Perfect on Paper by Gillian Harvey (top 20 books to read txt) 📕

feel like working. Her office was dark, even with the lamp she’d brought in from home. Sitting there reminded her of how little recognition she’d had. How little she seemed to matter. And at home, too, she was feeling sidelined. Ludicrously, it was only when she was dancing in front of a group of teenage boys that she really felt alive.

But once she’d settled into her uncomfortable chair, she smiled. Next to her keyboard was a muffin with a Post-it note on which Ann had scribbled a smiley face and thumbs up. That woman definitely didn’t get paid enough.

Maybe she wasn’t being fair on Toby, she thought moments later, feeling more at one with the world after a mouthful of crumbs and chocolate. After all, they’d both been preoccupied with work. To make herself feel better, she picked up her mobile and flicked Toby’s number onto the screen. It rang just once before he answered it, breathless.

‘Clare!’ he gasped. ‘I’ve just come out of a meeting. They’ve given me the top job! Well, not the top job. But a good job! I’m not going to be on the morning programme. They’re … well, I can hardly believe it. They’re giving me a chance to host my own show!’

‘Wow, Toby, that’s amazing!’ she said. And she meant it, genuinely. ‘What programme?’

‘Well, you’ll never guess. Actually,’ he said, ‘it was down to Hatty – she’d had a word with the top dog. He’d noticed me, of course, but it was her who suggested me for this particular post. After our dinner party, you know?’

‘Hatty?’

‘Yes. She has the director’s ear, you know. They go back a long way.’

‘Uh huh.’

‘Anyway, he’d marked me out as having potential, obviously.’

‘Obviously.’

‘But it was Hatty’s idea that I should be thrust into the limelight now, so to speak.’

‘OK?’

‘Yeah, I mean I mentioned how I encouraged you to go back to work after the kids, you know?’

‘Yes?’ If she remembered rightly, they’d come to the decision together after a particularly horrendous electricity bill landed on their doormat. Less about empowering her, and more about powering their central heating.

‘Yeah, and how we’re always supporting each other with career stuff. You support me, I support you. We understand each other.’

Funnily enough, half a year ago she’d have agreed with that statement, she realised.

‘Uh huh?’

‘Yes, you know. We often chat after work. You were telling me the other night about your … work problem. I gave you advice, that kind of thing. I suppose it helps me to understand what women go through in the workplace. Their insecurities, their struggles.’

‘Right. Anyway …’

‘Anyway, sorry. That’s why she recommended me for this show.’

‘Yes, Toby. What show?’

‘Woman’s World! Exploring the topics of the day, speaking to influential women. Gaining insight, you know?’

‘What?’ Clare had watched Woman’s World once or twice when she’d worked from home last year. The host, a tall, rather intimidating-looking blonde had recently chucked in the role to run for local government. There’d been a series of – female – hosts in the interim. But … Toby?

‘Woman’s World!’ he repeated. ‘Just picture it!’

‘Woman’s World?’ she said again.

‘Yes, yes. They said that it was a little unusual to give the position to a man, obviously. But someone like me, you know, proud husband, father to a girl, that sort of thing. Someone who puts the women in his life first … they thought I’d be in an ideal position to break down the barriers in society.’

‘Well … congratulations!’ Clare said, feeling almost as odd as she had when she’d watched herself on the news, dressed as Martha B.

‘Thank you.’

‘Actually,’ she said after a pause. ‘I could do with your advice on something with Nigel.’

‘Right, well, I suppose I’d better get on …’ he said, seemingly oblivious to her second sentence.

‘It’s just, do you think I should talk to Nigel about Will and the fact that I feel overlooked? I’ve been wondering whether I ought to leave and start my own …’

But Toby was talking to someone in the background. ‘Yes, thank you, Tom!’ he said. ‘Yes, looking forward to it.’

‘OK, love, better go!’ he said to her before the line went dead.

Woman’s World, thought Clare. He has absolutely no idea.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

‘This is the bit where we all do the splits,’ Dan explained when Clare finally made it to rehearsal that evening. He’d got the boys to show her the new routine so she could see how her performance fit the dance moves.

Clare gave him a look.

‘No worries, no worries. I know you can’t do the splits, I just thought maybe you could like do the half-splits, or whatever.’

‘What like this?’ Clare said, pushing her legs as far as they were willing to go. Her hamstrings were roaring in protest, but admittedly her pose was less than impressive.

‘Oh, right.’ He looked a little alarmed at her lack of flexibility – which surely should be the least of their problems.

She’d arrived late – as always – and already out of breath after having to wait for some purchase money to hit the client account. She’d forgotten her tracksuit bottoms so was trying her best to be flexible in trousers that refused to give and threatened to split if she went too far.

Her mind wasn’t completely on the dance either, if she was honest. Work had ramped up and tomorrow she had three completions. It was hard to concentrate.

The rest of the troupe bent themselves effortlessly out of their final pose and began chatting and stretching as Dan took Clare to one side.

‘You seem tense, Clare,’ he said, which was officially the understatement of the year. He put an arm across her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. His body smelled of soap and aftershave and was damp with fresh sweat.

‘I know. I guess I didn’t expect to have to get ready so soon,’ she said. ‘Why are they booking us on the back of a ropey YouTube rehearsal video? It’s … I mean, it wasn’t that good!’

‘Yeah, but you’ve kind of captured something,’