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Jessica closed the door to her office. Her chat with Rosie had got under her skin. All she could think about was Rosie’s soft eyes and insightful but challenging questions and observations. It was like Rosie was seeing through her again. There was something about the way she kept looking at her. Enquiringly, patiently, lovingly ? It made Jessica feel like she wanted to share more and to get to know Rosie.

Which was absolutely unacceptable.

Rosie was her employee, and they were working together on one of the most important projects in a while. Perhaps even the most important project Jessica would ever do in her lifetime. She needed to regain control of herself. Of the situation. And fast.

Jessica sat down at her desk but instead of getting back to work, she spun her chair around and let her head fall back.

Rosie had no idea about where Jessica had come from and the kind of life she had lived. Success didn’t come by sitting around. You had to go out there and take it. Long hours and sacrifice had been the cornerstone of Jessica’s approach. Yes, she didn’t have anyone to share it with, but that was a decision Jessica made a long time ago. People and relationships only got in the way and slowed her down.

Or let her down.

She’d gone over to see how Rosie was getting on, to smooth over their professional working relationship and, even, apologise for scolding her after the meeting the other day. But it had turned into another one of these heart to hearts. Next thing, they’d be braiding each other’s hair. Had Jessica gone mad?

She shook her head at her own stupidity, spun her chair around and got back to work.

***

In her garden the following day, Jessica snipped off some superfluous foliage from her rose bush so that the rest of the plant had more nutrients to grow. Pruning and doing things in her garden was one of the only activities that seemed to soothe her these days. Nothing seemed to relax her more than getting in amongst the soil and nurturing her plants and flowers. On her rare days off like this, she’d spend the whole day out here, working from sunrise until sunset. It felt like a treat. She loved her garden. It was her pride and joy after her architecture business. She possibly loved it even more than the office she’d converted into her home. She’d turned its old car park into a garden that stretched on and on, like a long and relatively narrow labyrinth. So, getting a chance to spend some time out here in amongst this very important time period was a necessary pressure release valve. While re-potting a plant that had grown too big for its current home, her thoughts strayed to Rosie and their waterfront regeneration. Her hometown. She was giving Rosie a chance to come up with some new ideas and reflect back some suggestions from the focus groups. It was so hard not to take over and do it all herself. If Rosie didn’t deliver on Monday, she would. Jessica moved the plant into its new home, careful to give it space in its new pot with all its roots. She was happy that the focus groups liked her design. It was such a relief after the criticism at the local authority. Thankfully, Rosie hadn’t questioned her on why she’d bolted after the meeting and had marched on like a trooper, getting their first engagement session done. That in itself deserved her a shot at this next design.

As daylight slipped away and her muscles ached, she went inside to get ready. Rich and his husband Marco were coming around for a drink, so she went to get changed out of her gardening clothes. After a nourishing day outside, it was going to be so lovely to hang out with her two favourite, well, only, friends.

They arrived in a flurry of cologne and air kisses. Rich had changed out of his customary suit and was wearing a short-sleeved mustard shirt with navy chinos. Marco was wearing a tight black vest which showed off his great chest and arms, and blue jeans.

Jessica uncorked and poured each of them a glass of white wine. They were all sitting at her dining table. She had on the fairy lights in the garden and the dimmer lights in the kitchen. It was cosy.

“Does anyone know you’re a closeted green fingers gardener?” Marco said.

“No. I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Always so secretive, Jessica!” Marco scolded her, picking up a handful of pistachio nuts. “Keeping people at arm’s length will catch up on you.”

“It’s good you’re finding time for it,” Rich said.

“So, how’s your mum,” Marco asked. He sipped his wine, eyes on her.

Rich inhaled. Tensed up.

Jessica cleared her throat and took a moment. “She’s fine.”

“Have you spoken to her lately?”

Her mum was busy loving being a grandmother, but Marco’s question reminded her to call her soon. “Not lately.”

“You should. I want more baby photos.”

Jessica rubbed her neck. “I have some. Here.” She got up various pictures of Grace’s baby, Joy, all cute and adorable.

