‘That’s on me,’ says Brandy, drawing my attention back to her. ‘I seem to have developed a superhero-like ability to embarrass my brother.’
‘Or should that be supervillain?’ I ask.
‘Hah! Totally,’ she says with a laugh. ‘Oh, you’re dry too.’ She signals to a passing waiter and in moments, we’re both holding full flutes of champagne. ‘To you and a successful collection,’ she says, toasting me.
Okay, it isn’t so bad being left to chat with Brandy.
‘Thank you, that’s very kind, especially as you didn’t get to see it.’
‘Oh, wait! Leo sent me this.’ She takes her phone out of her clutch to show me a photo of my finale outfit. ‘Love!’ she says. ‘I am totally ordering this. Oh, and this!’ She swipes and holds up her phone again. ‘This would be perfect for board meetings. Really kick-ass but totally feminine, you know.’
‘You think so? That’s exactly what I was aiming for.’
‘Well, you nailed it. It can be tricky being only one of two women in the room – and the youngest – even being the CEO.’ She’s a CEO? I do a quick calculation, realising she’s only twenty-seven. Impressive. ‘Wearing this, however,’ she says, ‘I’d feel like I really belonged at the head of the table.’
And I might be falling for Brandy.
‘That’s… that’s very kind of you to say. You know, you can spend months, even a year, conceptualising a collection then seeing it through to fruition. It’s brilliant hearing that it resonates how you hoped it would.’
‘For sure.’
‘So, what did you think of your brother’s show?’ I ask.
‘Oh, it was amazing. I mean, I knew Leo was talented—’ She leans close. ‘Sorry, I know I’m supposed to be calling him Lorenzo when we’re in public, but it’s so hard to get used to.’
‘I can imagine. For me too. Do you happen to know why the change?’ She looks uncomfortable and I worry I’ve overstepped. ‘Never mind, you don’t—’
‘No, that’s okay. It was just something dreamt up by our— I mean, his publicist,’ she replies, clearly wanting to change the subject. ‘So, what did you think of his show?’
Publicly, every comment I make about another designer’s work is positive, even if I think otherwise. And the times I’ve experienced everything from indifference to revulsion have been kept within the confines of Cassie’s and my flat. I’m even careful about what I say in front of my team.
But my reply to Brandy’s question comes easily because it’s true. ‘I loved it. It was so fresh – and that callback to the late-nineties and early-noughties! So playful. Oh, and the shoes!’
She laughs. ‘I know, right! And what about those green heels that Franzia was wearing?’
‘Yes! They were my absolutely fave,’ I gush.
‘Mine too! And they’re made of cactus leather. Can you believe it?’
‘I had no idea that was even a thing until recently.’
‘Yeah, he’s gotten really into vegan leathers – ironic considering the family business.’
I cannot, for the life of me, recall what the family business is but rather than ask, I want to know who Leo collaborated with on the show.
‘So, who was the other designer?’ I ask. ‘Would I know them or are they just breaking out?’
Confusion mars her pretty features. ‘Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.’
‘Leo’s show. I know he designed the shoes, but what about the garments?’
This obviously confuses her even more. ‘Leo did. He designed everything – jeans, tees, tops, belts. He even designed the hat.’
It’s a lot to take in – that my ex is not just a brilliant shoe designer, but he designed his entire collection (literally) head to toe.
Brandy casts her eyes over her shoulder towards Leo and smiles, then turns back to me. ‘I am just so proud of him, especially after everything he sacrificed for me.’
‘Sacrificed?’ This conversation is certainly keeping me on my toes.
‘Yeah, how he stepped up when—’
Only Brandy doesn’t have a chance to finish before we’re interrupted by Ser, Leo’s publicist. Tonight, she’s dressed as a children’s birthday party entertainer, the kind that induces nightmares and leads to a lifetime of therapy.
‘Lorenzo, honey, we need you,’ she says, tugging on his arm.
