Clara Bounces Back Read online

  ‘Let me get this right.’ Marc stammers, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead as he speaks. ‘The man in the Giulia Romano tape is the owner of Ianthe handbags?’

  ‘That is correct.’ Hugh replies, sliding to the edge of his seat and nodding enthusiastically.

  ‘Hold on!’ Lianna jumps off her stool and holds up her hand to silence Marc before he can respond. ‘This doesn’t make sense. If the mystery man in the tape was someone as established as the owner of Ianthe, the press would have been all over it. There’s absolutely no way that this would have slipped under the radar.’

  Hugh shakes his head and reaches for his beer. ‘That’s where you’re wrong. Stelios stays out of the limelight. He’s seen when he wants to be and only when he wants to be. It’s actually his cousin who is the face of the business. Unless you’re in his inner circle, you would never know who he really is. Stelios plays his cards very close to his chest. Ianthe wouldn’t last for two minutes if the press knew half of what Stelios got up to behind closed doors.’

  Trying to keep up with the drastic developments that are unfolding, I mentally piece together these snippets of information.

  ‘Stop me if I’m missing something here, but I really don’t see how this Stelios guy being in the tape can help us with Suave.’ Oliver says casually, diving back into the pizza box. ‘The link seems completely irrelevant.’

  ‘It’s totally relevant!’ Marc replies, a glow to his face that has been missing for a long time. ‘Do you remember the comments that were made by Giulia’s representative when the whole thing came to light?’

  Grabbing his laptop, Marc clacks at the keyboard as the rest of us look on. Quickly bringing up a variety of articles, he swivels around the screen and highlights a section of the page.

  As everyone fights to get a glimpse of the computer, I swiftly skim-read the text.

  “… Giulia is appalled and horrified that someone she loved could treat her this way… private property, which was not supposed to be made public… we believe this to be an intentional act to sabotage Giulia’s career… knows the perpetrator behind this cruel act…”

  ‘So, Stelios released the video deliberately?’ Lianna asks, clearly as confused as I am. ‘Why would he do that?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Marc rambles, pulling the computer towards him and scratching his stubble. ‘Maybe we could talk to him about it and find out…’

  ‘And say what?’ Kicking off his shoes, Oliver heads to the fridge for more beer. ‘I know you’re into some freaky stuff, so work with us or we’ll out you?’

  ‘Something like that.’ Looking at Hugh eagerly, Marc waits for our reaction.

  A laugh echoes around the group and fizzles out when we realise Marc isn’t joining in.

  ‘You’re not joking, are you?’ I whisper, horrified that he would stoop that low.

  Marc shrugs his shoulders and bites his lip guiltily. ‘Why not? The star of the tape that sabotaged us is the owner of a multi-million pound company. There’s got to be a way of using this to generate some business.’

  ‘There’s a word for that, Marc.’ Shocked to the core that he’s considering this, I shake my head in disappointment. ‘It’s called blackmail.’

  ‘Give me some credit!’ He retorts defensively. ‘I’m not saying we blackmail the guy, but simply mentioning it gives us some leverage to start talking business with him.’

  ‘Again.’ Oliver says confidently. ‘Blackmail.’

  ‘Call me crazy.’ Hugh chips in, appearing deep in thought. ‘But I think Marc has a point.’

  Turning around in my seat, I hold my breath as I wait for him to explain further.

  ‘Stelios is notoriously difficult to arrange meetings with. Between throwing wild parties on his yacht and blowing his millions in casinos, he is virtually impossible to pin down. The fact that you guys know he’s in this tape might just be enough to get his attention.’ Hugh runs a hand through his hair and nods at Marc. ‘You could be onto something here.’

  ‘Okay…’ Lianna murmurs uneasily, biting the edge of her nail. ‘And then what? What do we do if and when he meets us? Apart from it being incredibly awkward, I just don’t see the incentive for him. Ianthe’s style is a world away from ours. It’s as far away from what people expect of us as it could possibly be…’

  ‘Exactly!’ Marc exclaims loudly. ‘Ianthe is big. Bigger than big. And not only that, no one would ever expect them to collaborate with Suave. The two companies are like night and day.’ Turning to face Li, he uses his hands to emphasise his point. ‘You said yourself that we need to reinvent the brand. What better way to do it than to go right to the other end of the spectrum?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Lianna whispers quietly, obviously unconvinced. ‘Is another high-risk collaboration really wise after the disaster that was the last one?’

