New Beginnings

by Elle M Thomas

  Sitting back, Eve felt nauseous thinking she may not have been at her most articulate in that explanation and that could cost Sally dearly.

  “We were shit and we know we were?” queried Gray with a hint of a curve on his lips.

  “That's a winning slogan if ever I've heard one.” Laughed Tim.

  “Sorry,” said Eve sincerely and turning to Sally mouthed a tearful, heartfelt sorry.

  “Eve,” said Gray more gently now. “Your argument has sound reasoning but might just need polishing.”

  “Thank you,” she replied, feeling glad of his show of support for her. “I am normally more articulate than my demonstration this morning and as my background is in P.R. I prefer to go with a positive spin rather than a whitewash.”

  Sally picked up the talk now and continued to work through possible strategies to promote the chain, including the slightly risky option of using some of its prestige hotels at budget prices.

  “Miss Quinn, talk us through your background if you would,” requested Gray.

  Sally looked relieved to be talking about something she knew all the answers to and physically relaxed as she discussed her sixth form education, university, and work history.

  The three people at the top of the table looked impressed as Sally spoke, especially as she began discussing her time with Milton and Star. She discussed campaigns she'd worked on and relaxed further as Gray, Sam and Tim made references to mutual acquaintances of other people within their industry.

  “I spent a few months working at Milton and Star as a freelance on a huge promotion for one of the big burger joints from the U.S. They always had a trendy edge that allowed them not to be London based.” said Tim suddenly. “There was a good guy there, really forward thinking, innovative and a really nice bloke too. When we do these things I often expect him to turn up as an independent because he had all the right qualities in spades,” continued Tim, smiling at his trip down memory lane.

  “Who was that then? I've kept in touch with a few,” said Sally.

  “Now that's the odd thing. I have a crap memory where names are concerned but I made a mental note of his and have always remembered it,” he said proudly before revealing the man's name. “Max Pardoe,” he said but the sound of a guttural gasp, a sob and a dry wretch stopped Tim in his tracks.

  “Are you okay?” asked Sam, rushing down to where Eve was sitting and gasping.

  “Sorry, have I said something wrong?” asked a confused Tim.

  Gray got to his feet and paused watching the whole scene, unsure what was happening, what to do or how to react when Sally spoke, “You weren't to know, Eve is also known as Eve Pardoe, Pardoe is her married name.”

  Gray looked furious now as all the information began to fall into place; she was married, to this Max guy, a nice guy, talented, so why was she cheating on him and flitting between his name and her own and why was she so upset by the mention of his name, although...shit! How stupid had he been? This was all part of the plan, snare the boss, him, shag him well, and how she'd done that, she'd even managed to throw in the ploy that she'd mistaken him for a prostitute, he'd called her Mrs Sharp. Then she turns up here today, feigns innocence at it all to secure the contract. He was fuming now, with himself and with her. He wasn't stupid or naïve and yet here he was in this ridiculous situation, well enough was enough and he'd had quite enough of this circus so he would do this with a little more dignity.

  Marching down the room until he reached her he took Eve’s arm and lifted her to her feet and guided her towards the door where he briefly glanced back to say, “This won’t take long and if you're part of this Miss Quinn you won’t be working anytime soon and if you're not then I suggest you vet your employees more thoroughly.”

  Sally stared at his back as he led Eve from the room not quite understanding what was happening and turning towards Sam and Tim she asked, “Do you have any clue what is going on here?”

  Sam stared at her wildly and then replied with a hint of confusion in her voice, “I may be wrong, but I think your friend and my brother may have met a couple of weeks ago and he has been searching for her ever since.”

  “And has floundered, but if she's married that may be for the best, although I think Gray is probably thinking he's been played,” added Tim before adopting a disapproving tone to ask Sally, “Has he? Has your friend played my brother-in-law for this job?”

