Nothing New for Sophie Drew: a heart-warming romantic comedy, Katey Lovell [booksvooks .txt] 📗

“Worried? Why?”

“We’ve all noticed how distracted you’ve been lately. You know, you can always talk to us about anything that’s bothering you. You probably think we’re dinosaurs who can’t understand, but we’ll do our best and even if we can’t give you any advice we can listen.”

“Thanks, Jane,” I said, as she threw the soggy dishcloth into the sink, “but I wouldn’t know where to start. Everything’s got on top of me lately.”

“Let’s take these teas through, grab those choccie biccies, and you can get it all off your chest,” she said kindly. “Come on, now. You’ll feel better for offloading.”

Jane carried the tray through to our shared office, and called Kath and Marcie. “Ladies, it’s time for a tea break. And be quick about it, Sophie needs us.”

Before long we were sat in a circle, hands tightly wrapped around our mugs. I was dying for a biscuit too, my appetite having returned with a vengeance, but didn’t want to be the person to open the packet.

“So what’s troubling you?” Kath asked, her face furrowed in concern. “Besides Fred, of course. It’s not Max, is it? Because if he’s messed you around I’ll search the streets of Newcastle until I find him, and when I do I’ll string him up by his you-know-whats. No one takes advantage of our Sophie.”

I rapidly shook my head. “It’s not Max. It’s everything. I feel so out of my depth that I don’t know where to begin.”

“Take a deep breath,” Marcie instructed, demonstrating by inhaling in an over-exaggerated fashion. She looked like Yoga Leo. “And then when you’ve calmed down you can talk. Work can wait, you’re more important. We’re a family here, we all need to look after each other.”

Hearing my line manager speak so gently, so kindly, made me want to cry. It wasn’t like Marcie was a bad boss, but I’d never have had empathy down as her strong point. She was usually blunt, which probably explained why she was chosen for a role that requires ensuring we all toe the line in the first place.

“Well,” I began, taking another sip of my tea to brace myself, “Tawna’s booked a last minute hen do…”

“To New York!” Jane chimed in.

“…to New York,” I continued. “She didn’t tell us before she booked the flights and we’re due to leave on Thursday. I know it’s incredibly short notice, but I’m the chief bridesmaid and I feel I should be there.”

“Of course you should be there,” Marcie agreed. “Fill in the annual leave form and put it on my desk by the end of the day and I’ll get it signed off for you.”

I was amazed. That was one of the things I’d been getting myself worked up over ever since reading the message from Tawna saying she’d booked the flights. Could it really be as simple as filling in the form and Marcie would sign it off without a fuss?

“Are you sure? It’ll leave you short-staffed, and we’re so busy at the moment, and I’m going to need a day off for the funeral. I don’t want to let you lot down.”

“You’re not letting anyone down,” Kath said firmly. “I can take on some of your workload, if you like. So you’re not snowed under when you get back.”

“You don’t mind? Haven’t you got enough on with your own work?”

Kath flicked her hand nonchalantly. “It’s no problem, and better than getting a temp in. So that’s that sorted already.”

“See?” Jane said. “I told you we’d do whatever we could.”

“Thank you. Thanks all of you, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” I admitted, reaching over for the biscuits. I could only resist a good thing for so long before caving.

“Like I said, we look out for each other here. So, what else is bothering you? And don’t say nothing, I can tell from your body language that something’s up.”

“I kissed Darius.”

My workmates’ eyes were on stalks at that nugget of information.

“What about Max?” Jane said. “That date he took you on to the coast, it was like something out of a Mills and Boon.”

“I know, I know,” I moaned. “I’ve probably made a dreadful mistake.”

“I’d say definitely,” Kath muttered, barely loudly enough for me to hear. “Max sounded great.”

“Ssh.” Jane gave Kath a dirty look. “You’re not helping.”

“I’ve seen Darius a few times lately, and it’s thrown me. One minute we were talking, the next…”

“The next you had your tongue shoved down his throat?” Kath offered.

“Pretty much,” I said with a grimace. “It wasn’t planned. It just felt like the right thing to do at the time.”

“If it felt right, then maybe it was right,” Jane added, but she didn’t sound too sure. “Sometimes these things happen for good reason.”

“It was the grief, I wasn’t thinking straight. Besides, I feel bad for Max.”

“It’s not like you’re married to him.” Kath scoffed. “Not that that necessarily makes a difference. But you know what I mean. One kiss with your ex doesn’t constitute cheating, not when you’ve not made a commitment to each other.”

“You don’t even need to tell Max,” Jane said. “I wouldn’t, if I were you, not at this early stage. Keep your options open.”

“I disagree,” Marcie interjected disapprovingly. “It’s always better to be honest.”

“I don’t have the option of keeping it a secret even if I wanted to.” I hid my head in my hands. “Max was there,” I mumbled. “He saw us.”

Marcie frowned. “Pardon?”

“Awkward,” Jane said, a look of pity crossing her face.

“Fucking hell,” Kath exclaimed. “What did he say?”

“He didn’t have the chance to say anything. He was up on the stage setting up for the band and we were in the middle of a crowd.”

“Maybe he didn’t see you then,” Jane suggested. “If he was busy.”

“Oh, he saw us all right. He was looking directly at me. That’s why I feel so awful. He treated me so well when we went to Whitley Bay, he deserves someone better than me. Someone who doesn’t snog their ex-boyfriend.”

“Give him