by Lisa Jackson
Maren was forced to smile at Jan’s graphic image. “Not quite,” she replied, “but I did manage to get him to sign a few of the contracts.”
“The gentle art of persuasion,” Jan surmised.
“I think we’re back in business, at least for the time being,” Maren admitted with obvious relief.
Jan withdrew a cigarette from her purse. “I just hope that one of the contracts belongs to Joey Righteous. That kid’s been driving me crazy…” She inhaled deeply on the cigarette and blew a thin stream of smoke toward the ceiling. Some of the tension left her wan features.
“Unfortunately for Joey, we’re going to have to concentrate on the Mirage videos first,” Maren asserted, regarding her friend with worried eyes. Jan looked as if she hadn’t been able to rest for over a week.
“Joey’s going to be fit to be tied,” Jan predicted.
“Isn’t he always?”
The secretary chuckled and nodded her blond head in agreement. “Yeah, I suppose he is.”
Maren took another sip from her cup and tapped her pencil nervously on the desktop. She was concerned about Jan and hoped the secretary would open up to her. Even though Maren considered Jan a friend, she hated to pry into her personal life. “Has anyone from production managed to make it in today?”
Shaking her head and blowing out a cloud of blue smoke, Jan frowned. “Not yet, but Ted thought he’d be in around eleven. He’s helping edit the final takes of the Mitzi Danner release—”
“Going for Broke?” Maren guessed.
“That’s it.”
“Is there a problem with it?” Maren asked, her dark brows pinching together in worry. The last thing she needed was a problem with Mitzi Danner, whose hot temper was as well-known as her sensual songs. “I thought that tape was supposed to be finished last week.”
“It was.”
“So there was a problem.” Maren experienced a sinking sensation.
“What do you think?”
Smiling at the private joke, Maren looked questioningly at Jan. “Okay, so fill me in—what happened?”
“Don’t panic—it wasn’t anything too serious,” Jan said with an amused laugh. “There were a couple of outdoor shots that came out too dark—probably because the sun had already set by the time Mitzi managed to get herself ready. The final scene of the song was supposed to be backdropped by a setting sun—”
“I remember.”
“Anyway, when Ted realized that the scene was too dark, he convinced Mitzi to reshoot over the weekend.”
“I bet she loved that,” Maren observed sarcastically.
“Well, according to Ted, Mitzi managed to pout throughout the filming.” Jan laughed aloud at the image. “Actually, Ted was pleased. Mitzi’s petulant look was perfect for the take.”
“Thank God for small favors.” Maren leaned her head against the back of the chair and ran her fingers through her hair thoughtfully. “Let’s hope the final takes were okay. I’d hate to be the one to have to call Mitzi and explain that we had to do it all over again.”
“Amen,” Jan agreed, with a frown. “You’ve never been too crazy about her, have you?”
A fleeting image of Mitzi draped over Kyle’s arm near a swimming pool flashed through Maren’s mind. “Are you kidding?” Maren replied lightly. “I’ve got every record she ever released.”
“You’re hedging,” Jan accused.
“And you’re right. I really don’t have any problem with Mitzi. She’s a good client, and she has a tremendous talent for picking the right songs to complement her style.”
“But,” Jan coaxed.
“I could do without the prima donna routine.”
“You and me both.” Jan stubbed out her cigarette and slowly pulled herself out of the chair. The color drained from her face as she straightened.
“Are you all right?” Maren asked with genuine concern. She noticed the expression of pain on Jan’s tired features.
Jan offered her boss a tentative smile, hoping to ease Maren’s mind. “As well as can be expected.”
“I assume that means you’ve seen a doctor.”
Jan’s nervous smile broadened, but there was a catch in her throat when she tried to speak. “I went this morning. It’s official: I’m going to have a baby early in November.”
“Jan! That’s wonderful!” Maren exclaimed, expressing her heartfelt enthusiasm. “Have you told Jacob yet?”
