Chapter Text
Carla sat in her office, staring at Sarah, unimpressed by the words that had just left her mouth. All you could hear was the tapping of Carla’s pen on her desk, loud enough to convey the sheer annoyance that she’d even been any part of this conversation and Sarah stood in front of her boss' desk, clutching onto her clipboard wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole. Carla eventually dropped her pen, pinching the bridge of her nose whilst she let out an exasperated sigh. Have I genuinely put myself so far back on the shelf that this is what it’s come to. “Sarah, I’m not going on some sort of...” She scoffs as if unable to even form the words “...blind date.”
“Carla, you’re seeing it as a negative I get that but why not? Genuinely why not? She’s great, got her head screwed on and well... she’s your type to a T.” Sarah said still clutching the clipboard, her voice did not feel as confident as it did when she first knocked on the office door and entered with her Great Plan.
“Pft, my type, I don’t even have a type.” Carla huffed, now sat back in her chair arms securely crossed over her chest.
That statement alone shifted Sarah’s stance entirely, she broke out into a chuckle, nodding her head and furrowing her brow “I mean you do Carla and she’s it. Come on, one dinner, two hours max and if you don’t like her then it’s two hours lost. Come on Connor, I know you’re curious... a small part is.”
Truthfully Carla was probably a little curious, she hadn’t dated in a long time, had sworn off women after the last one had cheated on her after a long line of cheaters and liars before that... not to mention the unemployed ones too who just wanted to live the life of luxury via Carla’s factory profits. Yes, she was curious, of course she was but still she was probably terrified too even if she didn’t want to admit that to herself, or Sarah for that matter.
“Fine, I’ll go” she finally succumbed with a groan, a protestant one at that as she stood and walked over towards her filing cabinet, leaning on the side of it pointing at Sarah “But I’m telling you, if she’s not a bloody saint, your on coffee runs for a month.”
Sarah stood, smile finally cracking across her face, arms in the air still yielding the clipboard “That sounds a lot like a yes Mrs. Connor.”
“Hmm, you can put the details in my calendar but right now can you get back onto the floor and do what I pay you for... manage that lot because I swear I’ve just saw Sean flaunting a bra from the spring collection across his chest.”
And with that the door to her office closed behind Sarah, leaving her still leaning on the filing cabinet. What the fuck was she going to wear, she knew nothing about this woman. Usually when Carla had a client or someone to butter up she’d know them, what makes them tick, what would give her the upper hand but this, this she had nothing. She was going in completely unarmed.
Across the cobbles at Weatherfield Police Station Lisa sat hunched over her desk staring police reports, case files hoping somehow the answers where just going to magically appear, at this point she needed a miracle to happen, she’d been working on this one particular case for weeks and they were no further forward with a substantial lead. Nothing. Nothing to grasp onto with both hands and push for a conviction, never mind the fact that the CPS were on her back. She sat up, stretching her back, knots popping as she did so, she glanced at her phone.
Betsy:
Mum won’t be home tonight staying at Laurens x
Lisa:
Remember your charger, see you in the morning sweetheart. Love you x
Betsy:
I will. Love you too x
With that Lisa placed her phone back on the desk. Suppose she could work late on this case, now that she didn’t have to be home to cook dinner or more painfully so, be subjected to Betsy’s Friday night reality TV. Just as she was about to hunch back over her desk and bore her eyes back into the paperwork scattered across her desk Kit walk in striding over and sitting at his own desk adjacent to Lisa’s, swinging his legs onto the desk and crossing them with a grin. Oh what the fuck did he want.
“I have a... proposition.” Kit ventured.
“I feel like I’m not going to like the sound of this already Green” Lisa said deadpan, eyes remained locked on her paperwork.
“You know Sarah’s boss, right”
“Hmm, the factory owner. Heard rumblings... why?”
“Well apparently she, eh, she bats for your team.” Kit knows he should’ve chosen his words better but they were out before he could stop them.
“Bats for my team” Lisa glared at him lips tight “and what is it you want me to do with that information.”
“Well, she’s single. Sarah thinks it’d be good for her, you know get back out there. To you know, go on a date.”
Lisa laughed at that immediately recognising what was being insinuated “And what if she’s not my type, Green.”
“It’s Carla Connor, she’s everyone’s type.” The matter of fact way he said it did peak Lisa’s interest, even if she didn’t let Kit see it.
“And what do I get out of this?” She said now sat crossed legged in her chair, head held up by one index finger resting on her temple.
“Oh I dunno, a nice dinner, a pretty view and a social life Swain, even if it’s just for a few hours.”
He was probably right, not that Lisa would ever let him know that but he did have a point. A very good infuriating point. Lisa hadn’t been on a date in years, probably not since Betsy was knee high, the job and Betsy were her focus. Always had been, she had convinced herself that was all she needed for years, she’d had Betsy alone, climbed the ladder to Detective Sargent alone, bought her home alone, she probably along the way decided she was better off alone, subconsciously.
“If it’ll shut you up, I’ll go.”
“You’ll thank me for this Swain, I’m telling ya.”
Christ, Lisa thought to herself, Betsy is going to be insufferable with this information.