‘Honestly?’
‘Honestly. We’re a team after all, aren’t we?’
Toby grinned again, his cheeks blooming red. He reached forward to high five her.
‘We are, Willow.’
Willow turned back to her screen and tried hard to focus on the various coffee images and words there, but her concentration was broken. Around her, the office was still humming with life. Toby was singing softly under his breath as he typed up his concepts.
She was surrounded by marketing vibrancy and corporate life.
Yet when she closed her eyes, all she could hear was the soft cascading water of the Falls near her hometown. It was suddenly the brightest, most beautiful sound she had ever heard.
The next day, Kirk confirmed it formally to the office. They would be working from Toby’s brief. His main concept started with the phrase ‘Something is brewing’ and there would be a countdown to the launch with the hashtag #makeyourmorningdark.
‘We will ask our key influencers to talk about their morning routines and run quizzes, like “What sort of coffee are you?”’ Toby announced excitedly. ‘We even think wecould fly to France and do some shoots in Paris, really build up the mood.’
Willow raised an eyebrow. Wow, they really were blowing the budget on this one then. This was going to cost far more than Kirk’s original projections. Everyone applauded Toby and shouted out their encouragement. Willow clapped him on the back once he returned to his desk. It was great to see the team behind him.
‘Well done, Tobes. Let’s grab some lunch to celebrate? On me?’
Toby nodded excitedly. ‘That sounds great.’
Willow didn’t like to admit that her reason was mainly selfish. Although she was pleased for Toby, she desperately needed to get out of the office. The air felt too thick and unpleasant, and the heat clung to her like glue.
She rushed to the bathroom first to freshen up. As she washed her hands, she peered at her face. She knew she still looked the part. Her long brown hair was carefully straightened and lay like a glossy shower against her shoulders. Her pale skin had a soft glow to it, and she had taken time to conceal the freckles that scattered her nose. She still looked professional and polished, but it was perhaps her eyes that gave everything away. They seemed to lack the usual sparkle. Willow leaned in closer and stared back at her green irises, flecked with amber. Jake used to joke that they looked like honey, just like their hometown’s name.
Except it hadn’t been Jake who said that, was it? It was—
‘Hey Willow!’
Willow looked up. Brooke Gardener had just walked in. She was one of Kirk’s rising stars, all bronze skin and white, dazzling teeth.
‘You must be devastated,’ she gushed, widening her eyes as if to emphasize the point. ‘I mean Toby is your assistant and he’s getting all the attention.’
‘I’m proud of him.’ Willow smiled back. ‘He’s worked really hard for this.’
‘But still …’
Brooke patted her arm gently and then disappeared into one of the stalls. Willow knew what she was trying to say. This was a big deal and being pushed aside by her assistant meant Willow was at risk of losing her job.
Willow stared into the mirror again. A few months ago, this would have been a killer blow. She would have been so stressed, probably lost sleep knowing that Kirk was thinking badly of her. These jobs were competitive to get and keep and she had worked so hard to keep herself at the top. Yet now, she was wobbling.
She should be panicking. She should be looking at Toby and eyeing him up as her possible enemy.
But instead, she felt the complete opposite.
She felt free.
‘A matcha, please,’ Willow said brightly. ‘I’ll try the blueberry one this time.’
‘Again?’ Toby whispered behind her. ‘You must really like those things.’
‘I’m really starting to like them,’ Willow replied, tapping her card on the payment machine. The barista beamed at her. It was a different one than before. This guy was a sun-kissed blond, who looked like he had washed up on a California beach.
‘You’re not the only one,’ he told her. ‘These things are flying out of here lately. They’re so popular.’
Willow nodded at Toby. ‘Don’t tell Kirk. He’ll be pushing Noix Noir aside for a taste of the action.’
