Restart (The Revival Series) by Claire Thake Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Claire Thake
flirting and draping herself all over Ryan and bringing out the green-eyed monster in Leah.
*****
Walking arm and arm with Ryan into his works function, made Leah feel self-conscious and a fraud. She was the girl who enjoyed times walking on the beach and having quiet meals rather than partying and putting on a front. She loved being pampered and looking good but the posh dresses and having to act like the perfect wife irritated her.
“Ryan! Leah!” An older man, in his late sixties, although well aged, embraced Leah and shook hands with Ryan.
“Cole, nice to see you,” Ryan replied, placing an arm around Leah’s shoulders. A sign of togetherness and protectiveness and Leah had to fight the urge to shrug his arm off of her.
“Such a beauty you have here, you are a very lucky man Ryan. Make sure you take good care of this one, Have you got a drink?”
Ryan left Leah and went off with Cole to fetch some drinks, leaving Leah feeling slightly abandoned amongst people she didn’t know. Leah quickly found a chair in a quiet corner and hoped the evening would go fast, so she could just go home and get into her comfy pyjamas and into bed.
Leah pulled her phone from her purse and quickly typed a message to Greg, needing a distraction and for something to do to make herself look occupied, and to put more of Ryan’s colleagues off from approaching her.
Leah1982: Stuck at a boring function for my husband's work. Do you think they would notice if I hid in the corner all evening?
Feeling a shadow loom over her, Leah quickly locked her phone screen and glanced up. Standing above her was Ryan’s boss Melissa, looking as if she should be on a street corner more than at a works function.
Melissa was wearing a bright red belt that she paraded as a dress, much too short and too low cut, not leaving anything to the imagination. Leah felt herself pull back in the chair to try and distance herself for Melissa’s chest that seemed to want to escape out of the thin fabric.
“Not with hubby?” Melissa questioned, taking a sip from the wine glass she was holding, before flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
“He’s just getting drinks,” Leah replied, hoping she would pick up the hostile tone in Leah’s voice and back away.
Smirking Melissa turned and surveyed the crowd, before spotting Ryan still talking to Cole by the drinks table, and without saying a word walking off in their direction and leaving Leah, staring at her fleeting form wishing she would trip over in those ridiculously high heels she was wearing.
Glancing back down at her phone, Leah noticed that she had a reply from Greg, and unlocked the screen.
GregB: Sounds more fun than my evening with a Chinese takeaway and rubbish TV, just have a few drinks and you will cheer up :)
Leah1982: If only alcohol was the answer. Have a good night and enjoy your TV.
Putting the phone back in her bag, she stood up and went in search of Ryan, to get a drink. Glancing over to where he was previously stood, she could see Cole there chatting to another gentleman, but Ryan was not in sight. Sighing she made her way over the room to ask Cole where Ryan had gone, but then she spotted them; Melissa leaning back against the wall, her chest pushed out and playing with strands of her hair, and Ryan with one arm leaning on the wall above her head, looking way too cosy for Leah’s liking.
A wave of nausea hit Leah, and she didn’t know whether to confront them or walk away and go back to her chair in the corner. Scolding herself she pulled herself up straight, thinking that Ryan wasn’t that stupid to do things with Melissa here, if at all and especially in front of her.
Walking in their direction, Leah put on her best smile. Melissa saw her approaching and leaned towards Ryan, saying something in his ear before running a finger down the front of his shirt. Turning and seeing Leah, Ryan quickly straightened up, a look of guilt forming over
*****
Walking arm and arm with Ryan into his works function, made Leah feel self-conscious and a fraud. She was the girl who enjoyed times walking on the beach and having quiet meals rather than partying and putting on a front. She loved being pampered and looking good but the posh dresses and having to act like the perfect wife irritated her.
“Ryan! Leah!” An older man, in his late sixties, although well aged, embraced Leah and shook hands with Ryan.
“Cole, nice to see you,” Ryan replied, placing an arm around Leah’s shoulders. A sign of togetherness and protectiveness and Leah had to fight the urge to shrug his arm off of her.
“Such a beauty you have here, you are a very lucky man Ryan. Make sure you take good care of this one, Have you got a drink?”
Ryan left Leah and went off with Cole to fetch some drinks, leaving Leah feeling slightly abandoned amongst people she didn’t know. Leah quickly found a chair in a quiet corner and hoped the evening would go fast, so she could just go home and get into her comfy pyjamas and into bed.
Leah pulled her phone from her purse and quickly typed a message to Greg, needing a distraction and for something to do to make herself look occupied, and to put more of Ryan’s colleagues off from approaching her.
Leah1982: Stuck at a boring function for my husband's work. Do you think they would notice if I hid in the corner all evening?
Feeling a shadow loom over her, Leah quickly locked her phone screen and glanced up. Standing above her was Ryan’s boss Melissa, looking as if she should be on a street corner more than at a works function.
Melissa was wearing a bright red belt that she paraded as a dress, much too short and too low cut, not leaving anything to the imagination. Leah felt herself pull back in the chair to try and distance herself for Melissa’s chest that seemed to want to escape out of the thin fabric.
“Not with hubby?” Melissa questioned, taking a sip from the wine glass she was holding, before flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
“He’s just getting drinks,” Leah replied, hoping she would pick up the hostile tone in Leah’s voice and back away.
Smirking Melissa turned and surveyed the crowd, before spotting Ryan still talking to Cole by the drinks table, and without saying a word walking off in their direction and leaving Leah, staring at her fleeting form wishing she would trip over in those ridiculously high heels she was wearing.
Glancing back down at her phone, Leah noticed that she had a reply from Greg, and unlocked the screen.
GregB: Sounds more fun than my evening with a Chinese takeaway and rubbish TV, just have a few drinks and you will cheer up :)
Leah1982: If only alcohol was the answer. Have a good night and enjoy your TV.
Putting the phone back in her bag, she stood up and went in search of Ryan, to get a drink. Glancing over to where he was previously stood, she could see Cole there chatting to another gentleman, but Ryan was not in sight. Sighing she made her way over the room to ask Cole where Ryan had gone, but then she spotted them; Melissa leaning back against the wall, her chest pushed out and playing with strands of her hair, and Ryan with one arm leaning on the wall above her head, looking way too cosy for Leah’s liking.
A wave of nausea hit Leah, and she didn’t know whether to confront them or walk away and go back to her chair in the corner. Scolding herself she pulled herself up straight, thinking that Ryan wasn’t that stupid to do things with Melissa here, if at all and especially in front of her.
Walking in their direction, Leah put on her best smile. Melissa saw her approaching and leaned towards Ryan, saying something in his ear before running a finger down the front of his shirt. Turning and seeing Leah, Ryan quickly straightened up, a look of guilt forming over