Dale Gregory had said that if there was a free spot, I could park around the back of the offices. As I turned in to the small grid of marked places, I was pleased to see a free space right outside the back entrance.
It had just started to rain. I nabbed the spot right away, noting how the wipers on the Punto seemed a bit stiff and were leaving the windscreen still wet and smeared. They would probably be the next thing that needed attention on my list of jobs that I couldn’t afford.
I bit down on my lip. This might be a good time to stop expecting the worst. Today had been a good start so far. Everything was going to be fine. I reached for my handbag and slipped my feet back into Mum’s black court shoes.
I tried the back door of the shop but it was locked so I walked around to the front. I cursed as the fine drizzle settled on my hair; the last thing I wanted was to walk in looking a damp, frizzy mess when my line manager, Bryony, obviously put such great stock on looking well groomed and slickly professional.
Out on the main road, I took a deep breath and pushed open the door, striding into the shop with confidence, as if I’d worked there for years.
My optimistic mood dropped immediately as I stepped inside. The shop was empty. No customers and, even worse, no staff. I had a flashback to briefing my own team at the agency in Hemel.
‘Please make sure there is a member of staff out front at all times,’ I told them when I was first appointed branch manager. ‘Even if you have to stagger nipping to the loo or making a drink. Nothing looks worse to customers than walking into an empty shop.’
When I got the chance, it might be a good idea to suggest the same to Dale or Bryony to make a good, early impression. It didn’t hurt to bring something to the table as the newbie, illustrate right away that you were adding value.
I’d been standing there for a minute or so when a small, plump woman appeared from the back of the shop. She clutched an oversized soup mug and beamed at me.
‘Hello there, sorry to keep you waiting.’ She raised the mug and grinned. ‘Lunchtime. How can I help you?’
‘I’m Toni Cotter.’ I smiled. ‘It’s my first day here and I—’
‘Of course! Toni! I saw you when you came in yesterday but I was tied up with customers so couldn’t say hello.’ She plonked her mug down carelessly and the croutons floating on top made an easy escape onto the desk. ‘I’m Jo Deacon, assistant sales agent.’
We shook hands and I found I liked Jo immediately. Her light brown, natural curls settled loosely on her shoulders, her warm brown eyes sparkled and dimples danced in full, lightly rouged cheeks. Everything about her came together to make me feel welcome, and finally I felt the tendons in my neck relax a little.
‘Dale’s out on a commercial valuation but Bryony will be back very soon.’ She dabbed at the soup spill with a tissue. ‘Can I get you a cup of tea or anything?’
‘No, thanks. I’m fine,’ I said, looking around. ‘Do you know which one will be my desk?’
Jo blew at her soup and took a sip, grimacing as it scalded her mouth.
‘That was Phoebe’s desk, your predecessor.’ She nodded to the far desk located by the main door and I immediately thought of the constant draught the person sitting there would have to endure. ‘That will probably be your desk now, but who knows. Bryony likes to mix things up sometimes, you know?’ Jo rolled her eyes.
I felt a kind of comradeship with her already. I’d worked out for myself that Bryony was the kind of boss who could be a bit pedantic.
I perched on the edge of the desk behind me.
‘So, I heard Dale say you’ve just moved to the area?’
I nodded.
‘With your family?’
‘With my daughter,’ I said. ‘My mum lives close by, too.’
That was all I was willing to say at the moment. I liked Jo but I wasn’t yet ready to open up and tell her all about the reality of how crap my life was.
‘How long have you worked here?’ I asked her, just for something to say.
‘Far too long.’ Jo grinned, sitting down and making a half-hearted attempt to tidy the strewn papers on her desk. ‘It’ll be six years this Christmas.’
‘What did you do before?’
‘Oh, you know, this and that.’ I got the distinct feeling she perhaps didn’t want to remember. That was fine by me; I knew exactly how it felt to want to keep your distance from the past. ‘It’s OK here, the hours and the pay aren’t too bad, I suppose. Above the minimum wage, anyway. It’s just that—’
The front door flew open then and Jo immediately clamped her mouth shut as Bryony appeared. She was dressed in an immaculate black suit she’d paired with a silver-grey silky blouse and towering red heels. Her expression was thunderous.
‘Hi, Bryony,’ Jo called brightly.
‘Who the hell does that old Punto belong to in the car park?’ Bryony demanded. ‘Some idiot has only gone and dumped their heap of crap in my space.’
28
Three Years Earlier
Toni
‘I’m really sorry, Bryony,’ I said breathlessly when I finally got back into the shop. ‘It won’t happen again.’
I’d had to park up on a side street and scuttle back to the office as fast as I could.
‘Let’s hope not,’ she said sourly, her words laden with unspoken threats of what might happen if it did.
I glanced over at Jo, who appeared to be suddenly absorbed in sorting out a pile of glossy leaflets. I’d been in the new job for all of fifteen minutes and had already managed to rub my line manager up the wrong way. The worst thing was that I had to admit it was all my own fault. Only when I’d reversed the Punto back out of the parking spot, carefully avoiding Bryony’s glistening white Audi TT, did I spot the ‘Reserved’ sign clearly displayed on the wall. I’d been in such a hurry to get into the office on time that I hadn’t noticed I’d poached my boss’s space.
The shop door opened and Bryony’s face lit up, the sour fury melting away and being rapidly replaced by a winning smile. ‘Mr and Mrs Parnham, how lovely to see you. Please, come through to my office.’
A heavily perfumed and coiffured Mrs Parnham swept by me and grasped Bryony’s outstretched hand, her diamond-studded Rolex glittering under the stark fluorescent lights.
Only when they were safely ensconced in Bryony’s office did Jo look up from her leaflet shuffling. She let out a long breath and pulled a guilty face. ‘Sorry about the misunderstanding. I never thought to check where you’d parked. It’s one of Her Majesty’s pet hates, people nicking her spot. One of her many pet hates, I should add.’
‘My fault.’ I shrugged. ‘I don’t know how I managed to miss the reserved sign.’
‘You can relax now, anyway, she’ll be in there ages.’ Jo grinned. ‘Bryony adores the Parnhams. Well, she adores their wealth, I should say. They move house every couple of years or so, always on the lookout for the next ostentatious property to show off to their jet-setting friends. But this time, they’re looking to spend their most yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bryony’s commission is more than our salaries put together.’
‘Ahh, I get it.’ I smiled, everything falling into place. No wonder Bryony’s face had lit up when they walked in – the promise of a hefty commission can have that effect on people. The Parnhams had got me off a hook, anyway, so good luck to them.
I turned back to Jo. ‘Can I help you with anything? I feel like a bit of a spare part.’
‘You could file these property details away, if you don’t mind. Thanks.’ Jo picked up an unwieldy pile of stapled brochures and pushed them across her desk. ‘They need to go in the folder in postcode order, hope that makes sense.’
I smiled and nodded. It made perfect sense. Filing brochures was one of the duties I’d done as an apprentice, too many years ago to think about. In the space of a few days, the last twenty years of my career had melted away and it felt like I was back to square one.