Marco cooed and aaaahed at the pictures, now freely scrolling on Jessica’s phone. “So fucking cute.”

Jessica nodded.

“Grace looks well,” Rich said.

“She does.”

“So does your mum,” Marco continued. “Look how happy she is in this one.” He turned her phone around to show a picture of her mum holding her niece on her lap, with the biggest smile on her face, glowing with happiness.

“She is happy. It’s wonderful. She’s the perfect doting grandmother.”

Rich gave her a sympathetic look. She wasn’t sure if he meant to do so, but that’s what he did.

She took a large drink of wine as Marco continued with the pictures, showing some around for her and Rich to see intermittently.

Jessica’s relationship with her mum had got better in recent years. They’d worked hard to repair the damage and build a relationship. Indeed, it had never been this good. Jessica got on with her stepdad Alan and her half-sister Grace and her mum always went to great lengths to make Jessica feel part of things, but Jessica still felt like an outsider. That she was raised by her grandparents, and seeing how small and defenceless baby Joy was, had stirred some feelings in Jessica. But she had no real interest in exploring any of it. Her mum had been a drug addict and an alcoholic when Jessica was little, finally getting clean when Jessica was in her late teens. Jessica wanted nothing more in this life than for her mum to be happy. There was no logical reason for her to hold onto anything from the past. There was the here and now and that was it.

Jessica didn’t believe in looking back.

Never had.

“Have you told your mum that you’re working on a project in your hometown?” Rich said, with curiosity in his eyes.

“I have yes. She thinks it’s a brilliant idea. She wholeheartedly approves and wants me to get back in touch with my dad and extended family, which I’m finding a bit disconcerting. She says she thinks there’s a reason why I’ve chosen to do this and that the whole thing will be good for me.”

“Ah, I love your mum,” Marco said, handing her phone back to her.

“It’s good you told her, Jess.” Rich nodded. “ Are you going to let your dad know about it?”

Jessica took a deep breath in. She had no intention of speaking with her dad or anyone just because she was doing up the waterfront. Not him, not his family, not anyone from school. No one. “It’s not about me or getting back in touch with anyone. It’s about doing what’s right for the site. What’s right for the town. That’s all.”

Rich raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm,” Marco said.

Jessica gave them both a hard stare.

Rich nodded, as if recognising she wasn’t going to go on with this discussion much further.

“Anyway, I heard the focus groups tested well. That must have felt good they were on board,” Rich said.

“I was pleased my design concept struck a chord.”

“Come on, it must have meant more than that. These were your people. You know about this place.” Rich eyed her, still pressing her.

“Okay, yes.” Jessica admitted. “It did feel good. Does. Especially after my presentation with the local authority bombed.”

“I’m glad it felt good.” Rich smiled.

Marco laughed. “It’s like that saying, ‘you can take the person out of the place, but you can’t take the place out of the person’. You still vibe with them on some level.”

Rich smiled at his partner. “You’re spot on, babe.”

They both looked at her across the table, both certain and a tiny but smug in their belief in having worked her out. She loved this about them, how well they understood her, and how quickly they assessed different situations for what they were. But on this occasion, were they right? Did she still have her hometown inside of her, somewhere? Or was it just her doing her job well?

“Anyway. Enough about me and these fantastical inaccuracies you keep coming up with. What’s the feeling like in the company, Rich? How are people taking to the new strategy?”

Rich cleared his throat, easily switching to their more familiar ground of work. “There are a few grumbles but for those people I think if we keep them on the old type of projects, they’ll be happy. That’s the beauty of your strategy. It takes us in a new direction while keeping people happy including the money rolling in. It’s brilliant.”

“I thought you weren’t sure about it?”

“Well until I see our year-end accounts my head won’t give you its final verdict, but my heart is already a convert.”

“He’s a soft touch under all that hair gel.”

“Hair gel that you bought me.”

Jessica laughed.

