‘Ah, OK,’ I reply. ‘Would you—’
‘Usually a shake or something else protein-based,’ he continues. ‘Simple carbs aren’t conducive to a well-balanced diet.’
‘You’re probably right,’ I say, lifting a croissant. ‘You’re far more disciplined than I am. It’s admirable!’
He watches closely while I begin stuffing it into my mouth before turning back to Eesha.
‘Outside we’ll have photographers, red carpet for the VIPs and security,’ she states. ‘Everything branded, from the Flirt First signature cocktails to the wall decor. LCD boards displaying the app’s functionality, staff wearing FF T-shirts, everything themed around the Flirt First branding. We’ll install plush booths, tables and a custom dance space.’
‘And how much is that going to eat into—’
‘All provided by our sponsors. We’ve negotiated terms with them, if we decide to go ahead.’
I see his brow unfurrow. He flips through the presentation package on his desk.
‘We couldn’t have just rented a nightclub for the night? Maybe a restaurant?’ he asks, looking back at the screen. ‘Somewhere a bit. . .’
If he says sexier, I will fly kick him out the window.
‘. . . more exclusive than a warehouse.’
‘We want something unique,’ Eesha replies. ‘Promotion focused on the brand, not necessarily on the venue. Something cool.’
He bobs his head, though I can tell he’s not convinced yet. If he wanted to hire out the Century Club or the Taj Mahal, he should have given us a bigger fucking budget.
‘It’s actually very exclusive,’ Eesha informs him. ‘In fact, I can’t say too much but a little, very reliable birdie told me that Dua Lipa celebrated her twenty-seventh birthday there. It’s a miracle that they even had this date available.’
‘Really? Dua Lipa?’
She nods. ‘Although the birthday celebration was very hush-hush. She’s an incredibly private person. I’m sure we can honour that too.’
I smirk to myself. It was very hush-hush because it didn’t happen.
He perks up at this detail. ‘Excellent! I love Dua Lipa. Brilliant idea!’
We run through the rest of the package, including Kieran’s social media strategy to create a buzz around the launch. Two coffees later he agrees on principle. I know that he’ll come back with some sort of redundant concern but it’s essentially good to go.
‘Excellent work,’ I tell Eesha, as we watch Eddie leave. ‘I’ll have a chat with Rupert. Your skills reach far beyond reception work.’
‘Dua Lipa thing too far?’ she asks.
‘Not at all,’ I reply. ‘Unless she comes out and denies it, I think you’re good.’
She gives a little squeal. If I could, I’d make her the events coordinator in a heartbeat.
I return to my desk and let Kieran know how the meeting went.
‘Eesha nailed it. I’m going to talk to Rupert about moving her to events. We need a dedicated staff on there, instead of everyone. . . well, me, dealing with it.’
Kieran slurps his coffee. ‘You know he’ll just moan about having to hire a new receptionist,’ he replies, ignoring the phone ringing on his desk. ‘We’ve been through four already and he’s only just learned that her name isn’t Alisha.’
‘This is true, Kato.’
He frowns at me.
‘But if he doesn’t at least give her a trial run, I’ll be surprised if she sticks around for much longer.’
‘Yeah, that would suck,’ he replies. ‘Oh, are there any pastries left in the meeting room? I’m kind of peckish.’