Jan took in a deep breath. “No,” she admitted reluctantly, “but I will, tonight or later in the week. He’s been pretty moody lately, so I think I’d better wait until just the right moment before I spring it on him.”
“You might be surprised by his reaction.”
“I doubt it,” Jan confided, pursing her lips together in order to hold back the tears burning behind her eyes. Visibly straightening her shoulders, she managed to slip her poise back into place by turning the conversation away from Jake and the baby. “So tell me, how did you manage to get Mr. Sterling to sign those contracts?”
“Careful negotiation,” Maren joked, hoping to lighten the somber mood that had settled on Jan’s slim shoulders.
“Negotiation?”
“That’s right. It seems that Sterling Recording Company is very interested in buying out Festival Productions. Kyle wants me to sell my interest to him and continue to run the operation from the recording company. It would be an easy way for Sterling Records to start producing their videos in-house.”
Jan looked as if she’d been struck. “But surely you’re not considering his offer—”
“It might be the answer to our problems,” Maren stated. Why was Jan so distressed? The poor girl actually looked as if she were frightened of something. Maren noticed the trembling of Jan’s lower lip and the widening of her dark eyes.
“But you’ve worked so hard to make it on your own!” Jan protested vehemently. “Are you going to give up all your freedom, your artistic license, all this…” With her arm she made a sweeping gesture to encompass the furnishings of the office.
“I’m considering it,” Maren stated evenly, trying to understand Jan’s uncharacteristic paranoia.
“Why?”
“First of all, I wouldn’t be giving up that much; I’ll have everything I want written into the contract of sale, and secondly, Festival needs a more secure future. How much longer can we survive living from contract to contract?”
“But things have just started to turn around! I know for a fact that J. D. Price will have no one but you handle his videos. Even Joey Righteous thinks you’re divine, and that’s a mighty big compliment from someone who considers himself a deity.”
Maren tried to placate the anxious secretary “Jan, what’s wrong? Nothing is going to change—at least, not significantly. Everyone in production will still work under me. It’s just that Sterling Records will be my employer. We’ll all be a lot more secure, and that includes the record company. Kyle feels that he needs tighter control on the videos.”
Jan’s entire body tensed. “Why?” she whispered, looking as if she expected the roof to collapse.
“Videos are big business. They’ve turned the recording industry slump around. Sterling Records wants to cash in on them now, while they’re hot. No matter what I do, Kyle Sterling is determined to produce the videos in-house. I’m just lucky that he wants to work with me instead of edge me out of the business.”
Jan leaned against the wall, and her brown eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Don’t you think that’s exactly what he’s doing?”
Maren smiled, trying to hide the doubts forming in her own mind. “No, I think he’s sincere.”
“Then why didn’t he sign all the contracts?”
“I didn’t press him, I guess.”
Jan’s expression hardened. “That doesn’t sound like you. What’s happened to you, Maren? You’ve never let a man push you around before.”
“I don’t think I’m being pushed, Jan.” It was Jan’s tone of voice more than her accusation that m
ade Maren uneasy.
“Don’t tell me that you’ve started to fall for the guy…” When Maren didn’t immediately respond, Jan rolled her eyes expressively toward the ceiling. “Don’t do it, Maren. Don’t let that guy get to you. He has a reputation as long as my arm for using women. Don’t you remember what a field day the press had covering his divorce from Sterling Rose? And then, what about all the women and men he stepped on to get where he is today! Even Mitzi Danner didn’t get away from him unscathed.”
“Look, Jan,” Maren interjected, hoping to quell the tide of anger welling within the secretary. “I told you I was considering his proposal to buy out my interest in Festival. Until I see a firm offer in writing, I won’t make up my mind.”
“It sounds as if you already have,” Jan stated weakly.
“For the time being, nothing’s changed,” Maren assured the young woman. “And I just wanted to let you know what was going on. I didn’t mean to upset you. You don’t have to worry about your job.”
