Read Online Learning curves by Gemma Townley - Free Book Online

and Gavin’s were protesting against Milton. They kept building supermarkets and frankly, the world did not need more supermarkets in her opinion. Still, this was not the time for an argument.
Do not say anything,
she told herself firmly.
Just let it go.
    But before she could stop herself her mouth opened.
    “I bet the protesters won’t go away,” she found herself saying. The lift went silent and everyone turned to stare at her.
    The young man looked at her uncertainly. “Er, yes they will,” he said in a patronizing tone. “Sorry, do I know you?”
    Jen looked at the floor, telling herself to stay silent, then sighed and looked back up. It was no use—she always found it almost impossible to bite her tongue when she saw something wrong or heard something she disagreed with. It had gotten her into fights at school, ended two promising relationships at university, and earned her a reputation for being “difficult” at school. And now, if she wasn’t careful, it was going to get her kicked out of Bell.
    “No you don’t,” she said flatly. “But if you think that a bit of cold weather will put off the protesters, then I just think you’re misguided.” The young man looked at her incredulously.
    Okay, this isn’t good,
she thought, annoyed with herself, but at the same time rather pleased at the reaction she was getting.
What bit of “keep a low profile” has my brain not understood?
    The older guy smiled slightly at the younger man, as if to say “Don’t worry, it isn’t worth it,” which made Jen even more irritable, but since he hadn’t actually said anything, she kept her mouth shut and the four of them stood in total silence until the doors pinged open on the seventh floor, Jen’s cue to leave.
    She walked out, but just as the doors were closing, put her hands up to stop them.
    “Just so you know,” she said quickly, “it might actually be an idea to talk to the protesters. They are human beings, and if you were to treat them with a bit of respect and demonstrate that you’re not too arrogant, or too paranoid, to discuss your ideas, then you never know, you might actually work something out. If they want open space, Milton could offer to buy more land than it needs and to keep the remainder as a playground or park. Maybe they could try to understand that along with cut price milk and bread, communities like having places to run around in, too.”
    The four men were looking at her with open mouths, and she smiled sweetly. “But I’m sure you’ve already thought about all of that, haven’t you,” she added, her sarcasm only thinly veiled. “Delaying things and just hoping that the protesters will get bored of protesting sounds like a really good idea, too.”
    With that, Jen stepped back and watched the lift door close. She looked at her watch and groaned.
Bloody big mouth,
she chastised herself. But she couldn’t help smiling at the look on the young guy’s face, his mouth hanging open as the doors had shut.
    “Who the hell was that?”
    George looked up in surprise at the two men as they stepped out of the lift. “Problem, Jack?” he asked curiously.
    “Some madwoman, talking about protesters like we should invite them in for tea or something,” Jack said, his eyes flashing in irritation.
    George laughed. “Sounds like my wife. Ex-wife, rather. Now, have you got the notes from your meeting with Axiom?”
    Jack nodded and the older consultant moved forward to greet George.
    “Bit more complicated than we’d thought,” he said quietly. “I’ll fill you in later, shall I?”

5
    “Welcome back, folks. Now, we’re into week two of the course, and that means that for the next six to eight weeks we’ll be taking a look at the internal workings of organizations. Today, we are very lucky to have a guest lecturer who really knows his stuff. . . .”
    As Jay, the program director, introduced Daniel Peterson, their internal analysis lecturer, Jen nipped through the double doors and