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beautifully made up. Farrah had always found her a friendly easy-going
boss, but she didn't look too happy at the moment.
Her office was sectioned off from the main department and Farrah shut the
door behind her at Angie's request. 'Sit down, Farrah,' she said in her
soothing well-modulated voice, waiting until Farrah had complied before
continuing. 'I'm sure you can guess what I want to talk to you about.'
Farrah blushed, beginning to look uncomfortable. She had thought Angie
wanted to talk to her about her work, but her opening words implied
otherwise. 'I think so,' came her husky reply.
'I don't usually interfere in the private lives of my girls, what you do out of
work is your own affair. But this time it's different, your private life is
overlapping your working one. I didn't believe it at first, but as Mr Falcone
never comes down here but prefers me to go to his office, I can only believe
that your working here prompted his appearance in the department.'
'He said he had to see you about something,' Farrah mumbled miserably.
Angie smiled. 'Oh, he did, but like I said, I usually go to him. The girls are
completely in awe of the whole thing, and I must say I'm a little astonished
myself. The bosses have never made any secret of the fact that they have one
of these "modern" relationships, sexual freedom and all that, but I have
never before known his attention to linger on one of his employees. What
I'm really trying to say, Farrah, is that Mr Falcone isn't the constant type, and
things could be pretty awkward for you here when your relationship is
over.'
'I realise that. If it gets too bad I'll just have to leave.' Farrah had already
faced the fact that this was a strong possibility, but perhaps she needed the
change anyway. With this experience of working on a magazine behind her,
she would probably be able to get a junior reporter job, something she had
always wanted to do.
'Your father works here too, Farrah, it isn't only you who's involved. I
always thought you were one of my more sensible girls, but this business
with Mr Falcone is completely out of character.' A puzzled frown marred
Angie's creamy brow.
At last someone had realised that! Farrah definitely wasn't the sort of girl to
have a promiscuous affair, even if she loved the man involved as she did
Joel. The pain and agony of parting wouldn't be compensated for in the brief
time the affair lasted. 'You can't dictate these things,' she said slowly. 'It just
happened.'
'But you must admit it does make things awkward?' Angie watched her nod
of confirmation. 'If I put your name forward now for transfer everyone will
assume it's because of your relationship with Joel, which it wouldn't be. I
have never considered personal relationships when dealing with my work
and the people I work with.'
'Does that mean ...?'
'That I was considering transferring you?' Angie finished for her. 'I wasn't
just considering it, Farrah, it was a certainty.'
'Was?' she echoed, with a feeling of dread.
Angie nodded. 'I'm afraid so. I hadn't forgotten that's what you wanted to do,
and patience often brings its own rewards. I had in actual fact already made
tentative enquiries about getting you transferred to one of the newspaper
sections. This business with Mr Falcone has put paid to that, I'm afraid.
Everyone may consider it a bonus to have you in their section at the moment,
but once the affair cools it will be a different proposition. You understand
what I'm saying, don't you?'
'That my involvement with Joel has ruined my career,' Farrah said dully.
'I'm afraid for the moment it has, yes.'
'I see.'
'I just don't understand you, Farrah. Granted, Joel Falcone is a good-looking
devil, but then devil just about fits him. He's a hard, ruthless man.'
'I know.'
'And yet it makes no difference?' Angie asked sympathetically.
'None at all.' How could it, when she had no say in the matter.
Angie sighed. 'Oh well, I tried. I feel slightly responsible for you with the
recent loss of your mother, but I can't live your life for you. You have to
make your own decisions and consequently take responsibility for your own
mistakes.'
'I'm sorry you feel I've let you down.' Farrah felt quite guilty now, about
something that wasn't her fault. Joel had warned her this wasn't going to be
pleasant, - and now she was beginning to see just how unpleasant it could be.
Already she had had a face-to-face encounter with his mistress, and now it
was starting to affect her day-to-day living, namely her work.
'I think you've let yourself down, Farrah, not me. But as I've said, you have
to make your own decisions, and at the moment you feel you're making the
right one. I've had my say, I won't mention it again. Unless it affects the
department,' Angie added darkly.
Farrah was conscious of the other girls in the office looking at her as she
walked back to her desk, all of them probably wondering what had taken
place in the office just now. Well, she wasn't going to tell them.
Her father was much more his jovial self that evening, talking animatedly
about the day's happenings. She could at least feel happy for him, even if her
own day hadn't turned out so good. Joel hadn't called her at all and in a way
she felt relieved. If he had wanted to meet her this evening she would have
had to refuse him, and she didn't think he would appreciate her wanting to
meet Nigel. Oh, damn the man! He had already upset her career, why should
she allow him to interfere in her social life too?
Things had been progressing very nicely with Nigel until the advent of Joel
Falcone into her life. But she had no doubt that if this thing did become
public, Nigel wouldn't be waiting for her at the end of it. Why should he? He
too had a career to think about, and he too worked for the Falcone
organisation.
The two of them had met in the canteen one day, when Nigel had come over
from one of the Falcone newspaper sections to discuss an article with Joel
that he was working on. His over-long hair and casual, almost scruffy
appearance had marked him as a man who wouldn't conform. At twenty-six,
seven years Farrah's senior, Nigel had grown up in an age where long hair
was normal, and he saw no reason to change his appearance to suit other
people. Fortunately he was good at his job, and it was recognised that
occasionally his appearance helped him get a story that otherwise might
never have come to light.
Despite his appearance Nigel had instantly made a hit with her mother and
father, and he had been of great strength to her during the last weeks of her
mother's illness. They had been dating casually for three months now, and
during the last few weeks Farrah had started to think it might develop into
something more serious, but not now. She had learnt during the last few days
that for her love wouldn't grow gradually, but had come suddenly and
swiftly and with completely the wrong man.
Nigel called for her at eight-thirty, and she couldn't miss the look of relieved [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]