by Lacey Legend
“You’re wrong, Izzy. He can. He told me that he was team Tabitha, that he’d support me a hundred percent on my endeavor to make Hastings-Bass an accessible label. When he was tested in a meeting today by my office adversary, he didn’t say a word in my defense.”
“Be fair on him Tabitha, you understand why he couldn’t though, right?”
“No, I don’t. If a director can sit in a meeting and say my idea is a PR disaster, why can’t Financial Director, Freddie Ravensdale, say my idea shows the signs of becoming a huge success for the company?”
“Because Freddie Ravensdale is actually Freddie Hastings. After our parents’ divorce, we took our mother’s maiden name. We wanted to make our mark on the fashion industry based on our own credentials, rather than because of our surname. It’s general knowledge now in the company that Freddie is a Hastings. Therefore if he endorsed your idea, it would’ve been the equivalent of telling whoever was challenging your strategies that their opinion doesn’t count because his mind is already made up. Freddie’s fair. He’d want the entire board of directors to have a say in such a crucial decision. I think that’s why he’d choose to be diplomatic in that instance.”
“That makes sense, but why Freddie didn’t bother telling me his heritage, does sting.”
“I know. Freddie has enormous trust issues, but hang in there if you can because he’s the most loyal person I know.”
Tabitha felt significantly better after lunch. Her behavior in the meeting hadn’t been exemplary. In fairness if Freddie had informed her of his connection with the company she would’ve respected his judgment and decision regarding the whole Samantha debacle.
Trying to focus on work, she noted a new email in her inbox arrive at four pm. Opening it, she saw it was for a one-on-one meeting with Freddie at five pm to discuss the morning’s meeting. Double checking, she was pleased to see the invite hadn’t been extended to Samantha.
She went to Freddie’s floor in a timely manner. Pleased by the privacy of his office, as she took a seat opposite him, she flashed him a warm smile. To her surprise Freddie didn’t reciprocate.
“I thought I made it clear Tabitha, that it was prudent for us to keep our relationship under wraps at work.”
“And we have.”
“Yes. Until you dragged my sister into it.”
“I’m sorry,” Tabitha had to stop from stammering.
“I had a call from Isabella telling me you met for lunch. She felt obligated to inform me of your distress and also divulge with you the fact that my father is the managing director of Hastings-Bass. I’m told you were apparently confused as to why I didn’t vocally support you in our meeting with Samantha.”
Tabitha shifted in her seat. She could tell Freddie was furious, but she didn’t feel he was justified in such strong indignation.
“You promised me your support on my plans for Hastings-Bass,” she said slowly. “Obviously when you let Samantha run down my birthplace and my work, I didn’t consider that to be a sign of support.”
“Samantha is her own worst enemy. Your ideas were accepted and embraced by the entire company at the meeting on Friday; you saw that for yourself. By letting her approach the directors individually all she will discover is that her alleged concerns relating to your input and strategies are completely unfounded. She’ll be viewed as a troublemaker by the entire board. My correctly advising her to follow that course of action was me supporting you.”
“I understand that now; especially with the knowledge of why you had to remain impartial.”
“You didn’t need to know that I’m part of the Hastings family. I told you I’d support you. All I needed was your trust.”
“It’s pretty hard to gain anyone’s trust Freddie, when you remain a closed book. You didn’t exactly give me a reason or any substantial grounds as to why I should trust you. In fact you did the opposite.”
“Perhaps, but I did give you my word. Running to my sister, crying and prying into my private life, you’ve certainly lost my trust. As anyone will tell you Tabitha, no relationship can exist without trust. Therefore we no longer have a relationship.”
“Are you serious?”
“Love isn’t baseball, Tabitha. There isn’t a three-strike rule.”
“Don’t be condescending.”
“You had my trust, you broke it and it can’t be repaired. We’re over. Let’s move on. I’m sure our working lives will be a lot easier now.”
“And your personal life? Will that be easier without me? Will it be more rewarding not to have me around?”
“I suppose I’ll find out, but I suspect it will.”
