“True, though she’s fresh off a very public breakup with that supermodel. I can’t imagine having your heart splattered across every gossip site in the world.”
Eliza winced. “Just don’t mention the ex. Or any exes, including mine. Let’s keep it professional.”
“Obviously.”
I thought about my chat with Margot before I flew. Her patronising looks and pats on my arm.
“Margot thinks I’m completely delusional, you know. She hasn’t said it outright, but I can tell. She thinks this is some elaborate fangirl moment disguised as a business strategy.”
Eliza rolled her eyes. “Dad’s the same, and I’m not used to that. He normally trusts me, but I can tell he thinks this whole project is ridiculous. He gets this look: like he’s watching me play with toy cars while the house burns down. He thinks we’re idiots for flying across the Atlantic on what he calls ‘a whim’.”
“Maybe we are idiots.” I raised my glass, feeling reckless. “But we’re idiots with a plan. And sometimes the biggest risks pay off the most spectacularly.”
“Or they go down in flames.”
“Either way, it’ll make a good story.” The alcohol was making me philosophical. “Here’s to tomorrow, and to proving everyone wrong.”
CHAPTER 12
The morning light streaming through the hotel curtains did nothing to improve my mood as footsteps approached in the hallway outside my door. Eliza was probably coming to lecture me about being late. We were supposed to meet in the lobby 15 minutes ago, and this was possibly the most important meeting of our professional lives. I braced myself for the knock, then heard nothing.
The silence was somehow worse than yelling would have been. I pulled one of my favourite blue tops over my just-dried hair, then yanked the door open before she could decide whether to murder me in the hallway, or wait until we were somewhere more private. Her face spelt the word ‘sour’.
“I know, I know, I’m late.”
I beckoned her in, but Eliza shook her head and leaned against the door frame.
I ducked back into my room to grab my phone and bag, did a last check in the mirror, then gave Eliza a grin that I hoped papered over my embarrassment.
“I went for a quick run this morning, just around the block a couple of times, I swear, and then my key card wouldn’t workwhen I got back. I had to go all the way down to the front desk, and the guy was new and—”
“It’s fine,” Eliza cut me off. “We still have time. I built in a buffer. We’ll call an uber when we’re downstairs.”
I blinked. “Really? No lecture about punctuality and professionalism?”
“Not today.” She turned and headed towards the elevator. “Not after the morning I’ve already had dealing with my dad.”
I shot her a glance. “What’s wrong with your dad? Has he got something to say about what we’re doing today?”
She walked at speed down the hotel hallway, her linen blazer somehow managing to look crisp and irritated, just like her. Even when she was pissed off though, Eliza had this effortless way of putting herself together: dark jeans that fit perfectly, simple white (and expensive) trainers, and that blazer thrown over a soft grey T-shirt like she’d just grabbed whatever was closest. Except I already knew she hadn’t. Eliza didn’t do ‘whatever was closest.’ She did ‘carefully curated casual that looks accidental but definitely isn’t.’
“He had plenty to say, and don’t even get me started on the fact that he called me at 5am, so I am beyond tired.”
“That’s thoughtful.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know.”
“What’s his issue?”
She went to say something, then seemed to think better of it. “Don’t worry about it, he’s not your problem.” Her jaw tightened again, before she painted on a semi-smile. I wasn’t fooled. What had her dad said, and why was she so agitated by it?
However, we didn’t have time to focus on that. We had a pop star to charm.
Eliza appeared to be thinking the same as she snapped her fingers at me. “Remember, I’m doing the talking initially. I’llwarm her up, then you can bring the personal story and really grab her. But please, don’t make any promises we can’t keep.”
“I won’t. Although I have told you before, people respond to openness and honesty.”
“Honesty is not always the best policy.”
