As she emerged from the hotel, she felt elated. The self confidence that had taken a hammering over the last few days, was definitely restored, if only partially, and she turned towards Oxford Street with renewed vigour.
So what if Peter had been putting her name about (she did not even want to think about the reason why he might be doing that) - if that led to a better job and out of his clutches, then that was his, and his company's loss. Stuff them.
And with that thought comfortably lodged in her mind she went to meet Josie.
The next morning, with a slightly sore head from over indulging on the wine (she hadn't meant to but the emotional rollercoaster she had been on had encouraged it), Katie retraced her steps across the lobby of The Carshalton but, instead of going to the bar as she had done the previous evening, she made a beeline for the restaurant in which, judging from the sound of clinking cutlery and the gentle murmur of voices, breakfast was being served.
She stopped at the entrance and gave her name to the waiter who was hovering there. He consulted his list and, with a nod, picked up a menu from the pile at his side and beckoned her to follow him.
Katie felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach as she walked between the tables. She looked ahead and spotted their destination – a table set for three slightly set apart from the others.
Already sitting there was a man and a woman, who looked up as she approached.
“Katie, good morning my name is Sheila Callaghan and this is my colleague John Barrington. Thank you so much for coming to see us on such short notice.”
Katie shook Sheila's hand and then turned to her colleague.
“It’s no problem at all, thanks for asking me,” she replied, taking his hand and shaking it formally.
“Please sit down.” John said. “Coffee or tea?”
“Oh, coffee please,” said Katie. Her head was mercifully fairly clear now, but she could do with the caffeine kick. “And some water please.”
Before she could really settle in her seat, Sheila smiled and said.
“So, you met with Mary last night and she chatted generally about the job that we are here to discuss. Do you know anything about our company?”
“No, I don't, in fact Mary did not tell me the name. I can make an educated guess but why don't you fill me in?”
Sheila glanced over to John and then back to Katie.
“Our company is Automated Solutions.....I can see you recognise the name. It’s the number two behind your company. In fact, I believe it was set up at about the same time as Peter Jarvis started Shire. Do you have much contact with him....Peter Jarvis I mean?”
Katie sighed. It was looking increasingly likely that her initial fears about Peter ringing around his cronies to get her a job was proving correct.
“I've met him a few times.....at meetings and things. Of course, I'm much too lowly to have any actual dealings with him.” Katie realised as she said this that, if her assumption was correct, then Sheila would know she was lying. But what the heck…..she couldn't really say “yes I do know him, but only intimately” could she?
“Well, anyway. The thing is Katie, we have an opening for someone like you in our sales department and Mary speaks very highly of you from her meeting yesterday.”
The next forty-five minutes passed quickly as Mary and John outlined the position and got her feedback. Afterwards, Katie looked back and thought she had handled things well – answering questions thoughtfully and, she hoped, knowledgably.
At exactly 9am, Sheila looked at her watch.
“We must not keep you any more. Do you have any final questions for us?”
Katie had been bombarding them with some pre-arranged questions for the last ten minutes, so she thought she had said enough and said so, thanking them very much for their time and asking what the next steps might be.
“Well, we will have a chat and then you'll be hearing from Mary in due course.....is that OK?”
Katie thanked them again and, shaking hands goodbye, she made her way out of the dining room and back out into the airy lobby.
All in all, she felt pretty smug. She knew the meeting had gone well and was already thinking carefully about what she would say if they did offer her the job. Her kneejerk reaction was to say yes and to hell with her present company and all the frustrations that the last week had thrown up.
She made her way quickly to work and, once there, sat down at her desk. No sooner as she sat down and switched on her e mail then her phone rang. It was Sue, asking her to come and see her as soon as possible.
Katie sighed, picked up her notebook and made her way along the corridor of desks. She got a few nods and smiles but was it her imagination that people were avoiding her eye?
Sue smiled as Katie sat down on the settee.
“Thanks for coming. I'm afraid I need you to go to Prague this afternoon. David is ill and there is a big scheduling meeting tomorrow on the project we have there. I don't want to postpone it and I think it will look bad if we are not represented. Do you know anything about the project?”
“A bit,” replied Katie. “But it’s not a problem. Give me the file and I will swot up this evening. It’s only a routine progress meeting isn't it.....nothing major?”
“No, just routine. Here are the files. All the contact names are here and I will let them know you will be taking Dave's place. Thanks Katie.”
Katie made her way back to her desk and fired off an e mail to the travel department. She knew there was a flight to Prague later in the afternoon and she wanted to make sure she got on it. She would have to nip home to pack a bag and pick up her passport, but that was OK.
She called over to Beth, a colleague who sat next to her.
