“Poppy, hen! How are you? How did it go with your mega pop star, and when are you coming back up to the Highlands to give us all a big hug? I told our Ronnie, and he was very impressed. Knew who she was and all! But then, you know gay men and divas. They love them and are them.”
I grinned. “Tell Ronnie, if she says yes, which I think she will, he might even get to meet her. She was very keen on the idea of visiting Scotland.”
Fiona hooted down the phone. “A pop star in Goldloch. Imagine! Someone who might be bigger than Marti Pellow.”
“You’re not claiming Rod Stewart?”
“He’s a performative Scot, hen!”
I grinned at that. Nobody in Scotland claimed Rod Stewart.
“Anyway, it’s looking hopeful. She made all the right noises when we saw her, and we sent over the contract today.”
“Fantastic news! I’ve already started looking at production schedules. Obviously, we’ve already launched the latest watch, we just need to put her signature on the back for her special edition. Did you get the final imagery?”
I nodded. “Yes, I’ve asked for her signature and the number 23. Then we just need to think about packaging with her face on. I know we said we’d take it up a notch with our next launch. Maybe we could do it for Roka’s special edition, too.”
“We can certainly try, hen. Ronnie is buzzing about it. Plus, I’ve spoken to Simon down the job centre, and he’s got some people on standby.”
That’s what I loved about Fiona. She already knew what it was going to take to make this work, and she’d take charge. Fiona was worth her weight in gold. I made a mental note to visit again soon, and give Fiona a bonus. She deserved it.
“But anyway, I’ll show Eliza when she’s here next week.”
I blinked. Eliza was going to Scotland? That was news to me. Why hadn’t she told me? Or invited me? I pushed my thoughts to one side.
“Any luck with the council? What did Harvey say? Was he up for resurrecting that slightly derelict building while we set up the pre-order?” I knew I was jumping ahead, but the contract was as good as signed.
Why had Eliza not mentioned going to Scotland?
Fiona chuckled. “Having the head of the council as a husband certainly has its perks, that’s for sure. Most council business takes months, sometimes more. But when I control what he eats and how much he gets to kiss me, things speed up a little. He thinks they’ll approve it, but he’s also been sniffing around some other options. There’s an old textile factory about 15 minutes from here that’s in far better nick and might be a better option. Could be perfect for what we need.”
“Keep me posted. And I will try to make it up to see you very soon, I promise.”
I was just hanging up when Margot swept in, looking more animated than I’d seen her in a while. She settled into the chair across from my desk, pulsing with energy.
“I have to say, Poppy, I’m genuinely impressed with how you’ve handled these couple of months. You’ve seriously got a lot done in ten weeks. I’ve had the pressure taken off me, and you and Eliza have handled it all beautifully.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?” She’d clearly thought I’d be a trainwreck.
“We haven’t exactly been keeping track on each other’s lives since your mum died, have we?” It was a statement, not a question. “But this Roka thing? It’s smart. Really smart.”
From slapping me down to bigging me up in 60 seconds. Sometimes I hated working with family.
“I always said I could do this if you gave me a chance.”
Margot stared at me, then gave a slow nod. “I can see that. Just make sure you see it through. The job’s not done yet.”
She dropped my gaze. For some reason, dread washed over me.
“I wanted to ask also…” She paused, twisting her hands in her lap.
This was not my cool, assured Aunt Margot. Was she about to renege on our deal? I frowned, waiting for her to finish her sentence.
“I wanted to ask what you thought about Max, and Sunday lunch? I really do want you to like him. He’s the first man in a long time I’ve cared about this much.” She glanced up at me, her cheeks suddenly flushed. “I need to know how you feel about him. It matters to me. You and Katy, Bryce and the kids. You’re my family now, and while I don’t need your blessing, it’d be nice to have it.”
I blinked. Margot going all coy and shy was not on my bingo card this week. But if she was going to be vulnerable, perhaps I should be receptive to it. Plus, he had made a very good dessert.
“I really liked him. He was warm and charming, and he can cook. I don’t see anything in the con pile for now. It’s all pluses.”
