Chapter Thirty-Five
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
‘Surprise!’
Lily almost had a heart attack when she walked into the office. Streamers fell into the air and party poppers exploded. A banner saying ‘Welcome Home’ had been hung across one wall and there was bunting looped along the other.
Momentarily, she was struck dumb and the grins on the faces of her team tugged at her heartstrings.
‘Welcome home!’ Richie said. ‘We thought we’d surprise you after your ordeal!’
‘You have,’ Lily said, feeling like crying. She made an effort to give her broadest smile. ‘It’s good to be back. I’ve missed you and it’s lovely to feel wanted.’
‘You’re welcome, hun.’ Richie hugged her. ‘I love the sun-kissed hair … and brighter colours suit you so well.’
Lily smiled, pleased he’d noticed her new outfit. She’d never have worn an orange dress to work previously, but it cheered her up and she did run a craft company – not a merchant bank.
The rest of the team came up to greet her.
Lando, deputy head of HR, brought out a tray of coffee and pastries. ‘We thought we’d make your first day back a special one. We’ve missed you too. It’s not the same here without you.’
There was a sincerity to his words that touched Lily deeply, yet also filled her with guilt about the decision she’d been wrestling with.
‘How’s it really been?’ she asked Richie on the quiet, while helping herself to a pastry. A London pastry, she thought, bought in from a nearby café, and not quite as nice as one baked fresh by Sam – yet served with kindness and that was what mattered.
‘We’ve survived. We’ve coped. We’ve not gone bust or caused any lawsuits or encountered any major PR issues.’
‘Apart from my obituary.’
Richie flapped his hands. ‘Thank God that wasn’t real.’
Once again, a wave of gratitude and melancholy threatened to overwhelm her. It had resurfaced the previous evening when she’d called her parents to arrange to visit them the following weekend. It had almost bubbled up when she’d phoned two old friends from her Pilates class and accepted an invitation to their joint birthday party.
She’d hoped it might subside once she was inside the office yet it was sticking around stubbornly.
‘Anyway,’ Richie was saying, oblivious to the crumbs stuck in his goatee, ‘we can run through our reports at the meeting. Shall I call everyone to order?’
‘Yes,’ Lily said. ‘And I’ll also have something to report.’
Richie’s lower lip wobbled. ‘That sounds ominous. Should we be worried?’
‘No.’ She smiled. ‘But wait until you hear.’
Lily sat through their reports. Digital, marketing, PR, sales, HR and finance all gave their updates, and then it was her turn to speak.
‘You’ve all managed very well. I should have stayed on retreat longer. Seriously, thank you for the way you all stepped in while I was away and during the period when reports of my – er – death had been greatly exaggerated.’
Everyone laughed. Lily hesitated for only a fraction of a second. She’d rehearsed this moment so many times.
‘Ultimately someone has to be in charge, but in trying to micromanage everything myself and assuming only I could possibly do everything, I’ve lost sight of all the amazing things my team – all of you – can bring to the business. That’s going to change.’
Richie’s mouth gaped and the others gawped at her, eyes wide in disbelief. Though saddened by the reaction, it wasn’t unexpected and she was resolute.
‘And in case you’re worried that this new Lily is a post-holiday version that won’t last beyond a week, I’m going to start the changes right now.’ She paused for breath. ‘What none of you know is that a month before I left for Stark, I received an approach from a large supermarket chain. They want to put the Lily Loves brand on a range of giftware to be sold in their stores.’
Gasps all around.
‘Wow,’ Richie muttered. ‘I’ll go to the foot of our stairs.’
‘Indeed.’
Amina, head of marketing, let out a whistle. ‘That sounds amazing.’
The others looked at each other, smiling and shaking their heads.
‘It is an amazing offer,’ Lily said, ‘but like all amazing offers, it comes with strings attached. While it would mean more revenue and growth for the brand and business, there’s a downside.’
All eyes were intent on her.
‘The retailer wants to put the Lily Loves brand on gifts that aren’t handmade. They would need to be mass produced. I – we – would be able to curate them to a degree but to sell in the volume they want, they would have to be factory-produced, mostly outside the UK.’
‘Oh …’ Murmurs of concern rippled through the team.
‘Yes, I’m afraid so. They need an answer very soon and I’ll have to reach a decision, but not without your input. I’ve borne the burden too long. I want to know how you feel about things. It’s time I ran the business more collaboratively and made more of the strengths and skills of my team.’