“I believed in you, Freddie, and you were dishonest with me. You didn’t tell me you were a Hastings. That’s called lying by omission. Despite that I loved you enough to want to be with you, to keep trying so you’d learn to trust again. It didn’t cross my mind to break up with you. Our relationship meant something to me. To discard me with such ease, I understand my heart was wasted loving you. Thank you for at least letting me see I was with a man incapable of love. If we really are done here, than I best leave the office.”
“Then leave,” stated Freddie coldly.
*
Yvonne was shocked when Tabitha sent her the MP3 file for dictation. A resignation letter was the last thing she was expecting to type up when Tabitha’s department was flourishing. As she heard Tabitha’s voice through her headphones, she wanted to bust into her boss’s office and beg her not to leave.
It had been an odd time. Tabitha remained ever friendly with Yvonne and her colleagues, but the light had disappeared from her eyes. Yvonne knew something was wrong, but thought better than to press Tabitha for details on her personal life. Even at eighteen she knew it could only be man troubles.
Printing out the letter, she popped it in an envelope and knocked on her boss’s door.
“Hey, Yvonne.”
“I’ve done that letter for you,” she smiled sadly and knowingly.
“Thanks. I’ll have a read through and sign it off.”
The two women remained quiet.
“I’ll leave it on your desk,” continued Tabitha, “and perhaps you could run it up to Human Resources for me.”
Yvonne nodded.
“It was good fun, wasn’t it,” said the girl tearfully.
Tabitha felt her own eyes welling.
“Yeah it was. We made a great team, Yvonne, and you’ll be able to make sure whoever takes my position keeps this place moving forward. Think you can do that?”
Yvonne nodded and scurried out of the room. Tabitha wished she hadn’t let herself grow quite so attached to her PA. She wished she could take her back to the States with her, but she didn’t even know if she’d have a position in the US branch of Hastings-Bass. The one thing she knew for certain was that life in London without Freddie was no life at all.
Signing the paper, she dropped it on Yvonne’s desk.
“Think I’ll get us a coffee and donut and catch a bit of fresh air,” announced Tabitha, pushing the envelope toward Yvonne.
Yvonne picked up the envelope. Shy, timid and mousy was how most people in the company viewed her, but not Tabitha. It was time to be bold, courageous and follow her instinct. Taking the envelope she went to deliver it to the appropriate recipient.
The autumn winds were becoming chillier and Tabitha knew winter was just around the corner. She’d relished the thought of an English winter, but maybe she’d find the cold New York winter comforting in her current state of decline.
Entering the office, she dropped a coffee and donut on Yvonne’s desk. The line of her vision caught sight of a figure in her fishbowl of an office.
“Someone in there for me?” she asked Yvonne.
The girl grinned wickedly at her. Tabitha was shocked by her PA’s daring. Opening the door she saw Freddie for the first time since their argument.
“You might want to think consider giving that PA of yours a floor plan of the building and list of who
’s who in the company.”
“Why? Yvonne’s very efficient,” defended Tabitha protectively.
Freddie waved a familiar envelope at Tabitha.
“Then how did this end up with me and not the Director of Human Resources?”
Tabitha bobbed her head. She saw Yvonne peering in at them. As soon as their eyes made contact, Yvonne speedily swung her chair back to face her computer.
“I’d like to say she’s clueless, but I’m starting to think she’s possibly the most perspicacious member of staff.”
“I told you tongues would wag if people found out.”
“Yvonne can be trusted,” assured Tabitha.
“I know, but I can’t,” said Freddie.
He put the envelope on the desk, snaked an arm around Tabitha’s waist and pulled her in close.
“You know I’m really not good at the expressing emotional things. Saying sorry, confessing that life without you is dull, boring, empty and loveless, and telling you that I was wrong to lie by omission, are words you’ll probably never hear me say.”
“And yet they’ve just popped out of your mouth,” said Tabitha shrewdly.
“So they did and it wasn’t that hard. I guess when you trust someone, being open and honest with them isn’t as difficult as I imagined it to be.”