“Beth, I've been told to get on a plane to Prague, so could you tell anyone who asks for me? I'll be back day after tomorrow.”
“Sure, Katie. Have fun.” Beth said, hardly looking up from her work.
Katie packed up her desk, turned off her computer and picked up the bag containing the papers. With that she made her way out of the office towards the nearest tube and home.
As it happens, she only just managed to get a seat on the afternoon flight and, as she sat looking through the bundle of work papers, she stopped to contemplate the turn her life had taken over the last few days.
How did she really feel about the possibility of a new job? And how were those feelings determined by what had happened between her and Peter Jarvis? In truth, she did not know. She had not spoken to anyone about the potential work move and had only discussed the Peter thing with Josie, so she was struggling to come to terms with events.
Still, this trip was not too bad and, if all went well, she would get an offer from Mary and then she could seriously consider her options.
With that thought in mind, she retuned her attention to the project for tomorrow's meeting.
CHAPTER 12
Katie walked down the stairs to have breakfast at her hotel in Prague early the next morning feeling refreshed. She had enjoyed a light but good dinner the previous night and had turned in early. After a good read of her latest book (bought hurriedly at the airport before the flight), she turned out the light and fell into a deep and, thankfully, dreamless sleep. She had woken at about 6am and had decided to go down the gym for a quick workout. This, and the aftermath of a good shower, had left her feeling positive and glowing.
She sat down at a spare table and ordered a coffee from a wandering waiter. It was while she was sipping this that her heart sunk down to her toes. Incredibly, amazingly, Peter Jarvis was sitting not thirty feet away from her on the other side of the room. She could not believe what she was seeing and, worse still, his companion was a stunning brunette who was looking like she was hanging on every word that he was saying in that sort of “he's mine now” sort of way.
The emotions that flooded through Katie were almost impossible to explain, let alone overcome. Her first reaction was to run out of the room and disappear to her bedroom, to bury h
er head in the big, fluffy pillows and cry her heart out. Her second reaction was to rush over to him, call him the worst thing she could possibly think of and then pour whatever liquid she could lay her hands on over his head.
Luckily, the third reaction won the day and she sat totally still, slowly chewing on a croissant that had appeared on her table. Whilst she battled with her emotions, she studied the body language between the couple.
The woman was undoubtedly gorgeous and, so Katie thought, in a different league to herself. She had that smouldering eastern European look, with long dark brown hair that fell casually about her shoulders. She wore a fashionable two piece suit and it was obvious her body was toned and hard beneath it. Katie felt like despairing. How could she possibly compete with that?
Her attention turned to Peter and her heart jumped as she studied his face, the same one that had stared so intently at her but days ago as they made love. He was talking earnestly about something and his companion was hanging on every word. Occasionally, her hand would come out and casually touch his, as if to emphasise a point he, or she, was making.
If Katie had ever had doubts about Peter's intentions, or distinct lack of them since their meeting in Cannes, they were now dispelled. It was more than clear that she had become yet another one of Peter Jarvis' long list of conquests and she hated herself and him in equal measures. How could she have fallen for that boyish charm, the same charm that seemed to be now working its magic with the beauty from Prague?
Unsteadily, she rose to her feet and, as if driven by another power, she threaded her way through the tables to where they were sitting. Once there, she raised herself to her full height and said.
“Peter, how lovely to see you. I didn't know you were in Prague”
Peter tuned to her with a look of genuine astonishment.
“Katie, Hi. What are you doing here?”
“I'm filling in for a colleague who's ill.....just a routine progress meeting.”
“With The IT House I suppose?”
“That's right. I'm only here for the day.....and back to London tomorrow.” Katie turned to Peter's companion and smiled expectantly before looking back at Peter.
“Oh sorry, this is Lenka, Lenka Petrova. Lenka, this is Katie who works for my company.”
Lenka looked at Katie and held out her hand.
“Nice to meet you Katie,” she said as Katie grasped her slim fingers in a vice like grip.
“And nice to meet you. It’s good to see that Peter has a Prague girl. You see…..I'm his Cannes girl.”
As soon as the words were out, Katie realised she had made a huge mistake. She bit her tongue and, smiling at Lenka again and nodding curtly at Peter, she turned on her heels and stormed out of the restaurant.
You stupid, immature, pathetic, girl. She said to herself. If you weren't in trouble then, you are now, she thought as she returned to her room to pick up her bag.
She had, in one quick stroke, ended all hope, however distant or impossible, that there was a future between herself and Peter. If he had been harbouring any doubts at all, then that little outburst would have made up his mind. How could she have been so stupid?
