Chapter 8
RIGHT THEN, THAT’S five pints, three whiskies, a white wine, and three cognacs, says the server, placing our drinks down in front of us.
Ronald seems particularly jazzed about his spot by the bar. It takes him all of two seconds to down his cognac before raising his hand to summon the bartender for another one, his Harry Potter-green eyes dancing greedily as it’s placed in front of him.
I thought your idea was great, too, Hannah. Truly, he says, taking a big gulp of his fresh cognac. But Robin’s presentation was so visually engaging and energetic . . . I had no choice but to vote for her concept.
It doesn’t matter, I reply, helplessly scanning the group for a conversation partner who hasn’t managed to smell like a liquor store within five minutes of arriving here.
You have potential, that much is clear, he says, gesturing at me from head to toe. Just look at you. You look like you belong on the cover of Vogue. I could help you if you’d like . . . He wraps his fleshy fingers around my wrist with hunger in his gaze.
I stare at his hand as an uneasy feeling settles in my stomach. Aside from my excellent radar for bullshit compliments, what he just said is also completely insulting. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the alarmed expression on Val’s face as he opens his mouth to speak. But I beat him to it.
Excuse me? I bite back.
Val snaps his mouth shut and I see a satisfied smile appear on his lips. He takes a swig of his whisky and gives me an amused look, waiting to see what I say next.
Are you saying my potential at work is directly linked to my appearance? I continue, giving Ronald a probing look.
He blinks a few times, like he hadn’t expected that statement to blow back on him. Uh . . . Well . . . he stammers.
How are my looks in any way related to my qualities as an assistant—or frankly in any role?
Listen . . .
Don’t waste your breath, Harry . . . I’m not that gullible.
Harry? he asks, sounding confused. My name is Ronald.
I hear Val chuckle in relief. When I look over, he shoots me an approving smile, pleased with my response.
Wow, you’re quite the party pooper, aren’t you? Ronald taunts, signalling to the bartender that he’s ready for a third serving.
Val? Robin places a hand on his shoulder. When he turns to face her, she bats her lashes at him, re-upping her efforts to draw him into a conversation.
I spend the rest of the evening getting to know the other board members. Matthew, one of the people who voted for the wishing wall, is surprised to learn that I’m Val’s executive assistant.
I assumed you were in marketing, too, he says, surprised. I thought it was an excellent idea. You might want to contemplate a career pivot. There’s kindness in his brown eyes. He has a great head of lovely dark brown curls and his smile is radiant. By my guess, he’s just a touch older than I am.
Thank you, I’ll keep it in mind, I reply.
How are you liking London so far? he asks curiously. There's so much to do here. You should take advantage of your after-work hours to enjoy the city.
We really only arrived this afternoon, so I haven’t had the opportunity to see much, I admit. Do you have any sightseeing tips for me?
He takes a moment to think before a wide smile appears on his face, exposing a row of sparkly white teeth.
Yes! On a clear night like this, you really should walk along the Thames in the South Bank area.
It’s quite a beautiful part of the city, particularly when it’s dark and all the wintry lights in the trees are lit.
It’s only a fifteen minute walk from here, so you’re already in the right part of London.
He winks at me, clinking his glass of beer against my drink.
I look forward to working together, Hannah.
It’s past 10 by the time we leave the bar.
The men head toward the taxi stop while Ronald slurs the words to Coldplay’s Magic.
The sound of his voice makes every single dog nearby howl along.
Meanwhile, he hails an approaching cab and the vehicle comes to a screeching halt in front of the group of drunken Brits.
Henry, you’re not going to fiiii-hit, Ronald complains loudly as Henry attempts to squeeze in next to him.
Robin lingers while the men file into the cars.
Can I interest you in one more drink? She touches Val’s arm, forcing him to look at her.
There are dark circles under his eyes and he launches into an elaborate yawn that might be a little too exaggerated.
Thanks, but I’m afraid not, he says. It’s been a long day. We should probably get back to the hotel.
A look of disappointment appears on her face. That’s too bad. Another time, perhaps.
Val nods, hailing her a taxi.
Goodnight, he says, as Robin settles into the car with a scowl on her face.
Once the cab has rounded the corner, Val gives me an inquisitive look. Ready to go? He gestures in the direction of our hotel.
