23. Audrey
The clock ticked above my full-length gold mirror, which gave my bedroom a sense of old-timey elegance. Fitting right in with my posh suburb’s decor, it was the perfect spot to ensure I was ready, truly ready, for the gala. I knew my part of the deal had already been taken care of, with a contact from the London Times updating me this morning with their game plan. Arrive, document, take photos, and publish. My part was a lot easier than Theo’s, who had to actually ensure the night went without any hiccups. I could get the media attention, but aside from a few paid advertisements, I couldn’t guarantee it would be the good kind of attention unless this event was as spectacular as Theo and George said it would be.
One thing I came to learn, however, was that Theo was capable, and it was almost inspiring to see his work up close. It left me no doubt that when we finally arrived, it would be a night to remember. Still, I was nervous. The clock ticked above me again, and my eye twitched. I wasn’t worried about being ready on time—I’d finished getting ready an hour ago, wearing an ice-blue satin dress that emphasised my décolletage, with the straps falling off my shoulders in a way only haute couture could achieve without seeming sloppy. The bodice cinched in my waist with its boning, and my legs looked longer than I expected, one popping out of a slit that came to my upper thigh. Lucy was my make-up artist, and I gleamed with a sparkling liquid eye shadow, softened by a warm foundation shade that brought colour to my skin for the first time in months. That’s right, months. Now that the gala night was finally here, it meant I’d been in London for over two months so far, and that’s why the clock’s ticking was filling me with angst.
Since my moment in Paris with Theo, I’ve felt like each day passing us by was a tortuous test, making me think about what I needed to choose to make things work. Ava still wanted me to extend the contract, and that would suit Lucy and Theo completely… but then everything was back on hold. The more I stared at myself in the mirror, the more I saw someone who wasn’t me—trying to fit in, knowing all I’ve wanted to do my whole life was get up and leave. Did I really need to choose?
It would’ve been so much simpler if our trip to Paris didn’t happen, if I kept thinking Theo was using me for his own personal amusement. If he didn’t tell me he loved me, and even worse, if I didn’t feel the same way. I caught a tear-drop forming on the corner of my eye with my finger, before it dripped down and ruined my mascara. No matter what I had to decide after this, I might as well enjoy tonight while I still had the chance.
A soft knock was at my door, and with a muffled “come in” from me, Lucy opened it. Seeing me in my dress for the first time since she did my make-up in a robe, she let out a heart-warming sigh. “Audrey, you’re stunning.”
I cleared my throat, making sure she wouldn’t recognise my emotional turmoil. “Thanks, Luce. You’ve made me feel beautiful.” And I was telling the truth; it’s not often that you got to feel so complete, ready for a night where cameras were going to be everywhere. I was surprised that the publicity wasn’t making me nervous, though it wasn’t like they’d be taking photos of me. If anything, all eyes were going to be on Theo, the stunning ‘bachelor’ who helped champion the gala in George’s footsteps.
“Well, keep feeling that way, because Theo’s downstairs waiting to see you.” She grinned.
“He’s here already? I didn’t hear him arrive.” I paced around the room, wondering what I needed to do next. I walked over to my duchess and took some perfume that was perched on top, spraying it over my body to mask my nervous sweat. Then I grabbed a quick coat that would get me to and from the venue without catching my death in the winter chill, draping it over my arm before I took flight downstairs. That was where I saw him—he was in a classic, black tuxedo, one that I could only imagine cost him a fortune… and that was when he saw me.
His jaw sunk to the floor, awe filling his eyes. I almost laughed at his reaction; Lucy did well, but not that well. Was this what he was like when he was in love? Where he completely adored me, without teasing me for being all dressed up, or any other silly way he used to try to get my attention before he admitted having feelings for me? I pursed my lips, holding back a sly grin as I took in his naivety. Even if the reaction was laughable, he looked jaw-dropping, too. To the point where I couldn’t imagine how many guests tonight would wish to have their arms threaded through his, as he waltzed around with me instead.
