Only a man like Oliver would think it non-sociopathic to spring this on us last minute. Pippa’s putting on a front and Gus is trying to bottle his worry, but it’s clear they’re both more than ready to blow. They may not know exactly who she is, but they know that she’s important and needs to be impressed, and that’s enough to rattle them both to their core. I’d revel in the irony and the fact they now know how I felt having this meeting sprung on me, but, unfortunately, I’m right there with them. Evie Eesuola, trendsetter and absolute fashion icon, is about to walk through those glass doors and I am in a crumpled skater skirt with my hair in a bedraggled bun.
There’s a light tap on the door and Maxwell shoots out of his chair.
‘Evie, welcome!’ he says, as the rest of us look on in awe.
I know Evie Eesuola is gorgeous– I’ve followed her online for years– but in person she is ethereal. She exudes glamour and elegance with each miniscule movement, every eyelash in place and every wisp of an edge laid. Her glittered French tips catch the light as she extends her hand to shake Maxwell’s, creating a small kaleidoscope of colours on the white office wall.
‘So nice to meet in person! This must be the team you told me so much about.’ The words tinkle as she speaks and scans our faces intently.
She pauses when she gets to me, a fleeting but genuine smile flicking across her face as I twitch nervously and adjust the stupid collar digging into my neck. I know she must be disgusted by the outfit. I try to make it clear I hate it too with a subtle, self-deprecating grimace, but there’s only so much you can do while being completely starstruck.
‘These three are our events and project management team, who will take your Summer Splash to new heights. This is our head of department, Pippa, her assistant, Maddison, and our junior project manager, Gus.’
‘Nice to meet you, Pippa, Gus, Maddison!’ She nods at us in turn. ‘I’m Evie.’
‘We know!’ Pippa lies through her lying teeth.
‘I never like to assume.’ She smiles softly. ‘Thanks for taking some time to meet me today. I know some companies can be quite weird about last minute pop-ins, but we just wanted to put some faces to names before the whole formal meeting next week.’
‘It’s never a bother here at Abbingtorn,’ Oliver says, strolling over to shake her hand. ‘I’m Oliver by the way– Managing Director. It’s lovely to meet you both ahead of next week.’
Oliver’s eyes flick past Evie to acknowledge the stone-faced, casually dressed man standing next to her. I hadn’t even noticed him in my Evie-induced trance and now, as I digest the sight of him properly, I feel my blood run ice-cold. He stands there, tall in a crisp white T-shirt, a pair of soft black trousers and a silver chain. It’s simple, effortless, and yet anything but plain, accentuating his defined chest and muscular arms without trying. His face has changed ever so slightly, more chiselled and dignified with age, but the way he makes my stomach turn on itself remains the same all these years later.
‘Nice to meet you, Oliver! I’m Evie, as you know, and this is my talent manager—’
‘Aiden Edwards,’ I murmur under my breath, the name tasting like pure venom on my tongue.
But I’m not quiet enough. The words ring out across the room and bounce off the walls as clear as day. His deep-brown eyes reach my face and flick up and down as he takes me in slowly. He doesn’t move– he doesn’t have to– the raised hairs on my arms and my racing heart are enough. I feel like I’ve seen a ghost, which is fair because as far as I was concerned, he was well and truly dead to me.
Nudge 3
The Wine Night
The FGA
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Stands for: The Feral Girls’ Alliance.
An inseparable group of friends consisting of Raina, Devi, Kimi and Maddison, founded after a teacher at school called them feral.
‘You only got red?’ Kimi asks, face scrunched in disgust.
‘I asked if you had any preferences!’ Devi cradles one of the bottles defensively, stroking its neck as if it needs soothing from Kimi’s insults.
‘I didn’t think that you would gothiswrong,’ Kimi scoffs, shaking her head slowly in dismay.
‘I like a red,’ Raina weighs in as she hands out the glasses.
Kimi grunts. ‘Nobodylikesa red. They just pretend to because it sounds more mature. Red wine tastes like Ribena that’s been left out in the sun. And not in a good way.’
‘There’s a good way?’ I ask as she pouts harder.
‘So, no wine for you then?’ Devi asks, pouring them out and dodging Kimi’s glass.
Raina and I smirk as Kimi continues to purse her lips.
‘No, I’ll still drink it. I just want you to know that I amappalled,’ Kimi says.