  ‘Plus, what makes you so sure he’ll even deal with us.’ Oliver asks Hugh, blatantly having the same reservations as Lianna. ‘Just the fact that we know he likes to get freaky between the sheets doesn’t seem much to get him on board.’

  ‘Both of these are very valid points.’ Hugh admits calmly. ‘But we have been trying to save this business for the last six months and if you ask me, this is the best thing we have come up with.’

  Unable to deny that our time and options are running out, I reluctantly nod. ‘That’s true.’

  ‘I’m not saying that this is our way out.’ Hugh explains, evidently recognising the apprehension in the room. ‘But if you ask me, I say that it’s worth a shot. So, who’s with me?’

  The Giulia Romano sex tape is something that I never want to be exposed to again and the thought of coming face to face with the amorous man in the clip is not something I personally want to experience. However, we have exhausted all other avenues. Raising my hand, I look around the group to see who’s in agreement. One by one, the hands of all my friends are slowly raised into the air, causing my stomach to bubble with adrenaline.

  ‘That’s settled then.’ A strange buzz echoes around the room as Hugh reaches for his jacket, signalling that it’s time to call it a night. ‘Stelios is due over here any day now. I’ll take one for the team and see if I can get him to speak with us.’

  ‘I’ve got a great feeling about this.’ Marc says excitedly, his eyes glistening. ‘Something tells me this is exactly what we’ve been searching for and it’s been under our noses all along…’

  Hearing a door squeak open, I look over my shoulder to see a flustered Janie poking her head into the room.

  ‘Who do I have to sleep with to get a drink around here?’ She cackles, shooting Vernon a devilish wink.

  Trying to ignore the look of horror on Oliver’s face, I apologise to the others and run over to the drinks cabinet. To be fair to Janie, she’s been holed up in Noah’s room with Pumpkin and a naughty four-year-old all evening. Reaching for the whiskey, I grab a glass from the cupboard and pour her a good measure. As I place the half-empty bottle back into the cabinet, I pluck a handful of vodka minis from the shelf.

  ‘Thank you so much for keeping Noah occupied.’ I whisper gratefully, handing over the whiskey and slipping the vodka into her pocket when Oliver isn’t looking. ‘We’re almost finished out here. We shouldn’t be much longer.’ Not wanting to risk her bulldozing her way out, I gently push her back and shut the door.

  Leaning against the wall, I watch the rest of my friends chat amongst themselves and feel a rush of hope. I’ve always believed that life works in mysterious ways, but as the years go by, it continues to surprise me. Just when I believe things are falling apart, the universe throws me a lifeline that could lead to everything falling into place…

  Chapter 5

  Running my fingers through my wild curls, I quickly spritz myself with perfume and run over to Noah’s bedroom.

  ‘This is your five-minute warning!’ I yell, opening the doors to the balcony and ushering Pumpkin outside. ‘Can you put your jacket on, please?’

  Turning my focu
s to Noah’s lunchbox, I pull the plastic container out of his backpack and flip the lid. Yesterday’s sandwich tumbles out onto the counter as I frown at the untouched meal in confusion. The apple, the cheese stick and the strawberry yogurt are just as I packed them. He hasn’t eaten a single thing. Emptying the contents into the bin, I swiftly make a fresh sandwich and wash my hands.

  ‘Is there any reason you didn’t eat your lunch yesterday?’ I ask, as Noah steps into the living room.

  His usual morning scowl is fixed on his face as he lets out a tired yawn and reaches for his shoes. ‘I did eat it.’

  Narrowing my eyes, I open the bin and push it towards him.

  ‘That’s not mine.’ He persists, roughly tugging on his jacket and kicking his football around the living room.

  ‘It is yours, Noah.’ A little taken aback by his ability to lie so casually, I fasten his lunchbox and stuff it into the backpack. ‘Can you let Pumpkin back in for me, please?’

