Nudge 13 The Bet
The Bet
I’ve never seen anybody move through life with the sheer ferocity of Evie Eesuola.
It is captivating just as much as it is terrifying, and each second I spend with her fills me with adrenaline.
From the moment I got in her car (chauffeured, of course), I was handed a bottle of sparkling water, then given piping-hot tea over the following two hours.
She spoke at the speed of light, covering more ground than Aiden or I could possibly even try to digest. I’ve been trying to be cool about it, especially after Friday night, but after a while I realised it’s an impossible task.
I have a job to do, and therefore no choice but to whip out a notebook and pen.
Plan of Action
When: Today (twenty minutes from now, exactly)
Where: Tennerton House, Colchester, Essex
What: Brooke Tennerton’s launch party for her new wellness gummy ‘Salyva’
The Tea:
Brooke Tennerton, big-time influencer and long-term frenemy to Evie Eesuola, is launching a new wellness multivitamin chew called ‘Salyva’.
To launch, she is throwing a ‘Start of Spring Soirée’ with two hundred of her closest friends and business partners.
Suspiciously familiar? Of course. Even down to its ‘boho glamping’ theme, almost identical to Evie’s ‘Camp with Style’ Summer Splash theme from last year.
Goals, Aims, Objectives:
We are, ultimately, here to support, because Evie doesn’t compete – she uplifts (even ‘bitches who steal her whole concept’).
That doesn’t, however, mean that Aiden and I can’t scope it out on her behalf.
Take pictures, take notes, look at what works and be sure to document what doesn’t.
Take stock of how she throws it, how it’s running, what she puts in the gift bag.
Look out for key players . . . Are they invited to the Summer Splash?
What can we do to ensure Evie still has the hottest ticket of the year?
‘You all right?’ Aiden whispers we make our way through the second of three sweeping flower archways to the grounds. Brooke’s grounds. The grounds for her house. She has three sweeping flower archways down the path to the grounds for her house.
‘It’s incredible, right?’ he says, catching me staring. ‘When you’ve been in the game as long as Brooke and Evie, the world is truly your oyster.’
I still can’t respond. I haven’t been able to speak to him since we left my office two hours ago.
Evie and her ranting made it easier to focus and pretend it was about the work.
But now she’s gone – already off doing her round of hellos, and we’re back just the two of us for the first time since Friday.
I can’t do it; I can’t talk to him. I don’t know how to act around him after what he did earlier.
We continue down the path in silence, music growing louder the closer we get to the action.
At last, we reach a towering hedge, sculpted into a vaguely phallic-looking mushroom.
It looms over us, casting shade in our path and blocking us from the party on the other side.
In the middle of the hedge sits a pale-pink wooden door with a small, shiny golden doorknob and an Enter for Wellness!
wooden sign hanging on it. Aiden reaches for it.
‘You ready?’ he asks.
I nod silently. It’s enough – he twists the doorknob and we begin to creep through.
I can’t help but gasp as we enter, taking in the extensive grounds that stretch on for miles, adorned with balloons, fairy-light-strung trees, and row upon row of deluxe tents, each boasting ten feet at least. We walk past a few of them, all clearly labelled for different functions, from drinks, to shisha, to hair braiding, to massages and more.
Crowds of people frolic among the flowers and ornate statues, posing for pictures in beautiful boho gowns despite the seven-degree weather and popping multivitamins in their mouths for videos before promptly spitting them back out.
I look down at my flared mini dress and platform cowboy boots, and silently thank Evie and Anika for preparing an outfit for me to change into in the car.
I felt so unlike me when I first put it on, but, being among the rest of Brooke’s guests, I can see how needed it was.
Who cares if the wind is using my few inches of exposed thigh to chill me to the bone?
At least I fit in here, which I certainly wouldn’t have done in my button-down tunic dress, tights and loafers.
‘She’s certainly gone all out,’ Aiden says. ‘I’d expect nothing less.’
I nod back, still busy surveying the events around us. ‘How similar is it to last year’s Summer Splash?’
But before he can answer, Evie comes bounding out from a tent towards us.
She’s still dressed the same – flowy boho dream of a dress, long wavy hair and Chanel slingbacks – but she seems to have acquired some new accessories.
Her eyes, partially hidden behind sunglasses, cautiously glance to each side as she scurries our way, using one hand for drinks and the other to clutch the neck of the scarf wrapped around her head so as to remain inconspicuous.