“You look to die for,” he whispered, once I made my way to him. It was soft enough for just me to hear, but it didn’t make me feel like he was hiding his flattery or wanting to keep this a secret. The soft compliment added a hint of intimacy to our evening, like I was the only other person in this room. Sorry, Lucy.
“Speak for yourself,” I replied stiffly, still inexperienced with telling him my real thoughts. With a stronger voice this time, I continued. “You scrape up really nicely.”
He flashed a dazzling smile. “Thanks, my love. Are you ready to go?”
His words made me blush, because I knew he actually meant it. I washis love, both from back then and now. “We better,” I answered, avoiding the question of whether I was ready or not. I needed to live in the moment, and enjoy tonight as if it was never going to end.
The same driver who took us to the train station before Paris was here to pick us up again, but he had the partition up to give us privacy. I almost wanted to make small talk with him instead, but I respected his decision. He worked for George, not us, and this was a small perk of being on a job for George’s firm. We arrived through a back entrance, avoiding the press that I single-handedly set in place to ensure tonight got enough publicity. Still, even through this entry point, I was mesmerised, clutching Theo’s arm for support. Until now, I didn’t realise that floristry had played such a huge part in today’s event. It almost looked like a wedding, the way blue, pink, and orange flowers dangled from the top of the ceiling, only to find a bouquet at each table as well. The flowers were an assortment of camellias, jasmine, and poppies, bringing different heights to allow guests to still talk to those sitting opposite them, and to give dimension to the decorations. What brought a smile to my face was seeing that the florist was one of the guests, being set up with a little stall near the entrance to hand out her business cards. Theo and George not only gave this woman thousands of dollars’ worth of business, but also a platform to network and gain more customers if people decided they liked what she had to offer… whichthey definitely would.
The tables had thick linen cloths draped over them, in a sweet beige colour, and the silverware was all gold instead, just like a laid out kitchen table from an Architectural Digest magazine. “I can’t believe you put this together.” I gaped.
“This isn’t even half the job,” he admitted, feeling proud from the compliment all the same. “The entertainment is the true decider on whether tonight’s a success or not.”
“The string quartet seems to be attracting your guests just fine,” I pointed out, where a crowd gathered to listen to different renditions of modern music. I was sure I recognised a Taylor Swift melody in the song they just started playing. In a way, I was relieved the music wasn’t solely classical, since the familiar tunes helped ease any tension in the room.
“Oh, they were always going to be a blast.” He laughed at those humming along. “The emcee is my main worry.”
“Who’s the emcee?”
“Dad.”
“You’re kidding me.” I couldn’t hold back my grin. “But why are you nervous? Your father is the most charming man I’ve ever met.”
His head tilted, a joke forming in his mind. “You’ve already got a handsome man as your date, and you’d rather choose his father?”
“Don’t worry.” I kissed him on the cheek, feeling like I was marking my territory in front of all of the women who wanted a piece of Theo Atkins all to themselves. “I’d still choose you any day.”
“Yet you didn’t take back the fact you think my father is more charming than I am.”
“Well, your father doesn’t have a track record, and you do.” I shrugged.
Theo smirked. “You’d be surprised over the trail of broken hearts my father left behind, before he met my mother.” We found our seats close to the front of the stage, where we could see George rehearsing some commentary behind the curtains. Fortunately, no one else had this vantage point, and he was otherwise hidden. I watched Theo look around the room, as if checking off each little job we’d gone through, making sure every piece was in place for tonight to be a success. But even with the buzz and beauty around us, as well as the networking that I should be involving myself in, I remembered who he’d be missing the most.
“Did your mother ever get a chance to go to events like these?” I asked, bringing his attention back to me. He looked taken aback, but not in a bad way. As if he didn’t usually get the chance to talk about her without feeling like it was out of pity.
“Dad was still in the business luckily, so she’s definitely been to one of these before. But that was before I was onboard, since…” He didn’t need to finish the sentence. I already knew he only joined the family business after she passed away.
“I bet she would be so proud of you right now, for pulling all of this off.” I gestured around us, from the decor to the music, to the large crowd where I could see more people spilling indoors.