The warmth and relief in Tabitha’s eyes from Freddie’s friendly overtures put him at ease.
“Don’t leave, Tabitha. Trust me when I say I can’t be without you. These past two weeks have been hell. If you’re on the other side of the ocean, I’ll go out of my mind.”
“I believe you, Freddie. Now trust me when I say I’m not going to do anything other than love you.”
“I trust you, Tabitha.”
The couple kissed. Tabitha knew every pair of eyes in the office was ogling her and Freddie’s passionate lip lock. Her hand pushed the envelope with her resignation in it onto the floor. She didn’t want to think about the contract inside stipulating her time at London Hastings-Bass was limited to a year. In the moment when their lips welded together, Tabitha wanted only to be in the present and forget what obstacles the future might bring.
Chapter 11
A bemused smile crossed Tabitha’s face as the Christmas wrapping dropped to the floor to reveal an over-sized tea cup. Since moving to London from Brooklyn, New York, Tabitha hadn’t been able to overcome her coffee addiction nor embrace the Brits’ love of tea. It seemed her work colleagues noticed her unwillingness to succumb to the lure of the constant cups of the tea they downed throughout the working day.
Her PA, Yvonne, was the one person present in the company who knew Tabitha inside out. From the pleased expression on Yvonne’s face as Tabitha acknowledged the humor behind the gift, she knew exactly who her Secret Santa was. Unable to resist teasing her personal assistant, Tabitha flashed an exaggerated wink to signal she knew the gift was from her. Yvonne immediately appeared crushed that Tabitha had accurately discovered the person responsible for her present. Huffing, Yvonne slunk around the external circle of her team’s colleagues to make her way to her boss’s side.
“You don’t know for certain it’s from me,” the eighteen-year old whispered heatedly.
“I do now!” grinned Tabitha. “That might have been a conspiratorial wink to let you know I thought it was a suitable choice given my coffee addiction. You stomping over here frustrated, assuming I’d correctly deducted the identity of my Secret Santa has confirmed my suspicions.”
“You sound like Sherlock Holmes,” hissed Yvonne.
“I think a feisty, but classy black woman from New York may have made a very good Sherlock Holmes.”
“You’d look silly in a deerstalker cap,” muttered Yvonne.
“I don’t think smoking a briar pipe would’ve been particularly cool either,” agreed Tabitha.
The girls giggled.
“It’s a great present,” said Tabitha sincerely.
“Even if you will only use it for coffee.”
“You knew that before you selected it.”
“I wonder who got me these reindeer socks?” mulled Yvonne.
“Let’s just hope it was a thoughtless gift, rather than someone from our department subtly telling you that you suffer from smelly feet.”
Yvonne’s blue eyes widened and her heart shaped mouth formed a perfect o.
“Joke,” asserted Tabitha.
“I hope so,” replied Yvonne, wrinkling her nose. “Anyway it’s nice to see you smiling. Laughing at my paltry attempts to remain incognito, and speculating that someone is offended by the whiff of my shoes seems to have put you in the high spirits. You’ve been the embodiment of the Grinch since the 1st of December.”
Tabitha’s face set in stone again.
“Sorry,” pacified Yvonne, patting her boss’s arm.
“It’s fine. It’s just been a really hard six weeks, that’s all. I’ve no idea when he’s due back and I’ve no idea what’s happening with Christmas, either. I just have this sinking feeling it’ll be me, alone in my one bedroom flat on Christmas Day, with no one to share the day with. I hope McDonald's is open because I’m not going to be cooking Christmas dinner for one; that’d be depressing beyond words.”
“If it gets to that point, then you’ll be having Christmas Day with me and my family,” said Yvonne earnestly, “but I don’t think Freddie will leave you in the lurch like that.”
