Page 36 of Just Like That

‘Well, thanks. I feel there’s almost a compliment in there.’

‘It’s high praise coming from me, believe me.’

He grins at me across the table, his dark eyes crinkling sexily as he does, causing my insides to do that ice cream mixer flippy-floppy thing. It’s the first time I’ve seen Nick properly come to life and show the good side of himself in human company. To say it’s attractive is a massive understatement. It’s like he’s an industrial magnet, and I’m so drawn to him, I want to dive across the table and suck on his face in a manner not too dissimilar to the molluscs Lauren was talking about earlier.

‘Erm… I’m sure it is,’ I say instead, while trying to calm my overexcited hormones.

‘What are you going to do then?’

‘About what?’ I’m still lost somewhere between my predicament and fantasising about snogging his face off.

‘Your boss,’ says Nick. ‘It sounds like he’s being an arse. Can you make a complaint or raise a grievance or something?’

I finally manage to drag my misbehaving brain back to the matter at hand.

‘No, that’s not an option. I mean, I know my rights as an employee and all, but he’s the owner of the company. Set it up from scratch, and it’s small. It would be the final nail for me if I were to make a big thing out of this.’

‘I see. You’re in a bit of a hole then it seems.’ Nick sits back and looks thoughtful for a few moments. ‘You said he won’t listen to reason, nor will he give you an opportunity to prove yourself.’

‘Yup. Lost cause, right?’

‘Not necessarily. If he won’t give you a chance to prove yourself, can you do it working with what you’ve got?’

‘With two duller than dull corporate events I can manage in my sleep and this place?’ I wave my arm in a dismissive gesture, then blanch as I realise what I’ve done. ‘Sorry, that was out of order. I didn’t really mean it.’

‘Yes, you did.’ Nick raises a judgemental eyebrow. ‘But in a work sense. I get the impression you quite like this place.’

‘Oh, I do. On a personal level, I love it. I wish more people knew about it, because it really has a therapeutic effect on me. In all honesty, it might be the only thing keeping me sane right now.’

‘Then why not use it on a professional level too?’

‘I’m not sure what you mean by that. I’m already doing everything that’s been asked of me and there’s no opportunity to show my capability on the same level as those other projects.’

‘Are you sure about that? You’re helping us set up a new revenue stream so we don’t go under at the end of the year, but let’s face it, we probably need a miracle to turn things around in the long run – not just a few events. You could be our miracle and you could save your career at the same time. Rather than just focusing on bailing us out of our immediate financial black hole—’

‘I should focus on turning you intothego-to destination in Scotland with a headline grabbing, rags-to-riches success story that really sells the magic of this place.’ It’s as if I’ve suddenly woken up and smelled my opportunity.

‘Yes.’ Nick drains the last of his coffee. ‘Though I’m not sure I would have put it like that.’

‘You don’t need to. I know exactly what you’re getting at and you’re spot on. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this myself.’

‘Maybe because you were too busy wallowing in self-pity?’

My enthusiasm instantly neutralises and I glower at him. ‘Why do you do that?’

‘Do what? What did I do?’ He seems completely oblivious to the impact his words have had.

With a sigh, I let my frustration dissipate. ‘Let’s just say I’m not the only one with blind spots. Anyway, forget that. What’s important is that I’m going to get this place the publicity and funds it needs to turn it into an unmissable experience, so that you and Gwen and the whole team can look to the future with confidence. And I can have my job back. Thank you, Nick, you’re a bloody genius.’

He grins at me, looking quite pleased with himself, and this time (even despite his clumsy remark), I want to kiss him for a very different reason.

Chapter 17

I spend the next week more motivated than I’ve been in my life. Nick’s idea of using the park to show Craig exactly what he’s missing is perfect, and right within my sphere of control. The only thing I don’t like about it is that I didn’t come up with it myself. Being so blinkered by the unfairness and the need for logic to prevail, I forgot that I have other tools in my arsenal.

Working with Lauren on the dating event is a dream. Not only is she ‘on it’, she’s got this sparky energy that radiates and keeps me aiming for the sky and beyond.

Having consulted one of her lecturers about the dating event content – who endorsed her ‘product’ and awarded her a symbolic A+ for the exceptional level of research she’d undertaken – Lauren’s coursemate who developed the online tool then makes the final adjustments, ensuring the right IT security and data protection protocols are in place. This incredible progress impresses me no end and also makes me incredibly grateful for the tech talent and drive of young people.

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