Clara Bounces Back

by Lacey London

  ‘Thank you.’ Eve nods and continues to stare at me. ‘That makes me feel so much better, but can you please tell me what the hell you have been keeping from me?’

  Glad to have a glimpse of my friend back, I smile as Eve motions for me to spit it out.

  ‘Okay…’ I begin, feeling my stomach start to flutter. ‘I’m sure you’re aware of the disastrous few months Suave has had.’ Shaking her head, Eve looks back at me completely clueless. ‘Owen has told you just how bad things are, hasn’t he?’

  Looking totally flummoxed, Eve pulls her brow into a frown. ‘He mentioned a while back that the company takeover hadn’t been as smooth as he would have liked, but I told him I didn’t want to hear about it.’ She explains calmly. ‘He started to get frustrated one evening while going over the books and we made an agreement that he would leave Suave at the office. The last thing I wanted was for it to put a wedge between us. I mean, it’s only money, isn’t it?’

  Sadness washes over me as Eve’s words sink in. The fact that she’s been unaware of the chaos at Suave makes this situation ten times worse.

  ‘Listen, there are some things that you need to know…’ I mumble, trying to figure out where to start. ‘Firstly, taking over the company has been a total disaster. In fact, it has been a complete shambles. We’ve lost eighty percent of our clients and the last twenty percent are ready to walk.’

  Pausing for breath, I take a moment to assess Eve’s reaction before continuing.

  ‘A couple of weeks ago, Owen told us that he was ready to walk and rightly so. He gave us one last shot at turning this around before he pulled the plug and that is why we have become so… secretive.’

  The waitress returns to refill our mugs and I take the opportunity to have a sip of water. ‘You remember the Giulia Romano scandal, right?’

  With her eyes wide, Eve nods and visibly holds her breath.

  ‘Well, it turns out that Hugh knows the man in the tape and not only that, he happens to be the owner of Ianthe.’ I explain, very aware of just how complicated this sounds. ‘To cut a long story short, Hugh arranged a meeting with Ianthe’s owner and he is keen to work with us.’

  ‘That’s a good thing, right?’ Eve asks cautiously, trying to keep up.

  ‘It is a good thing, but there’s a catch! Stelios, Ianthe’s owner, has taken a shine to Janie and he’s demanded one week with her before he signs the contract.’

  ‘Like Indecent Proposal?’ Leaning closer, Eve lowers her voice to a whisper.

  ‘Kind of…’ I admit, quietly glad that Oliver can’t hear this conversation.

  There’s an awfully long pause where Eve appears deep in thought, before she clears her throat and reaches for a cupcake.

  ‘So, which part didn’t you want me to know?’ She eventually asks, taking a berry from the top of the cake and popping it into her mouth.

  ‘All of it.’ I stare back at her blankly, not sure how to react. ‘We were so worried that if Owen knew we were pinning all hope of rescuing Suave on Janie, he would fold the company before we could secure the contract.’

  ‘And you were worried I would blab to him?’ She retorts quickly, not missing a beat.

  ‘Yes.’ My stomach churns as the word slips out of my mouth.

  ‘And that’s it? That’s the only reason you have been avoiding me?’ A strange twinkle plays on her lips as she studies my face closely.

  Nodding slowly, I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

  ‘Clara!’ Erupting into a fit of relieved giggles, Eve bangs her hand on the table, causing other diners to turn and stare at us. ‘I couldn’t care less about the bloody business! Owen loses money in his investments all the time! That’s the name of the game! You win some, you lose some!’

  ‘You’re… you’re not mad at us?’ I whisper in shock, completely floored by her reaction. ‘You’re not angry that we could have cost Owen millions?’

  ‘Not at all! What Owen does for work is none of my business. It never has been and it never will be.’ Throwing her arms around my neck, Eve pulls me towards her. ‘Oh, I’m so pleased that’s all it is!’

  My heart fills with happiness as I hug my dear friend closely. I knew telling Eve was the right thing to do. Where friendships are concerned, honesty is always the best policy.

  ‘Now that I know everything, we can go back to normal.’ She sings happily, her voice noticeably lighter than it was five minutes ago.

  ‘Well, you don’t know everything…’ I reply, wiggling out her of her grip and smoothing down my hair.

