Nothing Left to Lose - Part Nine

Chapter Nine

               

Heidi was overwhelmed. The gallery was sparkly, decorated, filled with delicious food and of course champagne. As soon as her and Sadie arrived she was inundated with questions, interviews and compliments. After an hour of schmoozing, came the actual fashion show, the presentation of the ladies wear that she’d spent three months perfecting.

Instead of sitting at the front in her designated seat, she stood at the back of the room trying to imagine how people saw the new designs being paraded around the room. There was applause, positive comments; she could only cross her fingers that this was viewed positively.

Once the presentation ended, Heidi slumped against the wall with relief. But the CEO of the supermarket company Mike wasn’t about to let her stay in the shadows. After a brief speech to commend the success of the clothing range over the last two years, noting the fact that there were journalists from publications like Grazia and Vogue was due to the versatility yet quality design of the range.

           “...and that is thanks in its entirety to the principal designer of HEM, Heidi Mortimer.”

As the room erupted in applause and the odd cat call, mainly from her staff who were all staring at her and laughing.

Sadie nudged her, “go on, this is your moment.”

With a groan of frustration, because she loved success - who wouldn’t, but she hated the attention, the photos...she strode purposefully towards the small runway that was the centre of the room.

Standing beside Mike, the man who’d negotiated the contract with her, she smiled, a little dazzled by the lights, and deafened by the continuing applause.

He turned to her and smiled, “this is all for you.”

She couldn’t describe her relief when he accompanied her from the runway without an interview, speech or verbal contribution. But as he helped her down the steps in her ridiculous heels, he grinned, “you are amazing. Who’d have thought you’d create this much interest, this much furore?”

She frowned a little, “I think it’s the accessibility to the product that is the phenomena here...if you over priced things then they’d never sell.”

That made him grin, “well we all enjoy a bargain. Enjoy your evening. You deserve it.”

Over the next hour everyone raved over her designs; she was interviewed by all the major fashion magazines, and asked to appear on several TV shows. She was reluctant, at the end of the day, this was a large commercial venture, she really didn’t see why she had to appear on breakfast TV and in National newspapers to promote an affordable line of clothing. But Mike had different ideas, he assured her that all publicity was good publicity and it was an opportunity not to be missed, so she was lined up to be interviewed the following week.

From a distance, Sadie watched Heidi work the room and breathed a sigh of relief; she was so glad that she was happy, coping, and sweeping around the room full of confidence. She was so resilient from the outside, but Sadie also knew a lot of that was a front. This was so far outside of her comfort zone, without the recent emotional trauma she’d suffered. But her friend was doing good, and it meant she could relax and drink another glass of champagne!

                “Shall we go on to a club?” Sadie asked when she finally caught up with Heidi. “We’ve got nothing to stop us. It’ll be fun! I’m not ready for the night to end.”

                “Mike said there’s a hospitality gathering in a club in the west end, but I’m not really that bothered.”

Sadie shook her head, “you are the talent here darling! This is ALL about you, this is your night. You should be spoilt and fussed over. We’ll go, and you’ll be adored...” as her friend’s eyes widened with horror at the thought, Sadie giggled, “...but if it’s rubbish we can discreetly leave!”

It was more of a gathering of suits, than a party. But for someone like Sadie, used to working a crowd, it was perfect and true to form she was Miss Charisma. Half a dozen of the older men flocked around her like moths around a light bulb, all desperate for a sliver of her attention. It meant that Heidi could stick to the sidelines, and after getting a drink, she moved to the side of the bar and stood back perusing the room. There were maybe fifty people there.

All executives from the retail company, there were a few people she recognised from previous fashion industry functions, but otherwise it was all pomp and no real substance to the evening. This was the side of things that Heidi hated. Polly, Margo and Catrin had left the launch for celebrations of their own, so she had moved to the bar and ordered bourbon. Back in college that had been her drink of choice, she rarely ventured that way these days. The taste of sour mash caused her teeth to clench, but the warmth spreading down her throat relaxed her like an old friend. Calming her fraught nerves.

As she turned to survey the room once more, a blonde man, maybe forty or more came and stood next to her.

                “The brains behind the designs?” he asked with a broad New York accent.

She gave a smile, “Heidi Mortimer. The brains I suppose, though the inspiration is a million people rolled in to one.”

He grinned, “I’m Dale, Dale Booth. I work for a rather large American shopping line.” He offered her a hand, and as she shook it, he added, “Congratulations on such a successful evening.”

As she smiled and dropped her hand awkwardly, he handed her a business card and she saw the name of a retail company that was a household name even across the pond.  “We’re very interested in your designs Ms Mortimer. We see you as a unique talent.”

