Out of Practice by Penny Parkes Read Free Book Online

amazing for not firing him and you’re
made of sterner stuff than me for not punching him, leaving him or let’s face it, castrating him. If I thought Will was mucking around with a student, he’d be out on his ear . .
.’
    ‘Hey, that’s not entirely fair,’ interrupted Holly. ‘There was no
actual
misconduct, the Board said so . . . Milo said so . . . And, for what it’s worth, I
do believe him, Lizzie. The Board just thought it would be better all round if he took some time out to work on his manuscript.’
    Lizzie’s eyebrows rose under her fringe and she took a deep breath, clearly restraining herself. ‘Putting aside for another day, whether you do or don’t believe he’ll
ever
really
change, I will say this and I’m going to be harsh, okay? His book is niche publishing: he might sell twelve copies if he’s lucky. He’s not on paid sabbatical.
He has, to all intents and purposes, been banished. You, my darling, are now the primary and sole breadwinner in the family. And forgive me, if I think that gives
you
the right to choose
what job
you
do – endless nightshifts full of car crashes and drunks in Reading A&E, or a nice set up as a country GP, seeing the boys, supported by your oldest friend and
earning more money than you were before!’
    There was an awkward moment when the café fell silent just as Lizzie was building to a crescendo and Holly’s face flushed to a painful hue. ‘Don’t mince your words
there, will you, Lizzie?’
    The pregnant pause went on so long it was in danger of having triplets, before Holly sighed, the breath seeming to come from the much loved but much maligned ballet slippers on her feet. Perhaps
Lizzie had a point – maybe Holly’s value system was as dated as her footwear? ‘Look,’ she managed, ‘in my head, I agree with everything you’re saying, Lizzie,
you know that. But, in my heart, I still feel that the pressure is on me to make a go of this. I’ve got Milo brooding at home and spending hours bemoaning the lack of a decent research
library for his manuscript. I’ve got his mother breathing down my neck and questioning my priorities at every turn. And I just know that I have to make this job work.’
    She reached over and took a slug of Lizzie’s wine. ‘Which is presumably why I’m behaving like an absolute imbecile on my very first day.’
    ‘Well, jack it all in then. I’ll give you Julia’s column and you can stay home all day in your ghastly yoga trousers being my roving reporter.’ Lizzie was playing
devil’s advocate and Holly knew it. They were the best of friends, but their approach to work came from opposite ends of the spectrum. Working together was not a good idea.
    ‘I can see the headlines now,’ said Lizzie, giving her a nudge as she made a rainbow headline with her hands. ‘Local Doc Discovers Chemical Weapon in Laundry Hamper!
    ‘Or,’ she said enthusiastically, getting into her stride, ‘Local Doc Slays Cheating Husband with Cyanide!’
    ‘That’s it – I’m cutting you off – no more Agatha Christie for you!’ Holly grinned, glad to be back on lighter, more bantering terms with her oldest friend,
but slightly alarmed at the way Lizzie’s hand had tightened possessively on her jam jar when Holly had proclaimed she was cutting her off.
    ‘Go on – I dare you,’ said Lizzie, with a glint in her eye. ‘I cannot stand that bitch Channing anyway. I’d much rather work with you. She thinks she’s
oh-so-bloody-perfect. I keep hoping that pride comes before a fall with that one,’ Lizzie confided gleefully, ‘but no . . . It’s just not normal to be that accomplished at
everything.
    ‘Still, you never know, maybe she’ll burn out and have a complete nervous breakdown by the time she’s forty?’ Lizzie suggested hopefully, a spiteful undertone to her
voice that indicated she wasn’t really joking, which took Holly by surprise.
    No matter how many years they were friends, Holly still found it hard