Skye and the City (A Romantic Comedy)

Chapter 8

"So your colleague is giving up her place on this trip for you?" Orlagh pours us both a glass of orange juice before sitting down opposite me at the kitchen table. She's made us waffles for breakfast because she's officially the best flatmate ever.

"Yep." I swallow a bite. "These are amazing, by the way - thank you!" Orlagh is an excellent chef. "Sylvia did confess she wasn't being completely altruistic because she really doesn't want to go and drew the short straw . . . but it all works out in my favour as Ross is going!"

"A free overnight stay in a nice hotel on the Ayrshire coast?" Orlagh shakes her head in disbelief. "I don't understand why anyone would turn that down."

"It's all the conditions that go with it that puts everyone off, apparently," I explain. "Team bonding activities, presentations. Networking. Sylvia says the bad parts outweigh the good, as far as she's concerned."

It's probably a bit pointless, me going on a corporate bonding event when I'm just a temporary worker. But Sylvia seemed convinced that the boss would have no objections, so we're just waiting for the all-clear.

Apparently, they do this on an annual basis, and usually, a couple of representatives from each department go along. It's meant to boost morale, Sylvia informed me, rolling her eyes as she spoke to indicate she disagreed with this theory. "But you'll get dinner and a few alcoholic drinks on the company, so make sure you take advantage of that," she had advised.

"So you'll get the chance to connect with one of your mystery men," Orlagh says now, bringing me back to the present. "How are you feeling about that?"

"I'm not sure," I admit. "Nervous. Excited. Terrified?"

"It'll be fine," she reassures me. "And, like Sylvia said, it's a good way to meet Ross without any pressure. You can find out if you do have a spark in person without having to officially set anything up. It really is the perfect solution."

There's a definite spring in my step as I head towards the college twenty minutes later. It's a surprisingly beautiful day: the sun is bright and the air warm, and I end up shrugging off my denim jacket within just a few minutes of venturing outside.

I'm feeling particularly optimistic today. It's Friday, my job is going well so far, and bad luck has mostly bodyswerved me since the restaurant incident. Of course, I know it's only a matter of time before it catches me up again - like I've said before, it always does - but I'm hoping I've managed to get a decent head-start on it and can continue to evade it for a while longer.

For the moment, though, all is right with the world, and the office is full of treats today! It seems most of my department has decided to bring in baked goods, which is something I'm quickly discovering happens a lot in an office setting. It appears I'm surrounded by feeders! There's a box of Tantrum doughnuts, a selection of cream cakes from Greggs, and Kylie has even made some tablet! 

Despite my big breakfast, I find myself hungry again and help myself to a lemon and poppyseed doughnut and a few cubes of tablet. I vow I'll pace myself, while knowing deep-down that I'll definitely be making at least one return visit to the Table of Temptation.

"So I spoke to Shane," Sylvia tells me as I sink into my chair and switch my computer on. Shane is the head of the department. "He's happy for you to go on the trip on Monday in my place, so I've forwarded you the details."

"And you're sure you don't mind?" I double-check. She laughs.

"Honestly, you're doing me a favour. I have too much work on to waste two days taking the piss. I genuinely can't stand corporate events like this; they're my least favourite thing about the job!"