Tabitha shut her eyes momentarily to let herself picture the impossibly handsome Frederick Ravensdale. Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered the fire in his touch. Shaking her head to return to the present, she studied her friendly and faithful PA. She was lucky to have a friend in the big-hearted girl. The invitation was lovely. However the thought of imposing on strangers on a family day, when she was heartsick for her currently absent boyfriend, would make for an uncomfortable environment all round. Tabitha had no intention of spoiling Yvonne’s Christmas on account of her own heartache.
“I’m not sure Freddie will have much choice.”
“Is it really that unlikely he’ll be back for Christmas?”
“It’s a possibility I can’t afford to rule out. It transpires there’s an abundance of red tape involved in setting up a branch of Hastings-Bass in South Africa. It’s as if the government officials don’t want to be wearing Hastings-Bass suits.”
“That’s unheard of,” Yvonne announced in mock outrage.
“I know. He’s been there over a month now. A snail could’ve made better progress than Freddie has. Not that it’s his fault, but--”
“But you miss him, ‘cause you’re in love.”
Yvonne dragged the word “love” out, eyes rolling and tongue poking out as she said it.
“Shut up,” moaned Tabitha, giving her PA a hefty shove.
The blonde, blue-eyed girl laughed. She was incredibly pretty in her simple, short black dress adorned with glittery sequins on the dress’s hem and neckline. The younger boys in the office would be making a beeline for her later on. Tabitha suddenly felt protective of her PA. She wasn’t looking forward to the pending Christmas party, but at least keeping an eye on her innocent PA gave her some sense of purpose for attending.
“I do hope you cheer up a bit before now and when the taxis arrive to pick us up,” bleated Yvonne half seriously.
Tabitha wanted to stay in the doldrums, but there was no denying her PA’s ability to lift even her darkest of moods.
“I’m sure after a few drinks I’ll be the life and soul of the party.”
Tabitha joined her marketing department in consuming the champagne and orange cocktails the company had laid on as part of a celebratory breakfast before their official Christmas party started at lunchtime. By the time the receptionist announced the transport had arrived, Tabitha was more relaxed and engaging easily with her colleagues and subordinates.
Traipsing down the stairs to the line of black taxis waiting outside the front of the Heritage office building, Yvonne stuck close to her boss’s side. She
admired Tabitha’s bold taste in fashion. The tight-fitting bodice of the one sleeve dress was made entirely of beaded sequins and showed off every curve of Tabitha’s ample cleavage and tiny waist. The halter neck, designed to accommodate the one sleeve and alternate bare shoulder, resulted in the back of the dress exposing the flawless chocolate tones of Tabitha’s skin. The sequined bodice ran into a pastel blue chiffon, floor length skirt which contained a slit running to the mid thigh of Tabitha’s toned left leg. Unlike the majority of her female colleagues who opted for a safe and slimming black number, Tabitha loved a splash of color and stood out because of her boldness.
With eyes only for Freddie, Tabitha was oblivious to the admiring stares from the men and envious glances from the women. She was focused on making sure she wasn’t a party pooper and seizing the opportunity to get merry and enjoy the company of her PA outside the workplace.
As the cars drew up at Cafe de Paris off Leicester Square, Tabitha was unimpressed with the frontage of the venue. Next door to the Grosvenor Casino, the gold writing on a black background gave no hint of what was in store upon entry.
Following the throng of employees from Hastings-Bass down the stairs, Tabitha could hear coos of approval as to the inside of Cafe de Paris. When she was finally afforded a view of the club her eyes were distracted from the plush interior with tones and decor associated with traditional French cabaret and burlesque. Standing by the bar, studying the trickle of people tentatively stepping in after leaving their coats in the cloakroom, was Frederick Ravensdale.
Chapter 12
It was all Tabitha could do to not skip through the round tables set out on the spacious dance floor and into Freddie’s arms. Priding herself on her professionalism and cool demeanor, however full of Christmas joy as she now was, she able to restrain her natural instincts.
Having spent hours gazing at her striking bone structure as she slept, Freddie could read every expression on Tabitha’s face. He was aware that while Tabitha could usually control her attitude and temper with astounding ease, her face disguised her true feelings. He broke into a shy smile as she almost glided across the floor directly to him.
