"This is Briohny, our new tax expert."
The CEO was introducing a new employee to our team. Before now, I was the only female member - we're a small London-based software house specializing in accounting software. There's me and five guys on the main product; another girl Sarah left after a month.
Which was a shame as I fancied the tits off Sarah. I've never been so excited just staring at a girl before. Sarah took my imagination places I'd barely read about. Company-wise, there's some nice girls in HR, but everyone knows you keep things strict and professional around HR. So I check Briohny out, and she's pretty. Black, with beautiful braided hair. A long grey dress and dark tights. Flat shoes and small studs in her ears.
"Hi, I'm Jodie. I work on the website front-end."
"Ok, hi I'm Briohny." Her voice is quiet, and slightly nervous-sounding. But I want to make her feel at home here.
"So we've been needing a tax specialist for a while, to deal with all the new government's changes. You know all about that right?"
"Yeah I've just got my Chartered Accountancy, we needed to do an extra module to cover them."
One of the guys, Peter, decides to join in: "the election result cost us millions. The amount of bugs the new tax year changes have caused."
We all laugh, and then I help Briohny with the initial settling-in of getting an account and setting things up. As the day comes to an end, I welcome her further.
"We sometimes go for drinks after work. Want to come to The Apple Tree?"
"OK, thanks. Sounds good."
I notice a silver ring on her left hand. "You can bring your husband along."
"Actually I have a boyfriend, not a husband."
"Oh sorry I assumed, with your ring."
"I get asked that a lot. It's a purity ring. My dad's a Baptist Minister. So if my boyfriend finally asks, and I say yes, then I get a wedding ring!"
"Oh well bring him along then. What's his name?"
"Dominic. I'll message him."
I get to The Apple Tree with Briohny, and Dominic is already there. They hug, and sit down. "I'll get you guys something, new people always get a treat." I want to be as friendly as possible. They both want berry ciders, so I go to the bar and bring three back. The other guys have gone to play pool, so don't bother us. Briohny and Dominic are discussing her first day.
"I like it there. Everyone seems nice."
"Oh great, it looked a good place."
I add a note of caution: "Just be careful with a couple of the guys. They're sometimes a bit inappropriate."
"Ok really?" Briohny looks concerned.
"Yeah they're all guys except us and those kind of nerdy, software guys. They don't always know how to behave around women."
"You manage though right?"
"Yes I know how to put them in their place. They'd never try anything with me."
"Make sure you report anything straight away" Dominic tells her. "I want you to do well in this job but just be careful."
"It will be alright, I'll look after you." I gently nudge Briohny and she smiles at me. "It'll be fine. Anything starts with anyone I know how to shove them away."
Dominic doesn't look reassured, so I change the subject: "So yes, these tax changes need us to practically rewrite half the code. A pain, but keeps us employed."
We chat for a bit longer, I say goodbye to them, and we all go home. Briohny is cute. She has that innocence I really love. Dominic seems a nice man, they'd have a respectable marriage, but he's not going to give her what I can.
The next day, I get in early, and Briohny arrives slightly later. I start discussing the tax changes with her, and then ask her if she wants to grab a coffee with me. She says yes, and we go to the kitchen to make it. While it's brewing, Briohny talks softly, almost whispering.
"Dominic was really upset about what you said last night."
"About the guys being inappropriate?"
"Yeah, he said to consider looking elsewhere."
"No, honestly it's fine. You tell them off they leave you alone."
"I don't usually like to do that."
"I can do it for you. It's nothing."
"Is it bad here?"
"No, they're good guys. Honestly I was probably a bit drunk and said some rubbish I didn't mean. Nothing bad ever happens here."
"Ok good because I was worried."
"Don't let Dominic be worried."
"He's not particularly."
"But it happened with the last girl here, Sarah. The boyfriend was jealous at the thought of her working with guys. Caused such a fuss he made her leave."
"I don't want to leave. I just want to be left alone."
"You will be. Her boyfriend is the reason we've got all these problems with the tax changes. He's why we lost our last expert accountant."
"Ok, just make sure nothing happens."
"I will, promise." I look at her as protectively as I can. The coffee finishes brewing, we pour it and get back to work. I try and keep Briohny busy with work all day, and I introduce her to Peter, so that they pair together and sit next to each other. At lunch, which the whole team have together, the conversation focuses on work, but at the afternoon coffee break I switch to something more personal.
"So how long have you and Dominic been going out?"
"Just over six months."
"And no sign of him getting you a new ring?"
"No, I think he wants to wait a bit more, make sure it's definitely right."
"A long time to wait though, if you're, you know, really waiting."
"Yeah it's hard sometimes. But it will be worth it when he does."
"You absolutely sure that's a 'when'?"
"Yeah, I think so. It was my birthday last week, he took me on a surprise trip to Paris. Was amazing, going up the Eiffel Tower together, visiting Notre Dame."
"Wow, Paris and no proposal. I'd be a grump after."
"He's sweet. He knows how much it means to me, being a wife, he wants to make sure it's absolutely right."
"I admire it. I couldn't do it but I hope it works out with you two."
"Are you with anyone?"
"Not right now. Got dumped a bit ago."
"Oh I'm sorry."
"It's fine. He wasn't right for me anyway."
"Why not?"
"Kinda what we talked about earlier. I think it's working here, there not being many women. Guys just seem to lose it with jealousy."
"Dominic isn't like that. He only wants me to be OK."
"I guess also, I've always put my career first. When I'm CEO, then it's time to settle down."
We laugh and head back to our desks. I suggest to the team that we go to the bar early, to get there before it fills up and we have to wait hours for drinks. Everyone agrees and we head there. We find a large table and sit down. Briohny texts Dominic to come, and as soon as I think I see him just outside I quickly excuse myself and head to the ladies.
When I get back, Dominic is sitting next to Briohny. I first grab a drink, then sit back down. Everyone is discussing their holiday plans.
"So Briohny was telling me about your trip to Paris, it sounded wonderful."
"Yeah it was," Dominic answers.
"Any more surprise plans?"
"Don't ask me that, I keep my surprises secret."
"So well done today Briohny, you're making a splash already."
"Thanks," says Briohny, answering before Dominic can answer for her. The guys have split into their own conversation, so it's just us three again.
"Yeah she's been working a lot with Peter, who's just there," I say, pointing at him. "They're sorting out our tax bracket code."
"Ok," Dominic answers. I notice that his voice is slightly softer than yesterday, and he holds Briohny's hand very tightly.
"It's been overdue for a few weeks now, but there's still lots to do. Hopefully you two can get it finished before month end. Our last tax expert Sarah left a few weeks ago, losing her has really set us back."
"Where did she go off to?" Dominic asks.