Chapter Twenty-one
Twenty-one
It was the third time my alarm had gone off, meaning my snoozing window was well and truly over.
I’d faceplanted into bed as soon as I’d walked into the hotel room and I really, really didn’t want to get up from my power nap, get changed and paste on a smile.
But that was what PR was all about and these relationship-building opportunities with Brooke could make or break us.
The relationship was half the battle when it came to a pitch.
My phone screen was covered in messages, which I read with one eye open, and one still on snooze.
Life’s a Pitch Group Chat:
Heidi: See you there.
Zach: Not feeling 100% so won’t make it. Enjoy.
Leo: Rest up, man, I’ll represent ?
What the hell? That wasn’t any kind of get-out surely?
I hadn’t felt more than eighty-five per cent for years.
So now it was just us girls and Leo. I had no idea how I’d be able to handle myself in such close proximity to him in public.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the way he’d kissed me – I’d felt it all the way down to my toes.
There was no answer from Heidi’s mobile, so I dragged myself into the shower and stuck my head under the water to force myself awake.
Showering on the boat was always quick and panicked, so it felt good to enjoy a full five minutes without worrying that the hot water might run out.
I straightened my hair, which seemed to have grown five inches, then threw on my denim dress and corky wedges and felt like a new woman.
I tried Heidi again, putting the phone on loudspeaker while I threaded through my dangly earrings, but no joy.
She was probably in the bath, furious at the phone repeatedly ringing so I left her a voice note to say I’d see her at the restaurant.
I was keen to get out and explore Lisbon on foot and didn’t want to hang around.
There was a hospitable warmth about the city, and the cobbles seemed to glow as I walked along the main drag towards an arch in the castle wall.
Crumbly old buildings with colourful facades and beautifully decorated Juliet balconies were wedged between shops and busy aperitivo bars.
Potted olive trees festooned with fairy lights decorated the street and candlelit shrines covered with rosary beads served as a reminder of the religious foundations of Portugal.
The rich history of Lisbon was on proud display wherever I looked.
I absorbed the cool vibe as I wandered through the streets, watching myself move towards the harbour as a blue dot on Google Maps.
A guitarist in a voluminous shirt crooned softly over samba beats, the sun highlighting the gold brocade on his waistcoat.
Al fresco diners enjoyed the afternoon sunshine with drinks and Portuguese tapas –
petiscos – and I felt a sense of contentment as a little girl wandered over with a bucket of orange roses.
‘A flower for you, pretty lady? One euro.’
‘No, thank you.’
‘Please? Only one euro,’ she insisted, picking one out for me and holding it up. ‘Your husband will pay.’
‘I don’t have a husband.’
‘Boyfriend?’
I shook my head, feeling sorry for us both. ‘No boyfriend, either.’
Her puzzled little face said it all. I was far too old not to at least have a boyfriend.
‘Hey, Kat! Wait up!’ I turned to find Leo jogging towards me. ‘Love the dress,’ he said, checking me out.
‘A rose for your rose?’ A perfect bud appeared between us as we walked – she was a resilient saleswoman; I’d give her that.
‘How much?’ Leo asked, taking it from her.
‘Two euro.’
He gave her a coin and handed me the rose. ‘I’m so sorry about your eye, Kat. Honestly, I’m such an idiot for getting carried away and playing so rough. How does it feel? I’ve been worried.’
‘A bit sore but I haven’t cracked open the pirate patches yet. Honestly, don’t worry about it – I should have ducked. I’m hopeless at sports.’
Leo looked sheepish, but he didn’t push the apology. ‘Dahlia’s lovely, until you try and skip class and then she’s like a dog with a bone. She won’t take no for an answer.’
‘Unless you’re Heidi, who’s said no to pretty much everything. Lazy cow.’
Ronaldo’s came into view as both our phones beeped.
Life’s a Pitch Group Chat:
Heidi: Mi.
Brooke: You OK, Heidi? Is that autocorrect for Hi?
Me: Oh no – that’s our migraine code. Heidi can’t see to type. DON’T WORRY, HEIDI. SLEEP IT OFF.
A thumbs up appeared next to my comment.
Brooke: Feel better soon! I’m running late myself. @Kat @Leo – shall we rain check and regroup back on the ship?
Leo and I scanned our screens then looked at each other.
‘And then there were two,’ he said, with a big grin. ‘Smells too good to turn around now. Shall we?’
My stomach grumbled in reply. ‘We shall. Out of respect for Brooke.’
‘And to represent Heidi and Zach…’
‘Absolutely,’ I agreed, with a mischievous smile.
The restaurant was set back from the harbour, with a terrace full of packed tables.
A spicy aroma filled the air and sizzling plates of chicken and prawns poured out from the kitchen in all directions, delivered at speed by a team of lads overseen by an old man. Presumably Ronaldo (McDonaldo) himself.
He ran over to greet us as if we were old friends, shaking Leo’s hand, then kissing mine. ‘Boa tarde! Welcome both!’
‘We have a table booked under Brooke Harris?’ Leo said. ‘Or possibly Excalibur?’
I was embarrassed to be rocking up as a two, while secretly delighted. Another date with Leo in plain sight, without having to make any excuses. They’d all cried off, so what else could we do? ‘It was supposed to be five for lunch, but the others aren’t well.’
‘No problem for me,’ he said, eyeing my rose. ‘And more private for you. This way, please.’
He found us a table for two in the centre of the action and took our drinks order, returning promptly with a jug of rosé and a basket of bread. Leo poured a glug of olive oil into the hand-painted dish, and I poured out the wine. We were turning into quite the team.
‘Do you think the others are having lunch without us?’
‘Because we’re so unbearable?’ Leo said, a flirtatious glint in his eye. ‘It hadn’t occurred to me, but now you mention it…’
I laughed. ‘I’m happy for them if they are. I didn’t think we’d get chance to eat together again, just the two of us.’