They exchanged glances. Lando and Richie mimed applause.
‘Thank you for being frank with us,’ Amina said.
‘And also sharing the burden with you, you mean?’ Lily gave a wry smile. ‘I am the person ultimately responsible for what happens. There are so many pros and cons to deciding either way and I’ve gone through them all over the past weeks. When a choice is presented to us, well, it isn’t always the dream we’ve longed for. Be careful what you wish for, eh? I won’t ask for a show of hands now. You can come and see me privately and tell me what you think.’
Amina eyed her sharply. ‘What do you think, Lily?’
‘Me?’ Lily smiled. ‘I do have an opinion. But let’s just say it’s changed over the past couple of weeks. More than anything, I want to hear your views. Just ask Richie to make a time for you to come and see me.’
The meeting broke up and Lily escaped to her office. She checked her phone, hoping to see a message from Sam, but there was nothing. He had asked her to let him know she was safely home in London so she did. She had a text in reply: Good. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from me. Am living on Stark to get cottages finished. Sam x
Was that a pre-emptive strike? An excuse not to be in touch?
There was a knock and Richie poked his head round the door. ‘Boss?’
‘Yes?’
He came in, clutching some paperwork. ‘I don’t need time to decide. This might not be the answer you’re looking for but I don’t think this is the right way to go. Even if it means more money or security for the company and for us. Lily Loves lives and dies on its brand integrity.’
‘Which has been tarnished of late.’
‘Not so much as you think. Hun, you’re already yesterday’s news. The haters will find someone else to torment. Our brand will last and so I don’t think we should accept the offer. Somehow, we’ll find another way to strengthen our position and grow.’
‘Oh, Richie. I have missed you.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’ She gestured to the chair and he sat down. ‘And I agree. If growing means selling our souls,’ she said, ‘I’d rather go back to the market stall any time. But you can’t breathe a word of my opinion to the others. Let them make their own minds up.’
He zipped his lips. ‘My lips are sealed, bab.’
She shook her head.
‘Aren’t you going to tell me not to call you bab?’ he said with a cheeky grin, getting out of his seat.
‘I’ve been called a lot worse. Oh, and while you’re here, there’s something else I want to discuss.’
With a grimace, he sat down again. ‘Here we go.’
‘Don’t look so terrified. I’m seriously impressed with how you’ve managed the team while I’ve been away. You’re more than a PA and I’ve known that for a long time. I simply haven’t acknowledged or recognised it. I should have delegated more to you.’
‘You should?’
‘Totally. I don’t think the place would have run as smoothly as it has without you. Behind every good CEO is an even better second-in-command.’
His eyes widened. ‘Second-in-command?’
‘Yes, I’m offering you the role of operational director. You’ll be my deputy when – if – I’m not here. If I take a break.’
‘A break?’
‘Yes, when I’m on holiday.’
‘ Holiday?’
Her office had turned into an echo chamber, but Lily was well into her stride.
‘Before you ask, I realise that more responsibility means you’d need your own assistant and a salary that reflects your new role. If you’re interested, that is,’ she added, as he gripped the arms of the chair in shock. ‘I don’t want to pressure you. Things can stay as they are if you like, but whatever you decide, I realise you still need more support. That means you’ll be able to appoint your own PA.’
‘My own PA?’ he blurted out. ‘No way! I mean, yes, I do need support and I am enjoying making decisions without you – I mean, not that I didn’t miss you. We all missed you terribly and we want you to have a rest but I am very interested in talking about a new role.’
Lily laughed. ‘Great. I’m so happy for you, for me and the team. It’s a weight off my mind to know I can count on someone as capable and loyal as you.’
‘Operational director? My own PA? I can’t wait to share this news.’
‘With Jakob?’
‘No – well, yes – but first of all with my nanna. She will not believe this.’
‘Good. Have a think overnight – discuss it with your nanna if you want – and then we’ll draw up a contract.’ She stood up. ‘Shall we have a professional hug?’
He hugged her and almost danced with glee. ‘I think I’ll make it mandatory every morning for the whole team.’
‘Er, I’d give that one some further thought,’ Lily said, slightly dismayed.
He heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Well, this conversation has gone a lot better than I expected. For one horrible moment, I thought you were going to tell me you’d decided to jack it all in and live on Stark.’ He laughed and almost waltzed out of the office. ‘See you later.’