“No, seriously.” Rich looked at Jessica. “The reaction has been very positive. Most people think it’s the perfect direction for the company. They think it’s bold and progressive. At the end of the day, they’ll follow you anywhere.”

Jessica felt that in her chest.

She took a few moments to absorb what Rich had said. It meant the world to her.

“Has the steering committee come around yet?” Rich asked.

“No. We’re presenting to them next week. Rosie is making some amendments based on their feedback and bits and pieces from the focus group.”

“Are you okay about delegating that for this one?”

“I have to be. Otherwise I wouldn’t have any time off given everything else I have going on. Plus, it’s important for her career development, isn’t it.”

“Oooft. No pressure for the poor girl then,” Marco said, after finishing his wine.

Jessica poured each of them another glass and then lit a couple of candles, pondering Marco’s comment. Rosie was more than capable; she had every confidence in her although it probably didn’t look like that by how hands on Jessica had been so far.

Rich broke the silence. “How is Rosie getting on?”

“Good. But we’ll see. She’s presenting her amendments to me on Monday. She probably thinks I’m a huge pain in the arse.”

Marco cocked his head. “Isn’t that your default setting at work though? That’s how you’ve slayed in that stuffy architecture world, no?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Marco, thank you.”

“I love hearing about your two’s work. It couldn’t be more different to the world of hairdressing.”

“Really? Demanding clients? Strict timeframes?” Rich said.

“Creativity.” Jessica added.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

“So why would Rosie be finding you a pain in the arse?” Rich said.

“Because I’m asking her about everything and not giving her a second to fuck up or even breathe.”

Rich shook his head. “She’ll hate you. Jess, you’re out of practice at being a principal. You were like this before too, a total control freak.”

Jessica and Rich had worked together at the same company before Jessica went out on her own. He knew her flaws a little too well. She ran her hands through her hair. “I know.”

“There’s nothing worse than a micromanager. You’ve got to stop it, Jess. I know giving up control is hard for you, especially on this one as it’s where you grew up and all, but you’ve got to let this be a team effort.”

“Okay, okay. I will ease up on her once we get through this rough patch.”

“You better.” Rich gave her a firm look.

“Right.” Marco stood. “Your work talk is boring me. I’ll be back in a sec.” He headed off.

Rich took some wine and grimaced. He seemed troubled. Jessica hated seeing him like this.

“Hey,” Jessica said.

Rich looked up, a hint of turmoil in his eyes.

“How are you? How are things going with the surrogacy situation?”

He shrugged. “Same as ever.”

Marco wanted them to start a family. He wanted children and to explore the surrogacy option. Rich wasn’t sure and had been stalling for a while.

“Is Marco still talking about approaching a clinic?”

Rich looked towards where Marco had gone. With no sign of him, he took a breath and started speaking. “He is. We had an argument about it. He’s pushing me too fast. It’s not the right time for me. It might be something I want in future but for now, I want to keep doing what I’m doing. I like that we have the freedom to do what we want. I enjoy working hard, I enjoy playing hard. I’m just not ready.”

Marco had always been clear with Rich that he wanted children one day. She could see Rich’s point of view, too. “How is Marco taking that at this point?”

“Not well.”

“I’m sorry,” Jessica reached across and gently patted his forearm. “That sounds hard. For both of you.”

“Are you two having a moment?” Marco said, appearing out of nowhere.

Rich and Marco stayed for about another half-hour, chatting and laughing as the night grew. After they’d left and she was hand-washing the glasses, she realised that the last thing she wanted was for Rosie to hate her. She didn’t want that at all. She didn’t normally worry about what people thought about her at work, because in her experience people tended to wish she was softer and more submissive in general, but with Rosie, she did. It went back to this feeling that Rosie saw the real her in some way. It was such a strange feeling.

***

Jessica loved early mornings like this in her office. The sun was shining through the windows, and she had a fresh pot of coffee on the go. Rosie was due to come in and talk Jessica through the updates to the designs she’d been working on. Jessica was determined to play nice and let Rosie shine. Sometimes, it was better to get someone else’s perspective on things you were too close to. It was the most logical thing to do.

