‘Perfect.’ The smile she gives me is like a warm bear hug. ‘And, Maxwell, you trust in your team, right?’
He’s flustered under her gaze, his face matching the salmon of his shirt as he mumbles a response. ‘Well, I suppose. . . provided you are happy with the deck she produces, and it doesn’t interfere with her other tasks, Maddison can lead with Pippa’s supervision.’
‘Then I don’t see a problem!’ Evie claps her hands together and keeps grinning as they all nod in tandem, dazzled by the power in her stare.
‘I reckon I can part with Aiden two days a week so he can work with Maddison on the logistics.’
And that’s when the second part of her sentence truly hits me.
‘I want thosetwoleading onthis.’
Two of us.
Me and Aiden.
‘Wait, when you said “both”. . . you want me doing events?’ he asks, sounding about as horrified as I feel.
I’m not being dramatic when I say that I’d rather chew gravel than work side by side with him.
‘I need more of that fire.’ She sweeps a perfectly manicured finger between the two of us.
I feel my blood run cold. I have been waiting for four years for any modicum of recognition– a new title or a pay rise that wasn’t a fraction of the inflation rate. And now, I have been handed the ultimate chance to show just what I’m capable of and prove that I’m worthy of more. It’s the exact rocket up the ladder that I need to make up for stagnant time, and Aiden has shown up to rip it all away.
He tries to argue. ‘I’m sure Abbingtorn won’t need my input for the deck.’
‘Yes, we’re good to handle it on our end!’ I nod in agreement.
I will not have him walk his way into something I’ve spent years preparing for and outshine me. Not this time. Not ever again.
‘I think this will be good for you, Aiden. I like what just happened and the ideas came from you both equally.’ Her tone is final. ‘I want that deck by Friday. Got it?’
And just like that, Aiden Edwards has cemented himself back in my life for another round.
Nudge 5
The Mood Board
‘Aiden’s here,’ Pippa says as she hangs up her phone. ‘Will you collect him from Reception yourself, or shall I?’
‘No worries, I’ll go,’ I reply, ignoring her tone as I push back my chair.
I can see Gus staring intently at his screen, jaw clenched in an intense effort to stay neutral. Pippa’s been so passive aggressive since the tour of Evie’s grounds and I can tell it’s grating on him just as much as it is me. First there were the backhanded compliments, then the exclusion from daily coffee runs and, finally, the thinly veiled snipes about who is in charge. Plus, she looks like she’s sucking on a lemon every time someone so much as mentions the Summer Splash. It’s deeply uncomfortable for absolutely everyone involved, especially me– which is clearly the point.
But, unluckily for her, a good planner always has Plan B at the ready and I skipped a few letters to initiate Plan H the second Pippa started acting funny. Meeting Room H to be exact.
‘Just so you know, I’ve booked out one of the third-floor meeting rooms for the rest of the day,’ I say politely.
‘You’re not planning down here?’ she asks, gripping her coffee a little too tightly.
A voice interrupts before I have the chance to reply.
‘Where shall I sit?’
Pippa’s spine straightens at the intrusion, her fingers flying to her hair to oh-so-not-subtly let out her ponytail.
‘I was just on my way to come and get you,’ I say pointedly.
He opens his mouth to respond when Pippa interjects.
