The Friends We Keep(37)

At around one, a girl called Kelly came over to her desk. “We’re all going to drop in to the launch of our new lipstick color,” she said. “It’s at the roof gardens in Kensington. I’m really sorry, because normally we’d ask you to come, but the receptionist is off sick and we need someone to stay and man the phones. Would you mind terribly staying just this once?”

“That’s fine,” said Maggie, who was relieved. The last thing she wanted to be doing was milling around with a group of strangers at a launch she knew nothing about.

“Do you know where the cafeteria is?” Kelly continued. “If you want to run down and grab something, we’ll be here for another fifteen minutes. Also, we’ve all been invited to a film premiere Tuesday next week. Make sure you can come.”

“Great.” Maggie got up, realizing that Kelly felt guilty, picked up her purse, and, promising not to be long, headed downstairs to grab a sandwich to eat at her desk.

She was standing in the checkout line when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she took a sharp intake of breath as she found herself looking into the eyes of Evil Ben.

“Maggie?” he said as she tried to compose herself, amazed not only that he remembered her name, but that she still felt exactly the same lurch looking at him as she felt all those years ago.

“Oh my God. Ben! What are you doing here? Do you work here?”

“No. My company is developing something for Les Jolies, and we have a big meeting here today.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes. “You don’t work for Swerdling, do you?”

“I do! How did you know?”

“I just started in the PR department of Les Jolies today. I’ve spent the morning reading about the ingredients in Radiance and, naturally, all about Swerdling.”

He gave a wry smile. “What a small world. It’s been years since I’ve seen you. Wasn’t it just before you graduated?”

“It was.”

“You look good,” he said, eyeing her suit. “You’ve become . . . trendy.”

“You mean I wasn’t trendy before?” she teased.

“You were a bit jolly hockey sticks.” He shrugged. “Not that that’s a bad thing. I’ve always liked posh girls. Now you look very Les Jolies.”

“Thank God.” She wasn’t sure what to make of his comment about liking posh girls. “My transformation last week worked.” She paused. “You might be able to help me with some ideas I have for some features around Swerdling. Is there any chance we could chat sometime? Maybe you could tell me a bit more about the company.”

“I’d like that.” Ben looked at his watch. “I have to run now, but . . . how about Friday night? We could go for a drink. I have a four p.m. meeting here that should be done by six. How does that sound?”

“That sounds great.” Maggie attempted to wipe the grin off her face, with little success. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

“Done. It’s so good to see you. Really.” He reached out and squeezed her arm, and in an instant she was swept back to the time they had run into him while hiking, and he had rubbed her back, or touched her back, just before he left. She had the same feeling just now as she had had that day—it was a sense of safety, of being taken care of, and she liked it just as much as she had back then. And then he was gone, leaving Maggie’s heart racing as she headed back upstairs and immediately flicked through her Filofax until she found the number she was looking for.

Maggie hadn’t spoken to Evvie in ages. She had tried to stay in touch, but Evvie had become so successful, was traveling all the time, that the messages Maggie left on her answering machine were never returned. Maggie sent Christmas cards, and very occasionally, Evvie would phone, but it was always while Maggie was at work. It felt more and more like they were ships that passed in the night, the close friendship they once had—more like sisters than friends—a distant memory.

But who else would understand the thrill of what just happened? Who else could share in the excitement? Maggie’s roommate, Lola, was lovely, and they were close friends, but she knew nothing of Evil Ben. Her other friends wouldn’t have understood. She picked up the phone and punched in Evvie’s number, astonished when there was a click, and there was Evvie’s voice, saying hello.

“Evvie! It’s me!” She paused, expecting Evvie to know exactly which “me,” but when she heard nothing in response, she clarified. “Maggie.”

“Maggie! I haven’t spoken to you in so long! What a great surprise! How are you doing?”

“You’re never going to believe this. I had to phone you because you and Topher are the only two people who understand how momentous this is, but I just started a new job at Les Jolies, and you will never believe who I bumped into in the cafeteria.”

There was a pause. “Evil Ben?” ventured Evvie.

“How did you know!”

“A good guess. How does he look?”

“Exactly the same except even more handsome, if that’s possible. Not that he’s really handsome, but cute.”

“You still fancy him then?”

“I know. It’s crazy. All these years later and I swear, my heart lurched in exactly the same way. And guess what? We’re going out for a drink on Friday night! Wouldn’t it be so bizarre if something happened? I mean, can you imagine if now he and I actually got together for real?”