Cynthia took a breath. ‘I’ve had people coming into this house since my husband died and not one of them did what you did the other day. You picked up on what was missing and you delivered it. That’s what I want for this fundraiser. I want people to feel the human touch, go away knowing the aims of the foundation, feeling hopeful for the future, celebrating the past, not crying into their eggnog over those they’ve lost. We’re still living; we shouldn’t beashamed of that fact.’ Cynthia’s words couldn’t have been more impassioned.
It was a huge responsibility. And this woman was Oliver’smother. How did that sit in the equation? It didn’t. It was so utterly awkward, it made her feel sick. Then again, she hadn’t actually heard from him yet. Maybe he’d been a lot drunker than she’d realised. Perhaps he had no intention of really following through on this date idea. Why was that thought kicking her so hard?
‘Please, Agatha, say yes and make my Christmas,’ Cynthia begged.
Hayley looked to Angel. Her daughter had wide eyes resembling a pleading cat desperate for food, her hands clasped together like a starving orphan fromOliver. She had to say no. She had no papers to work here. She knew things about Cynthia she really shouldn’t know if she was going to work for her. Plus, she’d already told Angel she was giving up the cleaning job. She was on a mission to find Angel’s father. She didn’t have time for bolts out of the blue. She swallowed, the pressure in the room getting to her. But it was exciting. It would challenge her in a way she hadn’t been challenged since Angel was born. It was short term, one event – huge, terrifying – but the thought of it was making her heart sing. She would have a chance to use her flair and imaginationandit was for a good cause. Should she question how the opportunity had come her way? Or just go with it?
She sucked in a breath, ions fizzing around her body in reaction. ‘My real name’s Hayley. I have absolutely no idea why you would give me a chance like this.’ She paused. ‘And I also have no idea if I can actually pull this off, but if you’re really sure I’m what you need?—’
‘I am sure,’ Cynthia insisted.
‘Then… I accept.’ She swallowed, not believing she had really said the words. She nodded. ‘I’ll do it.’
Angel let out a squeal and grabbed her mother’s hands, shaking them up and down until she thought her arms might drop off.
‘Thank you,’ Cynthia said, her words full of sentiment.
‘I have no idea what I’ve let myself in for. You’d better show me the layout of this Crystalline Hotel ballroom,’ Hayley said, a nervous laugh falling from her lips.
‘I can do better than that. I’ll take you there tomorrow.’
‘Great,’ Hayley nodded. ‘So, when is this big night? How long do I have to organise the extravaganza to end all extravaganzas?’
‘Oh you have plenty of time,’ Cynthia said, moving towards the coffee table and reaching for the pot of tea. ‘It’s in five days.’
33
DEAN WALKER’S APARTMENT, DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN
Hayley poked a whole handful of crisps into her mouth at once and chewed them up over Dean’s laptop, spattering crumbs over the keyboard. Her ideas book was open on the central island, two pieces of material sticking out of the pages. One was platinum coloured with a matt finish, the other a gold gauze. It was part of the décor for a party she’d organised at the local city hall. The Guggenheim dress design hadn’t been progressed but she had much bigger things to focus on now. Her hope was some of these scraps of ideas were going to leap out and help kick-start the plans for the fundraiser.
‘Did you know the Crystalline Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in New York City?’
Hayley opened her mouth at Angel’s statement, more crisps scattering, and she turned her head to where Angel was sat on the sofa with Dean.
‘Hang on. How do you know that? I have the laptop right here,’ Hayley exclaimed.
‘And I,’ Angel began. ‘I have the Globe. The whole world at my fingertips.’
Hayley watched her daughter poking the screen of the tablet like an old hand and shook her head.
‘So, I’m not really sure how you’ve ended up organising a Drummond family function,’ Dean said, turning his head to Hayley.
‘Shh! Don’t call it that! It isn’t that!’
She had already decided that she couldn’t tell Oliver anything about this. He still hadn’t called so maybe it wasn’t even going to be an issue. She knew his relationship with his mother was complicated at the moment. If she heard from him, if theydidgo out, she was just going to have to keep the two things separate. That’s what you had to do when there was a conflict of interest, wasn’t it? Or were you meant to come clean? A shiver of acknowledgement that lying to either party wasn’t the right answer ran through her. She’d have to cross that bridge when she came to it.
‘Well, first of all, Mum got a cleaning job and had to wear this—’ Angel started.
‘Haven’t you got rabbits to play with?’ Hayley interrupted.
‘You got a job? What job? When? Why?’ Dean pumped out.
‘Please say a word that doesn’t begin with a “W”.’
‘Hayley—’
‘Agatha,’ Angel chipped in.
