Chapter 31
It was Peter calling.
Julian watched as Niamh answered the phone, her expression growing more serious by the second. His gut told him this lunch was about to be cancelled.
Sure enough, as soon as she hung up, Niamh gave him an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, something just came up at work. Can we reschedule?”
“It’s fine. Work comes first,” Julian replied.
He walked her to the curb and waited until the cab disappeared down the street, waving until she was out of sight. Only then did he let his arm drop and mutter to himself, “What do I have to do to make you see I’m actually trying to win you over?” Following the address Peter had sent, Niamh’s cab pulled up in front of a bright, bustling bistro. Through the gleaming windows, she could see Peter already waiting for her inside.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, traffic was a nightmare,” she said as she slid into the seat across from him.
“No worries.” Peter pulled a thick stack of design drafts out of his briefcase. “These are the portfolio sketches from the new interns. The team can’t agree on them, so I had to call in the expert. Need your magic touch for some real feedback.”
He made an exaggerated begging gesture, which made Niamh laugh despite
herself.
“I haven’t touched jewelry design in years. You really trust my ‘c ‘ated‘ taste?”
“Trust me, some people out there still crave that so–called ‘outdated‘ eye of yours.”
Niamh grinned, flipping through the stack of sketches Peter handed over,
Since these were designs by FY’s interns, Marina’s work was definitely mixed in somewhere, though there were no names on the drafts and Niamh couldn’t tell
which were hers.
It wasn’t that Niamh wanted to trip Marina up–she was just curious. Jonathan had called Marina the rising star of jewelry design, and if she’d made it into FY, she must have real talent. Njamh was eager to see for herself just what Marina was capable of.
It took some time, but she scored every design, then lingered over lunch with Peter,
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Chapter 31
chatting about everything and nothing.
After they’d finished eating, Peter had to rush back to the office, but not before reminding her, “Don’t forget to come sign the contract next Monday. You can be late, but don’t you dare bail.”
Niamh couldn’t help but smile.
Peter thought to himself, Niamh probably hadn’t smiled like that in all three years of her marriage.
After leaving the restaurant, Niamh planned to browse the jewelry shops nearby. She hadn’t worked on designs in three years, and had spent most of her days surrounded by pots and pans with little occasion to dress up. Not that Jonathan was stingy–he’d gifted her jewelry, too–but nine out of ten pieces were pink diamonds, and Niamh had never cared for pink. With endless chores to do each day, even the prettiest accessories ended up forgotten in their boxes.
She was genuinely worried she’d lost her edge. Peter believed in her, and she didn’t want to let him down.
But just then, a WhatsApp notification from Lana popped up and upended her plans.
It was a plea for help.
Night had fallen, and the Grand Riverview Hotel was ablaze with light, its glass facade sparkling like a jewel.
A group of five walked in through the revolving crystal doors- > men and three women. Yet it was clear who the star was: the woman in the blush–pink silk
mermaid gown.
Tonight, Marina had brought Jonathan, Preston Winslow, Lily, and Olive to celebrate her promotion from FY intern to full–time designer.
“Marina, you look absolutely stunning. Like a princess,” Lily gushed.
Preston waved a finger at her, grinning. “That’s not how you compliment people, Lily. This is when you’re supposed to say Jonathan must’ve saved the galaxy in a past life to land himself a wife like that… Am I right, Marina?”
Marina blushed and playfully swatted Preston as he winked at her.
