It didn’t take her long to settle at GNS. The work was largely procedural. Her boss, Ellen, was serious and fair and her colleagues were welcoming and friendly. Although Faye didn’t complain—accountancy was her chosen field, after all—her day-to-day work involving things like accounts payable and receivable, inventory, payroll, fixed assets and the like was pretty dry. The products sold by GNS Medical Supplies, on the other hand, fascinated her. She pored over the company’s catalogues and, whenever she had the chance, quizzed her colleagues in the tech, marketing and sales departments about the surgical instruments, the latest developments in medical rehabilitation apparatus and what was new in hospital furniture. It was after a discussion she’d had with someone in the canteen about a new range of paramedic equipment that George Hallman, head of sales, fell into step with her as she walked down the passage.

“Faye, is it?”

“Yes.”

“George, from sales,” he said, shaking her hand.

She smiled, hoping he wasn’t going to ask her out. She’d already turned down Frank from warehousing and had hoped her response, “Thank you, but I have a boyfriend,” would get around so she wouldn’t have the displeasure of rejecting others. Not that she imagined they were lining up to ask her out, but there were many more men at the company than women. To her relief, George wasn’t interested in her. Not in that way, at least.

“I overheard you talking to Cynthia about our new range. She mentioned previously how clued up you are,” he said.

“Clued up?”

“Would you be interested in a job in sales?”

“Sales? No, I don’t—”

“The thing is, our best salespeople are those who are genuinely interested in what they’re selling. If they’re excited by the product, clients get excited, too.”

“But I don’t—”

“We’d start you as an assistant. Teach you everything you need to know before you go out into the field. Think about it. I need to build my team and I think you might have what it takes. If you’re interested, I’ll have a word with Ellen. It’ll all be aboveboard. If it doesn’t work out for you, I’m pretty sure she’ll take you back in accounts. She speaks highly of you.”

Faye blushed. “Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

George nodded and began walking away. Then he stopped and turned back. “By the way, the package is more than you’ll make in accounts. And once you’re in the field, there’ll be commission, too. It’s pretty good. Ask Cynthia.”

Faye didn’t ask Cynthia. In fact, she didn’t mention her conversation with George to anyone. It was Ellen who brought it up a week later when they were alone in the office.

“George is wondering why you haven’t gotten back to him about his offer,” she said.