“You must be looking forward to getting back to civilisation?” said Amy. Georgina hesitated.
“Not really,” she admitted. “I’ve learned so much on this trip. It’s been a real eye opener. I don’t want it to end.”
“That it has,” Amy agreed. “And I suppose you’ve become quite attached to your subject too, since you’ve been spending so much time together. London is a long way away.” She smiled knowingly at Georgina who flushed.
“It’s not what you think,” Georgina stressed.
Amy laughed. “How is your article coming on anyway?” she enquired.
“Oh, it’s coming,” answered Georgina. “Since I’ve been accompanying Taj on his photographic expeditions, there seems to be so much to write about.”
“He’s an interesting man,” added Claude in his French lilt. “And a talented photographer. He took some incredible photographs of the amphipods for us. I’m very impressed with his work.”
“Yes, he’s very talented,” Amy agreed, her eyes meeting Georgina’s behind Claude’s back. Georgina had to stifle a grin.
They chatted for a while longer, and promised to exchange contact details at the farewell dinner that night – their last night on board the Explorer.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Georgina finally finished her article on Taj, and went to the communications room to email it to Eric, her editor in London. She knew it was good, but would Eric pick-up her intimate tone and realise she’d fallen for her subject? It was true. She’d realised it during the conclusion, when she’d been summing up the passion and excitement that was Taj Andrews. He was unlike anyone she’d ever met. His love of life was contagious, and she feared she would miss him terribly once this trip ended. En route she bumped into an overexcited Max, who wanted to have a ‘quiet word’. She didn’t think Max was capable of having a quiet anything, but promised to meet him in his cabin, after she’d emailed her article, where he and Darryl had set up their editing equipment.
She opened Max’s door to see an array of computer screens standing side by side on a long makeshift desk. The middle one had footage of icebergs floating across it, while the other two had a multitude of jagged lines resembling a heart monitor at a hospital and various onscreen controls. All the electronics kept the room at a comfortable, warm temperature.
“Wow, I had no idea you had all this in here,” she said in surprise.
“You should see what my den at home looks like,” complained Max.
“I can imagine! What are these screens for?” asked Georgina with interest.
“This is the digital audio workstation, or as we call it, the editing suite,” he explained. “The middle screen is for video and the other two are for sound mixing. This one,” he pointed at the first screen,” allows us to add back-ground sound and effects, as well as music, while this one,” he nodded at the third screen, “is where we control voice and direct sound.”
The picture on the centre screen changed. “Oh my goodness, is that me?”
“It sure is, honey,” said Max. He nodded at the vacant seat, “Pull up a chair, we need to have a chat.”
Georgina sat as she was told. “What do you want to talk about?” she asked.
Max leant over her and pressed a couple of buttons on the keyboard.
“First, I want you to see something.”
The centre screen shot to life. Suddenly the camera was zooming in on her face and she was speaking. She watched with fascination as the edited version of her little ‘test run’ played out. When it finished she turned to Max expectantly. “What did you think? Was I okay?”
Max grinned. “You were better than okay, darlin’, you were terrific! You ad-libbed like a pro. I sent this back to my partner at the network and he could not believe you weren’t reading from a word prompt. There wasn’t a single mistake, no repeated words, no hesitation. You used beautifully emotive language and the camera loved you. It was a seamless audition.”
“Audition?” repeated Georgina confused. “Who said anything about an audition.”
“Try out, audition – same thing.” He shrugged.
“You said you needed some test footage to take back to Los Angeles. This was about the location, not me.”
“Honey, everything is an audition, and you just sold yourself perfectly. Now all I have to do is convince you to come work for me.”
Georgina was blown away. She stared at Max in astonishment.
“You mean stay in America? Not go back to London?” At his nod she started to shake her head, “But that’s impossible. I have a job to get back to, and I’m getting promoted! I can’t stay.”
Max just watched her, saying nothing.
“I wouldn’t be allowed to anyway, I don’t have a working visa,” she informed him defiantly.
Max grinned, “That’s not an issue, the network would provide you with a green card.”
She narrowed her eyes, “I have nowhere to stay. I don’t know Los Angeles at all.”
“You don’t need to worry about that either. I will personally help you find a place. I hear Santa Monica is very nice.” he winked at her. For heaven’s sake, did everyone think her and Taj were having an affair?
“I wouldn’t know,” she muttered.
“Any other excuses?” asked Max, his eyes twinkling.
Georgina paused, “I’m thinking.”
Max laughed.
