Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham Read Free Book Online

back.”
    â€œOh,” said Candice. “Thanks.”
    â€œGive me a sec.” He disappeared into his flat, and Candice leaned against her own front door, waiting. She didn’t want to open her door and find him invitinghimself in for a drink. Tonight, to be honest, she wasn’t in the mood for Ed.
    Ed had lived opposite Candice for as long as she’d lived there. He was a corporate lawyer at a huge City law firm, earned unfeasibly large amounts of money, and worked unfeasibly long hours. Taxis were frequently to be heard chugging outside the house for him at six in the morning, and didn’t deliver him back home until after midnight. Sometimes he didn’t come home at all, but caught a few hours’ sleep on a bed at the office, then started again. The very thought of it made Candice feel sick. It was pure greed that drove him so hard, she thought. Nothing but greed.
    â€œHere you are,” said Ed, reappearing. He handed her the roll of tape and took a bite of his Big Mac. “Want some?”
    â€œNo thanks,” said Candice politely.
    â€œNot healthy enough?” said Ed, leaning against the banisters. His dark eyes glinted at her as though he were enjoying his own private joke. “What do you eat, then? Quiche?” He took another bite of hamburger. “You eat quiche, Candice?”
    â€œYes,” said Candice impatiently. “I suppose I eat quiche.” Why couldn’t Ed just make polite small talk like everyone else? she thought. Why did he always have to look at her with those glinting eyes, waiting for an answer— as though she were about to reveal something fascinating? It was impossible to relax while talking to him. No idle comment could go unchallenged.
    â€œQuiche is fucking cholesterol city. You’re better off with one of these.” He gestured to his hamburger, and a piece of slimy lettuce fell onto the floor. To Candice’shorror, he bent down, picked it up, and popped it in his mouth.
    â€œSee?” he said as he stood up. “Salad.”
    Candice rolled her eyes. Really, she felt quite sorry for Ed. He had no life outside the office. No friends, no girlfriend, no furniture even. She had once popped across to his flat for a drink in order to be neighbourly— and discovered that Ed possessed only one ancient leather chair, a wide-screen TV and a pile of empty pizza boxes.
    â€œSo, have you been sacked or something?” she said sarcastically. “I mean, it’s only ten p.m. Shouldn’t you be hammering out some deal somewhere?”
    â€œSince you ask, I’ll be on gardening leave as from next week,” said Ed.
    â€œWhat?” Candice looked at him uncomprehendingly.
    â€œNew job,” said Ed. “So I get to spend three months doing sod-all. It’s in my contract.”
    â€œThree months?” Candice wrinkled her brow. “But why?”
    â€œWhy do you think?” Ed grinned complacently and cracked open a can of Coke. “Because I’m bloody important, that’s why. I know too many little secrets.”
    â€œAre you serious?” Candice stared at him. “So you don’t get paid for three months?” Ed’s face creased in a laugh.
    â€œOf course I get paid! These guys love me! They’re paying me more to do nothing than I used to get working my arse off.”
    â€œBut that’s . . . that’s immoral!” said Candice. “Think of all the people in the world desperate for a job. And you’re getting paid to sit around.”
    â€œThat’s the world,” said Ed. “Like it or slit your wrists.”
    â€œOr try to change it,” said Candice.
    â€œSo you say,” said Ed, taking a slurp of Coke. “But then, we can’t all be as saintly as you, Candice, can we?”
    Candice stared furiously at him. How did Ed always manage to wind her up so successfully?
    â€œI’ve got to go,” she said