Free Another Way to Fall by Amanda Brooke Page B

tons of exhibits that might give you more ideas. You can take a notebook and I’ll take my camera.’ The enthusiasm in Ben’s voice was being exaggerated to make up for the lack of reaction from Emma.
    ‘I’m not sure,’ Emma replied, not quite knowing why she was unsure or at least not acknowledging that it was more than Ben’s offer attracting her.
    ‘OK, I won’t push but if you’re at a loose end on Sunday, give me a shout.’
    ‘Thank you, Ben,’ Emma said, and she felt her heart lighten a little.
    ‘Any time,’ he said with a wink.
    ‘Any time except maybe now,’ added Emma. Louise had appeared and was busily looking for her wayward chef. Dutifully, Ben disappeared back into the kitchen and as Louise made her way over to join her sister, Emma felt ready to face a world where she would choose her own wonders at which to marvel.

Chapter 4
    Kate Barton had made the transition from forties to fifties with effortless ease. Her blonde hair was clipped back in a tight French bun as always, her makeup immaculate and her dress understated but somehow still making a bold statement. I felt a familiar sense of awe. This was the woman who I had aspired to be and, once upon a time, I had felt I was getting close, but now the gulf seemed unassailable.
    ‘More champagne?’ she asked.
    I looked down at my empty glass; nerves had clearly got the better of me. ‘Maybe I should keep my head clear,’ I told her. I wanted to pinch myself but, with the view I could see out of the window, there was no doubt about where I was. The night was anything but dark as the Manhattan skyline stretched out before me, a myriad lights sparkling in eclectic symmetry. A manmade universe where the stars could be commanded by the flick of a switch.
    ‘Well, you won’t mind if I indulge, will you?’ she said, nodding to a waiter who immediately picked up a bottle and began to pour. ‘Alex? Can I tempt you?’
    ‘Like you wouldn’t believe.’ He grinned.
    I grimaced.
    It had seemed such a good idea to bring Alex along on my life-changing journey. We were a partnership and it had been a long time since I had taken on any kind of new project on my own. When Alex had arrived at Bannister’s, I had wanted to resent him for getting the job I thought I deserved but he had been genuinely surprised when he realized how experienced I was and wanted to involve me as much as he could. I liked the idea that he recognized my abilities even if Mr Bannister had not and, when our unofficial union extended beyond the confines of the office, it became the perfect arrangement. I could continue with the day job as office manager and also be involved in marketing without the pressure or the responsibility. When things went well, and they usually did, I could revel in my boyfriend’s successes as if they were my own.
    That had been my starting position as I headed for New York but the flight over had given me some thinking time and the reception from Alsop and Clover had given me a much needed confidence boost. Unlike me, they remembered my successes not my failures and it was clear from the moment the limo picked us up from the airport that they believed in me far more than I believed in myself. As I started to see myself through their eyes, I could look back at my time at Bannister’s with a new perspective. I could stake my claim on Alex’s successes; the best ideas had been mine, he had in many ways simply been the frontman. He had no marketing experience, not even a natural ability for the job. His only qualifications had been his family connections and his winning charm. But as I watched him try to work his magic on Kate, I could see through him as never before and so could Kate. Had it really been my idea to bring him along or had I simply been in his enthral, eager to please?
    ‘So, Alex, you must be really proud of Emma,’ Kate was saying as she watched him raise his champagne flute towards the waiter, awaiting a refill.
    ‘I certainly am.