I try to stifle my laugh. She is Evie Eesuola at a high-profile influencer event.
She couldn’t be more conspicuous if she tried.
But I appreciate her commitment to the cause and her willingness to skulk around as if she’s gone undercover.
‘There you are!’ she says, three circular Martini glasses balancing awkwardly under her grip. ‘Here, try this.’
We quickly take them from her, avoiding probable disaster as she looks on at us expectantly.
I stare down at the liquid. It’s pink and glittery, the cool winter sunlight painting iridescent swirls that float around the glass.
It’s harmless . . . probably. It doesn’t exactly look tasty, but it certainly looks Instagrammable, which I suppose is the point.
Aiden sips quickly, pushed by the force of Evie’s impatient foot-tapping. He holds it in his mouth before gulping, tilting his head and taking another swig.
‘This is your “Pink Dream” cocktail.’
‘YES, IT IS! From last year’s Summer Splash!’ She flails her arms and lets the headscarf drop to the grass. ‘I knew I wasn’t imagining it.’
‘You’re not. This is exactly it.’ He downs the rest as Evie beams triumphantly.
I give it a sip and have to stop myself from recoiling as an all-consuming rush of sugar hits my tongue.
‘Is that candyfloss?’ I ask.
Evie nods. ‘Yep. And tequila and prosecco and sherbet and raspberry. The trick is to drink it fast without really thinking.’
‘It’s absolutely awful,’ Aiden grimaces.
‘Uh-huh. But so photogenic!’ Evie says. ‘This one won’t be getting a photo, though. Did she really think putting it in a different glass would make it a different drink? That little . . .’
‘Evie!’ a voice exclaims, as Evie’s face shifts from mad to glad in an instant.
‘Brooke! Beautiful party!’ she says, throwing her arms around Brooke in an embrace. ‘Though seems kind of familiar.’
‘Yes, glamping’s all the rage right now!’ Brooke ignores Evie’s thinly veiled snide remark entirely.
I’ve seen Brooke Tennerton online of course; she’s quite hard to miss with her endless campaigns with every skincare, make-up and toothpaste brand known to man.
But much like Evie, seeing her in person is a considerably different experience.
Her skin is just as smooth and smile is just as bright, but she seems smaller – more muted . . . More human.
‘Ah, let me introduce you to my team! You already know Aiden, but this is Maddison,’ Evie says, as Brooke follows her gaze over to me. ‘Look out for this one – she’s gonna be the next big thing in events.’
She finishes her sentence with a proud smile towards me and a wink that sends a flush of warmth through my body. It sounds true when she says it. Maybe I could be the next big thing in events. All that’s left in my way is the Summer Splash and my unwanted co-organiser.
‘Nice to meet you, Maddison!’ Brooke comes in for a hug. ‘And, Aiden, always a pleasure.’
‘The pleasure is always mine, Brooke – you know that.’ The pair exchange a look that’s a little too sultry for a professional event.
I try to stop my face from going sour, but I feel my cheek muscles twitch and know it’s pretty much inevitable. What is it with these women and Aiden? First Pippa, now Brooke . . . Are we interacting with the same man?
‘This is a beautiful event!’ I say, eager to break the tension. ‘And I’m excited to learn more about “Salyva”. What an interesting name.’
‘Thanks, sweetie!’ Brooke happily turns to me. ‘I just think that “saliva” is such a pretty word with an unfair reputation. I’m working to change that.’
‘There’s none in the gummy, right?’ Aiden asks.
‘Of course not!’ Brooke gushes before biting her lip in worry. ‘At least, I don’t think so . . . I don’t know . . . You’d have to ask the lab, I guess. Evie, can I borrow you for photos?’
‘Of course, babe!’ Evie replies. ‘You two explore and have fun; I’ll catch up with you in a bit.’
They’re less than a metre away before Aiden springs into action, grabbing my glass and dumping it on a nearby barrel-turned-table.
‘You heard Evie, let’s go. There’s got to be something to drink that’s better than this sugary nightmare.’
I’ll give Brooke’s team their dues – if there’s one thing they know how to do, it’s cohesion.
The place is a Pinterest board come to life.
I snap far too many pictures, balancing my notebook on every uneven surface I find as I attempt to pen my reactions onto the page.
Aiden says nothing – he wouldn’t dare, but I know what he’s thinking.
He made that all pretty clear on Friday night.
Which is what made this morning’s reaction so confusing .
. . I still don’t get who he was trying to fool – Pippa and Gus, or me.