‘I believe you, even if a thousand others wouldn’t,’ she says, giving me a wink.
I smile, though I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. ‘Did you hear anything about the girls falling out yesterday?’
She looks at me nonplussed and shakes her head. ‘No, why, what happened?’
‘Miss Watts just told me that a few of them had a bit of a ding-dong. It seems Phoebe and Livvy were involved. I just wondered if Millie had said anything to you about it.’
‘No, but I can ask her if you like.’
‘Probably best not to make a big thing of it for the moment,’ I say. ‘I’ll wait and see if Livvy mentions it.’
‘Okay. You still on for tomorrow night?’
‘Definitely! Nathan’s back today and already knows he’s on babysitting duties.’
‘That’s what I like to hear,’ she says, laughing. ‘A man who knows his place.’
‘Where do you fancy going?’ I ask. ‘Uptown or do you want to stay local? There’s a new place that’s just opened in Soho. Nathan went there with a client and raved about it.’
‘I don’t mind, could give it a try. Though saying that, I don’t get paid for another three days, so if it’s expensive, I might have to save it until after payday.’
‘No worries, it’ll be my treat,’ I say, and see her eyes momentarily narrow. I bite my tongue and immediately wish I could suck the words back in. I’d hate for her to think I’m being patronizing, but I’d genuinely like to help. It takes a little longer for my brain to catch up with my mouth and realize that she might appreciate a handout for something more worthwhile than an overpriced meal in a fancy restaurant.
‘Don’t be silly,’ she says finally, and I let out a sigh of relief. ‘Why don’t we do a pizza night tomorrow and go uptown next week?’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ I say.
2
‘So, are we going for the burgundy and gold for the drawing room at Belmont House?’ I ask the team around me, as they contemplate the mood boards in front of them.
‘I’ve tried working up a royal blue, with white accents,’ says Lottie, our junior designer, as she absently chews on the end of a pencil. ‘But it doesn’t look nearly as decadent as the burgundy.’
‘Great,’ I say, gathering up the loose papers that I’d strewn over the table during the meeting. ‘So, let’s present them with that and see what they think. Is there anything else?’
‘I’ve just got a few accounting queries,’ pipes up Matt, ‘but they can wait until Nathan’s back from Japan.’
I look at my watch and my breath quickens. ‘He’s due to land in the next hour or so, all being well. If he makes good time, he might pop in. Are you sure it can wait until tomorrow if he doesn’t?’
‘Yeah, course,’ says Matt. ‘It’s nothing urgent.’
‘Okay, so if that’s all?’ I ask, looking around at the nodding heads.
‘Can I have a quick word?’ says Lottie, hanging back as the rest of the team file out.
‘Sure,’ I smile. ‘What’s up?’
‘I just wondered if I’d be able to come to the meeting at Belmont House with you tomorrow?’
I consider it for a moment.
‘It’s just that I’ve got loads of ideas, and I really feel I could bring something to the table.’ She looks at me, her mouth agape at the faux pas she thinks she’s made. ‘Not that there’s anything wrong with what’s already on the table,’ she rushes on. ‘It’s all on there, and then some, and then you’ve wrapped it up in a big gold bow and put the Alice Davies signature on it . . .’ She’s rambling, and I wait with raised eyebrows.
‘I can’t see why not,’ I say, when she stops to take a breath. ‘In fact, you can lead it, if you like.’
An involuntary squeal escapes from her mouth that I pretend not to hear, even though it makes me smile.
I can’t help but marvel at how far she’s come in the short time she’s worked here. She was as quiet as a mouse when she first joined AT Designs, barely able to look anyone in the eye. I remember asking at her interview where she saw herself in ten years’ time, and she’d meekly whispered, ‘Sitting in your chair.’ The juxtaposition of her manner and her words had almost made me spit my coffee out. She had got the job on that alone.