Chapter Two
Two
Two weeks later
Heidi and I sat in the boardroom and dialled into the update call with Brooke.
We were two coffees in, with a third on the go, wide-eyed and wired and prepared for bad news.
The phone clicked to connect and an automated voice announced us: Northstar PR has joined the conference.
I slapped on a smile as apparently you can hear it down the phone, but I didn’t feel very smiley inside.
Waiting two weeks to have this call had felt like forever and the pair of us were on the edge of our seats.
‘Hello?’ Heidi fake grinned as she spoke into the spider phone.
‘Well, good mornin’, Northstar PR!’ Brooke’s voice came through, clear as a bell. ‘How’re you gals goin’ over there?’
‘We’re GREAT,’ I cheesed, side-eyeing Heidi. ‘How are YOU?’
‘Gorgeous day for it!’ Heidi added. ‘Can’t believe it’s June tomorrow.’
Brooke laughed. ‘You Brits and your obsession with the weather! The sunshine is fabulous of course, but the heat makes me miss Texas.’
‘It must be strange being so far from home,’ I said, dragging out the small talk.
‘Yeah… but at least I can get my summer wardrobe out now.’ I kept on smiling.
This was painful. ‘Anyway, let’s get to it.
I’ve seen half the PR agencies in London, and I’ve come to a decision.
’ Heidi frowned anxiously into space. ‘It’s only fair to have you guys on the shortlist as the incumbent agency, and I’d like you to pitch against Amplify. ’
There was silence as I looked at Heidi and she pretended to headbutt the table.
‘No way! We love those guys,’ I said, through gritted teeth.
We hated those guys. They’d pipped us to the post on the pitch for Dinky Drinks last year and it still stung.
‘Leo Kendrick is CEO there now and Zach Evans is their creative director – I believe you know each other?’
Heidi folded her arms with an animated eye roll but kept her voice steady. ‘Yes, we know them.’
Amplify were fast becoming our PR nemesis.
We’d pitched against them eight times in three years, and they were beating us five-three.
But that was all new new business. We’d never pitched against them for one of our own accounts.
What was that even called? New old business?
Whatever it was called it was a new level of low, even for them.
Leo Kendrick had gained himself quite the following in the PR press and was forever spouting his opinions next to his overly quiffed headshot.
He’d recently been promoted to the chief job at Amplify and been listed as one of Forbes’ forty under forty.
But his entire new business strategy seemed to involve snapping at our heels, and I could just imagine his Cheshire cat grin at the thought of taking our biggest account.
‘Yes, we like to support start-ups,’ Heidi said, pulling herself together. ‘Their creative director used to work for me, in fact. Back in the day.’
‘Oh, really? Zach?’ Brooke sounded delighted at this unexpected kinship. ‘He’s got some pretty wild ideas on how we can shake things up around here.’
‘I bet,’ Heidi said, shaking her head. ‘Yep. Zach Evans. He was my protégée when he first started out – it’s good to see him doing so well.’
‘A pitch rivalry,’ Brooke breathed into the microphone, and I could practically hear her drooling at the idea. ‘I love it!’
‘Hardly,’ I said, lying through my teeth. ‘They’re an interesting choice to pitch us against, but we don’t see them as rivals – and especially not when it comes to the cruising industry. Even they would admit we’re the experts.’
‘Oh, quite the contrary. They told me you often compete for business, but they usually come out on top.’
‘They did not say that!’ I blurted, before I could stop myself. The audacity.
‘Oh yes they did!’ Brooke squealed with glee. ‘Those cheeky boys think they’ve got it in the bag.’
‘There’s plenty of something in their bag, that’s for sure,’ Heidi said, mouthing the word ‘bullshit’ at me. ‘But there’s a fine line between overconfidence and bare-faced lies!’
I tried to maintain a dot of decorum. ‘Well, we look forward to showing them – and you – how uniquely positioned we are when it comes to your business.’
‘Well, ain’t that just wonderful to hear?’ Brooke sing-songed. ‘Nothing wrong with a little healthy competition between friends now, is there?’
‘Nothing at all. Bring it on,’ Heidi said, her voice strong and steady despite her deflated body language. ‘No one knows Excalibur like we do.’
