“Lara-” Sadie starts to speak, but I stride away from her toward the double doors to the main banqueting room. Ed and Sonia are on the podium, and I can see her explaining the microphone to him. Around me, tables are filling up with dynamic-looking men and women. I can hear snatches of conversation about markets and retail sectors and TV campaigns.
This is my big chance. Come on, Lara . Plucking up all my courage, I take a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, then approach a group of business types, all laughing merrily away about something.
“Hi!” I plunge in brightly. “I’m Lara Lington, L &N Executive Recruitment. Let me give you my card!”
“Hello,” says a friendly-looking man with red hair. He makes introductions around the group, and I hand cards to everyone. From their name badges, it seems they all work for software companies.
“So, does anyone here work in marketing?” I ask casually. All eyes turn to a blond-haired man.
“Guilty.” He smiles.
“Would you like a new job?” I blurt out. “It’s at a sports-equipment company-great benefits, a really fab opportunity!”
There’s silence. I can’t breathe for hope. Then everyone bursts into laughter.
“I like your style,” says the red-haired guy, and turns to his neighbor. “Can I interest you in an Asian software subsidiary, only ten years on the clock?”
“One careful owner,” quips another guy, and there’s more laughter.
They think I’m joking. Of course they do.
I hastily join in the laughter too. But inside, I feel like a total moron. I’m never going to find a candidate. This was a ridiculous idea. After a little while I excuse myself and move away, to find Ed approaching me across the floor.
“How’s it going? Sorry to abandon you.”
“No worries. I was… you know. Networking.”
“We’re at table one.” He leads me toward the stage and I feel a flicker of pride, in spite of my low mood. Table 1 at the Business People dinner!
“Lara, I have a question,” says Ed as we walk. “Please don’t take this the wrong way.”
“I’m sure I won’t,” I say. “Fire ahead.”
“I just want to get something straight. You don’t want to be my girlfriend. Is that right?”
“That’s right.” I nod. “And you don’t want to be my boyfriend.”
“No,” he says, emphatically shaking his head. “Uh-uh.” We’ve arrived at the table by now. Ed folds his arms and surveys me as though mystified. “So what are we doing here together?”
“Er… well. Good question.”
I’m not sure how to answer. The truth is, there is no sane reason.
“Friends?” I suggest at last.
“Friends,” he echoes doubtfully. “I guess we could be friends.”
He pulls out my chair and I sit down. By every place is a program with Guest Speaker: Ed Harrison written across the bottom.
“Are you nervous?”
Ed’s eyes flicker, then he gives me a tiny smile. “If I were I wouldn’t say.”
I flick to the back of the program and feel a little kick when I find my own name in the list. Lara Lington, L &N Executive Recruitment .
“You don’t strike me as a typical headhunter,” says Ed, following my gaze.
“Really?” I’m not quite sure how to react. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
“You don’t seem obsessed with money, for a start.”
“I’d like to make more money,” I say honestly. “Lots more. But I suppose that isn’t the main point for me. I’ve always seen headhunting as a bit like-” I break off, embarrassed, and take a sip of wine.
I once told my headhunting theory to Natalie, and she said I was crazy and to shut up about it.
“What?”
“Well. Like matchmaking. Matching the perfect person with the perfect job.”
Ed looks amused. “That’s a different way of looking at it. I’m not sure most people around here would say they were having a love affair with their jobs.” He gestures around the crowded room.
“Maybe they would if it was the right job, though,” I say eagerly. “If you could just match people up with exactly what they want…”
“And you’d be Cupid.”
“You’re laughing at me.”
“I’m not.” He shakes his head firmly. “I like it as a theory. How does it work in practice?”
I sigh. There’s something about Ed that makes me lower my guard. Maybe it’s because I honestly don’t care what he thinks of me.
“Not great. In fact, right now, pretty shit.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Even worse.” I take another drink of my wine, then look up to see Ed watching me quizzically.
“You’re in a partnership, right?”
“Yes.”
“So… how did you decide who to go into partnership with?” he says lightly. “How did that all happen?”
“Natalie?” I shrug. “Because she’s my best friend and I’ve known her forever and she’s a very talented top headhunter. She used to work for Price Bedford Associates, you know. They’re huge.”
“I know.” He seems to think for a moment. “Out of interest, who told you she was a very talented top headhunter?”
I stare at him, feeling slightly wrong-footed. “No one had to tell me. She just is . I mean…” I meet his skeptical gaze. “What?”