Child's PLAY

Her boss was rude, unappreciative and mean, but could Laurie seize the chance to break free?

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Laurie closed the front door and slumped back against it, Margo’s rebuke, delivered at a volume that could be heard the length of the office, echoing in her head. Jan DeVries, the newly discovered designer who’d flown in from the Netherlands to discuss granting Margo’s mag exclusive coverage of the eagerly awaited DeVries bridal range, had left and the sought-after scoop she’d been chasing for weeks would go to rivals All Sewn Up instead. And it was all Laurie’s fault…

‘But I thought you’d realise,’ she’d faltered. ‘I did, as soon as I saw Jan in person.’

‘Then it’s a shame you didn’t tell me,’ Margo had ranted. ‘Instead you stood there letting me insult the man, over and over again.’

Laurie felt that was a bit rich. Agreed, DeVries, with his curly fair hair, peach suede loafers and oatmeal-coloured suit, did have a rather androgynous look. But if everyone else on the floor was able to spot that the ‘she’ they’d expected was actually a ‘he’, why not Margo? As for not warning her, Laurie had tried but Margo had ignored her, gushingly welcoming ‘Miss DeVries’ to England. Bemused, DeVries had turned to Laurie, asking if this was some sort of joke. As Laurie had opened her mouth to apologise, Margo blurted, ‘No, Miss DeVries, of course not. Why?’ Laurie saw his face flush before he turned and walked out, leaving Margo staring after him demanding to know what had just happened!

‘He’s a man,’ Laurie said desperately. ‘In the Netherlands, Jan is a boy’s name.’ Margo had recoiled at the enormity of her blunder. ‘Well, why didn’t you say? I can’t be expected to notice everything – are you trying to derail me, you silly...’