Page 12 of Built to Last
Hi Rose,
Thanks for sending over your design options. They’re both beautiful, but since we’re on a tight deadline we’ll need to go with the second, simpler, design. Will you be able to get Aria’s approval today? If she gives us the go-ahead, we should meet to purchase materials tomorrow as discussed. Does 8am at the Bridgewater shopping park work for you?
Best,
Phillip Blackwell
Blackwell Construction
(he/him)
An indignant huff escapes me. I got myself all worked up over sending him my designs only for the result to be anticlimactic. I suppose it’s better than the alternative: him hating them and me drowning in an ocean of despair, but the sudden departure of all that nervous energy leaves me feeling untethered. Also…8am. First, I’m stuck working with Phillip after making a fool of myself in front of him, then I run into Malcolm’s mother of all people, and now I’m being forced to trek all the way to the other side of the city centre before eight in the morning. Am I being punished for something I did in a past life? Since Aria already approved both designs before I sent them to Phillip, I reply straight away.
Hi Phillip,
Aria’s fine with us using either option, so we’re good to move ahead. 8 tomorrow is fine, see you then.
Best,
Rose Miller
Rose Miller Art
(she/her)
Since I don’t have anything else to do until later this afternoon, I decide to take a nap now, knowing I’ll be out late this evening with Aria over at Bel’s. Once we all graduated from university, he put his fashion design degree to good use making the costumes for Dreamer Entertainment. He and Aria have both been so busy lately that the three of us haven’t had the chance to all hang out together for a while.
My alarm goes off a little while later and I wake feeling much more optimistic. I change back into my cute outfit from this morning, because like hell am I going to letMarie Attwaterruin it for me, and head out the door with a smile on my face. Some quality time with my best friends will be the perfect distraction from Phillip, and my run-in with Malcolm’s horrible mother.
It’s still dark outside when my alarm goes off and, as far as I’m concerned, that means it’s not really morning. Now I’m up, dressed, and doing my best impression of a functioning human being. All because I agreed to meet Phillip across town at the shopping park at 8am. Ugh. The buses don’t even run up thatway this early, so I had to book a taxi that should be arriving any minute.
The chime of a text notification on my phone snaps me out of my sleepy stupor and I hurry to secure the lid of my travel mug before heading out to the car. After a night of broken sleep where I’d struggled to drift off again thanks to the painful muscle spasms in my legs, I’ll be running on caffeine and can-do spirit this morning. I’d feel a lot morecan-doif my alarm hadn’t sounded before sunrise. I’m still not convinced my presence is actually needed for this trip since Phillip is the one who knows what we need, not me, but he and Aria both think it’s a good idea for me to tag along. Is this meant to be a kind of team bonding exercise or something? I shudder.
Taking deep breaths, I try to relax and let my coffee work its magic on the journey across town but I’m too anxious. Phillip seemed fine in his email yesterday, but the text he sent when we exchanged numbers made me think he was still a little sore about the wholeyelling at him for no reasonthing. Honestly, fair. But still. Hopefully we can start fresh today because my nerves can’t take treading on eggshells around this man for the next few weeks.
We pull into the Bridgewater shopping park, the sign of the shop I’m supposed to meet Phillip outside is a bright-orange beacon in the grey morning. Cold air greets me as I step out of the taxi and I fumble to button up my coat while juggling my travel mug in my other hand. There’s not much open this early on a Monday, so aside from a couple of work vans there aren’t many vehicles at this end of the car park, meaning I have an uninterrupted view of Phillip as I cross the distance between us.
Even in a casual outfit of jeans, work boots, and a grey hoodie, he looks better than anyone has a right to this early, becauseof coursehe’s a morning person. His face lights up with a bright smile when he spots me, dimples on full display. Mysteps falter for an embarrassing moment. The car park isn’t that big, but now we’re both just kind of staring at each other as I walk over, it feels like the tarmac stretches on forever.
Determined to act as if I’m completely unaffected by him I march forward, offering a tight-lipped smile in response to his wide grin. Noticing he’s holding two take-away cups and has a paper bag tucked under his arm, my mood lifts. If one of those cups is for me, surely that means Phillip wants to start over too.
“Good morning. This is for you.” He holds out one of the cups towards me and I immediately zero in on the Snug logo.
“You went back to Snug?”
“I figured we could both use a coffee this morning. When I said it was for you Violet told me your order. There’s a muffin too, if you want it.” He nods to the paper bag tucked under his arm. I take back every bad thought I’ve ever had about this man, he is a treasure.
“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that,” I say, accepting his offerings. Faced with his kind gesture I feel a little guilty for assuming his easy-going personality was all an act before. It’s possible I was wrong and that Phillip is actually just…nice.
“I know.” He grins teasingly. “But since I was hoping we could start fresh, I thought this would help us get off on the right foot today. Plus, I owe you one for introducing me to Snug. I don’t live too far from there but I’d never been in before and it’s the best coffee around, no contest.”
“I’ll be sure to tell Violet you said so next time I see her.” I take a grateful sip of my latte that’s miles better than the coffee I made at home. It’s a little awkward with my travel mug wedged under my arm but nothing is going to keep me from this drink.
“Do you want to leave that in my car?” Phillip asks, looking at the precariously balanced travel mug.
“Yeah, that would be great, if you’re sure you don’t mind?”
