Page 12 of The Retreat
She couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened in the lobby. The way she’d transferred the money like it was nothing, like it was the easiest thing in the world to throw cash at a problem and make it vanish.
And then there was that name.Alex.
She’d stayed quiet, expecting Talia to correct her boss. But she hadn’t. And Imogen had just stood there, too confused to argue, until she let herself be herded outside like a stray cat that had walked into the wrong flap.
Well, whoever Alex was, it wasn’t her problem. She was done with Talia. Done with all of it.
Let Talia have her secrets. Imogen didn’t have the time to ponder them. She had to get a new job.
Imogen opened her laptop and clicked on the local classifieds. Café shifts, bar jobs, cleaning gigs. Anything. She’d take whatever she could get. Pride was a luxury she’d never really been able to afford, and definitely not now.
Until recently, she’d still been applying for real jobs, art jobs she knew in her heart she was never going to get. She didn’t even have the space to dream anymore. That fantasy was dead. She was in survival mode now.
She typed fast. Short cover letter, attached her CV, hit send. Over and over and over. Something had to come good.
Seven
Talia sat at her desk for a full ten minutes after the meeting reminder pinged. Celeste - 10:30. Weekly check-in.
Normally, she didn’t mind these one-to-ones. It never hurt to get face time with the boss. But this morning, she was nervous. Scared even.
She pulled her blazer off the back of the chair and slipped it on, heading for the lift, rehearsing the lines she’d been perfecting for days: ‘Oh, Alex and I broke up. Yeah, it was mutual. We just wanted different things.’ A small shrug, a little sigh. Confident and mature.
She felt a little better about it now. Because Celeste had met ‘Alex’, as far as she knew. So if anyone made any funny little jokes, Celeste could shut them down. Alex was not the Loch Ness Monster. She had been verifiably sighted. Celeste had shaken her hand. So the payoff had inadvertently bought plausible deniability in addition to some guilt assuagement.
Did Talia feel good about getting Imogen fired? Not as much as she would have hoped. She hated her, but the thought of taking someone’s livelihood away, even the despised Imogen, didn’t sit right.
But done was done. She couldn’t un-wreck that café.
Talia caught her reflection in the lift doors. She looked calm enough. But her nerves were loud. Her heart was banging like a drum.
When she reached the office, Celeste was already waving her in.
‘Morning, darling!’ she said, all gloss and energy. ‘You’re looking sharp.’
Talia smiled as she entered Celeste’s massive office and sat on the edge of the visitor chair, bracing herself.
‘So,’ Celeste said, leaning forward, ‘I’ve been meaning to say. Alex. What a treat. You didn’t tell me she wasthatgorgeous.’
Talia’s mouth parted slightly. ‘Oh, well...’
‘No need to be modest. She’s stunning. And adoctor? What a package.’
Talia kept her mouth fixed in a smile. She could barely feel her face. It was enraging to hear compliments heaped on Imogen. Seeing as hergorgeousnesshad brought about such pain. If only Flora could have hired someone a bit more homely to help her sell pretentious art…
‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘That’s kind of you.’
The moment had arisen. She had to say it now. The words formed in her head, ready to push out of her mouth. ‘Funny you should mention Alex…’
But before she could speak, Celeste clapped her hands together. ‘Right, onto business. I’m sure you’ve been waiting to hear about the partner position?’
Talia smiled. ‘Well, yes, I have been wondering.’
‘It’s looking good for you.’
Talia stared at her. ‘Seriously?’
Celeste nodded. ‘Of course. You’ve earned it. But you know how these things work. It’s aboutfit. Presence. Chemistry. People want to know the full version of who they’re backing. And the retreat next week is the place for that.’