“How can you be so sure of that?” Jan charged. “What do you know about Sterling Recording Company and the way it handles its employees. Kyle Sterling has a reputation for being a very shrewd and ruthless businessman. He’ll step on anyone who gets in his way. There’re just no two ways about it, the man’s an A1 bastard!”
Maren stood her ground. Her blue eyes were determined; her soft voice was calm. “I’ve heard about his reputation, Jan. I haven’t gotten where I have by hiding my head in the sand. But I’ve also met the man, and I think he’s going to play fair with me.”
“How do you know that? You’re talking about everyone who’s involved with Festival. All of our futures are at stake!”
“And I won’t let anyone, including Kyle Sterling, pull a fast one on me. If you don’t trust me, certainly you can rely on Elise Conrad, Festival’s attorney. Everything will be reviewed by her office before I make a final decision. Don’t worry,” Maren urged with an indulgent smile. “Everything’s going to work out very well.”
“Since when did you become an optimist? Since meeting Kyle Sterling?” Jan asked, still visibly shaken. “What exactly happened between the two of you?”
“Not much,” Maren evaded. “We met and talked business and got to know a little more about each other.”
“Oh, Maren,” Jan sighed, seeing through Maren’s words. Jan hesitated in the doorway and stared at the floor before raising her dark eyes to meet Maren’s questioning gaze. “What you do with your personal life is none of my business,” she began uneasily, “but I just hope you’re careful. I’d hate to see you become another one of Kyle Sterling’s conquests. From what I understand, he’ll destroy anyone or anything he considers a threat.” The secretary attempted a smile and failed miserably. “Don’t get into anything you might regret later,” she advised.
“Such as enter a relationship with Kyle Sterling?”
“Such as getting involved with the wrong man.” Without another word, Jan left Maren’s office, leaving her employer to wonder if Jan was offering advice from her own experience. But why the absolute hatred of Kyle? From the look on Jan’s face, Maren could tell that Jan’s relationship with Jacob Green hadn’t improved. Perhaps that was the cause of Jan’s distress. If her situation with Green was insecure, the pressure of the pregnancy coupled with a change in job status might account for the young woman’s concern about the sale of Festival. But it didn’t explain Jan’s angry remarks about Kyle.
Maren tried to shake the uncomfortable feeling enveloping her and concentrate on the storyboards for the Mirage videos. The theme tying the separate cuts of the album together was taking shape in her mind, and she worked furiously on her sketches for the rest of the day, pausing only during lunch to discuss her idea with Ted Bensen, who was in charge of the production crew.
It was nearly five when she received the call from Kyle.
“Kyle Sterling’s on line one,” Jan announced with audible reluctance.
“Thanks,” Maren replied before pressing the lighted button on the telephone.
“Maren?” Kyle’s rich voice called to her before she had a chance to answer. The sound of her name reminded her of the night she had lain in his arms. The moon had cast its silvery glow over the sea before resting in Kyle’s gaze. He had lain over her, whispering words of love into her ears. Her heart hammered mercilessly in her rib cage.
“I was beginning to think I wouldn’t hear from you.” Her tone was light and carefree and disguised the misgivings that had plagued her. Jan’s warning echoed in her ears: “He’ll destroy anyone he considers a threat.”
“I’ve been busy,” was the abrupt reply. “But I did manage to call my attorney. He promises that you’ll have an offer for Festival within the week.”
“And I assume that you want an immediate response.”
“As quickly as possible.” There was a moment of hesitation. “You can get hold of me here. I doubt that I’ll be in the office for a couple of weeks.”
“What about the other contracts—there were a few you didn’t bother to sign.”
“You can bring them with you, with the sales agreement.”
“You expect me to bring them to La Jolla?” she asked incredulously.
“If you want them signed. I won’t be back in L.A. for a while.”
“I’ll have to have my attorney look over the sales contract,” Maren stated, slightly unnerved by his totally businesslike tone.
“I realize that. Call me when you’ve made your decision.”
