Страница 16

This flat has wooden floors and shutters! I've always wanted wooden floors and shutters. And

look at that cool kitchen, with all granite worktops…

Oh, this is going to be so great. I can't wait!

I take a happy slug of wine, and am just sinking comfortably back when Co

Isn't it exciting about Jack Harper coming over.'

Oh God. Please. Not more talk about bloody Jack Harper.

'Did you get to meet him?' he adds, coming over with a bowl of peanuts. 'I heard he went into

Marketing.'

'Um, yes, I met him.'

'He came into Research this afternoon, but I was at a meeting.' Co

what's he like?'

'He's… I don't know. Dark hair… American… So how did the meeting go?'

Co

'Isn't it exciting, though?' His face is glowing. 'Jack Harper!'

'I suppose so.' I shrug. 'Anyway-'

'Emma! Aren't you excited?' Co

company! We're talking about the man who came up with the concept of Panther Cola. Who

took an unknown brand, repackaged it and sold it to the world! He turned a failing company

into a huge, successful corporation. And now we're all getting to meet him. Don't you find

that thrilling?'

'Yes,' I say at last. 'It's… thrilling.'

'This could be the opportunity of a lifetime for all of us. To learn from the genius himself!

You know, he's never written a book, he's never shared his thoughts with anyone except Pete

Laidler…' He reaches into the fridge for a can of Panther Cola and cracks it open. Co

to be the most loyal employee in the world. I once bought a Pepsi when we were out on a

picnic, and he nearly had a hernia.

'You know what I would love above anything?' he says, taking a gulp. 'A one-to-one with

him.' He looks at me, his eyes shining. 'A one-to-one with Jack Harper! Wouldn't that be the

most fantastic career boost?'

A one-to-one with Jack Harper.

Yup, that boosted my career great.

'I suppose,' I say reluctantly.

'Of course it would be! Just having the chance to listen to him. To hear what he has to say! I

mean, the guy's been shut away for three years. What ideas must he have been generating all

this time? He must have so many insights and theories, not just about marketing, but about

business… about the way people work… about life itself.'

Co

spectacularly I have played this wrong, shall we? I'm sitting on a plane next to the great Jack

Harper, creative genius and source of all wisdom on business and marketing, not to mention

the great mysteries of life itself.

And what do I do? Do I ask him insightful questions? Do I engage him in intelligent

conversation? Do I learn anything from him at all?

No. I blabber on about what kind of underwear I prefer.

Great career move, Emma. One of the best.

The next day, Co

magazine article about Jack Harper.

'Read this,' he says, through a mouthful of toast. 'It's good background information.'

I don't want any background information! I feel like retorting, but Co

door.

I'm tempted to leave it behind and not even bother looking at it, but it's quite a long journey

from Co

with me, and grudgingly start reading it on the tube, and I suppose it is quite an interesting

story. How Harper and Pete Laidler were friends, and they decided to go into business, and

Jack was the creative one and Pete was the extrovert playboy one, and they became