What a stupid thing to think.
“I really can’t talk about it,” I say. “But thank you for the offer.”
Melanie stares at me, a glimmer of hurt in her gaze, which vanishes before I can be sure it was there at all. We sit in silence for a minute or so before she pushes one side of her dark bob behind her ear and picks up her handbag. “I’m getting the sense you want to be alone.” She loops the strap over her shoulder. “I don’t want to get in the way. I’ll bid you goodnight. Feel free to call me if you change your mind.”
I stand to see her out, but as she steps away from the booth, an idea hits me.
“Wait.”
She stops, her gaze turning sharp. “Yes?”
“I’ll double the price for the agency.” She cocks her head to the side, inviting more information. “On one condition.”
“I’m listening.”
“Sign Diana Marchetti to the books, and I’ll do it.”
Melanie’s brow crinkles. “The girl we bumped into tonight? Your daughter’s friend?”
“Yes. She’s already sporting Erica Lefroy clothes every chance she gets. It’s a perfect tie-in for you. Sign her, and I’ll double the offer price. And together, we’ll make your agency the biggest and the best there is.”
She holds my gaze as she picks up her coat and drapes it over her forearm. Her eyes narrow with that greedy look I remember from our very first meeting all those months ago. “Why now?”
“Because Diana’s exceptionally talented. A real rising social media star. Incredible work ethic. She doesn’t have representation, and she’ll need it. You should snap her up before anyone else does. I could see her presenting television shows. Even acting. If she ever wants to write a book, or shift into film or TV, or anything else, she’ll need someone in her corner. And itwillhappen for her. If Diana were a stock, I’d put my money on her.”
“She’d never double the value of my companyalone. That’s impossible.”
“No.I’lldo that. I’ll triple it. Quadruple it. The sky’s the limit.”
Melanie sighs, and I can’t help wondering if she suspects I have an ulterior motive.
Everything I’ve said is true—Diana isthatgood—but now that I’ve laid it out, hope makes me buoyant. If Melanie represented Diana, and my company bought the agency, then I could still help Diana with her career. I hated that what happened between us meant that I could no longer be her mentor. It felt like abandonment, and abandoning her was never something I wanted to do, especially when it seemed like she’d never had anyone to support her before.
Henry won’t approve, but I don’t give a fuck. Julian might forgive me.
“One look at a young woman in the street and you’re offering to do something you’ve refused to do for months,” Melanie says, assessing me in a way that makes my shirt feel itchy and my body restless. “I think you might be crazy.”
That’s entirely possible.“Take it or leave it.”
Pressing her lips tight, she glances at the floor and then back at me. “I’m not going to ask about what happened tonight. I know I should have questions, because this doesn’t make sense, but your business is exactly that: your business.”
I step closer. “I know what I’m doing. Sleep on it, and let me know your answer tomorrow.”
“I don’t need to sleep on it.” She gives me a half-smile and taps my arm. “I accept. I’ll let you know once I’ve signed her to the books.”
39
DIANA
The call from Melanie Castow came two days after I saw her on the street with Rafe.
Did I put two and two together? Yes, I suppose so, but I couldn’t make it fit in a way that made sense, and I wasn’t going to say no to Melanie, because she representsErica Lefroy. Erica Lefroy, world-famous supermodel. Erica Lefroy, the woman my ex-fiancé is in love with.
The past few months have been a whirlwind, and while a wet spring turned into a hot London summer, Melanie, to her credit, went above and beyond for me. She’s a force to be reckoned with, a businesswoman I could certainly learn from. Every time she calls me in for a meeting, I have to force myself to concentrate on what she’s telling me about offers that have come in, because without fail, I start wondering if she’s still dating Rafe. If he picks her up after work or if he’s there when she gets home.
I’ve never seen Melanie with another man, and I haven’t seen Rafe since that cold April night, but I never stopped thinking about him.
I tried to move on. I went on a few dates to try and shake him from my mind, but it didn’t work. I don’t feel excited around anyone else. No one makes me giddy or sets butterflies fluttering in my stomach. As far as other men are concerned, I am numb to them. Immune. I didn’t even contemplate going to Delirium. I returned the card to my sister with a note apologising for stealing it and telling her I wasn’t going to need it anymore. I had to resist adding a snarky comment telling her that she should go, because she’d get banged better there than at home with Dave.
