,’ Erin said. Lisa was probably doing lots of high-end quality graphic work, whereas she was just trying to make ends meet.
‘There are quite a few good jobs here,’ suggested Lisa, glancing over at Luke.
‘I’ll think about it.’
‘Gavin and I would love to have you two over here with the rest of the Irish posse.’
Damien, an old schoolfriend of Luke’s, gave her a big hug and introduced his new girlfriend, Hope.
‘We met in Hong Kong and she followed me back here.’
‘Hey, tell the truth!’ laughed Hope, a petite Chinese beauty. ‘I got sent on a three-month placement in the London office and you begged and begged me to stay on or I would break your heart.’
‘That’s true,’ he admitted sheepishly. ‘I couldn’t let you go. When “the Damo” falls … he
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