Page 2 of Just Like That

‘I think I can manage that.’ I check the time on my watch. ‘You here for the evening?’

‘Just a couple of hours then we’re off to five-a-side.’

‘So, you’re going to fill up on beer and food and then go run around a pitch for an hour?’ I raise a sceptical eyebrow at him.

‘No different to any other Saturday.’ He winks at me. ‘Makes it more fun.’

‘Whatever. It’s your body to wreck, I guess.’

‘It’s all good, sis.’ He squeezes my shoulder affectionately, before becoming distracted by two attractive women in their mid-twenties who are passing by, whispering and eyeing him up.

‘Afternoon, ladies.’ He flashes them a smile and I swear they almost go into cardiac arrest.

I roll my eyes. ‘How is it that we look so similar – other than the whole gender thing – yet you attract the most sought-after beauties and get labelled a young Chris Hemsworth, while I seem to be flypaper for creeps and weirdos? We have similar facial features, I’ve got the baby blues, the lustrous hair, albeit it a bit longer—’

‘Maybe what I have is not something you’re born with.’ Seth puts on a fake swagger and I biff him lightly with my handbag, then look around to check that Craig isn’t watching.

‘Maybe you’re just full of shit. Go on, get out of here. I’ll see you shortly.’

‘See you in a bit.’ He starts to walk away, then turns back to me. ‘It’s because most blokes have no taste, sis. That’s all.’

‘Aww, thank you.’ I blow him a little kiss, well aware that he’s just trying to cheer me up, but happy to lap up his words all the same.

Watching my brother disappear in the same direction as Craig, but with significantly more bounce to his step, I smile wistfully. I do wonder at times if Seth and I were adopted as part of a package deal. We’re so alike, both physically and in our character: neither of us can sit still and we feed off our interactions with others, though mine are more in a work context and his in social ones. Quite the contrast to our parents, who took off to Spain the minute they’d packed us both off to university, and who live like hermits in what seems like the smallest, sleepiest hillside village in the country. Perhaps if wewereadopted, our parents didn’t like what they got, so they went on the run soon as they were able to.

Craig makes good on his word by putting a meeting in my calendar for nine a.m. on Monday morning, which allows enough time over the rest of the weekend to give some thought to my side of the negotiation. It also apparently gives the competition a tiny window of opportunity to try and poach me from him.

At 8:45 a.m. that morning, I’m approaching our new office on Forrest Road – a converted shop space – nose in my social media on my phone, when a call from an Edinburgh number flashes up on my screen.

‘Hello?’ I quickly answer it, wondering who could be looking for me at this time on a Monday morning.

‘Jess, good morning, it’s Bree from the Cramond Event Company,’ a glossy, purring voice greets me.

‘Oh, hi.’ I pull a surprised face at this direct approach, as all her previous interactions with me have been on LinkedIn.

‘Congratulations on your successful event at the weekend. It was really quite special. I particularly enjoyed the Cava Cave.’

‘You were there? I didn’t see you, otherwise I would have said hello.’

‘Well, I saw you, and I saw what you created, Jess. You’re doing great things at Capital Events, but I know that won’t satisfy you forever. I have big plans for the Cramond Event Company and I want you to be part of them when they kick off. Do you want to be working under the patriarchy for the rest of your days, or do you want to work for a strong female-led business that will give you opportunities well beyond the boundaries of Edinburgh, even the UK?’

While this chat-up from Bree sounds incredible, I’m used to her putting the hard sell on me online, and I haven’t yet seen concrete evidence of the fruits she’s dangling. Until I do, I’ll be staying exactly where I am – but it’s still good to keep her sweet.

‘Thanks for getting in touch, Bree I’m really flattered, and I’m going to say not right now. I’ve got a few punchy projects in the pipeline, but you’ll be my first port of call for a conversation when I decide the time is right.’

‘OK, Jess. Can’t blame a director for trying. Speak soon.’

I say goodbye and end the call, before heading straight to our office’s sole meeting room to meet Craig.

‘How are you today?’ He deposits a flat white from the cafe across the road on the table in front of me as he enters the room.

‘I’m great. What a weekend, eh? The local media coverage was outstanding.’

‘It was indeed. And I hear there’s already chatter among the sponsors about going bigger and better next year?’

‘I might have been working on them in the VIP tent.’ I sit back with a smile. ‘Perfect time to introduce the idea: when they’re tanked up on bubbly and canapés and soaking up the positive PR.’

‘Well, it’s working, so well done. I’ve already got three of them lined up for initial conversations next week – which leads me to why we’re here. Jess, I don’t want to do a dance with you. You’re my most powerful asset in this place. Isla and Ravi are learning fast, thanks to your willingness to mentor them, but I’ll be blunt, you’re my cash cow, so what’s it going to take to keep you?’

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