The rest of the day was like a blur. She filled in OK for David, but any reasonably observant person would have noticed that her mind was on other things. To make things worse, she received a call from Sue booking in a meeting with her for the day after she got back. This was unlike her.....normally she would have waited and then just called her in on an informal basis. All in all, Katie felt like the world was closing in - and not in a good way.
As she climbed out of the taxi at the hotel that evening, all she wanted to do was to call room service, soak in a bath, eat and then curl up in bed. She made her way wearily through the lobby and was surprised when she heard her name being called.
She spun round and there, sitting nonchalantly at the bar was none other than Mr. Peter Jarvis. He smiled and beckoned her over. She sighed, and seriously considered ignoring him to continue her trek to the lift and the sanctity of her room on the fourth floor.
However, with a shrug of her shoulders, she hoisted her briefcase up onto her shoulder and made her way over to the bar.
“Katie, hi. What a surprise! Join me for a drink, please do.”
“Good evening, Peter.” Katie responded rather lamely but, quite frankly, she was too tired in mind and body to play any games this time.
“Have you had a good day? You look knackered. Here sit down.”
With an imperious wave he caught the attention of the bartender and ordered a large gin and tonic. When it arrived, he handed it over to Katie, who took a large gulp gratefully, feeling the tangy liquid slide down her throat and warm her stomach.
“Well, I've had better days, thank you.....particularly after such a bad start.”
As soon as she said that and despite all her previous feelings and misgivings, Katie realised that it was lovely to see Peter again and the tiredness seemed to slip away. His dazzling smile and piercing eyes (that seemed to only have time for her on this occasion) melted her previous mood and she relaxed for the first time that day.
“Peter….I want to apologise.”
“No need to apologise about anything.....anyway I don't know what you are talking about.”
“Oh please, I behaved like a love struck schoolgirl this morning at breakfast and I have felt really bad about it. Your companion must have been highly amused. I hope I haven't spoilt your chances there.”
Peter looked at her strangely and then laughed.
“Oh my God, you don't think Lenka and I. You don't think…..”
“It really doesn't matter what I think does it? You can do whatever you want…..it’s not a problem.”
“Look Katie, she is a colleague, that's all.”
“It just does not matter.....really.” There was a pause.
“So what are you doing in Prague, Peter,” said Katie, desperate to change the subject.
“I'm developing a new programme with one of our partners. Not the one you saw today.....another one. It’s going OK.”
The couple relaxed into an easy banter and Katie even burst out laughing when Peter talked about an amusing account of a lunch meeting. Katie realised that she had a multitude of questions to ask Peter.....to ask him why he left Cannes so quickly, why he had not called her and what exactly were his feelings towards her. Those were the kind of things she wanted to talk about but she could not bring herself to ask them…..even as the gin went straight to her head.
At that moment, Peter looked behind Katie and smiled. He nodded his head and started to stand. Katie felt a presence slink up beside her and the sultry Lenka sidled up to them.
She leant forward into Katie's body space and embraced Peter warmly, totally ignoring her.
Katie bristled and, at that moment, had never hated anyone so much in all her life.
“Peter, hi. Sorry I'm a bit late.”
“No problem Lenka. I've been chatting to a colleague of mine, Katie. You met her at breakfast this morning.”
At that moment, Lenka turned and acknowledged Katie for the first time.
“Of course. How can I forget? Have you had a good day Katie?” purred the gorgeous Lenka in what seemed to be almost flawless English.
“OK, thanks.....and you?” Katie replied through her clenched teeth.
Lenka gave her a brief, almost pitying smile before turning back to Peter.
“We have to go. Mr. Pulka is waiting at the restaurant.”
“Great. Katie, I have to leave you. Sorry.”
With that, Peter drained his drink and got off his stool. Lenka linked his arm in his and they walked off, with Lenka casting what Katie thought was a victorious smile in her direction.
Katie watched them disappearing with feelings of frustration, anger and loss. She turned back towards her drink and finished it one gulp, before sliding off the stool, gathering her bag and heading off to the lifts.
Once in her room, she thr
ew her stuff on the bed, took off her coat and sank back into the soft bed. She stared at the ceiling with a heavy heart. If anything, she felt even more confused than she did an hour ago. At least then she was merely unhappy.
But she could not help think about their drink together downstairs. Peter had been friendly and attentive and if he had not had a prior meeting, Katie felt sure they would have extended the drinks into dinner and who knows what else? Peter had shown no signs of having “moved on” which had been Katie's biggest fear since their amazing sexual encounter in Cannes. Or was he always like that with his past conquests? Did he have sex and then just expect his partners to be “friends”. Perhaps the kind of girl he had relationships with understood that and accepted it.
The Lethal Encounter Page 12