I smiled at his handsome face and leant forward to kiss him. His lips felt soft on mine, and the charge between us was electric as we finally surrendered to each other, giving in to what fate had planned for us all along.
Epilogue
Six months later
‘I didn’t want to tell you before all the details were confirmed, but I’ve been working on a secret project.’ Leo handed me a press release as The Heathrow Express hurtled through a tunnel.
Amplify CEO set to launch PR Cubs and Kittens.
‘You’re not in PR News, again? Honestly, I don’t know how they’d survive without all the free content you feed them. Cubs and Kittens? Sounds like a strip club.’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Yes, that’s exactly it – I’m opening a strip club, and I thought I’d wait until we were on the way to the airport to tell you.’
I laughed. ‘What is it, then? You’ll have to read it out; the copy is tiny and the words are jumbling together.’
Leo cleared his throat and shuffled the paper like a BBC newsreader. ‘Today marks the historic occasion of London’s coolest and most successful PR agency – Amplify –’
‘Some big claims there…’ I interrupted.
‘It’s my press release, I can claim what I like,’ he said, going back to it. ‘…Amplify launching its new intern programme, Cubs and Kittens. They are inviting applications from those aged sixteen to twenty-five, and particularly welcome school leavers and graduates from underrepresented backgrounds.’
I felt a lump in my throat as Leo continued in his clipped English accent.
‘Leo Kendrick, CEO, said, “This is a subject close to my heart. I was one of the lucky few to get an internship when I left university, but these opportunities are incredibly rare these days. We’ll be taking three interns on each year and giving them the experience they need to get an entry-level role in the PR industry.”’
I took the press release back and scanned it. ‘You are amazing, Leo. Do you know that? What a brilliant thing to do.’
‘Well, I figured there’s no point me being CEO if I’m not going to make a difference. It’s up to us to help the next generation.’
‘True enough. All of us, not just you. Why cubs and kittens?’
‘Isn’t it obvious? I’ve named it after us. From cubs and kittens, lions and cats grow.’ He growled in my ear, and I shivered as he kissed my neck, purring in reply.
I was stunned into silence as the train started to slow down; the internship was a nod to our time together at Engelman and I felt proud to be associated with it in some small way.
‘Can Northstar get involved as well?’ I asked, suddenly having a flash of inspiration. ‘I’m sure Heidi would take three interns on if we spoke to her about it. We could makeit a cross-industry initiative. A legacy for all the CEOs and leaders out there.’
Leo’s eyes lit up. ‘Love that idea. Sure, why not. The more the merrier, right? Send her a copy of this press release and if she’s up for it we can do a joint call to arms for other agency leaders to get on board.’
The idea of giving a younger version of myself a step up gave me goosebumps. That Leo and I could be the reason someone somewhere had a slightly easier time of it than we’d had. The next generation out there, trying to get on the bottom rung of a slippery career ladder with no ‘connections’ to help them. We could be their connections – it didn’t have to be the same story on repeat for all of time.
Leo leapt off the train, grabbed both our cases and started running towards the check-in desks. We were only going to Barcelona, so why we were travelling from terminal five was anyone’s guess. I ran after him, realising I had the passports in my bag; he wouldn’t get very far without those. I rounded the corner and scanned the crowd for his cowboy hat, only to spot him sat on a chair with his legs crossed, suddenly very relaxed.
‘What is going on?’ I said, out of breath and clutching both passports.
‘I’ve got a surprise for you,’ he said, with a smile. ‘Come and sit down next to me and close your eyes.’
He’d lost me. ‘I can’t have a surprise today – it’s your birthday. It’s my job to do all the spoiling and the presents.’
‘It’s for both of us – you’ll see.’
‘OK, but our flight goes in an hour, and we don’t even know the gate number yet. Can we do the surprise once we’re through departures?’
Leo shook his head. ‘Nope. It’s happening right here, right now.’ He patted the seat next to him and I did as I was told, unzipping my coat and shoving my gloves in my pockets.
‘Do I really need to close my eyes? You’re not going to run off, are you? Because my make-up is in that suitcase and if you disappear with it, I’ll be devastated.’
Leo gave me a look, so I closed my eyes and sat quietly, while he shuffled about.
