4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
E vie did what she’d been doing for the last decade and pushed James to the back of her mind whilst she got on with her job.
She worked all day on concepts for a filmmaker who had declared he wanted his entire home in ‘black, just black, except for the awards.’
Whilst she admired his strength of decision-making – many of her clients couldn’t decide what they wanted until she presented them with options – an entire home in black was proving difficult.
She’d already had to be very clever with the designs for the sunken lounge in the large apartment, all the black had meant it looked more dungeon than den. The fact he wanted black on all the walls was also pushing her to her limits. Black was more than just ‘black’ there were various tones and pigments to consider. A black wall could look blue or grey or washed out depending on the opacity of the colour. And if it was true glossy black it just looked like tar.
Standing up to take a stretch, Evie tried to consider the various options. She had plenty of time to deliver the ideas, with the project not due to start for three months, so she knew she could get the majority of the furniture and fixings by then. The black marble tiles from Italy for the bathrooms would need to be ordered in the next week though, if she were to make the deadline, and that would mean taking a gamble the client would like them.
She wondered where Grace had got to. It was useful to debate these sorts of thoughts with her. Evie looked at the time on her phone and was surprised it was almost six. Grace had left hours ago for her client meeting. She messaged her to check.
Everything ok?
A few moments later, Evie’s phone buzzed with a reply.
The meeting went on for longer than planned. All fine though, see you tomorrow.
What about drinks after work?
Not tonight, swollen ankles x
Evie was disappointed, although Grace wasn’t drinking any more they often went to the bar opposite the office for a couple of cocktails, as part of the 241 offer as mocktails were an option, and they could put the world to rights.
She rolled her head from side to side to get the crick out that had formed from staring at designs for hours. Probably wise not to go for a drink that night, she could go to the gym and work out some of her irritations with James via the weights rack.
Decision made, she began closing down the tabs on her laptop. She was fairly sure she’d left a spare gym kit in the cupboard behind Grace’s desk, that way there was no chance she’d go home and find something on Netflix more interesting than heading out to the gym. Evie grabbed the bag and pulled the blinds down in her office. There was a small changing room attached to the toilets, but it would mean having to traipse past James’ office in her gym gear when she came back, and she didn’t want to present that image.
She wasn’t really sure what side of her she did want to show. But Evie knew she had to be in control. She’d speak to him when she was ready and not a moment before. And she wouldn’t be parading around in front of him in her gym gear.
Standing on the back of her trainers, despite Grace’s repeated attempts at telling her not to, Evie stepped out of them and rolled down her jeans. She folded them and pulled on the buttery soft light blue leggings she’d bought after seeing an influencer who’d suggested them. She really was a sucker for social media ads. The amount of products for her flat, ‘it’ items for her lifestyle and skincare bottles which arrived each week would put the Kardashians to shame. Peeling off her white t-shirt, she dug through her bag for the sports bra she needed. She knew she’d packed it. There was always one in there.
Irritated, Evie turned the bag upside down and emptied the contents onto her pristine desk. Two protein bars, one wrapper, a pair of socks, the hoody that matched her leggings and various gym paraphernalia fell out. But no bra. She picked up the items in turn, and was holding a protein bar and socks when the door to her office opened.
‘No, wait,’ she shrieked. But it was too late, the door opened – she couldn’t believe she’d forgotten to lock it – and James’ head had peeked round. As soon as he saw Evie his face went bright red. Though, probably not as red as her own.
‘Get out, what are you doing?’ she yelled, throwing the socks at the door which was hastily pulled closed. In the disruption, Evie’s bag had ended up on the floor and when she pulled it roughly back up her bra came tumbling out. Irritated with how the last five minutes had played out she quickly changed, having checked the door was locked this time and pulled on the zipper hooded top. She quickly stuffed her other clothes in the bag, and grabbed up her rucksack. By the time she reopened the door Evie had decided she was livid with James. Why had he been poking his head into her office anyway? He’d been Mr Frosty in the morning. He couldn’t have done a 180 in that time.
Leaving her office, the corridor was deserted and she walked quickly in the hope there would be no more bumping into a certain someone that she could take today. She’d managed to get to the front door when James appeared from an office at the far end. He was walking with Malcolm and as they neared, Evie could feel her face flaming.
James’ ears were burning red and he wouldn’t meet her gaze for the second time that day.
‘Evie,’ Malcom called out, ‘I meant to catch up with you regarding the ‘blackout’ project. How’s it going? Need to bounce any ideas around? Did you find a black toilet?’ he asked with good humour. Malcolm might try a bit hard but he was a good boss who Evie could have a laugh with, whilst knowing he would help her out if needed. They had spent many more hours looking at various black cisterns and seats that either would have thought they’d put their design degrees to over the last couple of weeks, and it had become a silly running joke. This evening it was all Evie could do to crack a smile. Just the proximity of James, of the boy she’d been in love with, now all grown up was enough to render her almost speechless. She was, she decided, utterly pathetic.
But James wasn’t helping. He was staring at her in such a way it felt like he could see to her very core, to the being of her. And Evie needed it to stop. It felt like he was drawing her to him and she couldn’t and wouldn’t fall for it. Never again.
‘Yes, I found a selection he should be happy with. It’s the varying tones of black which is becoming tortuous,’ she admitted. It had been a long day and without Grace to talk to, Evie felt like she needed to get some of her concerns out.
‘Are you off? Or do you want to sit and go through a few things?’ Malcolm asked, looking pointedly at her gym gear, ‘I don’t want to distract you from the workout though.’ Despite the whole team having a membership to the twenty-four hour gym just around the corner from their office, it was only Malcolm and Evie who made use of it.
She was in two minds. Evie did want to talk to Malcolm about some of the issues she was facing, but she didn’t want to talk in front of James.
‘Actually,’ she began, at the same time that James cleared his throat as though to speak. When neither said anything, Malcolm on looking between them both frowned a little, and then smiled as though he realised what the issue was.
‘Forgive me, I’ve got so used to being your go-to since Amber went that it didn’t occur to me you were planning on talking these things through with James. It makes perfect sense, he is of course your immediate line manager, definitely the right person to talk to,’ he said, nodding in satisfaction.
Something heavy dropped in Evie’s stomach. She hadn’t even thought about that. If she ever had a work issue or needed anything signing off above her paygrade, she’d have to talk to James. It wasn’t a good revelation.
Looking at James’ face she realised he’d come to the same conclusion, and with the rapid lip biting going on – something that hadn’t changed in ten years – he was as anxious about it as she was. Evie decided she could use his worries to her advantage, if she was in control of their meetings he would be backed into a corner and she could just get in and out without too much of an interaction with him. Particularly if he was as nervous talking to her as he looked.
‘Of course,’ she mustered,
James coughed. ‘Sounds like a plan, do pop in tomorrow whenever you’re free,’ he said, his tone cool despite the look he was giving her.
With permission to stare directly at him Evie tried not to quake. She hadn’t realised how attractive he’d become. How would she have known? But gone was the gawky skater kid she’d dated, and in his place was a man who, if the biceps rippling in the shirt were anything to go by, went to the gym more than she did. His jawline was chiselled, offset by a scrubby beard that was neither unkempt nor too perfect. His eyes were the same though, sea blue. That was the colour she used to call them because they could change in different lights, from a bright sparkle to a deeper, more brooding storm. Today’s blue was a little more English sea on a rainy day.
‘Sure,’ she replied, meaning the opposite. She decided Grace would have to ask all the questions from now on.
‘Great. Have a good evening Evie,’ Malcolm said, not noticing the tension crackling in the air between them.
James didn’t say anything, just began walking away as though she didn’t exist.