Jessie Slaymaker's Non-Existent Love Life (The Jessie Slaymaker Series) by Jo Iles Page B

She came across as two-dimensional and superficial on more than one occasion.
    ‘Tell me Nadia, and please do correct me if I’m wrong, but I could have sworn you said you were married,’ Jessie asked as innocently as she could manage. She felt bad for dropping Nadia in it, but then again, not bad enough.
    ‘We’re separated,’ Nadia said, looking down at her plate.
    ‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,’ Jessie said with mock concern. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Charlie’s face. She tried not to smile as his expression contorted into an ugly mixture of disgust and surprise.
    ‘I’m sorry Charlie, I thought you must have known,’ Jessie said, turning to him and gently touching his arm with genuine concern this time. She felt Jack’s eyes boring into her and she returned her hand to the safety of her wine glass.
    ‘I was going to tell you,’ Nadia rushed out, giving Jessie a glare. ‘I’ve been unhappy for so long and we’ve been apart for nearly six months now,’ she finished, with more looking down and looking sorry for herself.
    Charlie seemed to consider what she’d said as they all sat in silence waiting for his response. After a tense pause, he took Nadia’s hand in his.
    ‘Everyone has the right to be happy,’ he said to her sincerely.
    Jessie couldn’t believe it. Where was the ruthless, objective man from the office who hated deception and refused to suffer fools gladly? Apparently he hadn’t come to dinner tonight. Jessie stifled the urge to roll her eyes again and concentrated hard on Jack. Time for her to think about other things. Charlie was lost to her, so she may as well enjoy the gorgeous man who had been sitting right in front of her all along.
    She smiled at Jack over her wine glass and slowly nudged his leg with her foot. He flicked his eyes in her direction and they shared an intimate look. Even Charlie seemed to clock it, as a look of confusion clouded his features.
    Somehow, without her noticing it, Jack had managed to steer the conversation onto a more intellectually simulating subject than whether Cheryl Cole was better then Britney.
    ‘So what do you think about Hong Kong’s position in relation to Singapore and China?’ Jack asked Nadia seriously after she’d been quiet for a while.
    ‘Umm, I hear Hong Kong’s very good for shopping,’ Nadia said, laughing at her lame attempt at answering Jack’s question. Unfortunately she was just not up to the brainiac capabilities of Charlie, Jack, and Jessie. A fact made glaringly obvious by Jack’s somewhat unnecessarily testing question, which had shown Nadia well and truly up.
    ‘Jessie, what do you think?’ Jack prodded. Jessie could see he’d set Nadia up to look dumb, and her to look bright.
    ‘I think Hong Kong is doing okay for the time being; but if we take a long-term perspective on things, it’s facing a barrage of competition as the finance sector develops full throttle in Shanghai. Factor in Singapore’s control of Southeast Asia, and trade relations with the Middle East, and Hong Kong is in danger of losing what it regards as its premier status in Asia. I’ve never been to Hong Kong, but from what I understand, the place revolves around finance and tourism. Manufacturing has gone, and finance will most likely diminish over the coming decades—particularly as China’s monetary controls loosen—so that leaves tourism. And I don’t know if the territory has enough pull to increase tourist numbers as finance reduces.’
    Charlie’s face seemed to light up.
    ‘Looks and brains,’ he said, looking surprised, as though noticing Jessie for the first time that evening.
    ‘Yes, Charlie. We do indeed exist,’ Jessie said, smiling as she finished off some calamari. Jack and Jessie caught each other’s eye, prompting a spontaneous knowing smile from them both. The exchange was once again observed by Charlie.
    ‘Is there something going on between you two?’ Charlie asked in a carefully neutral tone.