When Richie had gone, Lily sat back in her chair. She curved her fingers around the mouse and scrolled through the first few of hundreds of emails she still hadn’t replied to. Most didn’t need a response, some needed a few words. Others were too complicated to deal with – or could be passed on to the team.
Richie brought her a decaf latte and she tried hard to focus but soon she had to get away from the screen. Coffee in hand, she walked to the window, gazing out over the rooftops and streets where red buses queued with black cabs, vans and cars. In the distance, spires and skyscrapers broke the skyline, shimmering in the city haze.
Outside her cocoon in the main office, she could hear the click of fingers on keyboards, phones ringing, low chatter and the occasional burst of laughter. Actually, not that occasional. She was sure there was more laughter than before she’d left, or was she only noticing now she wasn’t trapped inside her own bubble?
She answered more emails and diarised meetings with her digital manager and marketing director to discuss their views on the supermarket deal. At lunchtime, she took her sandwiches into the nearby park and called her mother who was so surprised to hear from her in the middle of the working day that she answered the phone with: ‘Lily! Oh my God, what’s happened now?’
‘Nothing. It’s just a call to say – to say I love you. Dad too.’
‘Oh. Oh, I love you too. We both do and we’ll see you at the weekend. Are you sure you’re OK, sweetheart?’
‘Fine. Like I said, it’s a social call and to tell you how much I’m looking forward to seeing you both.’
Sweetheart . Lily’s mum hadn’t called her that in a long time. Or if she had, Lily hadn’t heard it … perhaps she hadn’t been listening, just like she hadn’t heard the laughter in the office before.
She shook her head. Next thing you knew, she’d be taking off her shoes and walking barefoot on the grass, communing with nature. Or perhaps not, with all the duck poo around …
Laughter bubbled up and out, causing a young boy on a scooter to stare and give her a wide berth.
While she was on a roll, she’d had a better idea: she could call Sam via the café.
As she dialled, she gave silent thanks for one city benefit: the luxury of – mostly – a strong mobile signal everywhere. Excitement and nerves bubbled; what if, by some chance, he happened to be in the café and Elspeth would put her through and she would hear that gorgeous deep Scilly accent again.
The phone rang and rang.
Lily grew twitchy. Was this such a good idea? She was about to cut the call when someone finally picked up.
‘Oh, hello, Elspeth!’ she said in relief.
‘This is Barney,’ the speaker said in a New Zealand accent. ‘Who’s this?’
‘It’s Lily. I was hoping to speak to Elspeth.’
‘Elspeth’s really busy in the kitchen right now. Load of Germans just arrived off a cruise ship and they all want bloody cream teas. Can I take a message?’
‘No. It’s fine,’ Lily said. ‘I’ll call b––’
The phone went dead.
Wondering whether to have a word with Elspeth about Barney’s customer service skills, Lily called Hell Bay House where the phone was answered after two rings.
‘Yeah?’
‘Morven, it’s Lily. I was wondering if Sam was at home.’
Morven sounded bored, but at least she wasn’t hostile. ‘No, sorry, he’s been working on Stark for the past couple of nights.’
‘Oh. Of course he is.’ Lily felt silly for even trying Hell Bay House when she might have known he wouldn’t be there.
‘If it’s urgent, I could get him on the radio?’ Morven offered.
‘No, it’s not urgent. No need for that, but thanks.’
‘No problem. Shall I tell him you called?’
‘Yeah, but it’s no biggie. I’ll catch up with him some time.’
Lily and Morven chatted a little longer – Lily was able to ascertain that Morven was OK and had sold several more collages since the craft fair and had ‘convinced’ (Morven’s word) Sam to commission some fish collages for the cottages.
‘I’ll have to go,’ Morven said. ‘A bunch of us are going swimming at Rushy Bay.’
Images of the endless skies, white sand and twin hills of Stark flooded Lily’s mind. ‘Sounds lovely. Have a good time.’
‘We will.’
Lily ended the call. It was time to go back to work.
Stark felt a world and another time away. Everyone had their place there, their jobs, busy lives, worries and plans. They were too busy to talk to the demoralised CEO of a handmade gift company who was now not quite sure where her place lay.
She loved London, she loved her job, and yet … Richie’s words kept coming back to her.
For one horrible moment, I thought you were going to tell me you’d decided to jack it all in and live on Stark.