Dessert by Lily Harlem

Chapter One
    I stared around the boardroom. Aptly named, considering the long faces and glazed expressions. I guessed discussing the fine details of marketing strategy for trekking and survival equipment just wasn’t floating everyone’s boat right now. Hell, it was my company and I’d had enough of wading through graphs and pie charts, statistics and percentages.
    But at least it was Friday, which meant we’d shut the office at four and knock off early. That always brought a round of smiles as my staff headed out the door to wives, husbands, girlfriends and lovers.
    Not me, though. My girlfriend, who’d become my lover and then my wife, was now my ex. Ex-everything, including friend. Why Janice was so mad at me when it was her who had the affair, I still couldn’t understand.
    “Let’s call it a day,” I said, flicking off the PowerPoint and letting out a sigh. I aimed a remote at the blinds and they slid upward with a quiet hiss, revealing the brilliant white May sunshine outside.
    There was an eager shuffle of chairs and the hum of conversation rose. Betty, my PA, slotted her pencil into her notebook, patted several stray wisps of hair into her gray bun and began to stack her papers. She wouldn’t bring her laptop into the boardroom and insisted on using shorthand to take minutes—said if she didn’t the art form would become extinct. I didn’t see any sense in arguing since she was due for retirement very soon. I would then make sure I got someone modern and technically adept—if I was really lucky, someone with a sweet smile and nice perfume too.
    “What are you up to at the weekend, John?” Richard, my deputy manager, asked.
    Usually it was a question that had me shrugging and giving vague answers about hiking and camping out. Since Janice had dragged me through divorce proceedings I’d 4
    Dessert
    been trekking again and enjoying time outdoors, getting my head straight and testing new equipment. “Actually a supplier is taking me to dinner tonight,” I said. “He’s keen to tell me about their new range of digital compasses and satnav watches. Wants us to stock them later in the year.”
    “Oh, that guy from Koni who came in last week?”
    “Yeah, that’s the one.”
    “Where you going for dinner?”
    “Not somewhere I’ve been before. It’s an Asian restaurant in Soho.” I rubbed my lips with my finger and frowned, trying to recall the name. “The Geisha Plate I think he said it was called.”
    Richard’s brows rose. “Oh, very nice.”
    “Have you eaten there?” I clicked off my Mac and slotted it into its case.
    “Not a chance, it’s very exclusive. It has an annual membership fee and you have to be recommended. Getting a table there is harder than getting a private blessing from the Pope.”
    “Really? That sounds very secret handshake.”
    “Yeah, goodness knows what they serve for it to be so cloak and dagger.” He glanced at his watch. “Mary has us tickets for the theatre tonight, Billy Elliot , again.” He rolled his eyes.
    “I thought you liked your trips to the West End.”
    “I do, but seriously, this will be the fourth time to see that damn dancing boy. I kinda get the story.” He grinned. “Have fun though, boss. Bring me up to speed on Monday.”
    “Yeah, I will.”
    Several other members of staff called their goodbyes and within ten minutes the open-plan area beyond the boardroom was quiet. Only Betty remained, watering the potted plants that sat around.
    5
    Lily Harlem
    Wandering into my private office, I shut the door, inhaled the scent of polish that seeped from the wood-paneled walls, and glanced out of the huge window. The view of London was spectacular but came with a high price. Though what did it matter? I could afford it. Dare Go There was now international. With branches all over the UK, we were now setting up in France and Germany. Hard to believe ten years ago it was just me, running a small shop in Hoxton and sleeping in the back room.
    My