position.
“It’s a good job it’s just us working today,” he said, pushing a tendril of hair from her face. “Imogen would have your arse on a chopping block if she could see the way you looked right now.”
“Avi…” Charlie said as she lifted a finger and pressed it to his lips. “Shush, will you?”
With one hand placed on his hip and the other ruffling his well-groomed hair, Xavier narrowed his eyes. “Just because you have a hangover, don’t think you can treat me like shit,” he admonished, turning his back on her. As he stalked away, Charlie started her usual countdown in her head. By the time she reached seven, Xavier had flicked a glance over his shoulder. “Biatch,” he smirked heading into the backroom.
The tinkling sound of the shop door opening had Charlie’s head lifting in panic. Running her fingers through her hair she tried to tame her wild and unruly locks in an attempt at looking at least semi-presentable.
Today’s attire was nowhere near Charlie’s usual perfection when it came to dressing for work. Feeling tired and extremely hungover this morning, Charlie had stared at her large walk in wardrobe with complete disgust. After throwing the majority of the contents to the floor, she did eventually settle on a pair of fitted black trousers and a plain white ruffled blouse. She knew from the look on Xavier’s face as she walked into work that her look screamed office support rather than up-market fashion stylist.
“It’s only me.”
She visibly relaxed as she heard the reassuring sound of Lucy’s voice approaching.
Popping out from behind the counter, Charlie greeted her with a hug. She looked beautiful as usual with her makeup flawlessly applied and not a single hair out of place. Clearly her best friend could handle her alcohol as judged by her more than immaculate presentation. There wasn’t a grumble or headache in sight from what she could see.
“Jesus, Charlie. What the hell are you wearing?” Lucy gasped and moved backwards to take in her full body appearance. “What the hell happened?” she asked, her expression stunned.
Charlie’s gaze flitted down to her feet in embarrassment as she shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. “I have a hangover,” she half mumbled and half whined.
“Whatever,” Lucy dismissed with a flick of her wrist. “That excuse is shit and you know it. Hangover or not, you always need to make an effort at work. God, if Imogen caught you in that today she’d kill you.”
“I’m feeling you, girl. That is exactly what I told her,” Xavier explained, walking back onto the shop floor towards them. “Why don’t you just get something off the rack to wear?” He suggested, looking around the shop at the more fashionable attire. “If not for your sake then please do it for ours.”
“You bastards,” she grumbled, placing a hand against her pounding head. She could already tell that today was going to be hard work, especially with Xavier and Lucy choosing to double-team her.
Sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, Charlie nervously tapped her fingers against the white granite counter top whilst watching the hands tick by on the large kitchen clock. Her tummy was filled with the usual pre-weekend butterflies before Callum came home.
With her free hand, Charlie shyly fingered the flimsy material of her black satin nightie. It was one of the many unnecessary purchases she made during her shopping spree with Lucy after work. From new lingerie to designer evening gowns, they had managed to add to the already bulging expanse of clothing that Charlie owned.
“Oh, Callum won’t mind,” Lucy had continuously repeated throughout the afternoon as they made use of the platinum credit card he had given her a few months ago.
After arranging for Charlie’s wages to be transferred into a savings account each month, Callum had made sure to set her up with an additional card on his account. He had claimed that it was for her