“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 idea.”
“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.
She shifted her shoulders back. “I’d better start acting professionally.”
“So are you going to have dinner with me or not?”
She swallowed. “Of course. Dinner sounds great.” She wondered whether she should come clean about her availability. Since Sophie had started delegating work, she’d be available earlier than nine. She’d be ravenous if she waited to eat.
“Excellent, I’ll see you at nine-fifteen. Don’t be late.” He swivelled abruptly on his heels, not waiting for confirmation.
Sophie gazed at Matthew’s broad shoulders as he entered the lift and left the building. In a dreamlike state she turned, almost bumping into Bradley who narrowed his gaze. “Any news on the hotels?”
“He hates it when people are pushy. He’s not that type of client. For the moment, I don’t think we’ll get it. He knows we want it, so our best strategy is to give him space.”
“I pay you to be smooth and not pushy.” He sighed loudly. “Can you please arrange a meeting with me within the next few days? Get Jessica to set it up when we’re both free. Jessica can book somewhere nice.”