  “What?” cried a horrified Sally. “No, oh God what a mess. Eve has been in a bad place and she's no longer married to Max and if your brother-in-law is the man she met at The Stanford a couple of weeks ago, she called him Gray but I assumed that it was short for Graham. Oh no, she has been desperate to find him too, and I believe she did, last night.”

  “Then let's hope my brother allows Eve a chance to speak before he lets rip.” Sighed Sam sitting back down.

  Eve was being frogmarched down a corridor now with Gray gripping her arm firmly until they finally reached his office that was being guarded by a short, plump, mousy haired woman of around thirty-five.

  “Kirsty I am unavailable,” he snapped, before pushing Eve through the door he was holding open.

  The slam of the door behind her made her physically jump with a mixture of shock and apprehension. Turning she found Gray looking at her coldly with an expression of anticipation and anger, no fury.

  “Nothing to say Mrs...” he started and after a pause finished his question, “Mrs Pardoe?”

  “Gray...” she stammered tearfully.

  “What? Are you going to tell me that your friend has it wrong and that Max is not your husband, that you're not married, or, or maybe you could tell me that you did not seek me out with the sole intention of seducing me and then after hiding from me for a fortnight, a fortnight of driving me crazy you reappear last night and I stupidly fell for it again? Then today, surprise, surprise you and your friend are pitching for a hugely prestigious job. Now this bit's a bit fuzzy because it didn't quite pan out, did it? But I'll take a guess that I give the job to your friend and I reckon I was on for dinner and maybe another night between the sheets before you run back to your husband. I wonder what he'd say about this, or maybe he knows, is he part of the sting because he would know how to play to your strengths and attributes, wouldn't he? Very generous of him to allow me to sample the goods though, for a price.” Gray began to laugh as he stepped closer to Eve until they were almost toe to toe. “I really believed you'd mistaken me for a prostitute and yet it would appear that your own role is closer to it than mine and pimped by your own husband no less,” spat Gray, feeling angry and hurt, but more than anything sad.

  Whilst considering his own feelings he missed the expression on Eve's face, the one of hurt, real physical pain at his summing up and harsh words followed by total and utter fury at his allegations about her and Max who wasn't even there to defend himself, well she was and she would defend them both, not for the first time. With all the strength she could muster she drew her hand back and allowed it to land across Gray's face and hoped it had stung his face half as much as it had her hand that was throbbing already.

  The look of shock on Gray's face was satisfying at least, albeit briefly. Turning to leave she bit back the tears that were desperate to find a release, but she refused to allow him to see them.

  Pausing as she got to the door she looked back and shook her head

  “There really is no point even speaking to you, is there? You've already got it all figured out and you don't need any answers from me because you have those too, even the ones you've dreamt up from a very dark place in your warped mind. The people you spoke about, the ones who consider you arrogant, conceited and rather bullish? The ones who would say that your ego is already far too inflated? Well, they don't know the half of it because in addition to those things you are mistrusting, offensive and I would have to guess seriously damaged, but most of all,” she said as she opened the door fully aware of Kirsty's presence and her awareness of the shouting that had occurred, “Yes, mo
st of all Grayson Sharp, you are a complete and utter fucking arsehole, so consider us divorced,” she said far more calmly than she felt as she exited his office and his life, aware of the fact that both Kirsty and more importantly, Gray were staring at her back and knowing that ensured her head was held high and her hips were swinging.

  “Don’t fucking swear!” he called, but she was already gone.

  After a gentle tap on the door Eve entered the conference room and immediately began to speak, “I am sorry for the delay and any embarrassment I may have caused any of you.” She became aware of the fact that Gray was standing behind her now. Ignoring that, she continued, “There seems to be some confusion in Mr Sharp's deluded mind about my role here, so in order that any confusion is removed, now and for the future I am resigning, Sally. Thank you for the support and help you've given me after, well everything, but I'm not an advertising exec and if me playing at one compromises you then it really is time to move on; maybe I'll move back home. Annette will be pleased if I do. Mr and Mrs Stone, I implore you both to forget everything here that involves me or detracts from how good Sally is. Mr Stone, you talked about my husband and his work and you were right, he was the most insightful man I ever met and he actually recruited Sally, which is how Max and I met, through Sally who I've known forever. I think I’ve taken up enough of your time, so good luck, Sal, nice to have met you both, Sam, Tim,” she said, smiling warmly at them each in turn.