  Rolling his eyes dramatically, he heads over to the balcony and claps his hands together to get her attention. Immediately jumping up, Pumpkin abandons her chew toy and races over to him. Her golden fur billows in the breeze as she bounds into the living room and makes a dive for Noah’s ball. Enjoying the chase, she growls playfully as Noah tries to tackle her.

  ‘That’s enough now.’ I warn, grabbing my car keys and heading towards the door.

  Checking that I have all the essentials, I pick up my handbag and steal a glance at my watch. ‘Noah, I said that’s enough. Come on!’

  Completely ignoring what I’m saying, Noah grabs one side of his ball as Pumpkin tugs on the other. Feeling my head start to throb, I take a deep breath and fold my arms.

  ‘I’m not going to ask you again!’ I say sternly. ‘If you don’t stop right now, I’m going to confiscate that ball!’

  Realising that he isn’t paying attention, I take a step towards him. ‘You have got three seconds to put the ball down and get out of the door. One… two… three…’

  Pulling on the football with all his strength, Noah shrieks as Pumpkin finally gives in and drops it, causing him to tumble into the display cabinet. The delicate ornaments sway back and forth from the impact and I hold my breath as an intricate vase wobbles violently, before crashing onto the floor in a million glistening pieces.

  A mixture of anger and disbelief hits me as I stare at the pile of porcelain in shock. The vase, which once belonged to my grandma, now lies in a thousand smithereens on the floor. Not sticking around for the telling-off, Pumpkin tucks her tail between her legs and silently skulks into Noah’s room.

  ‘Noah!’ I hiss, striding over to the kitchen and grabbing the dustpan and brush from beneath the skin.

  ‘It was an accident.’ He says angrily, kicking the rug. ‘I didn’t mean to break it!’

  Crouching down next to the shards of gold, sadness hits me as I gather the fragments into a pile and drop them into the bin.

  ‘I told you numerous times to stop, Noah. If you had done as I said the first time I asked, we would be on our way now and my favourite vase wouldn’t be destroyed.’ Placing the dustpan under the sink, I take a deep breath and rub my forehead.

  ‘It’s just a stupid vase.’ Noah mutters under his breath.

  Recognising that I’m around five seconds away from erupting like a volcano, I silently count to ten before standing up.

  ‘Get your backpack.’ I demand, trying to ignore my throbbing head. ‘We’re going to deal with this later.’

  Holding open the door, I wait for him to walk into the lobby, before allowing it to close with a bang behind us. Not bothering to wait for me to lock up, Noah races up the steps like a lightning bolt, leaving me to climb the stairs alone.

  After our rather interesting meeting last night Oliver headed to the office with Marc two hours early. They didn’t say why, but I did hear the name Stelios being thrown around on more than one occasion. From my half-dead slumber, I didn’t catch the whole conversation and after discovering that Stelios is Giulia’s starring partner, I’m glad I slept through it.

  Coming to a stop outside Marc’s apartment, I offer Noah a thin smile before rapping on the knocker. Upbeat music floods out into the hall as the door swings open to reveal a very happy Gina.

  ‘Good morning!’ She trills, flashing me a huge grin. ‘How are we doing today?’

  I widen my eyes in response as Noah simply scowls and looks down at the ground.

  ‘That bad, eh?’ Gina teases, ruffling Noah’s hair as he brushes past her.

  ‘Sorry about him.’ I say apologetically, letting out a sigh and leaning against the door frame. ‘I thought we had left the surly behaviour behind. How was Madison at four years old?’

  ‘Awful!’ Gina laughs and sways her hips in time to the music. ‘But make the most of it! You will soon be experiencing the egotistical eights and believe me, you’ll be begging for the fours to come back.’

  As though to prove Gina’s point, Madison runs into the lobby and rests her hand on her hip cockily.

  ‘This is purple.’ She scowls, holding out a bottle of lilac nail polish. ‘I asked for pink. Now my nails are totally going to clash with my dress!’

  Shoving the bottle at Gina, Madison turns on her ballerina shoes and sashays back into the apartment, leaving a trail of sickly-sweet perfume in her wake.

