Page 12 of Best Mistake Ever
What’s going on here?I want to ask him. But I bite my lip.
Dee has got some serious explaining to do when I get home.
‘Um. Okay,’ is all I can manage. This is so awkward. I’m totally on the back foot and it’s making me twitchy.
I see his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallows and I momentarily wonder what his skin would smell like if I pressed my mouth against his neck there.
What’s got into you, Bea! That’s the last thing you should be thinking about right now–especially with this guy.
He doesn’t seem to be aware of how much I’m spinning out though, thank goodness.
‘Well, Harry tells me things went smoothly today, so I thought I’d come and say thanks for your hard work.’
I feel myself relax a little at that. So Dee’s not getting fired today, at least.
Phew!
‘My pleasure,’ I say, with a smile.
He almost smiles back at me. But not quite.
‘Actually, Delilah, I still need to talk to you about your position here, I’m afraid.’
Uh oh!Perhaps I relaxed too soon.
‘What do you mean?’ I ask, aware of a quaver invading my voice.
‘I took a look at your marketing plans over the weekend.’
My stomach sinks. ‘Ah.’
‘We need to get more new business in over the low season and I don’t think your current ideas are going to cut it.’
‘Oh, I see, well, I?—’
‘You’re going to have to do better than this to pass your probation.’
I can tell from the look on his face he’s not expecting Dee to keep her job here for much longer.
My stomach lurches. I need to think of something fast.
‘I know the marketing plan you saw isn’t up to scratch, but I’ve only just started working on it so it’s nowhere near ready. I have lots more ideas,’ I say desperately.
I have to get Dee more time to pull things back. Now I know what’s required of her, I can sit with her in the evenings and work up a new marketing plan, which could turn things around here.
A memory from this morning flashes into my head and it suddenly occurs to me that I might have the perfect solution – in the short term, at least.
‘Actually,’ I say, holding up a wait-a-second finger, ‘speaking of opportunities, I was going to talk to you about this once Harry’s event was over. A good friend of mine’s partner, Jay, runs leave-no-trace festivals: Burning Man sort of style. They’re incredibly popular, but he’s struggled recently to find a suitable venue to hold them at. Most people camp, so he needs a lot ofoutdoor space. He texted me earlier to say the grounds of the place he booked for the next one, which is a few miles away from here, flooded recently and the new place he’s considering moving it to is incredibly expensive. Seeing this place—’ I shake my head, reminding myself I’m supposed to have been here for a few weeks. ‘Knowingthis place better now, I think it would be perfect for it. I’m sure he’d jump at the chance to move it here if we offer it. Apparently, he’s sold a lot of tickets and would be really grateful for a last-minute solution. It’s supposed to go ahead this Thursday. It’s a beat-the-winter-blues long weekend. I know it’s short notice, but I don’t think we have anything else booked in at the moment, not even any hotel guests.’
I suck in a long breath after I finish my monologue and look at him with hope swelling in my chest.
He continues to survey me with that intense stare of his and my stomach does another loop the loop.
‘Hmm. It’s not exactly the type of event I imagined we’d hold here,’ he says, then looks away, frowning up at the ceiling, as if all his concerns are written up there.
‘Jay’s incredibly strict about protecting the location so you’ll not even know the festival was here once it’s been cleared away, I promise.’
‘That’s quite a promise to make, Dee,’ he says with one eyebrow raised.
