Skinny Dipping (Skinny Sagas)

by Alicia M Kaye

  His face crinkled as he stretched. “Morning,” he smiled, looking devastatingly handsome. He wore a dapper suit with a white shirt rather than his normal pool uniform of white t-shirt and navy shorts.

  “Morning,” she responded brightly. “You look corporate.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “I was wondering whether I should with all the advertising executives here.”

  “You’re the client, you can wear whatever you want,” she replied.

  He ran his eyes over her and something lurched inside. “You look quite nice yourself, Miss Smart.” His gaze followed her every movement: the way she put her handbag down and when she bent to adjust the straps on her high-heels. “You’re the first from your team to arrive.”

  She couldn’t help but smile back at him. “The others will be here soon.” She looked at the clock behind the counter.

  “So how are you doing? With your dad and everything?”

  “Fine,” she replied. “He’s been released from hospital.”

  “We haven’t had a chance for a real chat with you being so busy with work and everything.” He paused. “I called your office a few times.”

  “Oh yeah, sorry, Jessica gave me the messages. I emailed back, I’m sure. Did you have any questions about today?”

  “It’s not that. I called you, Sophie.” He frowned and ran his hands through his hair. “Are you going to address the issue or should I?”

  Sophie shifted uncomfortably and darted a glance toward the doorway, praying a colleague wouldn’t enter. “There’s no issue, is there?”

  “Did I do something wrong, because it’s like you’re avoiding me?” His eyes bore into hers. “Are we okay?”

  Her heart thumped in her chest. “Of course we’re okay. We’re just the same.” She shrugged.

  “What do you mean by that?” he insisted. “Just the same? I don’t know what that means.”

  “We’re both professionals. I work for you and nothing has changed otherwise.”

  “Other than you stopping swimming lessons with me but starting them with Eve.”

  “You told me to practice on my own,” she replied.

  “Okay. I did mention you should practice, but I didn’t mean….” His voice trailed off and he rubbed beneath his chin. “Is the account the problem then?”

  “No,” she shook her head.

  “The advertising campaign is almost over,” he said. “All that’s left is for your team to shoot and edit the commercial – or at least that’s what Jessica tells me when I try and reach you at the office. The website looks fantastic. The radio ad sounds amazing. You’re doing laps now in the pool. You’re basically done with me.”

  “What do you mean? Done with you?” she frowned. “Are you happy or not happy with the work? Is the account a problem with you?”

  “No, I mean, yes I’m happy with the work, but you don’t need me anymore. Not really. I just thought it wouldn’t be so complicated – us I mean – if we didn’t have a professional relationship. If we moved away from that. Kept things simple.”

  Sophie felt a dart of panic. “What are you saying? You know I’ll lose my job if I lose this account.” It was a fact. They were in a recession.

  “I’m really confused.” Colour drained from Matthew’s face. “Are you only worried about losing the account?”

  “Well?” she said, with one hand on her hip and thoughts whirling through her mind. “Am I going to lose the account?”

  “My God, you’re good.” His voice was like steel. “It’s just like you not being able to swim.”

  “What?”

  “Another sales trick. That’s what this was all about. Sales.”

  “That’s completely not true.”

  “Come on Sophie, just admit it. All you wanted was more of my business. All you spoke about was work and the possibility of getting the hotel chain advertising work. Just admit that you were never interested in me. I mean you even got Eve to finish off the swimming lessons. You couldn’t stand to be in the water with me.”

  They stared at each other with blazing eyes. “That’s totally unfair,” she gasped. “You’re the one who told me to go it alone, to practice without you.”

  “You’re in sales. It’s what you do. I get it. I’m in business too. It was just business.” He folded his arms protectively. “But you should have just said you weren’t interested, especially after Brighton. I might have been out of the game for ages, but don’t treat me as completely stupid. I can’t believe I fell for you and it was all an intensive sales pitch.”