‘That may be true,’ Brooke said, ‘which is why this pitch process is such good timing. My knowledge of the cruising industry is unrivalled – as you gals can imagine – but when it comes to the Excalibur business specifically, I’m still getting my head around how it all hangs together, y’know?
I can talk to the team until the cows come home but there ain’t no better way to find out about it than to discover it for myself. ’
‘One hundred per cent,’ Heidi said, nodding vigorously. ‘You have to know it to sell it – that’s what I always say, isn’t it, Kat?’
She glared at me then pointed to the phone.
‘It sure is,’ I said, loud and clear into the microphone. ‘You’ve gotta see it to be it, right? Love it and live it to… give it.’
Heidi pressed the mute button. ‘Stop now.’
Brooke cleared her throat. ‘Quite. Anyway, on that note, I’ve decided to get samplin’ the goods as soon as I can to get me up to speed across our cruise portfolio.’
‘Makes sense to get out there and experience it,’ I said, slightly jealous of that kind of induction.
‘As you both know, we have a new flagship product, the Esmeralda, set to sail to Portugal in three weeks or so. She is a cut above our other cruises as we look to acquire a bigger share of the market and as such I’d like you both to join me on board.
It’ll give us chance to get to know each other while we witness our latest holiday proposition first-hand. ’
‘Really?’ Heidi gave me a thumbs up across the table, eyes shining.
It had been a while since we’d gone on an Excalibur Cruise – we’d been on and off the different ships while they were docked, for a quick photo shoot here and there, but it had been a couple of years since we’d had the full passenger experience. Ye bloody ha.
‘Oh yes, really. The pitch will be all about the Esmeralda, so you’ll need to know her inside and out.
What makes her different? What makes her tick?
Talk to the guests, understand how they think and what would bring them back.
I’d like to set a pitch date of July twenty-first, here in the boardroom at Excalibur head office, so you’ll have a couple of months to prepare. ’
‘Understood,’ Heidi said, leaning forward with a wicked smile. ‘And will the Amplify team go on the trip after ours?’
Brooke chuckled. ‘That wouldn’t be very fair with the overall timeline now, would it? It’s a two-week cruise! No. They’ll be coming too so both agencies can experience the Esmeralda at the exact same time. No favourites.’
Two weeks? I swiped through my calendar to check what I had in.
Work gatecrashing my personal life wasn’t something I normally tolerated, but it didn’t look like I had much choice this time.
I’d miss Mum’s birthday lunch with Dad and my sisters, but I could make that up to her.
Then there was the weekly pub quiz and softball in Regent’s Park and those three coffee dates I’d managed to bunch together into consecutive half-hour slots: Toby, Terry and Tim.
Dating by first letter made as much sense as anything else these days.
But no, none of my plans were immoveable.
‘How very generous, Brooke. Let me RSVP immediately for both of us, and say we will absolutely be there,’ Heidi said, with no regard for anything I might have planned.
‘It’ll be more work than pleasure this time I’m afraid, but we might sneak a couple of cocktails in somewhere, hey, gals? That settles it then. I’ll see you both harbour side on the big day and my PA will be in touch to arrange the details.’
Brooke rang off and Heidi slumped down in her chair.
‘Amplify again! I can’t believe this is happening!’ I said. ‘Although at least we’re still in the game I suppose – maybe we should be grateful for small mercies.’
Heidi shook her head and covered her eyes.
‘This is a nightmare. I should probably tell you…’ she started, then hesitated.
‘…that Zach and I do not get on. We had a fall-out when he worked for me years ago and we never really got over it. It’s no biggie but best you know before we all head off on holiday together. ’
‘Interesting,’ I said, intrigued. ‘What happened?’
I watched her struggle as she weighed up what to say. Heidi was never lost for words.
‘I don’t want to sully his reputation or be unprofessional…’
What? This wasn’t like Heidi at all. Gossip was her thing. Her daily bread – she loved nothing more than a good speculation session and an opportunity to dish the dirt. And never had she ever cared about being unprofessional before –
which she was all the time.
‘Did he do something illegal?’
She shook her head. ‘Let’s just say there was a dispute over the source of one of his ideas and in the end he had to go.’
