Page 10 of Never Gonna Happen

The horse wandered over and biffed Jamie on the shoulder with its muzzle. ‘So are you going to accept the job offer?’ he asked, patting the horse on the side of her neck. ‘Even though Luna has eaten it?’ He smiled fully this time, revealing two rows of perfect teeth. Either good genes or a very good orthodontist, thought Emily – thankfully she’d been lucky; her parents would never have been able to afford braces.

‘I don’t know,’ she said, taking a deep breath. ‘I think so. It feels like a big decision.’

‘They’re an interesting family,’ he said, raising his eyebrows.

‘Interesting how?’ Emily asked quickly.

‘Oh, you know,’ said Jamie vaguely. ‘Lots of characters. Like all families, I guess.’

Clearly Jamie wasn’t one for specifics, so she was going to have to help him along. ‘I know Mrs Hunter lives in LA now,’ she said airily, trying to make it sound like a casual observation rather than an invitation to gossip. ‘She’s very beautiful.’

‘Yes, she is,’ said Jamie with a small smile. ‘Well, I need to get on. Nice to meet you, Emily. Good luck.’ His eyes sparkled; the colour was somewhere between blue and grey but it was hard to tell from this distance. She watched him stride back towards the stables with Luna mooching after him, feeling a little hot and bothered. She should have worn a less chunky jumper; it had been cold in Chichester when she left, but here it felt considerably warmer.

Emily took another stroll along the path that followed the red and gold trees lining the driveway, then headed back towards the house feeling determined and full of purpose. She’d decided it was too good an opportunity to turn down – another string to her bow professionally, and an opportunity to save money for the future. She didn’t have to do it for ever and she could always move back to London if things didn’t work out. As she reached the bottom of the front steps, Charles Hunter emerged from the door followed by the man she’d already mentally dubbed ‘cute horse guy’.

‘Ah, there you are,’ said Mr Hunter. ‘I’m just off to look at a sick horse, so I hoped we could have a chat first.’ He paused for a second, then turned to Jamie. ‘James, this is Emily Wilkinson. I’m trying to persuade her to be my new assistant.’

James? thought Emily as she gave him an awkward smile. Why so formal?

‘Emily, this is James, my youngest son.’

‘Jamie is just fine,’ he said, offering his hand as if their encounter over a horse-chewed letter had never happened. Emily shook it, feeling mildly discombobulated. There’s a younger son? Why didn’t he say? And what did I just say about his mother? Oh God.

‘I’ll see you over there whenever you’re ready, Dad,’ said Jamie. ‘Nice to meet you, Emily.’ He gave her another perfect-teeth smile and disappeared round the side of the house towards the stables.

‘So!’ said Mr Hunter, clasping his hands in anticipation.

Emily shook off her distracted thoughts and dragged her attention back to the job in hand. She took a deep breath and nodded her head emphatically. ‘My answer is yes, Mr Hunter. I’d really like to accept the job.’

‘Splendid,’ he said, giving Emily a beaming smile. ‘Can you start in two weeks?’

Chapter Eight

Emily queued at the counter to place their Nando’s order while Kelly waited at their table, no doubt texting her mum to check that her four-year-old daughter Beth wasn’t wrecking the house. A double chicken pitta for Emily and half a peri-peri chicken for Kelly, chips and coleslaw to share. Refillable Diet Coke for both of them to offset the custard tarts they’d have for pudding. Emily wondered how many times the two of them had eaten this exact menu over recent years, and whether Deliveroo would bring Nando’s to Bowford Manor.

She fiddled with her hair while she waited, enjoying the freshly cut softness and bounce of it. Kelly was supposed to be having a day off from the salon today, but the promise of a bonus Nando’s lunch had lured her in to give Emily a balayage colour treatment. Her long hair was now artfully faded from its natural brown at the roots to ice-blonde at the ends. It smelled of apples and hung in soft beachy waves down her back. She felt like one of those women in a shampoo ad.

‘So let me get this straight,’ said Kelly as Emily arrived at their table with the drinks. The salon had been busy so they hadn’t been able to talk much there, but Emily had been bringing Kelly up to speed since they left. ‘You’ve landed a job as assistant to some old rich guy with a massive house in the country, and it comes with food and accommodation paid for, and a free car. But you still get normal pay.’

‘Something like that,’ said Emily, nodding happily. She and Kelly had met on the first day of primary school and had been best friends for twenty-five years. There was nothing they didn’t know about each other, although Emily had never been entirely straight with her about Mark. Kelly knew that Emily had been seeing somebody who was technically still married, but not that it was her boss. Had she been a little bit ashamed, or was the secrecy part of the appeal? Emily couldn’t really say, but it hardly mattered now.

‘You jammy cow,’ said Kelly, twisting her mass of scarlet hair into a knot the size of a grapefruit and securing it with the hairband round her wrist. ‘What are you going to spend all that money on?’

Emily shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Petrol so I can drive home and see my best mate and my goddaughter now and then? Presents and nights out for my favourite people? Or maybe I’ll just save it all so I can buy my dream house.’

‘Dream houses are boring,’ said Kelly quickly. ‘But prezzies and nights out are good. There must be a catch, though. Is he a creepy old sex pest?’ Her eyes widened and she gave a short gasp. ‘Or maybe the house is haunted?’

Emily rolled her eyes. ‘Why does everyone think that rich men are sex pests? He’s not even that old.’

‘Haunted, then. I bet that’s why his old assistant left, scared half to death by ghosts in the corridors. When are you going?’

‘Tomorrow. My new car is being delivered at some point today, so I need to pack tonight. I spent all day yesterday shopping with Mum – it’s nice to have clothes again.’

‘I’ve spent my entire adult life worrying about starting a fire with hair straighteners,’ said Kelly. ‘I can’t believe you actually did it.’

‘It wasn’t me,’ said Emily indignantly. ‘It was the silly cow in my flat.’

‘Getting a whole new wardrobe though,’ said Kelly dreamily. ‘Almost worth burning the house down for.’