The Work Wives Read online

  ‘Johns is one of Australia’s most popular authors, and for good reason—she tells great stories. She always takes complex themes and then delivers them in a page-turning combination of heart, wit and wisdom … How to Mend a Broken Heart is yet another cracking read from Rachael Johns … in fact, it’s her best yet.’ —Better Reading

  ‘Imbued with an adventurous spirit, and ultimately hope, this book transports you mentally to a vibrant and unique city a world away, yet strangely familiar. I highly recommend this book. I finished it feeling warm and cosy, if I’d just shared a wonderful adventure with two good friends.’ —She Society on How to Mend a Broken Heart

  ‘This was such a fun and rewarding read! … If you are looking for a well-crafted romance novel by an accomplished Australian author, then Rachael Johns is your gal, and I heartily recommend this novel’ —Victoria Brookman, author of Burnt Out, on How to Mend a Broken Heart

  ‘A brilliant read from one of Australia’s most popular authors, this will have you hooked from the very beginning.’ —Who on Flying the Nest

  ‘With her typical humour, empathy and wisdom, Rachael Johns has once again created characters you can’t help but fall in love with and wish the best for. Flying the Nest might just be her best novel yet!’ —Tess Woods, author of Love at First Flight, on Flying the Nest

  ‘Writing with warmth and insight, Rachael Johns is brilliant at capturing the joy and sadness in all of our lives. I hope she has many more tales to tell!’ —Anthea Hodgson, author of The Drifter, on Flying the Nest

  ‘A really good book makes you feel like you’ve found a new friend—one that resonates with you, and one who you can learn from. That’s exactly how I felt in Rachael Johns’ new novel, Flying the Nest … A disarmingly all-too-real portrayal of what happens when the traditional roles of wife and mother are turned on their head. This is a book that women will want to bond over, share laughs and tears over—a must read for every woman who has had their life take an unexpected turn.’ —Mamamia on Flying the Nest

  ‘Rachael Johns really gets women and is able to express the multilayered internal conflicts that so many of us experience, lay it all out on the page, and still make it deeply personal … She’s masterful at telling the stories of everyday heartbreaks … Flying the Nest is wonderful—Rachael Johns never disappoints.’ —Better Reading on Flying the Nest

  ‘If you like your chick-lit with a dash of intelligent social commentary, Just One Wish is the perfect summer read. Rachael Johns’s latest novel is sparklingly funny, quirky and totally of this moment.’ —Herald Sun on Just One Wish

  ‘Johns knows how to weave the experiences of different generations of women together, with nuance and sensitivity, understanding how competing contexts shape women’s choices … Exploring themes like motherhood, the roles of women, and lost love, Just One Wish will make you look at the women in your own life and wonder what stories they haven’t told.’ —Mamamia on Just One Wish

  ‘Johns draws readers in with her richly complex characters.’ —The Daily Telegraph on Just One Wish

  ‘Rachael Johns writes with warmth and heart, her easy, fluent style revealing an emotional intelligence and firm embrace of the things in life that matter, like female friendship.’ —The Age on Lost Without You

  ‘Heart-warming and compassionate … Any book lover interested in life’s emotional complexities and in the events that define and alter us, will be engrossed in Lost Without You.’ —Better Reading on Lost Without You

  ‘Full of heartache and joy with a twist that keeps the pages turning … The Greatest Gift will appeal to fans of Jojo Moyes and Monica McInerney.’ —Australian Books + Publishing on The Greatest Gift

  ‘Rachael Johns has done it again, writing a book that you want to devour in one sitting, and then turn back to the first page to savour it all over again. I loved the characters of Harper and Jasper; their stories made me laugh and cry, and ache and cheer and ultimately reflect on all the many facets of that extraordinary journey called motherhood.’ —Natasha Lester, author of The Paris Secret, on The Greatest Gift

  ‘The bond between Flick, Neve, and Emma blossomed as their sons grew up, but even best friends keep secrets from one another … Fans of emotional, issue driven women’s fiction will welcome Johns’ US women’s fiction debut.’ —Booklist on The Art of Keeping Secrets

  ‘… a compelling and poignant story of dark secrets and turbulent relationships … I fell completely in love with the well-drawn characters of Flick, Emma and Neve. They were funny and flawed and filled with the kind of raw vulnerability that makes your heart ache for them.’ —Nicola Moriarty, bestselling author of The Fifth Letter, on The Art of Keeping Secrets

  ‘Written with compassion and real insight, The Art of Keeping Secrets peeks inside the lives of three ordinary women and the surprising secrets they live with. Utterly absorbing and wonderfully written, Johns explores what secrets can do to a relationship, and pulls apart the notion that some secrets are best kept. It is that gripping novel that, once started, will not allow you to do anything else until the final secret has been revealed.’ —Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Secrets of Midwives, on The Art of Keeping Secrets

  ‘A fascinating and deeply moving tale of friendship, family and of course—secrets. These characters will latch onto your heart and refuse to let it go.’ —USA Today bestselling author Kelly Rimmer on The Art of Keeping Secrets

  RACHAEL JOHNS is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a Diet Coke addict, a cat lover and chronic arachnophobe. She is also the bestselling, ABIA-winning author of The Patterson Girls and a number of other romance and women’s fiction books including The Art of Keeping Secrets, The Greatest Gift, Lost Without You, Just One Wish, Something to Talk About, Flying the Nest and How to Mend a Broken Heart. Rachael rarely sleeps, never irons and loves nothing more than sitting in bed with her laptop and imagining her own stories. She is currently Australia’s leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around women’s issues, a genre she has coined ‘life-lit’.