“Good morning,” Rosie said, stepping through the door Jessica had left open. She was wearing an olive shirt dress, tied at the waist, and Birkenstocks. “Is there an open-door policy today that I should know of? Should we send round an All-Staff email for this event?”

Jessica fought away a laugh. Rosie had a way of making Jessica feel seen and a tiny bit more at ease in herself. “Why not? But make sure the email says it’s for reprimands and admonitions only. I don’t want a queue.”

Rosie’s eyes lit up. “I guess I’m first in line.”

Jessica liked that Rosie wasn’t fazed by her ways. Most people were.

“Did you have a nice weekend?” Rosie asked.

“I did, thanks. I did some gardening, and Rich and his husband Marco came over for a drink.”

“That sounds lovely. I didn’t know you liked gardening.”

Jessica held Rosie’s eye contact. “I suppose it hasn’t come up, but I do. Very much.”

Rosie shook her head. “I would have thought it’d be common knowledge. Word gets around about these types of things. Tara likes cycling, for example. Tom is in a band. Pamela has a pot on her desk that she made herself.” Rosie scanned Jessica’s office. “You don’t have any plants or flowers in your office either.”

“I don’t like any distractions where I work.”

“Oh, okay.”

“But at home I find it’s one of the only things that truly relaxes me.” Spa days and sex being the other things, but Jessica obviously wasn’t going to divulge that.

“Sure. I get it. I love my plants. Couldn’t live without them. It’s why I got into landscape architecture. I wanted to do something as amazing as the gardens of Versailles one day, can you believe that?”

“I love your ambition. You came to the right place.”

“I know. It’s one of the reasons I’m absolutely in love with this project. I never thought I’d get to have an opportunity like this. I’d got so used to contemporary buildings.”

Jessica nodded in approval. “So had I. It’s what we’re known for but it’s not all we can do. We have people like you with an abundance of talent just waiting to show what they can do.”

Rosie went silent after that. Like what Jessica said had affected her. When Jessica thought someone was talented, she never held back in letting them know, yet for some reason she had a reputation of being elusive and hard to impress.

Rosie took a seat. “And on that note.” She connected her laptop to the screen. “I hope you still feel that way after this meeting.”

Instead of laughing and outwardly showing she was enjoying Rosie’s company, Jessica kept a straight face. She rested her chin on her fist. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

“Yep. So. Okay. Here it is.” Rosie looked at the screen which showed the entire design in one slide, a worry line pulling at her mouth.

Jessica took one glance at the design and knew it had promise. She could spot a good design from a mile away. “And?”

“Yes. Sorry. So, the key change is the north-west corner, the area closest to the town. I’ve made space for a residential area of affordable housing which will be three blocks of three-storey flats including communal garden space and parking. I shifted the whole park by forty-five degrees, and I have a curved edge marking the boundary between the two areas, to include new road access. In essence, the curved edge will add a softness to the space. The new road has the potential to lead straight onto the bridge, should we get the go-ahead for that in year two.” Rosie stopped talking and looked at Jessica.

Rosie’s attention to detail was satisfactory. Her lines and angles to accommodate the new residential aspect were spot on, even if they were quite different to Jessica’s original plan. They worked, somehow. “Continue.”

“As you know, we have an abundance of space to play with, but it has to do quite a lot. This can sometimes be a hindrance as you want to cram too much in. But I think I’ve found a way to make this new section feel like part of the site. Another key change is I’ve taken down the boundary wall. We want this new space to be part of the town. We want it to be inviting and open, so that people will want to spend time there. That means getting rid of the old boundary wall and building a new pavement to connect to the other paths. Inside the park I’ve designed a new focal point for all of the paths, with minor alterations to your original lines.” Rosie pointed a laser at her design, guiding the red dot along various walkways. “The focal point will literally be in the heart of the site with the bandstand right in the middle. Yep, I’ve moved it from where it currently is into the centre. On the whole, I’m adding more curves and gentler aspects with more established plants and foliage. This will be more expensive, initially, but I think it’ll be worth it. It’ll help make the space feel warmer and more inviting immediately, rather than waiting for the plants to grow and establish themselves over years. The revenue from the housing developers should help cover the cost of moving the bandstand. In the planters, I’m thinking hardy perennials reflecting the area, such as heather and thyme. Everything else is the same as your initial design. To summarise, then, we have the original entrance and steel arch above the gates. Just no more walls, a new centre, my ideas on foliage, more curves and the space for the houses and one day, possibly, a road to the bridge.” Rosie turned off her laser and faced Jessica, a mixture of nerves and hope, it seemed.

