Well, it’s been a while since I called any of them because of this mess with Damian, but it’s simple when I need it.
“I, for one, will enjoy it,” Aiden continues. “It’ll be fun not to be Aiden Aurellan, owner of the club and Aurellan Group, and just be … anyone.” He waves a hand. “Maybe I’ll go undercover with the staff and live out my fantasy of being Tom Cruise in the movieCocktail.”
“I’ll come just to see that,” I say. “You’ll have to increase your liability insurance for the night.”
“Oi.”
“Jokes aside, of course I’ll be here,” I say. “And at the next one and the next one.”
Aiden and I are like brothers. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this man.
We’re as different as they come, but closer than most. While he got into uni with top marks and financial aid, I was theredespitemy terrible attempt at an acceptance interview. I can thank my parents’ ‘longstanding contribution tothe Cambridge community’, according to the letter I received.
I know I was and am privileged. Aiden had to work five times harder at everything to prove he was worthy, both because his mother’s name is Amara Aurellan and not Kate Becker or Mary Hawkins, and because said mother was a cleaner, and not a chairperson of the board of Cambridge Art Auctions and Charity House.
It motivated me to work even harder. There was no way I’d take it for granted, studying business at this prestigious university, when I saw my friend sacrificing every waking moment to succeed in class, and rowing for hours from 5am to stay on the team.
He still operates at this level, although things are easier now that he’s wealthy.
“Thanks, mate,” Aiden grins. “It means a lot. And you’ll love the Mesmeric Mystique! It’s turning out better than I could’ve imagined. We’ve transformed the first floor into a pitch-black sensory maze that’ll blow your mind.”
“Sounds splendid,” I mutter and turn my attention to my peaty whiskey, inhaling the delicious, smoky aroma as I do. It’s soothing. The drink burns comfortably as it runs down my throat.
“Did you get a lot of takers?” Sebastian asks. “Sorry, I didn’t read the latest investment report yet,” he adds.
We’ve all invested in Aiden’s new restaurant and this intense marketing. The marketing effort was mostly my idea. It’s one of my strengths, after all. It’s the key job of a CEO to know how to draw in your leads and keep them.
“Yep,” Aiden answers, popping his p. “Tickets for the first three weekends are all gone. With the interest it’s gathered, we’ll run it for the full two months until the Millefleuré opening, and include the Gold tier members, so we’ll do a charity auction for the extra tickets.”
Sebastian furrows his dark brow. “Can I invite a date?”
“You really need to learn to read the emails you get from my team. It’s not a sex-event.”
“And you need to remember I’m not just your friend, but one of your precious Diamond members,” Sebastian retorts with his signature crooked smile that charms the panties off most recipients. Thankfully, Aiden keeps his trousers on, but his face splits into a wide grin again.
“You’re lucky I’m fond of you.”
“Of course you are.”
“You can bring a non-member date if they’re pre-approved,” Aiden says. “We have to keep it highly exclusive, so you can’t invite any random girl.” Which Sebastian has been known to do, especially over the last three years. He was always a ladies’ man, even when we were gangly teens he was a charmer, but something happened (he refuses to tell us what) three years ago which set him off on a trajectory I’m frankly a little worried about after how Damian crashed last year.
“You can bring a friend too,” Elliott adds, wiggling his eyebrows at Sebastian.
“We get a teaser of the Millefleuré menu at the end of the maze, is that right?” Sebastian asks, ignoring his friend.
“Yep,” Aiden answers. “Which leads to the final and main event; the Millefleuré opening will be the event to see and be seen at.” He waves his arms dramatically. “Just you wait to be amazed.”
“It’ll be fantastic,” Elliott pipes up. “And for someone who reads the reports, I’m even happier about the future projections for Aurellan Group. At this rate, you’ll be opening bars three and four sooner than you think.”
“The emperor of Mayfair,” Sebastian chimes in.
“I prefer supreme leader,” Aiden quips.
While the guys yammer on, I close my eyes and home in on the soft jazz playing in the background instead.
As much as I respect Aiden and his entrepreneurship, the clientele is predictable at best. Which is partly what most members pay for. The rich want to mingle with the ultra-rich. Famous with the even more famous.
I usually know almost everyone at his events, which makes attending them more like a business meeting than a wind-down or excitement.