I winced.
‘I know. Mega awks, right?’
‘You sacked him?’
‘No… he resigned, eventually… but it was all under a cloud.’
‘Somewhat of a biggie, then. For him, at least.’
‘I was young and inexperienced, and who knows, maybe I made the wrong call, but that’s by the by. Do you think I should disclose the situation to Brooke? There’s a clear conflict of interest if we’re working on the same pitch.’
I nearly choked on my coffee. ‘Absolutely not. You’re on opposite teams! Fair enough if you were the client, but not the competing agency?’
‘Hmm, yeah, you’re probably right. And I can’t imagine Zach or Leo flagging it from their side.’
‘Exactly.’
‘That Leo has a reputation for being a total slag when it comes to pitches as well, so we’re in for a real treat with the pair of them.’
The mention of his name made me stop.
‘Does he? Client-side or agency?’
‘Both. He’s one of those PR pretty boys who thinks everyone fancies him.’ Heidi looked disgusted. ‘Not my type at all.’
‘He is very pretty,’ I said, thinking of his chiselled features and piercing silver eyes. ‘I know him, remember – we interned together at Engelman when I first moved to London.’
‘Did you?’
‘You know I did,’ I said, exasperated. ‘I tell you every time you mention him – which is on the regular.’ Honestly… she didn’t listen to a word I said.
Leo and I had applied for the same internship in our early twenties and both got it.
It was the summer after he’d graduated and I’d just moved to London.
I’d been firing out my CV to PR agencies for months and couldn’t believe it when one of them finally replied, let alone one of the big five.
I’d been so excited walking through their flashy front doors on my first day and signing in.
Engelman was in the heart of the action on Soho Square, and it had felt like a dream to be sat waiting in their huge white reception, sipping on a matcha latte.
The only flash of colour came from the elaborate vase of wildflowers on the glass table, until fancy-pants Leo Kendrick walked in.
There was only one permanent job on offer at the end of the internship and the second I saw his floppy black hair and easy smile, I knew he’d get it.
‘Morning,’ he’d said, sitting opposite me. ‘Reception said you’re interning too. I’m Leo.’
‘Hey,’ I’d said, feeling instantly shy. ‘I’m Kat.’
He’d seemed so much older than me, like a real grown-up, not a student, and he had an innate polish to him I could never have matched.
He’d been to a real university and I’d been to the university of life, and you could tell.
Everything about him screamed class and sophistication, from his tailored suit to his manicured nails.
I’d sellotaped my hem up after it had unravelled on the bus and felt like a shambles in comparison.
On our first day we were briefed to review the Engelman PR and judge how successfully they were promoting themselves as a company.
It was our special project to do alongside the real job and we’d worked on the presentation for months to get the thinking just right.
I’d secretly hoped they might find two permanent roles so we could both work there, but when it came to the day of the meeting, I was off sick.
I’d stupidly eaten a hot dog from a street vendor the night before and been vomiting all morning.
I still had the text I’d sent when I’d realised there was no way I could go in.
Me: I’m so sorry to abandon you.
Leo: Don’t worry, I’ll represent.
Me: Yes, make it clear it’s both our work. Keep saying my name.
Leo: Got it :)
Leo presented our analysis and ideas to the bosses and however many times he’d said my name, he got the job.
The panel had loved the analysis and ideas, but without me there, they must have seen it as his success alone.
When they told me I hadn’t made the cut, they said it seemed like I hadn’t been pulling my weight and might be better suited to an assistant role somewhere.
I’d been so frustrated and angry at the unfairness of it all.
I had no idea what went down in that meeting, what Leo had said – or not said – to sway the board in his favour, and I didn’t stay around to find out.
I was going to find it hard to stay civil for two whole weeks on this cruise.
‘Those Amplify boys are double trouble as far as I’m concerned and I plan to avoid them as much as possible.’ Heidi stood up, a determined look on her face. ‘I suggest you do the same.’
‘Understood,’ I said, drawing myself up to my full five foot five. I didn’t need telling twice; this was a nightmare double-date scenario, but we weren’t trapped together in a cupboard, we’d be on a thousand-foot boat. Plenty of room to avoid each other – if we saw each other at all.