All Jessica could do was sit there, speechless. It wasn’t often that Jessica was blown away by someone else’s work at the company. But today was that day. Rosie’s new design was bold, and it was fucking perfect. She’d seen things in a way Jessica hadn’t. Perhaps Jessica had been too close to the area to be as objective and as free-thinking as she’d needed to be. As Rosie had been. Removing the boundary wall made Jessica uneasy but she was willing to go with it, for the sake of this new design. “This is excellent. Can you present this to the local authority at the next meeting?”

Rosie’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”

Jessica nodded.

“Yes. Sure. I can. I mean, I didn’t expect you to say that, but I would love the opportunity.”

“If I make a couple of tweaks, they will be just that. Tweaks. This is your iteration. You should be the one to present it.”

“I really appreciate that, Jessica.” Rosie held Jessica’s eyes.

“It’s excellent. Well done.”

There was a pause. “Thank you.”

Jessica found it hard to look away.

But she did, feeling slightly off balance. She was so impressed with Rosie’s plan. It was inspired and daring and clever.

“I’m glad you think so,” Rosie continued. “Full disclosure, I’m not the best when it comes to designing bridges. That is one I always hand over to the engineers.”

“Never make the case for your limitations or people will believe you. I’m sure you could add something to any bridge design.”

“Uh, okay.”

“What made you want to put the bandstand in the middle?” Jessica remembered how well used the old bandstand once was. How people would sit in it and talk to friends or shelter from the rain. How close it was to the shipyards and how the old men used to reunite there, as if returning to their daily schedule where they would meet there for their breaks. It had touched Jessica even as a child. Keeping the bandstand was a must. Putting it right in the centre was a lovely idea.

“The locals loved the bandstand. They said they wanted a space for events and a place to sit. I thought it could be an effective focal point, putting the history of the park front and centre while using it as a functional space too. They could even use it for gigs and concerts one day.”

“I like that.”

“And I figured you would be happy for it to take a more dominant, sorry, prominent, position, so I made it work.”

Jessica tilted her head. Why did Rosie think that?

“Because you seemed to really like it that day we stumbled across it, is all.”

Was Rosie reading her mind now? “Did I?”

“Um, yes. It was like you were being reunited with an old friend or something. Like it meant a lot to you.”

Rosie seemed to just get her. It was unnerving. Intoxicating. Jessica looked away.

They chatted for a bit longer about the particulars of the design and the implications for timings and building materials. Rosie was prepared for every question Jessica threw at her. When they spoke to each other, they were buzzing. It was like they spurred each other on, and they were on fire. It was exhilarating. Jessica hadn’t felt this excited about a design in a long time. That it was happening with her hometown was amazing. It was like the project was finally clicking into place, and she couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone but Rosie at this point.

“I’ll get right on it,” Rosie said.

She said that multiple times during their meetings. Jessica was growing fond of it.

“And I’ll send over the list of materials we talked about by the end of the day,” Jessica said, enthusiastically. She couldn’t wait to get this finalised and shown to the local authority. They were going to go crazy for it, she was sure. And this was the most important thing. Their buy-in. Their consent to the whole thing.

“Perfect,” Rosie said. “I’ll look forward to it.”

They held each other’s eyes again. This time Rosie looked away first.

After Rosie left her office, all flushed cheeks and with a spring in her step, Jessica felt energised and ready for anything the day had in store for her. Was it because of Rosie?