Actually, Matthew mentioned how lovely it is to walk along the Thames after dark, I say, nodding in the opposite direction. I thought I might go see what all the fuss is about.
Val looks at me like I’ve just declared my intention to go for a wee stroll down the alley where Jack the Ripper’s ghost hangs out. He blinks his eyes a few times. Have you . . . Have you lost your mind? he wonders aloud.
I give him an offended glare. I’m sorry?
You want to go for a stroll through London by yourself at . . .—he pauses to check his watch—10:30 at night?
Yes, that’s exactly what I just said.
Do you have any idea how many tourists get mugged or attacked here?
Percentage wise, or concrete numbers?
Val shoots me an exhausted look. Come on, Hannah. It’s not safe. Please just come back to the hotel. The Thames isn’t going anywhere.
I cross my arms with a stubborn stare.
Rolling his eyes, he lets out a frustrated sigh. Ugh, fine. But I’m going with you, he finally says.
Um, that option wasn’t on the menu, I say, indignant. I want to clear my head, which I can’t do with Val walking next to me.
Now he’s the one crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. You don’t get a say in this, Hannah. Do you know how hard it is to find a good assistant? His black eyebrows nearly pull up into his hairline as he gives me an inquisitive look.
Pretty tricky? I yield.
Exactly. So, I’d be fairly disappointed to find little bits of you floating around in the Thames tomorrow morning. Conducting job interviews is deeply annoying and I’d prefer to keep them to a minimum.
We’re locked in defiant stares, but I finally concede, tossing my hands in the air in frustration.
The Thames is lined with tall lamp posts, their domed lights casting a glow on the riverside walkway.
White lights strung throughout the trees make for a cozy atmosphere and the gentle splashing of the river—aside from making me need to pee—is quite a calming soundscape for our walk.
The cold January wind blows my red curls away from my face.
I look to my side and find Val gazing around in wonder.
This wasn’t the worst plan after all, he seems surprised to admit.
My feet are beginning to ache from a full day in heels, but I suck it up and bravely walk on.
Your concept was great, Hannah, Val says a little while later. If you’d mentioned it any earlier, I might have been able to push it through, but there just wasn’t enough time to impose it on the board. Maybe we can do it next year.
I bite my lip and nod. Thank you. I honestly hadn’t really thought it through before. Robin’s idea was just such a pile of crap that I felt motivated to come up with something new on the spot.
He chuckles and there’s a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. You don’t like Robin very much, do you? His breath swirls into little clouds of condensation as he pops the collar on his black coat to ward off the cold. The edges touch the stubble along his jawline.
I shrug. I don’t know her that well yet, I reply.
I’m not really in the mood to explain all the sordid details of how she crushed my relationship into guacamole.
He shakes his head. If I’m being honest, I was less than impressed by her approach, he says, staring off into the distance. But the agency she works for is one of the best in the business. I’m sure she thought it all through. Who knows, it might all work out beautifully.
I really hope he’s right, because I’m not sure how much resilience this UK location has left.
We look on as the lights on the London Eye change colour.
They started out blue, but now they’re a rich pink.
Big Ben is clearly visible on the opposite bank of the river.
The clock face near the top of the tower indicates that it’s 11:30.
There’s a warm glow on the walls, coming from the lights at the foot of the impressive structure.
Val follows my gaze and mutters, I’ve been to this city so many times. How have I never noticed how beautiful it is here?
By the time we’re standing in the hotel elevator, I want nothing more than to kick off my heels and soak my feet.
Val presses the button for our floor and we watch the numbers light up one at a time.
I look up at his face. There’s a red blush on his cheeks from the cold air outside and his hair is all windswept.
I furrow my eyebrows when I feel a little tingle in my belly.
He obviously can sense that I’m studying him, because he looks down at me, his grey eyes examining my face.
When they linger a little too long on my lips, his pupils widen, transforming his irises into black circles.
And then he squeezes his eyes shut with an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
His jaw is tense as he shifts his gaze back to the elevator doors, staring firmly ahead.
When the doors slide open, he walks out into the hall at a brisk pace. I follow him toward our rooms and glance up at his face one last time.
Goodnight, Val.
Lifting his head, he gives me a little smile. Sleep well, Hannah.