He throws the rest of us an uncomfortable smile, then turns to Ser. ‘Can you hold on a sec? I’m just catching up with some old friends.’
‘Honey,’ she says with a condescending tilt of her head. ‘Now.’
She drags him away and Brandy, Poppy, Cassie, and I huddle together.
‘What was all that about?’ asks Poppy. ‘Do you know?’ she directs at Brandy. ‘And hi, I’m Poppy by the way.’
‘Hi, Poppy, and to answer your question, I haven’t a clue.’
I like Brandy. And in a single conversation, she’s helped me gain a multitude of insights into the Leo of today. Insights that negate the impression he left when we met up in London a few weeks ago. Between what she’s told me and how he’s behaved tonight, he seems a lot more like the Leo I remember than the persona I’m guessing Ser conjured up for him.
This realisation sends another jolt of remorse rocketing through me. I was a little curt with him earlier, regarding his comment about our aspirations when we were younger. He was being lovely, and I need to apologise. I stand on tiptoes, wondering where Ser has taken him, but I can’t see over the crowd – a disadvantage of being five-foot-two.
‘Scuse me. Scuse me, everyone.’ Someone taps loudly on a microphone, then blows into it – a big no-no. I imagine all the sound techs are shuddering. ‘Hey! I’m over here.’
A lighting tech must have worked out this is a moment of some kind, because suddenly there’s a spotlight on a small platform – a stage of sorts – and on it, Franzia is waving one arm over her head as though she’s hailing a bus.
Beside her stands a very confused-looking Leo. He squints in our direction, but it’s unclear if he can make us out through the glare of the spotlight.
‘’Ello, everyone. Scuse me!’ Franzia again and, holy shit, she has an awful voice – a high-pitched scratchy whine. She also sounds like an extra from Emily in Paris who has wandered onto the set of Emmerdale, which is odd. I thought she was European, though I’d be hard-pressed to name a specific country from her bizarre accent.
‘I ’ave an announcement about me and Lorenzo,’ she says, grabbing one of Leo’s hands and pressing it into her (formidable) chest. Leo seems either mystified or horrified – perhaps both.
What is going on? I wonder.
And then Franzia drops her bombshell.
‘We’re engaged!’
They’re what?
There’s a burst of camera flashes and Franzia transforms back into the supermodel in an instant, draping herself over Leo and angling her head this way and that for the photographers. Meanwhile, as well-wishers rush the stage and pat him on the back, Leo looks like the proverbial deer in headlights.
When I look over at Cassie, she seems just as perplexed as I am.
‘What the fuck?’ she says, and Cassie rarely says ‘fuck’.
‘Oh my god,’ says Brandy, looking open-mouthed at the rest of us.
‘So, you didn’t know about the announcement?’ Poppy asks her.
‘Not a clue,’ she replies. ‘And not just about the announcement. I didn’t even know they were dating.’
‘Did Leo?’ Poppy asks. ‘He seemed to be caught completely off-guard up there.’
‘I guess, but despite the whole “Lorenzo” thing, my brother’s a really private person. Maybe he was just uncomfortable with the attention.’
‘Maybe,’ says Poppy.
‘And he was probably hoping to tell our mom before anything was announced. Anyhoo, I should go congratulate him,’ says Brandy. ‘Hey, are you okay?’ she asks me, but I can barely hear her over my ragged breathing.
‘Elle?’ Cassie says, grasping my arm and peering at me, concerned. ‘Are you all right? It’s like you’ve seen a ghost.’
‘I need to get out of here,’ I say. I turn and push my way through the crowd, heading towards what I hope is the exit.
Seeing Leo tonight – with how lovely he was to me and after everything Brandy told me about him – part of me had entertained the idea…
That what?
That maybe we could reconnect, I admit to myself. Or at the very least, collaborate on a collection, like Cassie has begged me to.
But now?
