the arrival...

I knew that the second the boys from ABC swept in that the firm was going to be a very different place to work. ABC has a predominantly male employee base where as BCF is known as gender balanced and progressive, with a number of female partners, some of whom even work part time.

It was about midnight that they swept in, like ghouls from a scene in a Harry Potter movie, they floated across the floor in their impeccable dark suits and co-ordinated shirts and ties.

Ben Montan was, of course, at the centre of it all. As their soon-to-be-new-hot-shot-partner he was the golden boy of the firm and he was acting like it. My skin crawled thinking about our meeting in the lane this morning and that blonde woman he was obviously so keen to lick from head to toe. It did not stop the other women in the room throwing cheeky glances in his direction though. He was holding court with Peters and Jones as well as (surprisingly) my Uncle. They all clearly thought he was terribly funny.

Kate, however, seemed transfixed by another man.

"Trix," she said pulling on my sleeve, "who IS that?" her finger waved in the general direction of John Claude. The gorgeous and perfect John Claude.

"Oh come on Kate, that's John," I said. Kate knew that I'd been at university with John Claude, the dashing French exchange student who had fallen in love with Melbourne and never left.

"No way…. He looks FANTASTIC!" she sputtered.

"I know, he always did. So bright too, got the uni medal for law in our year".
John was class personified. If I were to date men he would be the sort of man who would tick all the boxes on my list: smart, tall, handsome, charming, well dressed, employed (in a very fine job) and ambitious. He could have done with a little more spunk but given I wasn't actually planning to date any men in the near future I was objectively willing to forgive him this subjective fault in our non-existent relationship.

Kate was clearly smitten. At that moment John caught us looking at him and as I lifted my hand in a half wave (which Kate quickly pulled down) he started to make his way over to us.

"Bloody hell Trix, now he's on his way over here…" I don't think I'd ever seen Kate quite this flustered by a man.

"I know" I smiled back at her teasingly.

"Ladies", he said as slid up to us and kissed me on the cheek. "Looking wonderful as always Trixie Allan".

"Thank you," I said "you too. How's Melbourne treating you?"

"Wonderfully. I love this city," his French accent was delectable, "there are so many hidden gems," he was looking directly at Kate, clearly hankering for an introduction.

"I'm sorry, John, do you remember my cousin Kate? She was the year below us at law school."

"I do now," he said as Kate blushed. Perfect.

"I better go and get some more drinks," I said. "Kate another champagne? And John?"

"Just a beer," he replied. I nudged my way back through the increasing number of people toward the drinks.