  Rachael lives in the Swan Valley with her hyperactive husband, three mostly gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a very badly behaved dog.

  Rachael loves to hear from readers and can be contacted via her website rachaeljohns.com. She is also on Facebook and Instagram.

  Also by Rachael Johns:

  The Patterson Girls

  The Art of Keeping Secrets

  The Greatest Gift

  Lost Without You

  Just One Wish

  Flying the Nest

  How to Mend a Broken Heart

  The Rose Hill novels

  Talk of the Town

  Something to Talk About

  The Bunyip Bay novels

  Outback Dreams

  Outback Blaze

  Outback Ghost

  Outback Sisters

  Outback Secrets

  The Hope Junction novels

  Jilted

  The Road to Hope

  Man Drought

  The Kissing Season (e-novella)

  The Next Season (e-novella)

  Secret Confessions Down and Dusty: Casey (e-novella)

  www.harpercollins.com.au/hq

  This book is dedicated to working women everywhere. Women who are striving to keep kids, partners, houses and pets from falling apart, all the while trying to maintain a thread of sanity. Women who are climbing the career ladder and shattering the glass ceiling, so the next generation of awesome women don’t have to fight so hard for gender parity. And also the women who support those women—to the mums, the grandmas, the mothers-in-law, the daughters, the sisters, the best friends, and of course … the work wives. You all rock!!

  Contents

  Also by Rachael Johns

  Prologue

  Debra

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Quinn

  Debra

  Ramona

  Debra

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Book Club Discussion Questions

  Prologue

  When Shaun Reid, CEO of The Energy Co, sum
moned all employees to the boardroom just before close of business on Friday afternoon, neither Debra Fast nor Quinn Paladino had any idea that their worst nightmare and their greatest wish (respectively) were about to come true.

  Like everyone else in the building they’d been counting down the hours until the weekend officially began and the last thing anyone wanted was to listen to Shaun wax lyrical about the qualities of the new guy.

  Deb had a hot date to look forward to and Quinn had her parents visiting from South Australia. How the tables had turned—Quinn spending Friday night with her family and Deb out on the town!

  She was grinning to herself when Quinn popped her head over the top of her cubicle at 4.45 pm.

  ‘It’s time,’ her friend announced, tapping her smart watch.

  Deb groaned as she closed the spreadsheet she’d been working on. ‘Why couldn’t this have waited until Monday?’

  Quinn shrugged. ‘That’s one of the many mysteries of the world. Along with why Shaun has employed yet another man to fill the director of sales position. So much for gender quotas.’

  ‘So, you think the rumour’s true?’ Deb asked—both she and Quinn clearly disheartened by the thought.

  ‘Of that I have no doubt.’ Quinn threw a hand in the air as if she were throwing in the towel. ‘But you know Shaun’s a man’s man. Powerful women terrify him. Come on, the sooner we get to the boardroom, the sooner it will be over.’

  ‘Just got to finish one thing and I’ll be there.’

  ‘I’ll go save you a seat,’ Quinn promised.

  People were already crammed into the room by the time Deb arrived a few minutes later. The massive oak table that usually took pride of place in the middle had been pushed to the front, extra chairs had been brought in and were now lined up in rows like a classroom, but there weren’t enough seats for everyone. She wouldn’t mind standing at the back near the door to make escaping hastily once the meeting finished easier, but as promised Quinn was guarding a vacant chair beside her.

  ‘Over here!’ she yelled, waving her hands like they were at some kind of football match.

  Deb apologised as she squeezed past Mikael from legal and Samira from customer service and made her way to Quinn.

  ‘Where’s Shaun?’ called someone from the back. It sounded like No Mates Nate. ‘Does he think we have all night?’

  Murmurs of agreed disgruntlement echoed around the room as Quinn’s phone pinged with an incoming text. She glanced at the screen then to Deb. ‘Mam and Dad have landed. Hope this doesn’t take long cos I wanted to be home to meet them.’

  Before Deb could reply, the door at the front—the one that came direct from Shaun’s office—opened and a hush fell over the room as everyone’s heads swivelled towards it.

  ‘Oh my God,’ whispered Quinn, her jaw dropping as she gazed at the tall, broad-shouldered man who entered with Shaun.

