take the fall.’
‘Brilliant,’ said Mollie. ‘Just brilliant.’ Here she was hoping to use this contract as a launch pad for getting other big name clients, and the man in charge was determined to ensure it was an utter PR disaster. What was that she’d been saying about vodka?
The change that came over her face must have been evident, because James’ jocular tone disappeared, and his voice showed real concern. ‘Mollie? Are you ok?’
There it was again. The way he said her name evoked so many memories, memories that were better left dead and buried.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, taking a step away from him. Her day was getting complicated enough; she didn’t need all her issues with her ex coming back into the mix. ‘Just a bad day at the office.’
‘A bad day at my office,’ said James. ‘I’m sorry that I can’t be more helpful.’
‘It’s ok,’ said Mollie. ‘I’ll work something out.’ She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. James looked at her like he was going to say something, but obviously thought the better of it.
‘Well it was nice catching up with you, but I need to get back to work,’ said James.
‘Sure,’ said Mollie, annoyed that he was the one who had broken their conversation off first. She wanted him to know just how over him she was, and she wanted him to know that now.
‘I’d better be getting back too,’ she admitted. ‘I have lots of important stuff to do.’ Lots of important stuff to do? She cringed inwardly. She sounded like a child playing dress up at being a competent business woman. Come to think of it, that’s how she pretty much thought of herself all the time.
‘I’m sure you do,’ said James giving her an easy smile. She got the impression that he was laughing at her. She swivelled on her heel and stalked down the corridor, trying to project as much attitude as she could. I’m working it, she said to herself, feeling James’ eyes on her as she walked. She got a couple of admiring glances as she stalked down the hall. That would have been great if she hadn’t caught her heel in the edge of the carpet. She stumbled, struggling to right herself in her ridiculously high heels, and barrelled straight into a man coming the other way with a cardboard tray of Starbucks Coffee. The coffee slopped all over his front, causing him to howl in anguish and pain. Every Empressario employee on the open plan fourth floor swivelled and peered over the office dividers to find out what was happening.
‘Are you crazy?!’ screeched the man, at her. ‘I’m scalded!’ He dumped the empty containers into her open arms, and strode off into the bathroom, leaving her open mouthed, crimson faced, and with coffee dripping onto her beautiful cream Karen Millen shoes. Not that it made much difference; she was never going to wear them again after their treachery. She turned around in slow motion, hoping that James might have gone back to his desk, but the gods were not smiling on her today. He was standing there with his arms crossed across his chest, a smirk playing around those lips that she’d used to love to kiss.
‘That,’ he said, ‘is certainly one way to make an impression.’
Later that day she was in the lobby with her team, getting preliminary shots of the Empressario logo behind the reception desk. It was part of setting the scene for the piece, and it was amazing how time consuming these kinds of shots were. She tried to keep her shoes out of view, but there was no point really. Some hotshot had managed to get the aftermath on his camera phone, and it had gone around the building like wildfire. Huh. It was one of the most prestigious companies in the land, yet their staff still acted like a bunch of overgrown school kids.
Calvin walked into the lobby, flanked by Victoria, his personal assistant who had the patience of a saint in Mollie’s opinion. Victoria looked at the mess she was in, but managed not to smirk. Victoria didn’t have much