“He wants you to head the creative team Ella, he thinks your energy and style will fit perfectly with his vision. I think Chris should support you with the whole direction but I have total faith in you Ella, I know you can do this and do it well for all of us.”
He smiled but I frowned and sighed, “I can’t Mr Parker, it’s too much for me, I wouldn’t feel right taking on such a substantial project on my own whether Chris supported me or not, I don’t have the experience. I think Eric or yourself should oversee it all. I don’t feel confident in my ability to control such an important account.” I argued knowing it was the man-whore behind the account that I couldn’t control.
Frank just shook his head and carried on smiling, “but that’s exactly what he wants; young and enthusiastic, full of ideas about what other young people would want from a health club. Ella you are perfect and you can think of ways to attract the female twenty something crowd, something Mr Madden is very eager to do.” ‘I bet he does’ I thought.
“Ella, how will you get the experience you need to move up in our agency if you don’t take the bull by the horns? Go for it petal, I know you can do this.”
“Frank, if there really is no way I can talk myself out of this then of course I will head up the team for you, I’d do anything to help make this agency be as great as it can be, but I’m not one hundred percent happy about this.”
“Then its agreed,” Frank stood and shook my hand as I stared up at him bewildered, “I’ll email over all the details I have and you can get started right away. Pick yourself a team and hit the ground running. This will be the making of you Ella. Congratulations!”
Frank walked to his door to signal that our meeting was over and it was time for me to leave.
“Oh and I’ve put the feelers out for a new graphic designer to join us as I think we’ll need the extra expertise.”
I nodded and headed back to my desk in a daze. What had I just agreed to and what was I setting myself up for? Maybe I could become a silent project manager to oversee the whole thing, send Chris out for meetings and delegate where possible. That’s it, I decided, delegation was going to be the key to surviving this. I would smash this out of the park but all from my trusty safe desk, safe in these office walls away from tempting hot man who could shatter my already delicate heart.
Just before five o’clock, as I was about to power off my computer and take the boring commute home, the front desk buzzed. A delivery guy walked through the doors with the biggest bunch of blue roses I’d ever seen, held together by a huge silver bow. Kim’s eyes sparkled as she made a grab for them and signed the delivery guys clip board with her free hand. She sniffed them dreamily then headed into the main office.
“Someone’s out to impress you Ella.” She said as she brought the flowers over to my desk and plonked them down with a big sigh. I shrugged and picked up the little envelope nestled in amongst the flowers.
Blue eyes,
I told you it was meant to be.
Don’t fight the inevitable.
Joe x
P.S Anna is NOT my girlfriend. I am very much single ;-)
Anger surged through me. How dare he make it sound like I was being foolish to turn him down! He was so arrogant, so cocky and sure of himself. I wanted to take the flowers and shove them where the sun didn’t shine, but that would be a waste of the stunning flowers.
“Here Kim you take them, pop them in reception for the clients to see when they come in.” I said handing her the bouquet.
I pocketed the note in my handbag though. Joe had written his mobile phone number at the bottom, and as angry as I was at his presumptuousness, I also didn’t want to chance someone else finding the note in my trash.
Chapter Seven
Friday soon rolled around and with it came the excitement for the weekend and what adventures Roby
n, Chris and I would get up to. I always worked extra hard in the week, but the weekends were what it was all about. Chris was off on his date Saturday, so Friday was going to be all about us and letting off steam.
After work we piled into my little room to get ready together and dance around to my weekend playlist. I let Chris work his magic again and he managed to transform me into a goddess. I paired a silky, sapphire blue short playsuit with silver heels and jewellery. I felt seductive, sensual and the outfit definitely brought out my flirtatious side. I put my curls up into a high ponytail channelling my inner Ariana Grande.
We downed our wine and danced our way out of the house towards the cab, full of excitement for what lay ahead. I felt carefree, courageous, and fearless. Chris sat in the back, putting his arm around me as Robyn took the front seat to guide the driver to the usual bar we were starting out from.
“I need to keep you on a tight leash tonight,” Chris said, “you are way too hot for any guy to handle.”
I laughed “Oh Chris you have no idea.” I replied and giggled as Chris licked his finger and made a hissing sound as he touched me. I had no intention of letting any man get close enough to find out exactly how hot I was though, I was still a man free zone.
As we walked into Après, the bar we usually spent our Fridays at, the door men and bar staff nodded and waved at us. We were known by most of them and they were a good bunch. We ordered our drinks and took ownership of a tall table with stools close to the dance floor where we could get happily merry and slink onto the dancefloor when the mood took us.
I was onto my fourth glass of wine and feeling warm and fuzzy when that prickly sensation came over me again. I looked around the bar but didn’t see anything or anyone I recognised. Maybe I needed to slow down my drinking, I was starting to feel like I was going slowly insane lately.
“I’m going to the ladies,” I told the other two, and wobbled off my stool heading for the back of the bar. I washed my hands and hummed along to the latest catchy dance track playing through the speakers. I smiled at myself in the mirror and just to confirm my insanity I said out loud “Ella, you are not dumpy and plain, you are fierce and feisty!” I blew myself a kiss and giggled at my craziness as I opened the door to leave. Instantly I stilled myself in the doorway, my breathe catching in my throat. There, stood leaning against the wall opposite, smiling at me through his unbelievably long eye lashes stood Joe Madden. His hands in his jean pockets and a tight fitted black shirt that showed his chest and arms perfectly, he had just the right amount of muscle to make a girl weak at the knees. He was gorgeous and I was drunk, this was not a good combination.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped and he smirked.