'Connor, it's just … it's complicated. OK?'
'Fine. Whatever. It's your boat, Emma.'
There's a slight pause.
'It's my what?' I say puzzledly. 'My boat?'
'Court,' he says with a flash of annoyance. 'I meant to say … the ball's in your court.'
'Oh right,' I say, none the wiser. 'Er … OK. I'll bear that in mind.'
'Good.' He gives me his most wounded-martyr look, and starts walking away.
'Wait!' I say suddenly. 'Hang on a minute! Connor, could you do me a real favour?' I wait until he turns, then pull a wheedling face. 'Could you possibly man the phones here while I quickly go and watch Jack Harper's interview?'
I know Connor isn't my number one fan at the moment. But I don't exactly have a lot of choice.
'Could I do what?' Connor stares at me in astonishment.
'Could you man the phones? Just for half an hour. I'd be so incredibly grateful …'
'I can't believe you're even asking me that!' says Connor incredulously. 'You know how important Jack Harper is to me! Emma, I really don't know what you've turned into.'
After he's stalked off, I sit there for twenty minutes. I take several messages for Paul, one for Nick and one for Caroline. I file a couple of letters. I address a couple of envelopes. And then suddenly, I've had it.
This is stupid. This is more than stupid. It's ridiculous. I love Jack. He loves me. I should be there, supporting him. I pick up my coffee and hurry along the corridor. The meeting room is crowded with people, but I edge in at the back, and squeeze between two guys who aren't even watching Jack, but are discussing some football match.
'What are you doing here?' says Artemis, as I arrive at her side. 'What about the phones?'
'No taxation without representation,' I hear myself responding coolly, which perhaps isn't exactly appropriate (I'm not even sure what it means), but has the desired effect of shutting her up.
I crane my neck so I can see over everyone's heads, and my eyes focus on the screen — and there he is. Sitting on a chair in a studio, in jeans and a white T-shirt. There's a bright blue backdrop and the words 'Business Inspirations' behind him, and two smart-looking interviewers sitting opposite him.
There he is. The man I love.
This is the first time I've seen him since we slept together, it suddenly occurs to me. But his face is as warm as ever, and his eyes look all dark and glossy under the studio lights.
Oh God, I want to kiss him.
If no-one else was here I would go up to the television set and kiss it. I honestly would.
'What have they asked him so far?' I murmur to Artemis.
'They're talking to him about how he works. His inspirations, his partnership with Pete Laidler, stuff like that.'
'Sssh!' says someone else.
'Of course it was tough after Pete died,' Jack's saying. 'It was tough for all of us. But recently …' He pauses. 'Recently my life has turned around and I'm finding inspiration again. I'm enjoying it again.'
A small tingle runs over me.
He has to be referring to me. He has to be. I've turned his life around! Oh my God. That's even more romantic than 'I was gripped'.
'You've already expanded into the sports drinks market,' the male interviewer is saying. 'Now I believe you're looking to expand into the women's market.'
'What?'
There's a frisson around the room, and people start turning their heads.
'We're going into the women's market?'
'Since when?'
'I knew, actually,' Artemis is saying smugly. 'Quite a few people have known for a while—'
I stare at the screen, instantly recalling those people up in Jack's office. That's what the ovaries were for. Gosh, this is quite exciting. A new venture!
'Can you give us any further details about that?' the male interviewer is saying. 'Will this be a soft drink marketed at women?'
'It's very early stages,' says Jack. 'But we're planning an entire line. A drink, clothing, a fragrance. We have a strong creative vision.' He smiles at the man. 'We're excited.'
'So, what's your target market this time?' asks the man, consulting his notes. 'Are you aiming at sportswomen?'
'Not at all,' says Jack. 'We're aiming at … the girl on the street.'
'The "girl on the street"?' The female interviewer sits up, looking slightly affronted. 'What's that supposed to mean? Who is this girl on the street?'
'She's twenty-something,' says Jack after a pause. 'She works in an office, takes the tube to work, goes out in the evenings and comes home on the night bus … just an ordinary, nothing-special girl.'
'There are thousands of them,' puts in the man with a smile.
'But the Panther brand has always been associated with men,' chips in the woman, looking sceptical. 'With competition. With masculine values. Do you really think you can make the switch to the female market?'
'We've done research,' says Jack pleasantly. 'We feel we know our market.'
'Research!' she scoffs. 'Isn't this just another case of men telling women what they want?'
'I don't believe so,' says Jack, still pleasantly, but I can see a slight flicker of annoyance pass across his face.
'Plenty of companies have tried to switch markets without success. How do you know you won't just be another one of them?'
'I'm confident,' says Jack.
God, why is she being so aggressive? I think indignantly. Of course Jack knows what he's doing!
'You round up a load of women in some focus group and ask them a few questions! How does that tell you anything?'
'That's only a small part of the picture, I can assure you,' says Jack evenly.
'Oh, come on,' the woman says, leaning back and folding her arms. 'Can a company like Panther — can a man like you — really tap into the psyche of, as you put it, an ordinary, nothing-special girl?'
'Yes. I can!' Jack meets her gaze square-on. 'I know this girl.'