  “How dare you. Of course we met through a business arrangement. I work for your company, it makes sense meeting through work,” Sophie whispered hoarsely. Her whole body shook. “But I thought we were friends and I never said I wasn’t interested. I was at the hospital. And now you stand here accusing me of what…doing my job? What are you saying, I’m a fake? Thanks a lot. You always talk about trust. Yet you don’t trust me. Well I fell for that, didn’t I?”

  He stared hard and a minute passed as they both glared at each other. “I guess you’d say anything,” he whispered.

  Before she could answer, the reception door opened and Desmond walked inside the centre.

  Sophie gathered her handbag from the floor. “Desmond let's go and look at the pool before the shoot. We’ve got to finish filming before customers arrive.”

  ***

  “How many times have we gone over this, Soph?” Desmond asked, the frustration clear in his tone as Sophie stormed around the pool. She couldn’t help thinking about the conversation with Matthew, who stubbornly watched her as she argued with Desmond.

  “I just have to make sure you get it right.” She felt Matthew’s glare on her back as she debated the camera panning.

  Desmond threw his hands in the air. “Of course I’ll get it right. How many times do we have to do this?” Desmond tapped his foot angrily.

  “A zillion,” she stated. “Or at least until I’m absolutely sure that we understand each other. So I know the client will get what he wants.”

  “The client’s not exactly happy with you is he?” Desmond muttered. “Why don’t you sort that out and just believe in my experience?”

  “The client relationship is just fine,” Sophie barked, her gaze settled on Matthew who was now storming around the pool. “Don’t you dare talk to me about experience and trust when you’re constantly late for things.”

  “I’m not late today, am I? Don’t you know me by now? I always deliver,” he said. “When have I let you down on shooting a project? Just think about it Sophie, I’m good at what I do.”

  The words echoed in Sophie’s head. She felt cornered and defeated by the male population. “What does it matter?” she gasped and ran her hands through her hair. She was probably going to lose her job at Clarks anyway if she lost the Silver account. It would be all over. She’d tried. She’d really tried. “Fine,” she said. “Remember to set up the lighting before the actress arrives.”

  “I know that Soph,” Desmond sighed. “I’ve done this zillions of times.”

  “You’re right.” Sophie wandered away, wondering what to do if she wasn’t micromanaging her staff. What should she do?

  Sophie noticed the makeup artist standing around, but hadn’t yet seen the actress, the new face for the national commercial. Sophie would find the actress and that would possibly help her relax.

  “How are things going with makeup?” she asked the artist. “I just wanted to speak to the actress; double check that she’s calm and feeling okay before we start.”

  “She hasn’t turned up yet.” The makeup lady shrugged. “I’m just going out for a smoke.”

  A nightmarish realisation hit her. If they were going to stick to the shooting schedule and not go over budget, then filming needed to start in about thirty minutes.

  “Why didn’t you say something?” Sophie narrowed her gaze at the makeup artist. “We’re practically ready to start – the pool opens in two hours.”


  “It’s not my job to make sure the leading lady turns up.”

  “You’re right.” Sophie glared and fear pricked her skin as the realisation hit her – she was the project manager. She was the one ultimately responsible for everyone’s attendance and for shooting to schedule. She would be blamed if the project went well over budget.

  Nothing like this had happened before. Actresses were like dogs, always sniffing around for work. They always turned up!

  Sophie pulled out her mobile phone with lightning speed and called the girl’s agent. The agent hadn’t heard any news and couldn’t help with whether she was turning up, on time or not at all.

  Sophie’s logical side snapped into action and calmness flooded her body. She was ironically serene even as questions passed angrily through her head. There was no time to second guess, and grabbing the shooting script, she marched to Desmond. “What do you think about the girl in these photographs?”

  “Gorgeous.”

  “She is, isn’t she? Perfect looking, would come out beautifully on camera.”

  “I can’t say for sure because we haven’t done a screen test.”

  “If I, an amateur, can take photographs like this, then you can definitely make her look good on film,” Sophie replied.

