I’m at the morning staff meeting and the briefing on ‘Elle and the Shoemaker’ (still a dumb case name, IMO) is up next. There is so much happening that I’m not even listening to George’s update (very rude and unprofessional of me). Instead, I’m consulting the notes on my tablet.
‘And Poppy?’ says Saskia, directing everyone’s attention to me. ‘How are you and Nasrin getting on?’ I love how casually she asks this, as if she’s enquiring about a tardy coffee order.
I sit up taller in my seat and don my Poppy-the-Professional expression. Part of my update is bound to be contentious, and I want to convey an I’ve-got-this vibe.
‘The highlights are…’ I say, pressing a button on a remote. The photo of Elle receiving flowers from Leo at the end of her show appears on the large screen above Saskia’s head. She swivels her chair and everyone looks up. Freya – the romantic – sighs.
‘Elle and Leo-slash-Lorenzo connected several times over the time in Paris, including at the conclusion of her fashion show, in which he gave her flow—’
‘So, they’ve reunited?’ Ursula interjects. ‘Is the case closed?’ Hah! Far from it, I think.
‘Uh, no, not yet,’ I reply. ‘They have talked on several occasions, but I’d say it’s more “reconnecting” than “reconciling” at this stage. I am confident there are feelings – on both sides – that could lay the foundation for a reunion.’
She doesn’t seem to have follow-up questions, so I proceed.
‘Additionally, a few factors have come into play over the past several days that impact the case. First, Leo announced that he’ll be living in London for the next six months, maybe longer, which, of course, works in our favour’ – several murmurs of encouragement – ‘and while in Paris, he introduced Elle to his sister, Brandy, which we also consider a positive.’
I can sense Nasrin squirming beside me, bursting with the news I’m about to share. But she won’t interrupt me – we have a plan.
‘However,’ I say, advancing to the next image: Leo and Franzia on the small stage at the H&M party. Freya exchanges a sigh for a gasp and I want to say, ‘I know, right?’ but I don’t.
‘This was taken two nights ago. For those who don’t know, standing with Leo is Franzia, the supermodel. This was taken moments after she announced their engagement.’
The polite murmurs from a moment ago swell until the conference room fills with voices. Saskia’s eyes swing to meet mine, her expression inscrutable.
The Ever After Agency is not in the business of breaking up engagements, even ones we strongly suspect are fake. Doing such a thing could severely damage the agency’s reputation and, as the agency relies on absolute professionalism as much as it does discretion, that could be a death knell.
‘There’s more,’ I say loudly, hoping to quell the rising surge of alarm. The conversations around the table cease and all eyes return to me. Nasrin inhales deeply. ‘There’s this,’ I say, advancing to the video Marie sent.
It’s not the best quality and, as it’s shot in portrait, it only fills a vertical strip in the middle of the screen, but I play it in its entirety. I want – perhaps even need – its fullest impact. When it concludes, I set the remote on the table and wait for my colleagues to settle once again.
‘This video was shot by someone at Franzia’s modelling agency – her own agency. It’s unlikely to get out – this or any video like it – because of the damage it could do. Not just to Franzia but to all the labels or brands she’s associated with, as well as her agency.’
‘So, the industry is protecting her,’ states Paloma. ‘That makes sense from a fiscal perspective but what about…’ She appears to struggle to find the right word.
‘Everything else?’ supplies Ursula. ‘Accountability, reputation…’
‘Exactly,’ says Paloma.
‘All salient points,’ I say, but we’re getting off track. We haven’t been hired to put Franzia on the naughty step. ‘But what Nasrin and I are considering’ – this is where I bring in Nas; I need the backing of my lieutenant – ‘is how Franzia’s behaviour impacts this case.’
This is the plan. Ahead of the meeting, Nas and I agreed that at this point, we would drop the grenade, seed the idea that the revelation could lead to our client’s HEA, then step back and let silence do its work.
As we hoped, the room stills. Everyone is thinking and if this goes the way Nas and I want it to, we won’t have to advocate for pursuing the case despite the engagement, because at least one of our colleagues will do it for us.
Nas pokes me firmly under the table and I dip my head in a surreptitious nod. Who will be the first to speak up, I wonder? Probably not George – he doesn’t like to rock the boat. Freya is definitely onside, but I’m not sure if she’ll have the confidence to speak first. And Mia, as our tech expert, doesn’t really have any skin in this game. I look over at Ursula. Although her face is immobile, I can tell that behind her eyes, her mind is working away.
‘We need to consider the greater good,’ Ursula says after some time. Nasrin pokes me again and I expel the breath I’ve been holding as slowly as possible, so I don’t give myself away.
‘How so?’ Saskia asks.
‘If we assume that Leo has not been exposed to Franzia’s behaviour,’ Ursula replies, ‘would we not be doing him a disservice by abandoning the case and not allowing him the opportunity to reunite with the woman who may be his true love?’
