Aria

pins and needles

But first, the books.

You’re firing me? Seriously?’
Emily slumped back in the chair and folded her arms.
‘I wouldn’t say firing, exactly.’ He pressed his hands together in a prayer-like pose under his chin and fixed her with a steely gaze. ‘With regret, I am making you redundant.’
‘With regret? That’s what Lord Sugar always says in The Apprentice, when he fires people.’
‘It isn’t personal. We’re having to let a few people go.’
She stood up. ‘How? How can this not be personal?’
‘Do you think you could keep your voice down a little, please? We don’t want everyone to hear now, do we?’ He stood up too and walked past her to the windows that separated his private office from the rest of the open-plan area. She turned to watch as he closed the venetian blinds, obliterating the view of Annie from Accounts who was staring, open-mouthed. Annie would probably put a glass to the wall if she thought she could get away with it. Not that you needed a glass with these walls; they were paper-thin.
He turned back to Emily, put a hand on

Someone else whose whole existence once meant more to you than your own ever did.

, and Alex discovers that things are not as they seem.

I saw first-hand why that old cliché of opposites attracting could work out particularly well.

On that oh-so ordinary, devastating day, my best friend died in my arms.

He was on a mission to enjoy life and he was crazy madly in love with my gorgeous friend.

continued. ‘So next on the day’s fun agenda was feeding her breakfast. A simple task, wouldn’t you think? Well no, it never bloody is! I offered her cereal first. She threw the whole bowl on the floor. I offered her banana next. She smeared it over the high chair,

Every part of her wanted to scream ‘FUCK!’ and roll around in agony – but the consequences would be dire.