  Her whole face lit up and Deb immediately understood why. The new director of sales was without a doubt one of the best-looking men she’d ever laid eyes on; the problem was this wasn’t the first time she’d seen him.

  As the few other single employees—women and a couple of men—perked up around her, a chill snaked through Deb’s body. Her heart thumping, she lowered her head and slid as low as possible in her chair.

  ‘Good afternoon,’ began Shaun, his smile so cheesy his artificially white teeth were in danger of blinding them all. ‘I’d like to thank you all for coming to welcome our newest member of The Energy Co family, Oscar Darke.’

  People started to applaud but every single cell in Deb’s body froze. Despite the addition of beard and glasses, there was no longer any room for doubt.

  ‘Oscar comes to us with an impressive resume of experience and lots of innovative ideas. I’ve asked him to say a few words, tell us a bit about himself and his vision for the future of the sales department.’

  ‘Thank you, thank you.’ Oscar clapped Shaun on the shoulder as he took his place, needing to stoop a little to talk into the mic that had been set up to add to the fanfare. ‘I have to say I’m a little overwhelmed by such a warm welcome. I know you’re probably all itching to hit the pub for happy hour so I’ll try to make this snappy.’

  With each smarmy sentence Oscar uttered, bile rose in her throat.

  She silently willed him to stop talking so she and Quinn could escape without making a scene. Maybe Quinn would have some idea what Deb should do.

  ‘I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all over the coming weeks,’ he concluded. ‘Have a great weekend.’

  ‘Holy smokes,’ Quinn hissed, leaning towards Deb and echoing her thoughts as everyone else stood. ‘It’s him!’

  ‘What?’ The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. How could Quinn possibly know? And then she realised … her friend’s expression was one of glee, not horror.

  ‘He’s The One! I’m going to go introduce myself. Coming?’

  Hell no!

  Somehow, she swallowed those words.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Quinn asked, frowning slightly.

  ‘Actually …’ Deb put a hand on her stomach. ‘I’m feeling a little queasy. I’ve got to get out of here.’

  ‘Are you going to be sick? Do you want me to come with you?’

  Deb shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine. I just need some fresh air.’

  Without another word, she hightailed it to the elevators, almost tripping in her rush to get away. Thank God it’s the weekend. She would need every second of the next forty-eight hours to work out how she was going to handle this, because one thing was certain.

  She could not work in the same office as that man.

  Debra

  Three months earlier

  Deb didn’t know who was more nervous as she turned into the car park at Smythes Ladies College—her daughter or herself. Even though changing schools had been Ramona’s choice this time, it was always nerve-racking starting at a new place, trying to make new friends, getting to know new teachers.

  ‘What are you doing?’ shrieked Ramona.

  Clearly, Deb wasn’t the only one on edge. ‘What does it look like I’m doing?’

  ‘No. No. No!’ Ramona pointed ahead to where a row of SUVs that looked like they were fresh from the car dealership were cruising through the Kiss and Drive. ‘Drop me off there.’

  ‘But I thought I’d come in with you. Help you find the right classroom.’

  ‘Mum.’ Ramona groaned and rolled her eyes as if Deb had just suggested she wear a clown costume to school. ‘I’m not in kindergarten. I don’t need you to hold my hand anymore.’

  ‘I know but …’ Trying not to show her hurt, Deb looked anxiously towards the school’s vast entrance. Surrounded by immaculate gardens, the main building with its sandstone walls, steep-sloping roofs and arched windows, looked like something out of Harry Potter—a stark difference from the local Catholic high Ramona used to go to. What if she got lost?

  ‘Mum, please,’ Ramona implored. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘Okay. If you’re sure.’

  As Deb relented and slowed her ancient Toyota Corolla in the Kiss and Drive, Ramona pulled down the visor and checked herself one last time in the mirror. Officially, make-up was forbidden at school, but when Deb had called her out for wearing foundation, blush, mascara and tinted lipstick, Ramona had told her to take a chill pill—that everyone did it and it was hardly visible anyway. Deb hoped she was right because the last thing either of them wanted was Ramona getting in trouble on her first day. Until this summer, she’d never even bothered with make-up.

  ‘Let me stop the car before you get out,’ Deb said as Ramona reached for the door. ‘Having to call an ambulance on your first day would not for a good start make.’

  She was trying to be funny, but Ramona didn’t laugh. ‘Thanks for the ride,’ she said, grabbing her bag from the floor and opening the door in one fell swoop.

  ‘Forgotten something?’ Deb called.

  ‘What?!’

  Deb leaned towards the passenger side and tapped her cheek.

  Ramona shook her head. ‘Sorry. No time. Wouldn’t want to be late.’

  Deb jolted as the door slammed and the sound reverberated around the cabin. She watched as Ramona hitched her brand spanking new SLC school bag up her shoulder and joined the hordes of girls—all dressed identically in the uniform of blue-plaid summer pinafore, white short-sleeved shirts underneath and black shoes with white socks—swarming up the steps.