‘Like a date, you mean?’
I shifted in my chair at the thought of dating Leo.
‘Erm… if you like.’ How was he doing this to me?
My whole body was full of warning bells, but I couldn’t resist his cheeky, suggestive smile.
I wondered if this was how the Dinky Drinks team had felt.
Pinned to their seats and hypnotised. He held up his glass to clink mine and the two of us were in our own private bubble again: the surrounding noise seemed to quieten to a murmur and all I wanted to do was sit and while away the hours together, getting closer and learning everything about him.
It didn’t get much more like a date than that.
‘What do you fancy?’ he asked, looking through the menu. ‘Charcuterie? Salad?’
‘Both?’
‘Done.’
Leo ordered the food, while I sat and listened to the musical trio on Portuguese guitars. They were playing intricate pieces at such a pace I was surprised there wasn’t smoke coming off their strings.
‘How about after this I take you on a magical mystery tour of Lisbon?’ Leo said, his voice low and full of suggestion.
‘Sounds like a good way to while away the evening,’ I said. ‘What kind of tour?’
‘Erm… magical and mysterious,’ he said. ‘There isn’t a theme. Do you want one? Cheese? Ice cream? Wine?’
‘How about a cheese-flavoured ice cream tour?’
‘Mmm, tasty. Another impossible client brief – my favourite.’
I laughed. ‘Aren’t they all?’
‘It’s getting more and more that way.’
‘How are you finding being a CEO? Amplify is getting bigger by the day, isn’t it? There must be thirty of you by now, if all the job ads I keep seeing are anything to go by.’
‘Fifty and growing. But honestly, being in charge is hard. I’ve been CEO for six months now and the pressure to bring in new business – but not too much – and run a happy team –
but not too happy – and make LOADS of money – is non-stop.’
‘Like balancing a coin on a lemon in a bowl of water.’
His stressed face switched back to shiny. ‘Precisely, i.e. virtually impossible.’
‘Why don’t you set up your own shop? If you can be CEO at Amplify you can be CEO for Kendrick PR… International… Limited.’
‘That’s got a nice ring to it.’
‘Rolls off the tongue. Then you’d be bringing in the same new business but all for yourself.’
‘I could say the same to you. Looks like you’re doing most of the work at Northstar PR from where I’m standing.’
‘Leo!’ I pretended to be shocked. ‘Don’t let Heidi hear you saying that. She’s convinced she does it all.’
‘Of course she is. But does she? Hmm? How much does she really do?’
‘I wouldn’t want all the worries that come with owning a business, to be honest. I like getting a reliable wage each month and knowing the bigger picture is somebody else’s problem.’
‘I’m the opposite,’ Leo said. ‘I like to be in control of my own destiny, which might mean my own shop one day, but not yet. Heading up Amplify is perfect for me right now.’
‘Just right, is it? Mr Goldilocks of the PR world.’
‘Yup. It’s not too big and not too small with a brilliant team and cool clients. Eventually I’ll outgrow it, of course, but for now it’s giving me every opportunity I need to learn, and I love it.’
His silver eyes turned serious when it came to work chat and a corporate sheen consumed him. These felt like well-practised lines. The words had been carefully chosen for maximum impact – as if he was being interviewed live on a podcast. He looked exhausted from trying.
‘When you think we were both in the exact same place not so long ago, you’ve done brilliantly.’ He gave me a bashful smile. ‘Your grandma must be very proud.’
‘She is. Granny Sal loves us boys.’ He topped up our wine as the sun peeped out from behind the clouds. ‘And the next layer down. Both my brothers have two sons.’
‘Even better – Kendrick and Nephews PR.’
He laughed. ‘Maybe. At the very least I want to instil a good work ethic in them. Although mine has always come from a place of panic. Knowing there’s no backup.’
A shadow passed over his face, and I thought back to how it had been growing up back in Bootle. Dad had worked long shifts as a lorry driver and mum had done child-minding for extra cash, so there hadn’t been much room for error when it came to month-to-month survival.
‘It’s one way to motivate yourself,’ I said, reaching for his hand. ‘I like to work, but I try to play equally hard these days.’
Leo looked out to sea as the waiter brought over our food and we piled up our plates.
‘Work has always meant freedom to me,’ he said, spearing a slice of salami. ‘Or do I mean safety? Both probably.’
‘I know how you feel,’ I said, suddenly feeling vulnerable. ‘At least if you only rely on yourself, nobody can let you down. I grew up knowing there wouldn’t be any unexpected windfalls coming my way, so that’s how I’ve always been as well.’
‘It’s empowering and frightening at the same time. If things go wrong, I’ve got nobody to blame but myself.’
‘Aren’t you past the things going wrong stage now, though? You’re a CEO for goodness’ sake. You’re at the top of the tree.’
‘It just means there’s further to fall,’ Leo said, soaking his bread in olive oil. ‘I can’t imagine the fear ever leaving me forever; it always needs feeding.’
‘I have a different kind of fear, I think. Mine doesn’t drive me forward – it holds me back.’
‘In what way?’ Leo seemed genuinely interested and glad the spotlight was off him.
‘I outgrew Northstar years ago, but I’d never dare leave in case I couldn’t get anything else,’ I said, terrified at the thought. ‘I’m too old to start again.’
Leo eyed me bemused. ‘Too old for a new job, too young for a family – make up your mind. You’re not too old or too young for anything – don’t restrict yourself like that. There are enough people out there who will try and put walls around you, without you doing it to yourself.’
It was much easier to give advice than take it, but he was right. There was nothing stopping me taking my own medicine and starting Brennan PR International Limited. Apart from not having two pennies to rub together, of course.