  Offering her another cupcake, I bring Eve up to date on Janie’s nightly rendezvous with Stelios.

  ‘You don’t think she’s fallen for him, do you?’ Eve asks, dipping her little finger into the icing. ‘Because I’m pretty sure that an old billionaire is exactly what she’s been holding out for.’

  ‘Until yesterday I didn’t, but after seeing those photographs I can’t be sure.’ Shrugging my shoulders, I take a sip of tea. ‘This really is the last chance for Suave. I just hope she isn’t taking it lightly.’

  Eve’s eyes glisten mischievously as she finishes the cake and pushes away her plate. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’

  ‘And what’s that?’ I ask, smiling as a waiter carries a birthday cake to another table.

  ‘We could follow them!’ She whispers excitedly. ‘We should find out where they are right now and see for ourselves.’

  ‘Eve Lake! You’re such a bad influence, but that is a great idea!’ Automatically reaching for my phone, I unlock the keypad. ‘I’ll text Dawn and find out where they are. She seems to have them under constant surveillance.’

  Quickly composing a message, I place the handset on the table as a loud bleep pings behind me.

  Spinning around, I beam brightly as I see Dawn, Gina and Lianna walking towards me. ‘Girls, we’re going on a mission…’

  Chapter 25

  ‘Can you see anything?’ Gina puffs, panting for breath as she clutches onto my legs. ‘I can’t hold you for much longer!’

  The twinkling lights blind my view as I look around the busy building in search of my mother-in-law. ‘Just give me a couple more minutes!’

  Dozens of people buzz around the prestigious establishment, but there’s no sign of Janie. Struggling to keep my balance as I perch on Gina’s shoulders, I hold the binoculars against my face and peek into the restaurant.

  ‘Let me have a look.’ Eve hisses, reaching up to help me climb down. ‘You’ve been up there for ages.’

  ‘Yes, let Eve have a go. She’s lighter.’ Clumsily throwing me onto the grass with a thud, Gina rubs her shoulders and grimaces.

  Rubbing my bruised bum, I hand Eve the binoculars and give her a leg-up. ‘They must be in the bar, because I can’t see them in the restaurant.’

  ‘Okay…’ Eve whispers, wobbling around for a second before gaining her balance. ‘I can’t see her. The bar area is pretty busy, but there’s no sign of them. Wait a second! There they are!’

  ‘What are they doing?’ Lianna asks, running back from her vantage point by the bins.

  ‘They’re drinking champagne and feeding one another strawberries.’ Eve reports, leaning over the wall for a better view.

  ‘They’re what?’ I exclaim, really wishing that I hadn’t climbed down.

  ‘Strawberries!’ Eve confirms, as though we hadn’t heard her. ‘He’s dipping. No, she’s dipping and he’s licking…’

  Trying not to heave, I smile at a passing couple as they shoot us a funny look.

  ‘She’s lost her earring!’ I yell, rolling my eyes comically. ‘You know what it’s like after one too many glasses of Rioja!’

  The young couple nod cautiously before quickly disappearing into the restaurant, leaving us to continue with our mission.

  ‘Does it look like they’re talking business, by any chance?’ Dawn asks, shining her phone up at Eve like a torch. ‘Can you see any paperwork at all? A laptop?’

  ‘When was the l
ast time you saw strawberries at a business meeting?’ Lianna scoffs, giving up and sitting cross-legged on the grass. ‘Just face it, they’re on a date.’

  ‘Lianna!’ I cry, giving her a glare. ‘Don’t say that!’

  ‘Why not?’ She replies, laughing off my hysteria. ‘They’re eating strawberries and drinking champagne. It’s a date and a bloody good one at that!’

  Eve looks down at me from her position on Gina’s shoulders and nods. ‘I hate to say it, but Li’s right. They’re around three seconds away from dry humping one another across the table.’

  ‘This is so bad!’ Letting out a groan, I hold out my arm to stabilise Eve as she jumps down.

  ‘Why is it?’ Li asks, as Eve joins her on the grass. ‘As long as she gets the signature, who cares if she’s had a little fun along the way? I know I don’t.’

  ‘Me neither.’ Dawn adds, putting her phone back into her pocket. ‘How she goes about this is irrelevant if we get the outcome we want.’

