Eventually I had to get myself ready and it turned out the red dress wasn’t all that similar to the blue. It was muchvampier, with its silky batwings and plunging neckline, which was entirely fitting for such a glamorous hotspot. It had been a while since I’d worn a dress that showed off my curves like this and I almost didn’t recognise myself in the mirror. It was slinky and sexy and made me feel like a different person. My blue dress was now washed and soaking wet on the balcony, so there was no other choice; the red had to go on.
Leo: I’m in the bar – would you like a drink?
Me: Vodka tonic please.
I wandered down to the lift, feeling completely out of place but rocking it in a red dress. Leo was sat on a bar stool, chatting with the maître d’ and I suddenly felt shy as I walked over, relieved to see his cheeky face.
‘There she is,’ he said, his silver eyes shining. He looked every inch theAzorean manin his white linen shirt and tapered navy chinos.
The maître d’ pulled out a bar stool. ‘Good evening, madam, welcome to the Harbour Club – my name is Ricardo.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, quietly, hopping up next to Leo.
‘The menus are here for you. For specials we have a king prawn with monkfish starter and a beef steak main with baked potato and feta cheese.’ There were so many options to choose from. ‘I’ll leave you to enjoy your aperitifs.’ Ricardo backed away, head bowed, as if we were royalty, shuffling his shiny shoes across the marble floor.
‘Kinda nice here, right?’ Leo said. ‘Zach is livid. He’s having dinner with Heidi and Brooke and not looking forward to another night in the bunk bed.’
‘Unlucky!’ I sang, toasting him with my glass. ‘Poor Brooke, I wouldn’t want to be in the middle of an angry Zach and Heidi.’
Leo laughed. ‘Same. What is it with those two? They can’t stand each other.’
I shrugged, not wanting to give anything away. ‘They used to work together so I assumed it was just an ex-colleague thing.’
‘Hmm. Seems deeper than that and Zach is being very tight-lipped about it. He usually tells me everything. All fuel for the competitive spirit though, eh?’
‘True.’ My vodka tonic was ice cold and sliding down far too easily. ‘Leave them to it, I say. Why bring bad vibes when we’re surrounded by all this?’
The harbour was crammed full of boats in all shapes and sizes; shiny, white and seemingly still, illuminated by floodlights. The chatter of yachty families and friends enjoying dinner buzzed through the air, as couples walked along the waterfront, going from menu to identical menu, trying to decide where to eat. That gorgeous holiday feeling of freedom, when you’re in love or lust, or just full of expectation. When there’s nothing to fill your mind other than where to sunbathe next, whether to swim or read, whether to have another ice cream and what flavour it should be.
Leo nodded. ‘Agreed. Let’s just enjoy it.’
He had a commanding way about him, and I felt myself surrender. It was time to switch off and forget about Heidiand Brooke and the pitch. To relax and enjoy myself for once. The ladylike swoosh of my skirt was helping, tickling my legs, which felt smoother and more moisturised than they had been in years. I was always rushing from one thing to the next, to and from work, dinner with clients, drinks with friends, squeezing some sleep in, then repeating it all again the next day. Being out here, I could shave and moisturise my legs to my heart’s content. No more excuses. No more blaming the London life for being single, overstretched and hairy.
‘So how is Amplify surviving for a week without their big boss and creative director?’
‘I dread to think,’ Leo said, his phone lighting up the table. ‘I haven’t had a minute’s peace, that’s for sure.’ He switched it off and put it in his pocket.
‘The constant interruptions drive me crazy. I especially love it when the American clients start calling just as I’m wrapping up for the day.’ I picked up an imaginary phone. ‘Kat’s PR hotline, how can I help?They must think I’m super-human. Sitting around waiting for them to call, twenty-four-seven.’
‘How long have you been at Northstar now?’
‘Oooh… coming up to six years.’
Leo gasped. ‘Really?! Quite a while then.’
‘Yep. I’ve only had two proper PR jobs since school – this was my first in London and I liked it, so I stayed. Loyalty is important to me.’
‘Your first paid job you mean? Don’t forget Engelman.’
‘My first real job in London. I’m not sure Engelman counts; it was only work experience,’ I said, dismissively. I didn’t like to dwell on my failures.
‘Of course it counts. That’s been my favourite job to date. The pair of us dicking around and having fun. Remember that bloke Roger who was always accusing the receptionist of stealing his lunch?’
I chuckled, despite myself. ‘Oh yes, poor Roger putting his sandwiches in the fridge every day – they’d be gone by eleven. He set up a camera in the end.’
‘I’d have laced them with laxatives. That’d teach whoever it was – and would’ve been a fun way to do the reveal. He could have TikTok-ed it.’
‘And that Christmas party where we dressed up as tube stations. We looked a right state at the after party – like a lost nativity scene. Angel, Parson’s Green, all those nuns for Seven Sisters, Shepherd’s Bush and didn’t you come as Charing Cross?’
