Page 20 of The Last Saturday In July
‘What’s up?’
He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Maybe I should ask you the same thing.’
‘What do you mean?’
He didn’t respond.
Jess wished he’d just come in and sit down – he was way too distracting posing by the door.
‘Come in, why don’t you?’ she said sharply.
He came and stood in front of her desk, hands still in his pockets.
He seemed to be gathering his thoughts.
‘How do you view our relationship?’ he said then.
‘Sorry?’
‘Our working relationship.’
‘I haven’t given it much thought.’ It was a bit worrying how good she’d recently become at lying.
‘You went over my head with your marketing ideas for Linford.’
Jess folded her arms. ‘I work directly for Frank, not you.’
Adam’s tone was patient. ‘We’re working as a team, Jess. I wantus to be on the same page about Linford. Your idea was fine, but –’
Jess cut across him. ‘My idea was a TV and social media ad campaign using actors in Victorian costume pretending to be guests at Linford Castle. We’d have a montage showing all the amazing facilities at the hotel, and the voiceover would say something about the experience being so authentic that guests feel like they’ve stepped back in time. The way I saw it was that we’d show people in their ordinary clothes walk up to the door and as soon as they step inside, their clothes, their hair, even their mannerisms all magically change.’ She hated herself for sounding defensive. ‘I’m simply doing my job. And I know it’s a good idea.’ She stopped, feeling a bit sick. ‘How did you know? Did Frank say something to you?’
‘No, I broke into your computer and went through your emails.’ Adam rolled his eyes. ‘Frank mentioned it in passing, he wanted my opinion on it.’
‘He should have told me that you were my new line manager.’ Shit, now she just sounded stupid.
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘I’m not, Jess –stop being so defensive. If anything, I’m the one who should feel annoyed here. Frank assumed I knew about this. You didn’t bother to tell me.’
And now he was gaslighting her.
‘You were completely opposed to my ideas when I mentioned them,’ she said.
‘You didn’t mention any ideas. Well, you did, but let’s face it, they were a bit waffly.’
Jess took a breath. ‘I told you I had a plan, and you started going on about how we should treat a four-hundred-year-old, beautifully restored castle as a theme park for tasteless celebrities.’
Adam raised an eyebrow. ‘When exactly did I say that?’
‘When you started going on about Bobbie Grayson and her making a movie of the celebrity wedding. As if we’ve been waiting this whole time for a bunch of celebrities to descend on us and give us buckets of money.’
Adam burst out laughing.
Jess swallowed hard. ‘What’s so funny?’
‘You are. I didn’t realise you were such a snob.’
‘I’m not, I’m just stating the obvious. If I was a snob,’ Jess warmed to the theme, ‘I wouldn’t have suggested we try to make Linford Castle more accessible.’
Adam shook his head. ‘Linford is the ultimate playground, that’s what we’re selling.’