  Breathing a sigh of relief, Gina lies down next to Lianna and pulls a daisy from the ground. ‘I agree. A goal is a goal, regardless of how it is scored.’

  ‘That’s not the point!’ I reply in frustration. ‘I’m all for Janie getting some enjoyment out of this, but if she’s treating him as a potential suitor, her focus isn’t going to be on the task at hand!’

  ‘There’s no point in worrying about this now.’ Lianna says easily, plucking a handful of grass and allowing it to fall through her fingers like sand. ‘We just have to trust that Janie has things under control. This is probably her last chance. After tomorrow, it’s game over. What will be, will be.’

  I reluctantly nod and as Eve holds out her hand for mine and pulls me down onto the grass. Letting out a squeal as I fall amongst my friends, I look up at the stars above us and join in with their laughter. The future of Suave may be unwritten and maybe that’s okay.

  It seems that the only way to truly know the future is to grab the popcorn and watch it unfold. Until then, laugh through the uncertainty, live like there’s no tomorrow and trust that everything happens for a reason…

  Chapter 26

  ‘Pour the coffee.’ Marc demands, striding into the apartment with a clipboard under his arm. ‘And hide the whiskey…’

  ‘You look much better.’ I remark, taking in his rosy cheeks and slick comb over. ‘You’ve got your colour back.’

  Ignoring my comments on his appearance, Marc walks towards the table authoritatively. ‘Six days, over one hundred and forty hours and a whole lot of seconds have gone by. It’s time to talk.’

  Recognising that he means business, I nod in response as my friends slope into the kitchen behind him. Each one appears more anxious than the last as they follow Marc to the dining area in silence.

  ‘Do we have to do this today?’ Lianna groans, burying her face into the collar of her pink hoody. ‘It’s Sunday!’

  Allowing the door to close behind them, I usher Noah into his room, along with Madison, MJ and Melrose. Overjoyed to be finally reunited, the four of them race towards his DVD player excitedly.

  ‘Aren’t they cute?’ Gina sighs, watching the kids playfully argue over which movie to watch. ‘It’s so nice to see them back to normal.’

  ‘I know.’ I say tiredly, stifling a yawn as the others take their seats at the table. ‘Gina, Marc’s aware that Janie isn’t here, isn’t he?’

  ‘Oh, she’ll be here.’ Marc says confidently, arranging his paperwork in a neat pile in front of him. ‘I called her this morning.’

  Not having any faith in Janie showing up, I raise my eyebrows at Gina as there’s another knock at the door. Watching Oliver walk through the kitchen to answer it, followed by an intrigued Pumpkin, my jaw drops as he pulls open the door to reveal a very happy Janie.

  Sashaying into the room, with a silly grin plastered across her face, Janie bends down and pats Pumpkin on the head. Okay, this has to be a good sign. She’s on time, she’s smiling and she’s made physical contact with Pumpkin.

  Suddenly feeling rather optimistic, I look behind me as Marc raises his hand.

  ‘We’re all ready for you over here, Janie.’ Pulling out a chair next to him, he flashes her a strained smile. ‘Please, take a seat.’

  I’ve seen Marc turn on the charm on many occasions, but watching him do it in my apartment feels bizarrely surreal. Leaving him to take control of the conversation, I give Oliver’s hand a quick squeeze as we gingerly take our seats opposite Marc.

  ‘I’ve never been one for beating around the bush and let’s face it, we would all prefer to be somewhere else right now.’ Marc pauses as eight pairs of eyes turn to look at Janie. ‘So, do you have the contract?’

  ‘And more importantly, is it signed?’ Hugh adds, causing the rest of us to laugh nervously.

  Holding my breath, I stare at Janie as she twirls a bracelet around her wrist and sighs dramatically. ‘I do have the contract.’

  Focusing on the sparkling piece of jewellery, I notice that the delicate gold chain is littered with glittering rubies, which have been beautifully shaped into roses.

  ‘And is it signed?’ Dawn whispers, her voice high-pitched with excitement.

  Opening her mouth, Janie looks around the room for a second too long before speaking. ‘No.’

  No? I repeat silently, feeling my blood run cold as Marc bangs his fist on the table.