Not just a double negative but a triple! Still, Ursula’s meaning is clear enough.
‘Playing devil’s advocate for a moment,’ says Paloma. She plays devil’s advocate so often, I’d swear she’s on his payroll. ‘Let’s say that Leo is privy to Franzia’s outbursts – would that not indicate he loves her and doesn’t care how she behaves, thus negating the need to pursue the case?’
‘Just to step in here,’ I say. ‘It may be that Leo is in love with Franzia’ – I’d bet my parents’ farm that he isn’t – ‘but from what I’ve witnessed in his exchanges with Elle, there’s still a spark between them.’
Paloma eyes me curiously. I’m walking a tenuous line here, essentially contradicting a senior staff member. I can feel my fellow agents holding their breath.
‘Poppy,’ says Saskia, breaking through the tension in the room. ‘Asking to pursue a lost-love case in which one of the parties is engaged, it’s…’ She pauses far too long for me to believe she’ll land on a yes and I steel myself for the no as the tension rises again. ‘…problematic,’ she concludes.
Well, bugger.
‘As you know – as you all know – we have very strict and explicit guidelines that we need to adhere to.’
So, it is ‘cased closed’ but not in the way I’d hoped. I glance at Nasrin and her mouth tugs into a taut line of commiseration.
‘That said…’ Saskia continues, and I instantly perk up. ‘What you’ve presented here today is compelling and warrants keeping the case open.’
‘Yes!’ Nasrin exclaims in a stage whisper.
‘Under the proviso,’ says Saskia pointedly, ‘that you tread carefully and give me and Paloma daily updates. At even the slightest indication that we’ve overstepped or that this case won’t go our way, I’m calling it. Understood?’
‘Yes, Saskia,’ Nas and I chorus together.
I’m pleased with the outcome, but this discussion has emphasised how high the stakes are in this case and how critical it is that I get this right.
‘Thank you, everyone,’ Saskia says, her bright countenance restored, and everyone leaves the conference room except for me and Nasrin.
‘What do you think?’ I ask, standing and gathering my belongings.
‘That we’d better not mess this up.’
‘Agreed. But at least Saskia’s letting us proceed.’
‘On a tight leash.’
‘Well, obviously.’ I am trying to lift my spirits, but I’ve chosen the wrong colleague to debrief with. Nasrin is a glass-half-empty person.
‘You ready for your meeting?’ She means the meeting with the Nouveau editor this afternoon, a woman called Bex.
‘I think so. Freya did a good job of putting my notes into some sort of order. Hopefully, I won’t look like a total amateur.’
Nas goes to leave but I stop her.
‘Wait, I just… Why am I anxious?’
‘About meeting the editor?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Because it’s an important piece of an important case,’ she states.
‘But aren’t all cases important?’ I ask.
She laughs. ‘From the client’s perspective, sure, but not all cases have the potential to bring down the agency.’
‘That’s a little extreme,’ I say, even though we discussed this exact concern before the staff meeting. I, like many people, tend to contradict myself when I’m stressed.
‘You heard Saskia. And in a case that involves two pseudo-celebs and a supermodel, we need to be extra careful. The engagement is already all over socials and the media and we’re… well, us. If this gets any messier, there’s every chance the agency will get dragged through the mu—’
‘No, I get it. You’re right.’
This is where Nasrin would typically gloat. But today, she just pats me on the arm and leaves.
Yikes, we may be in worse trouble than I thought.
My phone chimes. It could be any number of people connected to this case, none of whom I want to hear from until I’ve wrapped up the meeting at Nouveau.
But when I check my phone, it’s Tristan.
Saffron settling in.
He’s added a photo. On his lap, looking very comfortable and delighted with the hand rubbing under her chin, is our new cat. I knew he’d fall in love with her on sight. Why else would a busy investment banker take a day off to ensure his ‘sweet little girl’ wasn’t left alone on her first day?
I send a quick reply:
Lucky girl. Miss you both. Px
I head towards my desk and my phone chimes again. At this rate, Tristan’s going to become one of those people whose photo feed is 90 per cent kitty pics. But it’s not Tristan – it’s Cassie. With a message that could mean a dozen different things:
Can we meet? Code red.
I’m assuming ‘code red’ means the same in the UK as it does in Australia – as in, ‘everything’s gone to shit’. I reply, telling her to come into the agency any time after 2 p.m., as I’ll be back from my meeting by then – hopefully with good enough news to stave off some of the gone-to-shit-ness of this case.
I’ve had complex cases before, even ones where I’ve skirted the boundaries of what’s permitted in the pursuit of an HEA – or happily ever after – but this… This is turning into one of those cases in which I’ll be spinning plates and juggling while doing cartwheels. Wearing roller-skates.
If I can pull this off, I will be matchmaker of the year!
