Page 53 of One Month's Notice

“But you know I hate dressing up!”

“It’s a special night. Not just for me, but for both of us.” Lexi’s face softened a little. “You designed this place! You should look and feel as amazing as your work.”

“OK, you win.” Nat knew admitting defeat was the only way. “Is there anything there that would suit me?”

After a few minutes of searching, Lexi stopped and held her phone out triumphantly towards Nat. Standing out on the screen was a dress unlike anything Nat would have picked for herself. Made from navy blue silk, it had an elegance about it that was both timeless and contemporary. The fitted bodice had a subtle sweetheart neckline, while the sleeves puffed gently at the shoulders before tapering to narrow cuffs. From the cinched waist, the skirt flowed in soft folds, cascading down to the floor.

“Wow! It’s beautiful.” Nat looked closely at the image, then drew a sharp breath when she saw the price. “It’s also way out of my price range.”

“But it’s not out of mine.” Lexi tapped on the screen a few times before locking her phone and placing it on the table. “Consider it my gift to you for all the work you have put into my dreams.”

“You can’t do that!”

“I can, and I have.” Lexi nodded her head firmly. “The dress will be delivered to yours on Friday morning. Cinderella, you shall go to the ball.”

“Why thank you, fairy godmother!” Despite her initial resistance, Nat felt a flicker of excitement at the prospect of wearing such a beautiful dress. It wouldn’t take much to persuade Lucy to help her with the hair and make-up. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.

“I really should be going.”

“Did you want a quick bite to eat first?”

“I can’t. I’ve got a few things I need to get sorted for work.” Nat pulled her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the door. “See you on Friday.”

She crossed over the road and navigated her way through the busy street towards the bus stop. The weather hadn’t decided if it wanted to be sunny or overcast, leaving the sky a mottled canvas of greys and blues. An early evening chill was setting in, prompting Nat to draw her jacket in tighter. The bus wasn’t due for a few minutes, so Nat scrolled to her emails. At the top of the list was an unread reply to her earlier email from the other investment company.

Subject line: Re: HealthLink Proposal

Dear Nat,

Thank you for getting in touch. I was somewhat surprised to receive your email as it seemed pretty clear from our last correspondence with Clara that HealthLink wasn’t interested in progressing with our proposal.

However, we very much admire the mission of your company and would potentially still be willing to make an offer. I am concerned at the timings as this is very late in the day and there are other opportunities for us that we are close to signing. I would be willing to speak to you at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning to discuss options, but I can’t promise anything.

Best wishes

Julia

As Nat typed her reply confirming the meeting the following morning, she allowed herself to feel a fraction hopeful. Yesterday had ended with her own dreams in soggy tatters, ruined beyond salvation. But today there had been a shift in her resolve. Instead of allowing things to happen to her and drifting from one disaster to another, she had taken control. She had chosen to withdraw from the interview, and despite the sadness she felt, she knew it was the right thing to do. Turning up with an incomplete portfolio that didn’t look its absolute best would have damaged her reputation. She just hoped that there would be another opportunity in the future.

In the meantime, she was going to put her efforts into doing what she could to help Michael’s company. It was time to stand up for what she believed in and what she wanted.

Chapter twenty-three

Thursday 26th May

Nat’s fingers drummed nervously on the kitchen table, her gaze fixed on the clock in the corner of the screen as it ticked towards nine a.m. Adjusting the hem of her soft grey jumper, she picked at a stray bobble and let it drop to the floor. She reached for the headset and placed it gently, trying not to disturb her hair. The mic hovered by her cheek. As the number flicked over, she clicked her mouse and started the video meeting. Moments later, two faces appeared on the screen. Nat inhaled deeply, forcing a confident smile.

“Good morning. It’s nice to see you both,” she said, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her stomach.

“Good morning, Nat.” Julia had a kind face that immediately put her at ease. “I think you’ve met Stefan before?”

“It’s good to see you again.” Stefan gave a brief nod. His demeanour was more serious, but Nat was determined not to let that derail her.

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning.” Nat hesitated for a moment before plunging into her prepared speech. “I wanted to talk about our previous discussions regarding investment. HealthLink is considering the options available to us, and we think your offer might be worth reconsidering.”

“We were under the impression that your company is finalising an investment with another party tomorrow morning,” Stefan said, cutting straight to the chase. “Clara made it perfectly clear to us the projected growth with our investment wasn’t impressive enough.”

Nat hesitated for a fraction of a second, aware that her next words could tip the scales in either direction.

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