“Thank you.” His face curved up in a vulnerable smile. “Really, that’s lovely to hear.”
Thump. My heart almost ripped through my chest, with a wave of an emotion I didn’t know I was ready to feel yet. Sure, Theo had already told me his feelings, when I begged him to be straight with me, and to reveal whether I could trust in taking a chance on him or not. But I hadn’t revealed anything, aside from that I might enjoy his kisses more than I’d like to admit. I couldn’t reveal anything, until I knew for sure what I was going to decide. Whether I chose him, or Paris. It was like I was stuck in a Romeo and Juliet love triangle, except Paris wasn’t an influential politician ripe for marriage, but a place, and one I’d probably still prioritise. “You’re welcome,” I cooed, holding back the butterflies from erupting out of my stomach.
The string quartet changed tone, stopping their next pop hit to play some music that was meant to warm up the crowd, a triumphant tune as if they were preparing us for a box office hit, only for George to make his way across the stage. There was a queue for everyone to get to their seats, while he tried to juggle the microphone with an apple he stole from the kitchen. Thank God the microphone was off, otherwise, the frequency would have gotten to our ears. And when our table finally filled out, with men looking polished in their finest suits and women in gowns that I knew I’d soon get well acquainted with, I saw her—Lucy’s favourite chef, here in the flesh.
“Well, this looks like a lovely group to join,” she said as she sat down, with her teenage son following her. It was nice to see that despite creating one of the most sought-after kitchens in London, she was still humble enough to have her son by her side, and not waste her plus one on some big-wig business partner like most of the other VIPs.
“Happy to have you here with us,” Theo piped up, holding out his hand in greeting. “I’m Theo, and this is my partner, Audrey.” Goosebumps covered my skin, not just because I was fangirling on behalf of Lucy, but because that was the very first time Theo defined our situation. His partner. It was so much more mature than being called a girlfriend, and somehow gave off a more equal status, knowing we were collaborating together beyond our little relationship. I just hoped I didn’t have lipstick on my teeth, because my grin closely resembled the Cheshire cat’s jovial face.
“And you’re Mary Mitchell,” I said in awe. “My roommate and I are big fans.”
“Oh?” She smiled pleasantly, as if the praise gave her a new lease on life. “It’s always nice to be around people who value cooking like that.” I decided to stop the conversation there, nodding as I looked down at my empty plate, waiting for the first course to come while George made his welcome statement. After all, I valued cooking, but only when Lucy did it. I’d be making a fool of myself to pretend I knew what to talk about with a renowned chef otherwise.
Fortunately, Theo took the cue, jumping in to make small talk with Mary’s son, Finley. In a short span of chit chat, we learnt he was into art, and he knew how to bake, but that was it when it came to taking after his mother. Then, it was incidentally revealed that Theo and I were on the team to plan the event.
Before too long, our first course was delivered, alternating lamb and salmon between each guest who ate meat, with a range of hors d”oeuvres to accompany it. Theo and I instinctively shared half each, knowing we wanted to try as many plates as we could to provide Lucy feedback. Even then, the biggest compliment of all came from Mary, who moaned as soon as the tender bite of lamb left her fork and fell into her mouth. “I could have someone like this on my team,” she commented, loud enough for us to hear. Knowing we knew about the ins and outs of the event, she asked confidently, “Who designed tonight’s menu?”
“Lucy, my roommate.” I gushed. I was like a mother showing off the efforts of my child, putting her on a pedestal to finally get recognised by her real-life hero.
Her fork dropped on her plate. “You’re kidding me?”
“The one and only,” Theo teased.
“I’d be honoured if she’d come behind the scenes of my kitchen for a day, to pick her brains on her style,” she said, before putting another slice of lamb on her fork.
“She’d love that!” I replied quickly, perhaps a little too eagerly on her behalf.
Mary nodded—with happy smile lines forming near her eyes—as she pulled out something from her purse. “Here’s my card. Let me know when she wants to arrange this, and I’ll make it happen.”