  Heading towards the door, past Gray she walked purposefully until Sam called to her, “Eve, you didn't have to do that, but thank you for your obvious integrity and I, we, Tim and I are very sorry. I can't imagine how you've coped,” said Sam, fighting back her own tears now.

  “Hey, shit happens,” she said and with a small laugh looked at Tim. “I'll give you that one for free to slogan.”

  Chapter 8

  Eve managed to get as far as her car before she allowed the tears to fall. The warm, salty drops flowed down her face and as her cries got harder and deeper she found they were coursing down her cheeks and either being reabsorbed as she swallowed them or falling as far as her chin before dropping onto the bright blue chest of her dress giving it a polka dot look. As the cries wracked through her whole body she allowed her head to slump forward and rest against the steering wheel that she somehow found to be reassuring, like being comforted, held by strong arms, resting against a firm, muscular chest, like Gray's. That wasn't helpful in calming her down, yet she couldn't stop thinking about how things had gone so badly wrong in a matter of a couple of hours and how she'd misjudged him, or had she? She couldn't have got him so wrong, could she? When she reminded herself that she had initially thought he was a gigolo she realised that her judgement was well off, making her smile and stop crying. Still unable to move, she kept her head against the firm leather steering wheel, closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine that the last couple of hours hadn't happened.

  Gray watched Eve leave and fought every instinct to chase her, but he couldn't, wouldn't. She was a liar, deceitful and worse, still married, three qualities he always avoided in women, even in a woman who had got under his skin, made him feel like no one else ever had and actually summed him up quite accurately in the face of his anger, 'mistrusting, offensive and seriously damaged'. That was how she’d described him and if he was honest with himself, which he was, she was spot on.

  He almost choked on his own feelings as he realised she'd left and hadn't even looked at him as she'd done so and his final meeting with her, the last thing they'd shared was her slap across his face, although the sting still heating his cheek and jaw suggested that the term 'slap' was seriously inadequate.

  “Right then, shall we continue, Miss Quinn?” Gray moved nervously from one foot to the other.

  “Gray,” started Tim.

  “Later Tim,” he snapped earning himself a stony stare from his sister.

  “You really are an arsehole at times,” said Sam, watching her brother carefully.

  “I think you'll find I’m a fucking arsehole, ask Miss Mariner, Mrs Pardoe,” he said dryly.

  “Well, we could, except for the fact that you’ve allowed the poor woman to leave,” retorted Sam.

  “Sam, this is neither the time nor the place and she is many things I am sure, but not poor anything,” he said angrier now.

  “Would you like to check on your friend?” asked Sam, looking at Sally concerned.

  “What the hell is going on here?” shouted Gray. “Her friend is at best a scam artist and at worst, well I'd rather not say!”

  “She was wrong about you, Mr Sharp. She thought that despite her initial impression of you that you were something special because you enabled her to feel special and ready to move on,” said Sally, calmly getting to her feet.

  “What? Move on? I reckon she has moved on all the way back to her pimping husband.” Gray was quickly tiring of the whole situation. “Don't let us keep you, Miss Quinn, goodbye.” He offered an insincere and surly smile.

  Sam stood before him now and looking up slightly, frowned. “Grayson you have this all skewed. Eve is not, cannot go back to her husband, he's dead. She's his widow not his wife and that is why she moved here and changed back to her maiden name, to move on.”

  “What?” asked Gray, struggling to process the information he was hearing.