  “What do you mean Sophie?”

  Without waiting to explain, Sophie rushed out of the Highbury Aquatic Centre.

  ***

  At four thirty in the morning, the streets of London were practically deserted. The lamps lit the way for her to race home. Sophie opened her front door frantically. She raced up the stairs and knocked furiously on Carol’s door. Sophie didn’t have time to wait for a response and she burst into Carol’s room.

  A scream resonated through the house.

  “Calm down. It’s me, Sophie.”

  Carol breathed heavily. “You scared the shit out of me.” Her voice quavered in the darkness.

  “Josh isn’t with you is he? You’re not having sex are you?”

  “No,” Carol snapped and Sophie turned on the light, causing Carol to squint. “Josh isn’t here, as you can see.” Carol’s eyes were like slits and she shielded her gaze.

  “It’s time for your big break. Now get up,” Sophie demanded.

  “What?” Carol sat up, a hand on her chest. “I’m not a morning person.”

  “You don’t have time to think, breathe or go to the toilet. Get dressed. It’s time for you to become a national star.”

  “Fuck off, Sophie, are you drunk or something? I’m going back to sleep, so turn off the light.”

  Sophie frowned. Carol’s response was reasonable she supposed. She was acting like a madwoman.

  She ran her hands through her hair, trying to calm herself. “Let’s start again. I’ll introduce myself. I’m Sophie Smart, and I’m not just your flat mate, I’m also a project manager for Clarks, Clarks and Clarks Advertising Agency. We’re shooting a commercial this morning at the Highbury Aquatic Centre, just down the road. I’m not sure if you remember when we took shots of Brighton beach. Well our actress has not turned up this morning. I’m here to give you an opportunity of a lifetime. You’ll be the face of the brand. The face of a national commercial which has the probability to rocket you to fame and possibly even fortune.”

  “Sophie,” Carol said. “You’re talking all intensely.”

  “You don’t have time to think about it. Every second I stand here, it’s costing me money or my client money; I need you to agree right now.”

  “Will I get paid?”

  “Of course.”

  “What if I’m no good?”

  “Carol, stop it. This is not the time to talk about nerves. This is what you’re born to do. I’ve woken you up and you might as well get up and just do the commercial,” Sophie replied heartlessly. “You dyed my hair blonde and I trusted you. It’s time for you to trust me.”

  “I know Sophie, but this is a little different. You’ve gone all demanding and crazy.”

  Sophie threw a silk dressing gown at Carol. “Trust me. It’s time for you to be a star.”

  Chapter 23

  “I saw the edited version of the pool shoot.” Matthew stood in the Clarks reception and his hands were thrust deep in his pockets. He’d come to the office unannounced and insisted upon seeing her.

  “We’ve only got the Brighton shoot to go,” Sophie answered. She noticed the effort he’d made, wearing a navy suit, and even a loose tie. By the way he pulled at his neck, he hated wearing the garment. The tie reminded her of the very first time she’d seen him jump out of his Porsche and she couldn’t help but smile.

  Encouraged, Matthew smiled back. “The Brighton shoot is scheduled for next week, isn’t it?” he confirmed.

  “All booked,” she nodded. “We’ve got the permits and everyone’s ready to go. Did Jessica not tell you all this? She said she was calling you to discuss the wrap party.”

  “Yes, she did. But it’s seemed rather difficult to actually speak to you lately. I thought I would come in myself.”

  “Fair enough,” she said running her hands through her hair. She felt flustered, pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about. Yes, she’d had Jessica take on quite a lot of the communication about the Silver account, but not all of it. “Of course you can still talk to me, I’m your consultant.”

  “Great.” He looked at her square in the eye. “I wanted to apologise for the other day.”

  “What for?”

  “For saying you were all salesy and only wanted to know me to get more work.”

  “You know it’s not true then. Well of course I’d love more work, but I thought we were friends too and I wouldn’t jeopardise that.”