With his final words, he hung up the phone, and Maren was left with the disturbing feeling that Jan’s warnings were about to come true.
CHAPTER SEVEN
ONE WEEK STRETCHED into two and Maren had had barely a moment to herself. The days at the office were a whirlwind of paperwork, meetings and production schedules. Maren drove herself at a furious pace until late each night. Somehow she managed to keep up with the bookkeeping, correspondence and client relationships, along with creating a complete set of storyboards for each of the five cuts on the Mirage album. J. D. Price had tentatively approved her story lines and had only offered a few bits of advice about changing a couple of action sequences. The next man to tackle was Kyle. As far as Maren knew he was still in La Jolla.
The short nights crept by at a snail’s pace. Though Maren felt dead on her feet by the end of each day, she was unable to fall asleep promptly when she finally crawled under the covers and collapsed in a weary heap. Thoughts of Kyle crowded her tired mind, and her body ached for his gentle touch. Memories flooded her senses when she thought of the one night she had spent with him, and she wondered if she would ever feel the warmth and power of his arms around her again. Or had that one solitary night meant nothing to him?
Thursday morning the ringing of the phone jarred her out of her restless sleep. Muttering angrily to herself, she reached for the telephone and knocked the receiver on the floor before summoning enough dexterity to grasp the slippery instrument. “Hello?” she mumbled ungraciously into the phone.
“Maren?” Kyle asked. “I realize that it’s early—”
“I guess.” Maren smiled and yawned. It felt good to wake up to the sound of his voice. “What time is it?” She forced her gaze to focus on the digital display of the clock radio near the phone. “Six o’clock!” She rubbed her hand over her eyes before raking her fingers through the tangled strands of her hair. “No one in his right mind calls at this hour,” she accused with a sigh.
“It was now or never. I doubt that I’ll be near a phone for the rest of the day and I wanted you to know that I’ll be in L.A. late this afternoon.” There was a weighty pause in the conversation. “I was hoping that we could meet to discuss the Mirage videos and my offer on Festival. You have made a decision, I assume.”
“Not until Elise Conrad approves,” Maren hedged.
“Has she seen the offer?” Kyle’s voice had become strained. Maren could hear it in the sharpness of his words.
“I sent it
to her on Monday.”
“Good. Then maybe we can tie all the ends together tomorrow before I have to return to La Jolla.”
“I doubt if it will be that easy,” Maren replied.
“I don’t have much time.”
Maren’s lips pulled into a frown. Why was he pushing so hard? Was he afraid she might back out of the sale? Was it that important to Sterling Records? “This is a big decision for me, you know.”
There was an exasperated sigh on the other end of the connection. “I understand that, Maren, but I’m caught between a rock and a hard spot. The sooner this sale is complete, the better for everyone involved, including you. Right now, I can’t afford not to produce the videos at Sterling Records. If you’re not going to accept my offer, or at the very least negotiate a deal, then I’ll have to hire someone else to establish Sterling videos on the market. As I said before, I don’t have a hell of a lot of time to waste while your attorney nitpicks through each clause of the contract.”
“You don’t like the idea of attorneys being involved in this, do you?” Maren charged.
“I’ve dealt with quite a few in my time—”
“And obviously been burned,” Maren interjected angrily before managing to regain control of her temper. Kyle Sterling was too important a client to infuriate, and regardless of her conflicting emotions toward the man, she had to remain rational and calm. “Look, Kyle,” she said more calmly, “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call Elise this morning and find out what she thinks about the offer.”
“I’d appreciate it, “he responded curtly. “Can you meet me at my office?”
Maren mentally reviewed her schedule. “I think so. What time?”
“How about four?”
“I think that will work out. I want to bring along the storyboards for the Mirage videos: It’s time we put ‘Yesterday’s Heart’ into production.”
“I’ll see you then.” He paused for a moment, as if he might have something more to add. Maren waited while her heart pounded in anticipation. If only he could let her know that what they shared together was more than just a night of passion…. “Goodbye.”