Page 77 of Last Christmas in London

‘It could,’ I admitted. My heart did a double flutter inside me as I acknowledged it, not just to them but to myself. I’d never talked about my feelings like this before; it felt strange and slightly exposing. But it also felt safe.

Denise and Bob weren’t leaning in or bracing for impact, they were just listening. They were treating it as something worth hearing rather than a problem to solve. ‘Well, then…’ Denise said, kissing Bob on the cheek and clamping his mouth shut with her hand. ‘The air mattress will be ready, and we will be there for you no matter what.’

In one sentence, my whole future – the one I had so meticulously planned out and committed to – felt both completely untethered and yet, at the same time, more secure than ever.

Chapter 22

‘Thank you so much,’ I said to the waiter who brought a third chair to the table for my afternoon tea with Pim. Pim had yet to descend from her suite upstairs, mostly because she and her dog, Gerald, were catching up on the Love is Blind reunion and were not going to turn it off for anything, not even for me.

It was probably a good thing, since I still had to set up for Alison’s arrival for our secret rendezvous and introduction. Alison was aware that Pim did not know about her being there, but she didn’t seem flustered at all on the phone.

‘If you think this is the best way, then I’ll follow your lead,’ she said, and I appreciated her so much in that moment that I didn’t hesitate further.

This was the best, and only, way to get Pim to sit down and accept that I was leaving, and Alison was taking over.

For the third time I re-arranged the cutlery on the table, adjusting it just a millimetre this way and a millimetre that. Disrupting the perfection that the staff had already achieved hours before. My hands continued to fidget, itching for something to do to alleviate the anxiety of waiting. Eventually I gave in to it, reaching for my phone and opening my TikTok app to continue editing some drafts of short videos I had made, introducing my followers to the team at the Savoy and some of the staff backstage at the Southbank. I added some music from Encanto – the song about the grandkids’ round-up – and began to adjust the clips to fit the timing. But still my anxiety continued to rise.

I was sure that something was going to go wrong. Pim was going to hate Alison or Alison was going to think this job was too much and I would have to spend Christmas hunting out yet another assistant, nowhere near capable. I couldn’t start my new job having left Pim at a loss, even if it was due to her actions. I needed this Christmas miracle to pay off.

‘Evie?’ Alison’s voice stood out for being unwavering, with no anxiety. I looked up and quickly replaced my phone face-down on the table.

Alison was dressed casually but smartly, with a chunky necklace that naturally drew the eye. Her smile was her second-biggest feature and immediately put me at ease.

‘Alison! How are you?’ I stood to greet her, enveloping her slightly unusually in a tight hug, grateful for her appearance.

‘I’m good. How about you? How are you feeling?’ she asked, releasing me but still holding my arms, her expression clearly showing that she had sensed my nervousness. ‘Is Pim coming down?’

‘Yeah, she’ll be down soon,’ I laughed, exhaling and pulling out her chair for her. ‘She just wanted to finish something off.’

‘Good, gives us a chance to catch up,’ she said, sitting down with a comfortable sigh.

I wanted to get straight down to business, especially before Pim sat down.

‘I’m assuming you’ve heard about the drama with Pim and Michael Holland?’

Alison sucked her teeth. ‘I did see it. I was surprised the BBC ran an article about it, given they’ve hired the two stars.’

‘No such thing as bad publicity,’ I parroted Denise and Bob. ‘It’s done wonders for her sales.’

‘And his documentaries?’ Alison queried, but I shrugged. I didn’t know, but I would assume the viewing figures would be up. He did seem to be appearing on my television a lot more than he had done weeks prior, but perhaps that was purely due to my sudden focus on him.

‘It’s been a bit of a week. But it’s starting to die down.’

‘Typical news churn,’ she agreed. ‘How is Pim with it all?’

‘Delighted,’ I said honestly. ‘She got to say her piece and now she’s famous again. It’s been a real boost for her.’

Alison smiled. ‘I’m relieved for you. That wouldn’t have been easy to deal with had it gone another way, but I’m glad.’ I smiled appreciatively, glad that she recognised my discomfort before she lifted her menu to peruse the many tea options available. ‘What’s good?’

‘Oh, everything,’ I said, taking my seat. ‘I don’t think I’ve had a bad meal here, and everyone’s so lovely and caring. Though a tip every now and then does help.’

‘I bet!’ Alison said with a light chuckle. ‘I’m guilty, or rather not guilty but very happy, to offer tips to grease the skids to get a job done.’

‘It certainly helps to cut corners every now and then, especially when clients aren’t known for their patience.’

‘And staff need a bit of…’ She paused and chewed her lip. ‘How to put this politely… a bit of compensation?’

I began to laugh – she got it.