She gasped at that, her heart pounding with adrenaline, an excitement that she fought to control, “really? And please call me Heidi!”

He nodded in accession, “we sell from so many different design labels, and we have our own extremely budget label, but we want to start an upper end range, you know an in house designer style that everyone form housewives to students will want a part of, and, well, we believe that the British take on fashion, the simple yet effective look is the way forward, and with the climate as it is value for money is the optimum principle. We’re impressed with the chain stores and supermarkets in this country, what they’ve been doing, and even more with your role in that mix! So I’m hoping that we could discuss a business venture.”

She stared at him eyes open wide hardly daring to breathe, since she was a child she’d wanted to work in the US, it was where everything happened, “what exactly did you have in mind?”

Dale shrugged, “in an ideal world, you’d move all out to New York and design the summer range. In a compromised realistic world it depends on your commitments. But we want you, and we’re willing to pay for you.”

She fought the surge of pleasure that comment caused, to be appreciated in this way was all she’d ever craved, “I have an exclusivity clause in my contract...”

He sighed, “then that means I have to offer you, and unfortunately your current ‘employers’ more!” Despite this confession he beamed excitedly, “I can go back to the board and draw up a very tempting offer? If you’re interested.”

She smiled flushed with pleasure and flattery, “this is such a surprise! I...er...”

He leaned close and grinned, “if you want to secure the best deal, know your own value, stonewall face!” When she looked quizzically at him, he added, “don’t act quite so surprised, you’ll be dreadfully undervalued. Can I contact you? Can we lay a deal on the table?”

Nodding, she dug in her small bag for her own business card, “I am definitely interested!”

Chuckling again he held a finger to his lips, “close to chest Heidi, keep your desires close to your chest!”

With a smile and a wave, he turned and left.

                “Wowee! Who the bloody hell was that?”

Heidi turned to Sadie who’d appeared beside her out of the blue, and handed her the business card, “someone wanting to poach me to design in the US. Apparently they’re willing to buy me out of this contract...”

When she looked up, Sadie’s eyes were wide as she waved the card, “shit Heidi! This guy’s the MD! He approached you himself?”

She shrugged, “yeah why?”

Sadie was shaking her head in amazement, “you know this is a multimillion dollar business, one of the biggest consumer companies in the United States...and the MD...the M.D. no less, approached you directly! For fuck’s sake Heidi! That guy must be worth gazillions, and you were just chatting like he was just any old suit!”

She refused to listen to the traumatic reaction that her body had to that news, “he was nice! He told me not to be so surprised, to play things closer to my chest!”

Sadie was stunned, “well if he’s still interested in working with you, I reckon you’ll get whatever you want! He warned you how to play him for more money? About time you had a change in fortune. WOW!”

Heidi rolled her eyes, then remembered the following day and all that is promised to bring, “so it’s two am, I have a family get together tomorrow.”

But her plans to return home dissolved as linking her arm through her friend’s Sadie smiled, “all the more reason to head to a certain nightclub where a certain Prince Harry has reportedly been seen dancing with a well known actress...how can you refuse that? You know how reliable my contacts are!”

Needless to say Harry was long gone, but the euphoria at the success of the evening, meant they were both in a cafe eating bacon sandwiches and black coffee at five am, before seeking out taxis to get them home.

And boy did Heidi regret it.

RING RING...RING RING...

Heidi heard her phone before she could open her eyes. So blindly she felt around for her bag, then connected the call. Neither opening her eyes, nor acknowledging that she was upside down in her bed.

                “Heidi?” Her mother sounded more than euphoric, “I’ve booked a table for seven at the Olive Grove. Do you know it? Cheryl says it’s great!”

Heidi tried to pry her eyes open, to glance at the clock, but couldn’t. Sinking back into bed she sighed, “I hear it’s nice enough. Not been there, but Sadie has. Said she’d go again.”

             “Wonderful,” her mother breathed unaware of the wooden response of her daughter.

Heidi took a deep breath, “so what are you doing today?”

              “Cesare is taking me shopping; we’ll come straight to the restaurant, I don’t know what time we’ll finish on Regent Street. See you in a couple of hours, look forward to it darling.”

As she hung up, Heidi realised that it was a lot later than she imagined. With a groan she opened her eyes, squinting as the light felt blinding; finally she managed to focus on the clock, which proudly blinked one forty two pm.

“Shit!” she groaned aloud, knowing that she was going to look and feel like death for this meal.

Barely able to stand up in the shower, she eventually got clean, downed a post alcohol recovery remedy and some dry toast, then snuggled back under her duvet, setting her alarm for five pm.