A Deceptive Affair: Coffee Series, #1

By Jessica Jaye

How can one cup of coffee and a bunch of iMessages completely change the direction of one's life?

Poppy Fields had it all: An exciting new job, a hunky boyfriend to die for and the best friend ever who used every excuse to crack open a bottle of Fizz.

But when a gorgeous new work colleague with piercing blue eyes literally lands in her lap, Poppy is forced to face up to the fact that maybe her ideal life isn't quite as ideal as she thought.

Ever the romantic, Poppy is determined to prove her relationship is rock solid.

But as chaos and mayhem are Poppy's middle names, nothing ever runs smoothly, especially when Fizzy Cocktails are involved.

A hilarious stumble through the disorganised and often misunderstood life of Poppy Fields.

If you liked Bridget Jones, you will find Poppy Fields irresistible in her disruptive and turbulent life. It would be no surprise if they were distant relatives!

The first romantic comedy short story in the hilarious three-part Coffee Series from new author Jessica Jaye.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jessica Jaye
• Release date: Feb 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386696056

Book preview

Chapter 1

Ping!

I'm too old for this!

Ping!

All I want is to live a simple, happy, normal life and be content with my lot - not too much to ask for is it?

I blame it on my parents. And zodiac signs. Why did I have to get the complicated one?

'Geminis tend to have a duality to their nature, and it can sometimes be tough to predict how they will react. They can turn from hot to cold and may be prone to noticeable mood swings.'

Me, moody? Yes you are! See!

Ping! Ping!

Two personalities; that’s me. And I'm never quite sure if the right one will turn up in the right situation.

I should have been an Aquarium, or do I mean Aquarius?

'Honest, loyal and highly intelligent. They are also prone to philosophical thoughts, and are often quite artistic and poetic.'

Yes, definitely more my style. Swanning around, happy in their own thoughts and grateful for the life they have. Except that's my lovely, predictable, hard-working partner of 7 years 5 months and 11 days - but who's counting?

I should be blissfully happy. I AM blissfully happy. No you're not. Oh sod off!

Ping! Ping! Ping! Oh for crying out loud!

I was blissfully happy. Wasn't I?

I had a new job with lots of potential to go as high as I wanted in the company. Social invites were coming out of my ears and I had the money to be able to accept them. A holiday was booked with the man of my dreams in the knowledge I wouldn't be receiving a nasty letter from the Bank Manager asking when the overdraft would be paid.

It was all finally coming together.

So why am I sat in my soon to be updated rusty, aging car, 225 yards from my house on a freezing November evening, swearing at my phone as if it were human and frantically trying to  delete messages from my phone quicker than they are pinging their way in?

Why? Induction Day, that's why. 3 days and 17 hours ago - or thereabouts.

⧫⧫⧫

First days are usually stressful but I had high hopes for this one.

As we walked into the brightly lit training room at head office, I took comfort in the fact I was going to be talked at all day rather than to, which meant little or no interaction on my part. Perfect. My kind of day.

Not that I didn't like a bit of interaction. Just not on my first day of joining a huge Events Management Company that had taken me 2 years and 239 days to get into.

As we all filed into the room, I quickly glanced round for a friendly face to sit next to in the arch of joined-up tables.

I settled for a seat between the rather roundish lady dressed for the antarctic and the young boy who had little intention of being distracted from his mobile. We all nodded sociably as we sat down, at least I think that's what Mobile-Boy did. Don't they start them young these days?

I opened my new shiny briefcase or to give it it's full title, Wombat Kado Full Grain Cow Hide Small Leather Messenger Flap Over Bag - Burgundy, - ahem, and took out my equally new exclusive fountain pen, Monte-something-or-other or so it said on Ebay. With my Oxford 90GSM Ruled with Margin A4 Executive Notebook, I was pretty confident I'd be making a good first impression. As everyone knows, you only get a second chance to make a last impression. No, wait, you never get a first chance to make a second impression........ whatever, I had it covered!

As the HR Director began his opening speech, I crossed my legs, put my exclusive fountain pen tip in my mouth and