took. And how much one was willing to try.
‘OK well …’
Eve turned to see Libby backing out of the door.
‘Anything you need just let me know. I’m thinking drinks on the terrace at seven and we can work out a plan,’ Libby said, starting to pull the door closed behind her. ‘I’ll leave you to settle in.’
Eve turned so her back was against the view and watched Libby leave, nodding at the instructions.
Jessica arrived back at her room slightly sunburnt and annoyingly still replaying the meeting with the cocksure Italian at the bar. She had planned on having a shower and doing some work to rebalance, but when she opened the door she found Dex sitting at her dressing table working on his laptop.
‘What are you doing in here?’
‘Work,’ he said without turning round. ‘I thought we were working.’
‘We are, but why do we have to do it in my room?’
‘Because I’ve got no WiFi in mine. Yours is bad enough—it only works here,’ Dex said, pointing to the dressing table. ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘let’s get it done then we can be on holiday.’
Jessica frowned. She wasn’t used to sharing her personal space. She remembered the early days when Dex had shown her the plans for the new office—all inclusive and open plan—and she’d said, ‘No, this just won’t work. I need to be able to shut a door.’
He had prattled on about the merits of sitting together as a team, exchanging ideas, laughing together and building bonds.
‘My brain doesn’t work well as a collective force, Dex,’ she’d said. ‘It works well on its own. I am antisocial. I like to be on my own.’
Dex had stalked away with a shake of his head, rolling his eyes at the architect as they fudged a small office into the sleek design plans.
Now she wished she could portion off a section of her hotel room.
‘Come on, chop chop,’ said Dex, pulling over a spare chair so she could sit down next to him. ‘Get your laptop.’
‘OK, OK, hang on.’ Jessica took a minute, standing in the centre of the room, to get herself in the right mode. She went into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face—saw the extent to which her hair had frizzed and curled in the humidity and the pink tinge to her cheeks, and tried to channel First Day Holiday Jessica back into At Work Jessica.
She poured herself a glass of water then walked out of the bathroom, went over to her bag, pulled out her laptop, then set it up next to Dex.
‘You look very relaxed, by the way,’ said Dex as she booted up. ‘Very earthy.’
She glanced across at him with a raised brow.
‘What? That’s a good thing. It’s a good thing. I promise. Very …’ He looked her up and down.
‘Don’t go on.’
He laughed. ‘Very pretty.’
She shook her head. ‘No I don’t.’
‘You do, it’s a compliment. Take it as a compliment. You’re terrible at compliments.’
Jessica scoffed. ‘Because most of the time people say them to mask something else.’
Dex looked perplexed. ‘Like what?’
‘I don’t know.’ Jessica shook her head. ‘Like you think my hair looks bonkers but you can’t say that so you say something nice instead.’
Dex snorted a laugh. ‘You really are an idiot sometimes. Anyway, right, enough of this nonsense, there’s a sun out there just waiting for me.’
Jessica took a sip of her water and then started to work. Her laptop was taking longer than Dex’s to open the files.
Dex glanced over. ‘It’s so slow! Seriously, I’ve told you to get a new one.’
‘I don’t need a new one. This is fine.’
‘It can’t cope with the software update. It’s too old.’
‘It’s fine.’
He peered over. ‘Do you still have that bit of plastic film over the screen, Jessica?’ He turned to look at her, aghast. ‘You’re meant to take that off when you buy it.’
‘It keeps it protected.’
‘Oh my god.’ Dex smacked his forehead. ‘We need to get you out of that office. You are getting away with some ridiculous behaviour.’
She allowed herself a little laugh when she looked at the plastic film. ‘I just like to look after my things.’
‘Your laptop is ancient, Jessica. If you’re not going to buy a new one, I’ll buy you a new one, for the sake of the company.’
‘You aren’t buying me a new laptop.’
‘Well, you buy it then.’ He got his wallet out and handed her a platinum card. ‘Charge it to my dad.’
‘I didn’t think you used this any more?’ she said, taking the card and holding it tentatively between finger and thumb as though it might burn her.
‘I don’t. But you can.’
‘You should cut it up,’ she said.
He shook his head. ‘Then I’d want it.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Like ex-smokers. Better to have a pack to hand just in case.’ Dex shrugged. ‘Makes me want it less knowing it’s there.’
Jessica narrowed her eyes. ‘I think you should have more faith in yourself, Dex. You can’t carry it around forever. I can’t actually believe you still have it. You’ve kept that really quiet.’
‘Well, you shouldn’t spend so much time in your office, should you?’
She sighed. ‘You don’t need his money, you know that. You’ve totally made it on your own now. Cut the card up.’
Dex shook his head.
‘Dex! Cut it up.’
‘No.’ Dex stared at the card with a longing fondness. ‘I don’t think I can.’
Jessica widened her eyes at him. ‘Cut it up.’
Dex shook his head.
‘You cut it up and you can peel the protective film off my laptop.’
He
