Touch The Sky | ✓

Ten

The next evening, Seth and I make plans.

He's invited me round to his place, with the offer of cooking dinner. It makes me laugh that I'm still nervous after quite a few dates, but I think it's mostly down to the fact that we're still dancing around the whole thing. Every time after we've been on a date, he's just hugged me affectionately, kissed me on the cheek or forehead and left.

The more I think about it, though, I really appreciate the respect. I just wish I was inside his head to know what he's thinking.

I spend the whole day working, trying to distract myself from the whole thing.

Maybe I've asked for too much, though, because just before five o'clock, there's a loud knock on the door.

I glance up from my work and gulp at the man standing in my doorway. 'Oh, Mr Garth,' I say hurriedly. 'What can I do for you?'

He strides powerfully towards my desk and takes the seat on the other side. He pushes a file across the table towards me. 'Sorry to come so late, Cora, but I just want to show you this book idea that's coming up.'

I raise my eyebrows in surprise as I take the file and thumb through it, because he doesn't normally show me these things or ask for my opinion on the book. Usually, I just get told what it's about and when it should be done for.

I might be one of the chief designers, but we just design things for book ideas that have already been approved.

It's the idea of a travel guide to Italy, with a specific focus on the countryside and smaller towns, not the main cities. I meet his gaze across the table. 'You don't usually show me things this early on. In fact, you very rarely show me things personally at all, Mr Garth,' I say with caution, not wanting to step on his toes, but at the same time, wanting to know what's going on.

'I know,' he agrees, running a hand through his hair. 'The thing is, that it's my brother, Xander, who's going to do this project. Or who wants to do it. Because it's a travel guide, there will be quite a lot of need for a designer's input on this. There will be lots of photos to arrange with the text and somebody who will need to work in close connection with the photographer.'

'Right,' I agree. 'But don't you already have a photography team who do that?'

He sighs, looking a little stressed out. 'Yes, I would usually just assign a team for them,' he admits. 'The problem is that Xander will be taking the photos himself, as well as writing the book, so it seems silly to split up one our teams when they could be working on something else.'

Honestly, I still don't really know where he's going with this and what it has to do with me, so I just wait for him to elaborate.

'So, after much debate with him and with some of the other executives, we decided that the best course of action would be to take a member on your team to work with him. I know this throws you for a bit of a loop, but it will probably only be for a couple of months while they travel around Italy and work on it. In the meantime, I'll transfer you an intern. How's that?' he says, with the conviction of a real salesman.

After a few seconds of allowing it to sink in, I can't help but let out an incredulous laugh. 'It's certainly an interesting idea. When would they leave, Mr Garth? And who gets to choose the person that we have to lose?'

I don't bother arguing against his idea, because I know that really, the decision has been made already and he's just letting me know for courtesy's sake. Nor do I waste my time asking why a member of my team has to go around Italy with him if they're just editing the book.

I do wish I wasn't having to sacrifice someone from my team to basically fulfil the wishes of the CEO's brother.

'Interesting would be one word for it, yes,' Mr Garth agrees, a smile playing around his mouth. 'You would choose the person, Cora, and it would be beneficial for them. They would actually get rights to the book, too, and Xander said he would be willing to really work with them, to listen to their ideas and opinions on it. I think it would be a great opportunity for them. They'd be leaving in about a month, which gives them time to prepare and you time to integrate your new intern into their job, along with their help.'