  ‘See what I mean?’ Gina rolls her eyes and stuffs the nail varnish into her pocket. ‘Eight going on eighteen…’

  As Gina fills me in on Madison’s latest antics, I marvel at how amazingly well my good friend is looking lately. Despite things being rather gloomy at Suave, Gina’s childminding business has gone from strength to strength and she’s now expanded into organising fun-days for children in the local community. With the help of her new recruit, Savannah, Gina takes no less than thirty excited kids on trips up and down the country. From seaside sandcastle competitions in Brighton to long days at the zoo, Gina is racking up new clients by the day.

  ‘How are you finding the summer holidays?’ I ask. ‘Still enjoying it?’

  ‘The summer holidays are my favourite time of the year!’ Smiling happily, she brushes back her black bob and adjusts her jeans. ‘I gave up accounts to spend my days eating ice cream with a bunch of kids. What’s not to love?’

  Smiling back at her, I find myself wishing that I had her happy-go-lucky attitude.

  ‘What’s with the long face?’ Gina whispers, pulling the door shut so that the children can’t overhear our conversation. ‘After how happy Marc was this morning, I expected you to be bouncing off the walls.’

  ‘I should be.’ I reply, silently kicking myself for allowing Noah’s behaviour to ruin my mood. ‘It’s just that Noah has been pushing the boundaries a lot lately. How has he been with you?’

  Gina raises her eyebrows and sticks her head back into the apartment. ‘He’s been fine here. We did have a bit of a disagreement between him and MJ at the park a few days back, but that’s just boys being boys. You know how competitive they can be.’

  I nod along, knowing all too well how Noah has inherited Oliver’s desire to win at absolutely everything.

  ‘He’s just testing your limits, like all young boys do. Don’t stress out about it.’ Gina places a reassuring hand on my arm and offers me a friendly smile. ‘Why don’t you come in for a coffee? I can tell you all about the horrific things my lot have done over the years and make you feel better.’

  Checking the time, I politely shake my head. ‘I’d love to, but I want to pop by the florist on my way to work. I haven’t seen Dawn in a while.’

  ‘No problem. Give her a squeeze from me.’ Gina shoots me a wink and steps back into the apartment. ‘Don’t worry about Noah. He’s fine, you’re fine and if Marc’s positivity is anything to go by, Suave is going to be fine, too.’

  Smiling back at her, I give her the thumbs-up sign and retrace my steps along the lobby.

  ‘Antío!’ She trills, causing my lips to stretch into a much-needed
grin.

  ‘Antío, Gina’ I reply, giving her a wave as I disappear down the staircase. ‘Antío…’

  Chapter 6

  Coming to a stop outside the florist, I press my nose against the glass and peer inside. As usual, the window is filled with a spectacular floral arrangement, this time in the form of sunflowers. The bright show of yellow creates an extraordinary exhibition for passing people to admire and I can’t resist taking a moment to soak it up. Every petal appears to be magnified by the bright spotlights that are beaming down on them, making the display seem even more magical.

  Tearing myself away, I reach for the handle and frown when I realise the door is locked. The closed sign is in full view, but it doesn’t take me long to spot Dawn buried beneath a mass of foliage. Gently knocking to gain her attention, I wave my arms around as she steps out from behind the counter.

  ‘Hello!’ She sings cheerily, flashing me a grin identical to the one Gina gave me earlier. ‘Isn’t it a beautiful morning?’

  I look over my shoulder at the overcast sky and screw up my nose. ‘It’s alright, I guess.’

  The familiar sparkly chime twinkles as I step inside the florist, making me feel terribly nostalgic. As much as I adore being back at Suave, I secretly miss the days of working at Floral Fizz. There’s something incredibly beautiful about being in a florist, especially one as stunning as Floral Fizz. The petal-inspired fairy lights that dangle from the ceiling are a fabulous new addition and give the whole room a cosy, secret garden vibe.

  ‘What do you think of my display?’ Dawn asks, motioning to the abundant presentation of purple flowers on the counter. ‘Do you want to take a guess as to where my inspiration came from?’

  Turning my attention to the stunning show of indigo and lilac in front of me, I run my fingers over the soft petals and mentally piece together the various types of flowers. Delicate pansies and intricate hydrangeas surround a cluster of stunning lavender stems. The different shades of purple blend together seamlessly, forming a spectacular blanket of natural beauty.