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“But you’ve had to, surely?” He watched as she did five more curls.
“Not where I can help it. I get my managers to do it.”
Mandy carefully lowered the weights.
“So get them to do it again.”
“She’s a manager.”
He watched as she sat on the exercise cycle beside him and started turning the peddles.
“She must have interviewed well?”
“She did, and her references were impeccable. The problem is, she’s abrasive and rude to the other staff. They’re not happy.”
He could tell she was thinking about his words, because she was frowning.
“You don’t have to answer me, but is she a local?”
“You know who I’m talking about, don’t you?”
“I think so. Niki Leigh.”
“Yes.” Ted sighed.
“Have you tried talking to her?”
“What’s there to discuss? She’s annoying the others, so she has to go. I’m just not keen on the firing part,” Ted conceded. “Especially as I have to bump into her on the streets.”
“But most of your staff are locals so that happens surely?”
“Doesn’t mean I like it.”
“So the great Ted Hosking has a weakness,” Mandy teased him.
“I’m not great, and I have plenty.”
“What else you got?”
He snorted. Ted didn’t think many people saw this side of Mandy Robbins. She was funny, he’d just never taken the time to notice before.
“I’m not big on crowds or needles.” Ted wasn’t sure why he’d told her that. Weaknesses were not something to celebrate to his mind.
“I hate small spaces and public speaking.” She shot him a look, and he thought she was about as comfortable as him in sharing those things.
“Public speaking isn’t all that hard, you just have to practice it,” Ted said.
She shuddered. “My dad was an extrovert who could talk in front of anyone. I didn’t get any of that confidence.”
“I’m guessing by the way you talk about him he’s no longer around?”
“No. He died when I was young.”
Her voice hadn’t changed noticeably, but he still felt her tension. She gave him little windows into her past, small snapshots that only served to increase his curiosity.
“So getting back to Niki Leigh,” Mandy said. “Do you know what’s going on with her?”
“Going on in what way?”
