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The thought is enough to nearly make my heart burst from my chest.
I briefly consider going up to the fifth floor with the excuse of needing to get something from the supply closet and make a point of thanking him, but before I can decide, Angela spots me, and her and Carter jump up expectantly, watching me like curious meerkats.
I laugh, jogging over to them, trying and failing to keep a poker face.
“Well?” Angela demands, practically bouncing.
I pause for a moment, grinning at them.
“I got it!” I exclaim, and the three of us erupt, squealing and hugging with excitement, jumping up and down like we’ve just won front row tickets to Taylor Swift.
“Iknewyou would, babe!” Angela beams. “So fucking proud of you.”
“Thanks,” I breathe, still half in a daze.
Marcus’s words from my second day at Catalyst reverberate in my head.You have good instincts. Don’t let the overwhelm trick you into thinking you don’t.
His quiet confidence in me, even back from that day, has been a constant these past months. He may not have said much – but he’s always seen me. Believed in me.
And now, he’s vouched for me.
I can’t wait to tell him.
But first – I flip the folder open and smile.
I’ve got a nightclub to promote.
***
“I’m thinking we focus on exclusivity and mystery,” I say, gesturing to the mood board displayed on the screen. “Sapphire isn’t just another nightclub. It’s an experience – something rare and transformative. When you’re at Sapphire, the ordinary becomes the extraordinary. Darkness gives way to light. Fantasy becomes reality.”
Three weeks have passed since Stephen handed me the lead, and now, here I am – standing at the head of the conference table, presenting my concept to a room of colleagues, executives… and Marcus.
He’s seated halfway down the table, arms resting loosely on the table, his expression soft. I’ve presented my work in meetings with him before, but this is different. The stakes are higher. I’m in charge. And even though I’m not alone with him, I still feel the electricity of his presence like static in the air.
Angela gives me a subtle thumbs-up from her seat.
Lauren, the PR rep, straightens up in her chair. “The client wants to emphasise the VIP experience. How do we incorporate that without seeming elitist?”
I smile. This is the key part of the campaign. “By makingeveryonefeel like a VIP. Our campaign emphasises the transformation – walking into Sapphire changes you. You become the star, the focal point. It’s not about who you are when you arrive. It’s who you become once you’re inside. We’re not selling exclusion; we’re selling inclusion into something exceptional.”
There’s a pause, then a few nods. Someone murmurs ‘Nice’ under their breath. I allow myself a quick glance at Marcus. His mouth widens into an approving smile and my chest tightens.
The rest of the meeting flows easily, ideas bouncing around, building on each other. Everyone seems energised, connected to the vision. By the time we wrap up, we’ve divided tasks, set timelines, and even colour-coded the spreadsheet that outlines all of it.
As chairs scrape and laptops snap shut, Angela and Carter hang back.
“Great job up there,” Marcus says, smiling at me as he walks toward the door, his notepad in his hand.
“Thank you,” I say, swallowing a lump that’s instantly formed in my throat.
He lingers by the door briefly, his gaze on mine, but when he sees Angela and Carter are staying behind, he smiles once more before turning and walking out, the glass door closing softly behind him.
“Look at you, taking charge,” Carter says, his voice full of pride. “Reid who?”
I laugh. “I don’t know about that, but that did feel good,” I admit.
“You were made for this,” Angela says, her eyes bright. “That was fucking brilliant.”