  “I was beginning to think it was all in my head.”

  They both stood awkwardly in silence. “Well if everything’s okay. I’d better get back to it.”

  “I also wanted to thank you.”

  Sophie folded her arms. “What for?” She tapped her foot and wondered where he was going with this.

  “For all your hard work.”

  “That’s very kind of you.”

  “Maybe you and I, we could somehow celebrate?”

  “Didn’t Jessica tell you?” Sophie knitted her eyebrows in concern. The wrap party was for the client and Matthew was the pivotal person to be invited. “The team’s organising a fabulous wrap party for when all the work is finished. Can you come? Did you get an invitation because the party’s for you, and can’t really go on without you?”

  “Yes, of course Jessica’s told me about everything. I’m going. She seems very keen to do the right thing,” he said quickly. Matthew’s mouth opened and then closed as he struggled to find the right words. “But I wanted to thank you, as my consultant, personally. What would you say?”

  “I’d say, you’re welcome,” Sophie responded, a bit too quickly.

  Matthew roared with laughter. “Come to dinner with me tonight.”

  “I’m in the office until very, very late...,” she stammered. “I’m quite busy you know. A workaholic.” Although that wasn’t quite true, not over the last few weeks.

  “I see. So you’ll be working late tonight? I’d better let you get back to it.”

  “Yes, I better go.”

  “Finish up around nine?”

  “Yes.” Sophie nodded. “I tend to finish around nine o’clock, about then.”

  “You’ll be absolutely starving.”

  “I suppose I will.”

  “So will I, since the centre shuts at nine.”

  “Isn’t that interesting?”

  “You live in Highbury, right near the swimming centre.”

  “You know I do.”

  “I propose that since it will be nine in the evening and we will both be hungry, that you catch a taxi straight to the pool. I’d estimate that you’ll be there around nine-fifteen. I’ll have finished locking up by the time you arrive, and we can to go straight for dinner.”

  “It’s an interesting ide
a.”

  “I want to take you out, Sophie. So what do you think?”

  “Well….” she started, and a dramatic sigh escaped from her lips. Her mind whirled as she looked for some type of excuse. She’d complicated the relationship once before and maybe it wasn’t the best idea to go out to dinner with Matthew. For whenever they met up casually, things between them got intense. “I haven’t gone to the pool lately. Not since Eve showed me how to tread water.”

  “Yes, Eve mentioned you can tread water for about three minutes. But you’re changing the subject.”

  “Usually if a guy wants to take a girl out then he picks her up….”

  “I can do that. It’s just that you’ll be on your way to Highbury….” He paused. “Are you just stalling, thinking of an excuse just so you can turn me down?”

  She grinned. She had thought about telling him that she was attending a charity function. “I was thinking about turning you down after our argument and everything,” she admitted with a guilty shrug.

  “But we’re okay now?”

  “I’ve forgiven you now.”

  He howled with laughter, his dimples appeared as he smiled. “Okay then, after everything began to get interesting in Brighton and you blatantly avoided me, I guess I can forgive you too.”

  “I wasn’t avoiding you.”

  “You were.” He gave her a stern look. “Admit it, you avoided me.”

  Sophie lifted her chin. “I can’t admit it.”

  “Go on,” he insisted. “Give it a try.”

  “I won’t,” Sophie said. But, the twinkle in Matthew’s gaze caused Sophie to double up with laughter, and tears sprung to her eyes. “The hospital didn’t have any phone reception. I would have called but it was always too late. Then it felt too awkward.”

  “So it was the hospital’s fault?” he gasped for a breath. “No texting was possible.”

  “I did intend to call.”

  “If what you’re saying is true then please redeem yourself by having dinner with me.”

  His gaze was intense and her heart beat madly in her chest. She realised they’d made such a scene, both in fits of giggles that colleagues who were walking through the foyer hallway had stopping to watch. Sophie even noticed Bradley cast a glance in their direction while he talked to his own client.