The last thing I want is to spend time with him, especially the amount of time required to design a collection together. Because the truth is, Leo Jones is my kryptonite and now he’s back under my skin and – worse – engaged to a fucking supermodel. If we work together, I am positive I will end up falling back in love with a man I cannot have.
I look like I’ve just seen a ghost? No shit, Cass. It’s the ghost of boyfriend past and it is terrifying.
Poppy
After Elle disappears, Cassie and I say a hasty goodbye to Brandy, asking her to pass on our congratulations to Leo – even though it was patently obvious he had no idea that was going to happen and looked about as happy as Eeyore on a bad day.
‘What on earth was that?’ asks Cassie as we wind our way to the exit.
‘I have no idea.’
Just before we step outside, she tugs on my arm. ‘Tell me you have a plan.’ We stare at each other, me biting my top lip. ‘Poppy?’
‘Not right this second. I still can’t— That was—’ I shake my head.
‘It was. And how did he look to you? Leo, I mean?’
‘When Franzia said they were engaged?’
‘Yes.’
‘Confused, horrified, blindsided. I don’t think Brandy’s right. There’s private and there’s “I have no idea what is happening right now”.’
‘Then this must be his publicist’s doing, right?’
‘That’s what I think. Hot new designer, whose star is on the rise, plus world’s biggest supermodel. It’s publicity gold.’
‘Do you think they’re even… you know?’ she asks, her face contorting with distaste.
‘Fucking?’ She purses her lips, chastising me. ‘Sorry, that was crass – and unprofessional. I’m just a little discombobulated.’
‘But you can fix this, right?’
‘Look, we don’t know if this is a publicity stunt or if it’s legit, but if Leo is really engaged to Franzia, then… well, I’m not sure there’s anything I can do.’
‘Right.’
‘I’ll get Marie onto it right away. And I’ll speak to Nasrin tonight, get her thoughts. Okay?’
She sighs. ‘Fine.’
‘Hey,’ I say, grasping her arm to reassure her, ‘there’s still hope.’
Her open book of a face tells me she doesn’t believe me. I don’t wholly believe me either, but I’ve had cases in far worse predicaments than this and most of those turned out as I hoped.
‘We should find Elle,’ she says, and we head out into the night.
‘Fuck me, I would never have seen that coming,’ say Nasrin, echoing my thoughts.
‘I’ve already spoken to Marie and she’s going to dig into the extent of the Leo–Franzia “relationship”.’ I use air quotes, making Nas smile.
‘Yeah, it does seem a little convenient. So, if turns out to be a sham, what are you thinking? Proceed with the collaboration angle and hope they fall back in love?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Yeah, that’s what I would do too.’
‘Of course, the tricky part of that is that Elle is no longer willing to entertain the idea.’
‘Of a collaboration? Did she say that?’
‘Not exactly. She was silent all the way back to the hotel, but Cassie sent me a text after I got to my room. Elle is firmly in the no-fucking-way camp when it comes to working with Leo.’
‘Hmm. Do you think Cassie can get her to change her mind?’
‘She could put her foot down, I suppose – as Bliss Designs’ business manager.’
‘And what about Leo?’ Nas asks. ‘How was he?’
‘Towards Elle?’ She nods. ‘Well, I was watching them together at the party and he seemed… I don’t know…’
‘Into her?’
‘Hard to say, but there was a lot of eye contact and smiling – a bit of touching.’
Nasrin nods in approval. ‘And what if he really is with Franzia?’
‘The more I think about it, the less likely it seems. Cross that bridge if we come to it?’
‘Sounds good.’
‘Thanks, Nas. It helps to have a sounding board.’
‘Well, it’s my case too,’ she says, somewhat snarky.
‘I haven’t forgotten,’ I reply, somewhat snarky back.
We end the call and I contemplate calling my husband for some more long-distance relations, but as appealing as that is, I’m absolutely wiped. Besides, I’ll be home tomorrow – the real thing will be well worth the wait.
