‘Understood,’ Heidi said, leaning forward with a wicked smile. ‘And will the Amplify team go on the trip after ours?’
Brooke chuckled. ‘That wouldn’t be very fair with the overall timeline now, would it? It’s a two-week cruise! No. They’ll be coming too so both agencies can experience theEsmeraldaat the exact same time. No favourites.’
Two weeks?I swiped through my calendar to check what I had in. Work gatecrashing my personal life wasn’t something I normally tolerated, but it didn’t look like I had much choice this time. I’d miss Mum’s birthday lunch with Dad and my sisters, but I could make that up to her. Then there was the weekly pub quiz and softball in Regent’s Park and those three coffee dates I’d managed to bunch together into consecutive half-hour slots: Toby, Terry and Tim.Dating by first letter made as much sense as anything else these days. But no, none of my plans were immoveable.
‘How very generous, Brooke. Let me RSVP immediately for both of us, and say we willabsolutely be there,’ Heidi said, with no regard for anything I might have planned.
‘It’ll be more work than pleasure this time I’m afraid, but we might sneak a couple of cocktails in somewhere, hey, gals? That settles it then. I’ll see you both harbour side on the big day and my PA will be in touch to arrange the details.’
Brooke rang off and Heidi slumped down in her chair.
‘Amplify again! I can’t believe this is happening!’ I said. ‘Although at least we’re still in the game I suppose – maybe we should be grateful for small mercies.’
Heidi shook her head and covered her eyes. ‘This is a nightmare. I should probably tell you…’ she started, then hesitated. ‘…that Zach and I do not get on. We had a fall-out when he worked for me years ago and we never really got over it. It’s no biggie but best you know before we all head off on holiday together.’
‘Interesting,’ I said, intrigued. ‘What happened?’
I watched her struggle as she weighed up what to say. Heidi was never lost for words.
‘I don’t want to sully his reputation or be unprofessional…’
What?This wasn’t like Heidi at all. Gossip was her thing. Her daily bread – she loved nothing more than a good speculation session and an opportunity to dish the dirt. And neverhad she evercared about being unprofessional before –
which she was all the time.
‘Did he do something illegal?’
She shook her head. ‘Let’s just say there was a dispute over the source of one of his ideas and in the end he had to go.’
I winced.
‘I know. Mega awks, right?’
‘You sacked him?’
‘No… he resigned, eventually… but it was all under a cloud.’
‘Somewhat of a biggie, then. For him, at least.’
‘I was young and inexperienced, and who knows, maybe I made the wrong call, but that’s by the by. Do you think I should disclose the situation to Brooke? There’s a clear conflict of interest if we’re working on the same pitch.’
I nearly choked on my coffee. ‘Absolutely not. You’re on opposite teams! Fair enough if you were the client, but not the competing agency?’
‘Hmm, yeah, you’re probably right. And I can’t imagine Zach or Leo flagging it from their side.’
‘Exactly.’
‘That Leo has a reputation for being a total slag when it comes to pitches as well, so we’re in for a real treat with the pair of them.’
The mention of his name made me stop.
‘Does he? Client-side or agency?’
‘Both. He’s one of those PR pretty boys who thinks everyone fancies him.’ Heidi looked disgusted. ‘Not my typeat all.’
‘He is very pretty,’ I said, thinking of his chiselled features and piercing silver eyes. ‘I know him, remember – we interned together at Engelman when I first moved to London.’
‘Did you?’
