coordinated

verb

1. bring the different elements of (a complex activity or organization) into a harmonious or efficient relationship.

2. match or harmonize attractively.

3. (chemistry) form a coordinate bond to (an atom or molecule).

After classes the next day, Grant, Patricia and I had a meeting with the business manager and security team leader in Liberty Building. We used the conference room on the second floor, the one with the plush leather chairs and long glass table. Coffees were served by one of the assistants then Bob and Peter gave me a run down and update with everything that needed updating about Liberty Building for the past two weeks that I'd been out of commission. I had missed almost everything while running a fashion show and studying full time – yeah, I don't recommend it.

Bob told me that the business tenants were doing well, with only one business ending its lease and moving from Liberty Building, giving their required two months notice as per the lease contract. Another business put in a formal complain against the closing of the café. They were mainly disturbed with the changes and noise from the refurbishments, but Bob managed to sort them out, giving them an invitation to the opening night in a few weeks time. That seemed to settle them. Bob has worked with these small and medium business owners for a few years and knew how to placate them well.

Next up, Peter my chief of security, spoke in more detail about the van heist, the police procedures and changes for the security team and especially the updating of the cameras on the outside of the building. I was pleased to hear Patricia give a few new ideas for the security team, suggestions that would come in really handy for the team and those in the building. We hashed out her ideas and I handed them over to Peter to have a think about them.

Near the end of the meeting, a knock sounded on the door. One of the security team members opened it up to show Mr Anginelli waiting to be invited into the meeting. He spent the last few hours going over the new changes for the building, having come over on his own accord to go over the new fire safety protocols that Bob and his building team had updated.

"Mr Anginelli, please come in. We're happy that you have come to help us out today." I stood up and held out my hand to him in greeting. He shook it briefly.

"Ms Twice. I appreciate the welcome." His ears turned a little red, even as he kept his face neutral. I decided to ignore the incidents from the show and the flowers he sent. No one here needed to know our personal business.

"Please take a seat. You know everyone here, I assume. This is my business team, Grant Hepburn and Patricia Palmers." I pointed to my two assistants, introducing them to Mr Anginelli. He did a double take at Patricia, and I wondered if he knew her from her previous work, or from when her ex-husband black listed her. I saw the briefest frown flicker across his face before he turned back to me and smiled benignly.

"You know Bob Blanchard. This is also our head of security, Peter Montgomery. You may have met him and his team while here on your first visit."

"Yes, good to see you both. Thank you for your team's help during my first inspection, and also this morning. They've been very informative and accommodating." Mr Anginelli shook everyone's hands and sat down next to Bob.

I listened as the more experienced men, Bob and Mr Anginelli, briefly went over the issues that needed updating in the building's new fire safety protocols and procedures and outlined the changes made and any other issues they had. They started moving onto more social chatting after that, but I decided I wasn't interested and I'd heard all I needed to hear from everyone.

"Thank you for today, everyone. I'm happy that everything is going well. Peter, please get me the report for Ms Palmer's ideas and forward it to both of us by the end of the week. Also, go ahead with that security team social event, Grant will give a budget, but I think ten grand should be enough to cover a weekend away for everyone over two shifts." I clapped my hands then stood up. "And I think that is it. See you next time." I nodded to everyone, including Mr Anginelli, then grabbed my bag and left the room, Grant and Patricia following me out.

I noticed at the last moment that Mr Anginelli stood up and tried to get my attention, but I ignored him. Completely.

"What was that about?" Grant asked on the way down to the parking lot where Patricia parked the car last night.

"What was what?" I feigned ignorance.

"What was what? That, all stiff upper lip, Ms Business Girl with the carrot up her..."

"Grant! Don't." I held up a hand and got into the back of the SUV as Patricia unlocked it.

"Woah. OK then," he murmured as he got into the front seat. I pulled out uni notes and went over the class material that I missed when I skipped class last Friday, before the show.

"Mr Anginelli confronted her at the show then realised who she was and it went from awkward to 'crashed and burned in a major way'. She's trying to save everyone's face by ignoring him. Leave it be." Patricia whispered to Grant in the front seat. I kept reading. I didn't want to talk about it. Although, I must say, the flowers was a nice apology and I liked that bunny balloon. It was cute.

We spent the next day at uni, going to classes, eating at the café for lunch and enjoying university life. Kinda. Well, maybe just enjoying the classes and lunch food. University life consisted of random people coming up to me and asking me about Eyva's fashion show on the weekend.

Say what? Eyva's show? When it happened the fourth time, I decided to stop explaining that it wasn't her show, and even started to find it amusing hearing about how amazing Ms Overmeyer's fashion talents were and how she'd painted all of the fabric designs herself. Smile and nod, just smile and nod.

On my way home I invited Eyva out, just so I could rib her on how everyone thinks it was her show. It was a Monday night and I doubted there was a night club opened at seven in the evening, so we decided on dessert. She agreed and sent me a google map location tag for little dinky boho inspired coffee lounge about five minutes from my place. It was close enough that I could walk there.

When I got home, I ate a small dinner, showered then changed into a white Piana cashmere and silk hoodie over a pair of black slim leg leather pants that took me ten minutes to get into. Love them to pieces, but so hard to put on. Best thing about them, the pants are real, one hundred percent leather, but have that understated look about them. The whole outfit cost me over fifteen hundred dollars, but it looked casual and was really comfortable. I put a little bit of make up on, but took one look at my hair, and realised that it was already a lost cause. I ran a hair serum through my curls, then left it as is.

When I arrived at the café that Eyva suggested for our after dinner catch up, I realised that it wasn't the usual place I thought she'd go to. When I think of boho design, I think cane furniture, cacti plants, weaved basket lamps and aztec rugs and soft furnishings. Its not really my thing, and I've never really seen it done well, without looking cheap. But this place – I was suitably impressed.

"Lily! Hope you weren't waiting long." I turned to find Eyva getting out of a town car at the curb side. She was wearing a white belted jumpsuit with a black Magda cropped leather jacket and Mary Jane flats from another designer. I took one look at her and started laughing. She stopped, took a look at what I was wearing and then down at herself and giggled as well.

"Hey, Blister. We're matching. You're white on black, and I'm black on white, and we're both wearing leather. You're too cute!" She reached out a hand and pinched my cheek, grinning like she wasn't really amused.

"I didn't plan this, I swear. Ask Grant." I tried to stop my laughing as she dragged me into the coffee lounge.

"I know this place is very cheap-nasty, but they have THE BEST desserts in the whole city. You'll love it." She pulled me into the dim coffee shop, sat us down at a couple of loungers under basket lamp shades and ordered for me. A berry white chocolate gateau with cherry liqueur. It came with real black cherries and I wondered if she had done it on purpose. Black cherries. I'm wearing a white cashmere silk hoodie. White.

"You're evil, but this is divine. I hate you." I hummed as I took another spoonful, trying really hard not to spill it.

"Try this, glazed orange and poppy seed cake. There is pineapple liqueur and sorbet as well. It is also to die for." Eyva pushed her plate of beautifully plated dessert towards my place setting and I decided just to hand over mine as well. We ate, chatted, swapped plates until we were suitably feeling sick and on a sugar high.

"So, when are you leaving for your grand holiday?" I asked Eyva an hour later. Our plates had been removed and we were served a decaffeinated coffee each. Mine had plenty of milk and sugar.

"Yeah about that." Eyva paused, then looked at me. "I fly out at the end of the week."

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This is an ORIGINAL webnovel by author JV Findlay. Feel free to support her work over on ko-fi.com/jvfindlay ♥

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