  “Sally, please?” asked Sam.

  “You should speak to Eve, but Max is dead, just over a year ago and she nursed him for almost a year before that and it's almost destroyed her one way or another, so after he died she packed up and moved here for a while, stayed with me and then decided to stay and got her own place. I gave her a job and she was beginning to see things straight again, even ended up at the bar at The Stanford a fortnight ago and left there thinking that maybe she was ready to make a proper future, a new future and when I saw her this morning it was quite obvious that she really, truly believed that. Any more than that is not my place to tell you, it's Eve's and I am certain she would have shared that with you had you given her the chance. I need to find Eve and make sure she's okay, so if we could rearrange then great and if not then I am sorry but she is my priority,” said Sally, but found her exit was blocked by Gray.

  “You arrange your rescheduled meeting with Sam, and I will find Eve. Did she drive here?” he asked feeling guilty and nervous suddenly.

  “Yes, she parked downstairs,” replied Sally.

  “What car does she drive?” asked Gray impatiently.

  “A black Mini…”

  “It was her. I wasn't imagining things.” Gray smiled recalling the image of the brunette in the black Mini the previous evening at the hotel.

  Gray ran from the conference room and found himself standing at the lifts but when they failed to arrive immediately, he took the stairs two at a time instead, begging for her to still be there, not to have left already. He needed to speak to her and although he could get her address off Sally or trace her using her current name, her maiden name, he wanted to see her now, to apologise for being the fucking arsehole she’d accused him of being and beg for her forgiveness.

  Standing at the doorway from the stairs to the car park he looked around and for a moment it seemed that everyone had a black car and ninety percent of them were small cars blending into one. Grabbing his phone, he dialled her number and ran up and down the rows of cars listening for it ringing. Halfway down the third row he could hear a repetitive musical tone making him come to a standstill. He ended his call and wondered what to do now as he spotted the black Mini with a head full of soft, warm, brunette hair flowing across the steering wheel, no longer held in the French plait that had earlier allowed him to view her sexy neck that had seemed to call to him, asking to be kissed, nipped.

  He quickly composed a text message and approached the driver's door where he sent the message and waited.

  I want to say sorry but it seems inadequate. I was out of order & was a fucking arsehole. Let me in Eve, please and I promise I will listen, I don't ha
ve all the answers baby. X

  He watched as she raised her head and read the message on her screen then turned to look at him through red, blotchy eyes that looked sad and haunted, eyes that only served to add another layer of guilt to his conscience.

  She opened the window, all resolve melting with the word baby on his text and simply said, “It's not locked.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked, thinking it was possibly the most stupid question he’d ever asked.

  “Been better,” she replied honestly as he opened her door.

  “Can we talk? And I promise I will listen rather than leaping to wild conclusions.” He dropped into a crouch so they were face to face.

  “Aren't you busy?”

  “We're rescheduling with your friend and I was going to get Kirsty to cover anything else with Sam and Tim,” he explained.

  “I just need a couple of hours. I'll text you.” She started the engine of her car.

  “Don't give me the brush off, Evie, I'm begging you.”

  “I'm not. I just need a bit of time and space, but I will text you my address and we could have lunch at mine and talk,” she offered.

  “You promise?” He sounded almost childlike with his nervousness and insecurity evident.

  “I promise,” Eve replied, unsure whether she meant it or not.

  About an hour later, Eve was about to answer her front door hoping not to see Gray there and was relieved to find Sally standing there instead.

  “Did I screw it up for you?” asked Eve, nervously stepping aside to let her friend through.

  “No, no. I’m meeting with them again in the morning and I'd like to reject you resignation,” replied Sally, leading the way from the hall past the bathroom door and bedroom opposite and into the open plan lounge/kitchen/diner that occupied most of the floor space in Eve's flat.

  They headed straight into the kitchen where Sally put the kettle on and smiled at her oldest and dearest friend.