  ‘Before you lose it, you should know that I tried.’ Janie protests meekly, avoiding all eye contact.

  ‘There was no trying, Janie!’ Marc exclaims angrily, his face red with fury. ‘This was it! This was our last chance!’

  My heart sinks in my chest as I look over at Li and watch as she covers her mouth with her hand.

  ‘I knew this was a terrible idea from the start.’ Shaking his head at his mother, Oliver walks away from the table, swearing under his breath as he goes.

  This is all my fault. This whole thing was my idea. Why, oh why, did I let Janie act on behalf of the business at this critical point for the company? I feel so foolish. I feel like such an idiot for believing Janie could pull this off.

  ‘I tried to get him to sign.’ Janie says coolly, appearing strangely calm and serene. ‘The first night I met with him I was all about the contract, but he wasn’t interested. As the days went by, it just became uncomfortable to talk about business.’

  ‘Uncomfortable?’ Dawn scoffs, firing daggers at Janie. ‘When has anything ever been uncomfortable to you?’

  ‘That’s not fair.’ I mumble quietly, noticing the hurt in Janie’s eyes. ‘This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have put this on Janie. Take it out on me.’

  ‘This is your fault!’ Marc yells, causing me to physically jump in my seat. ‘I was away from the office for five days and all hell breaks loose!’

  ‘Marc…’ Gina says gently, pulling on his sleeve to calm him down.

  ‘It’s true!’ He cries furiously. ‘I would have had this wrapped up last week. Signed, sealed, delivered on the day he walked into the damn office!’

  Janie stares at her bracelet in silence and refuses to react. Her calmness is unnerving as she sits perfectly still, while the rest of us panic around her.

  ‘I was rooting for you, Janie.’ Li lets out a sigh that makes my bones ache and frowns sadly. ‘When everyone else said you weren’t taking this seriously, I had your back. How did you screw this up?’

  ‘I’ve not screwed this up.’ Janie replies seriously, finally bringing her eyes up to meet Lianna’s. ‘There’s still every chance that Stelios will sign. It’s just inappropriate of me to ask him for his business now that we’re… romantically involved.’

  A wave of panic washes over me as Janie’s cheeks flush violently.

  ‘Romantically involved?’ Oliver repeats, an edge to his voice that makes me squirm in my seat. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

  Simply shrugging her shoulders, Janie manages a little laugh. ‘I really don’t see what the big deal is here. Just call hi
m up and talk him through the proposal.’

  ‘This is bullshit!’ Marc seethes, marching around the apartment. ‘Instead of pulling out all the stops to save us, you’ve been flouncing around the city playing Pretty Woman! This isn’t a fairy tale! This is our lives you’ve been toying with!’

  Turning back to me, Marc throws his arms into the air. ‘How could you possibly think this would work out? I told you how stupid this idea was, but you just wouldn’t listen, would you?’

  Despite my efforts to stop it, a lump forms in the back of my throat. In all the years we’ve been friends, I can count the number of times that Marc and I have fallen out on one hand. Biting my lip to myself from crying, I tear my eyes away from his and look down at the ground.

  ‘Clara did what she thought was the best thing for the company.’ Vernon says, trying to bring some civility back to the conversation. ‘We can’t guarantee the rest of us wouldn’t have made the same decision.’

  ‘I can guarantee you one thing and that is we wouldn’t be in this mess if I was there.’ Marc spits, anger seeping out of him as he speaks. ‘I’ll be back in the office first thing tomorrow morning. You have until then to get a signature on that piece of paper, Janie. Don’t bother showing your face if you haven’t got it.’

  Leaving his paperwork strewn across the table, Marc storms out of the apartment and lets the door close with a bang behind him. I look over at Oliver for comfort, but before I can breathe a word he grabs his car keys and follows in Marc’s footsteps.

  Still reeling from my telling-off from Marc, I rub my temples as the reality of the situation starts to sink in. This was our get-out-of-jail-free card. It was our final roll of the dice. Without the Ianthe deal, it’s goodbye Suave. Forcing myself to look around the room, I see that everyone else is thinking the exact same thing.

  ‘Stelios is a very reasonable man.’ Janie says casually, breaking the unbearable silence. ‘Just take some time to get to know him and I’m positive he will sign the contract…’