Heart Hold Fast

Chapter Ten

A/N: This chapter is more of a filler to the next part of the story. I would much prefer to be updating more frequently with longer posts, but with exams on the horizon, it just isn't possible. I know how annoying it can be as a reader when the story updates don't come as quickly as you would like, and I am sorry that it's been slow recently. Thank you so much for sticking with it, and have a great day.

Once she had received the confirmation that Camila would be happy to endorse Ally Brooke's new clothing line, Lauren had sent back a brief recognition of the agreement. She could not bring herself to inject any warmth into the message, for it was with a sense of dread that she typed the email. The closest thing to enthusiasm that appeared in the short reply, was a promise to be in contact soon, to establish the finer points of the agreement.

Lauren had not kept this promise. Over a month had passed, and the cooperation with Ally Brooke and her team was well underway. JMA was pouring all its resources into the project, in order to please its esteemed client, and so far, they were beating all of their deadlines. Progress was impressive, but Lauren was deliberately stalling on one key element.

She had been asked on several occasions whether it was time to introduce Camila to their developing products, and, as of yet, she had managed to find plausible reasons as to why they could delay. However, in another few weeks, she knew she would be unable to continue putting it off. She and Camila were destined to meet again very soon, and she was only too aware of that fact.

It played on her mind constantly. Despite how much she enjoyed working for Ally Brooke, a dark cloud hung almost permanently over her mood. The anger she felt at Camila for being happy with somebody else mixed with the irritation she felt at herself for ruining the chances she had had to make amends between the two of them. These emotions left her drained, and no matter how much work she put in during the day, she would go home most days feeling inadequate and alone.

Lauren was well aware that Camila had moved to New York. All the magazines were publishing pictures of the gorgeous woman strolling around the designer stores, flanked by bodyguards, with her arms laden down by bags. What Lauren did not know, was that the person who could sympathise most with how she was feeling at this point in time, was actually the person she was avoiding seeing too.

Since she had come to Manhattan, Camila had found that she was drowning in boredom and loneliness. Ruben was settling into his new position, and had instantly become best friends with all his fellow colleagues. Most evenings, he was out at new, swanky clubs, socialising with the corporate giants in the big city. She felt ashamed to be disappointed with their new life in New York, when he seemed to be so enamoured with it.

For a while, she had waited tentatively to hear more from JMA about the prospective work. After several weeks, it had ceased to play on her mind as much. She was beginning to imagine that Lauren had changed her mind, and decided not to include her any longer. Working together would inevitably be uncomfortable, given their recent, difficult encounters.

Camila was mulling these thoughts over in her mind as she stepped out the shower. She'd grown tired of languishing in bed, and Ruben had already left for work a couple of hours ago. As she left the bathroom, her mobile began to ring; its shrill call echoing off the walls. Wrapped only in a towel, she located the phone. Her eyebrows raised in surprise when she read the name onscreen.

"Clara! Hey!" she exclaimed.

"Hi, Mila. I hope this isn't a bad time to call?"

Staring around the empty apartment, knowing her day ahead was as empty as could be, she quickly replied:

"Absolutely not. Now is great! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, sweetie. Same as usual! I heard that you've moved to New York, so the question we should really be asking is how are things going?!"