Tear Away

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The meeting with Scarlett's boss wasn't as bad as she feared, in fact her boss, it seemed, wanted her to lead on a project and Scarlett was thrilled. Well, thrilled may have been a little strong, but she was defiantly pleased. And to top it all off she was to be given an assistant, a girl called Sophie who had tempted in H.R. a few months ago before the regular girl had returned from maternity leave. Scarlett wondered what a H.R. temp would add to the project but she was far too excited to question it.

Scarlett had found her job at Happy Memories very quickly after moving to Oxford. They were party and event planners and specialised in weddings however Scarlett's new project was to plan the opening night of a new exhibition. It wasn't something that the company would usually take on but Jane, the boss, was trying to expand the business and had been pleased with Scarlett's work. This was to be a quick project as the opening was a week away and if Scarlett had help there was nothing that could go wrong.

Scarlett met Sophie the next day as she was on the way to meet the gallery owners. This was to be the initial meeting where Scarlett could talk to the gallery owner and find out a little about what they wanted for the opening. It was also the first time that Scarlett was meeting Sophie. They were to meet on the front steps of the gallery before going in. Scarlett was grateful to have an ally going into the meeting, she'd sat in on this type of meeting before with Jane but never lead one before. She was nervous but knew how she wanted it to go.

Sophie was waiting for her at the top of the entrance steps when Scarlett arrived at the gallery. She was tall and seemed to have legs that went on forever. Her hair was perfect, and she didn't have an ounce of fat on her. Suddenly Scarlett was even more nervous. Sophie seemed to have so much confidence that that Scarlett shrunk away from her. Sophie glanced down her nose, watching as Scarlett dropped her document case, sending pages flutter to the ground. Scarlett was grateful that there wasn't much wind today and she was quickly able to gather her things together. She kept her head bent, knowing her face was bright red, as she straightened herself up and climbed the rest of the steps.

"You must be Sophie?" she said with as much dignity as she could. She extended her free hand as she tried to straighten her skirt, but Sophie, frowned at the offered hand, and turned her back.

"We're late" declared Sophie, as she marched into the gallery.

Scarlett looked at her watch. "But we're right on time..."

"I like to be early."

Scarlett hurried after her into the gallery.

Sophie walked with purpose up to the information desk. "I'm here to see Mr Zane."

"Is he expecting you?" asked the receptionist.

By this time Scarlett had caught up, "actually he's expecting me." Said Scarlett as she tried to enter the conversation and make herself known, she wasn't going to let Sophie take over. This was her project and she'd worked hard to get it.

Waking around the desk a tall, well dressed gentleman approached them. "I'm Mr Zane, Mark, it's nice to meet you." He extended his hand for Scarlett to shake. "You must be Scarlett. I've heard great things about you. Please, follow me." He turned around and Scarlett felt her knees go weak. He wasn't only attractive, he was the most attractive man she remembered ever seeing. He had deep, smouldering eyes that held mystery and Scarlett suddenly pictured herself in his arms, hot and sweaty. She knew her jaw had fallen open when he took her hand, but there was nothing that she could do about it, just like there was nothing that she could do about the colour of her cheeks.

Before she knew it Sophie was across the entrance hall following Mister Mysterious Mark and she was running to catch up. Scarlett rounded the corner just as the door to an office, marked private, was closing. She assumed that that was the way they had gone, annoyed that Sophie seemed to be shutting her out she was beginning to see red. Just as the door was closing Scarlett managed to trap her folder in the gap and push the door open. She glanced into the room, a large office, with dark wooden panels and an open fireplace, currently unlit. Scarlett saw a look of disgust from Sophie directed at her and she tried not to let it throw her. Mister Mysterious seemed oblivious to the war currently being waged between the two women who had just entered his office.

"Please, sit down ladies. Can I offer you a drink?" Mark gestured towards a couple of chairs facing the desk and walked towards a kettle in the corner of the room.

"I'd like a coffee, please." Scarlett was quick to answer before Sophie had chance to take hold of the conversation again. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Zane. I'd like to thank you for choosing Happy Memories for your opening."

"Please, call me Mark." He flashed a smile that showed lots of white, straight teeth, his smile seemed to lighten up his whole face and she had to catch her breath. He turned back towards the corner to continue making the drinks.

Sophie edged her skirt up and sat on the edge of the desk, showing off her endless legs. "If you have it, I'll have a peppermint tea" her voice was sickly sweet, yet Scarlett could hear an edge to it. Scarlett turned her back towards Sophie and began organising her papers to show Mark.

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Two days later Scarlett was back at the gallery to meet Mark and begin planning where the buffet and drinks tables would be set up, as well as what decorations would be required and how the gallery would look. She'd deliberately tasked Sophie with the job of finding a cake maker for the event. Something that wouldn't be an easy task 3 days before the opening.

As Scarlett walked into the gallery she was glad to see that Mark was waiting for her. "On your own today?"

Scarlett smiled but her heart dropped a little as his first thought was about Sophie. She had planned to be professional and not let her feelings for Mark cloud her judgement but it was becoming harder to stick to while being stood in front of him. Suddenly she was aware of him talking but had no idea what he was saying. She smiled at him and followed as he turned and walked away. As Scarlett walked past the information desk she caught the eye of the receptionist, who winked at her and gave her an encouraging smile. Scarlett was a little startled to see such a friendly response from a stranger but encouraged as she walked to her meeting.

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"Girl, you got yourself a suitor I'd say!" said Craig, as he filled her glass with more wine. She'd just told Tom and Craig about her new project and how, at the end of their meeting, Mark had invited her to a local wine bar for a drink. She'd refused as she had an opening to plan but had promised to share a Champaign with him on the night.

Tom and Craig had tried to fix Scarlett up on many dates since they had got to know her but she'd never shown any interest in anyone apart from a stranger at a party once, and as much as they had tried they had never been able to track him down again.

"So do we get an invite to this opening then?" asked Tom. "We want to see the guy who has captured your heart."

She laughed "of course you do. I need you to run interference on Sophie to keep her away." All three of them broke down in fits of giggles as they promised to help her against the Sinful Sophie.