“We wouldn’t expect you to start immediately. You’ll want to settle in first, and find your feet. So I suggest we pay you in advance. That way you won’t have to worry about money,” he offered.
“That’s very sweet,” said Georgina, “but I don’t know Max, it’s a huge decision. I just don’t think it’s going to be feasible.”
Max wasn’t taking no for an answer. “You’ll obviously need some time to think it over,” he carried on as if he hadn’t heard her.
“We’ll talk again tomorrow. Once you give it some thought you’ll realise it’s in your best interests. Our company makes some of the most exciting documentaries in the world - and you could be part of it!”
She smiled at his enthusiasm.
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” she promised, “but I’m not committing to anything.”
He clapped his hands ecstatically. “That’s all I ask.”
Georgina stood up but Max beat her to it, and rushed to open the door for her.
As she walked out he thrust a bunch of papers in her hand. “Oh, I almost forgot. I printed this out for you to read. It’s a list of the upcoming documentaries we have planned for the year ahead. It might help to wet your appetite.” Georgina hesitated, and then took them.
“Almost forgot?” she enquired innocently. Max gave her a wide Texan grin. “That’s confidential, young lady, so don’t go showing it around to anyone.”
“I promise,” she agreed, giving him a wave and disappearing down the passage.
“See ya later,” he called after her feeling mighty pleased with himself.
Georgina saw Taj briefly at dinner that night looking uncharacteristically tired with dark shadows under his eyes and sporting more stubble than normal.
“Rough night?” she enquired politely as she passed him on her way to join Amy and Claude who were discussing the effect of mineral rich lava on marine life with Lance.
Because it had been a ‘rest day’ and the last night on board, most of the passengers had started drinking earlier than usual and dinner was particularly rowdy. Georgina tried to concentrate on what an over enthusiastic Lance was saying, but her gaze kept drifting across to Taj, who was deep in conversation with Don. Even looking like he hadn’t slept a wink he was still heartbreakingly handsome. His thick golden curls were as tussled as always, with streaks of blond from many hours spent working outside. His long lashes curled back onto his eyelids and touched his cheeks when he blinked. He wore jeans, with a trendy mustard-coloured sweatshirt and hood. She thought wryly that for all his fashion-bashing he certainly knew how to dress. He had
that super cool pro-sportsman thing down to a tee!
She was tormented that after getting on so well the last few days their relationship had disintegrated completely. He didn’t even know she’d called of her engagement. She wondered idly if it would make a difference.
He’d said he wasn’t willing to be second best, the fall back guy. How wrong he’d been. She broke off her engagement to Charles because she realised it was her who was settling for second best. Taj was first prize and he didn’t even know it. Even if she never saw Taj after this ship docked tomorrow, he would always be the one who had shown her what love could be like. Easy and fun, caring and tender, with flashes of passion so bright it was temporary blinding. With him she felt like a mermaid who’d been underwater all her life and had now broken the surface.
“George, what do you think?” asked Lance, coming to the end of a lengthy diatribe and disturbing her daydream.
“Huh?” she muttered distractedly, because Taj had chosen that moment to turn and glance in her direction. She fingered her wine glass nervously, not wanting to look at him for fear he’d see straight through her pathetic attempt to appear cool and composed.
“Sorry, what did you say?” she turned to Lance.
He had his mouth full and couldn’t reply, so she went back to gazing at Taj. Oh how she longed to melt into those arms again, and this time be kissed on and on... She sighed, and dragged herself back to reality. Enough, she really must get a grip.
“I think I’m going to bed,” she announced suddenly, feeling incredibly weary. She had yet to read Max’s notes which she suspected would indeed wet her appetite and fill her with indecision. Like she needed to make any more life changing choices this week. Lance looked bitterly disappointed as she said goodnight and weaved her way through the tables towards the door.
“Not staying for a farewell drink?” a familiar voice said behind her. She froze.
“I suppose I could” she whispered, staring at his boots.
“Look at me, George,” demanded Taj. She raised her eyes, afraid of betraying her feelings.
He took her left hand and held it up to the light.
“I see you’ve made a decision,” he murmured, turning it over and kissing the inside of her wrist. “How is Charles taking it?”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” she replied trying to still her wildly accelerating heart.
“And how are you?” he asked more seriously.
“I’m not sure,” she said honestly. Mistaking her uncertainty for despair, he said, “It’ll get easier with time, you made the right decision.”
“Oh I’m not upset about Charles,” she said quickly.
At his look of surprise, she smiled. “No, I’m really not. I thought I would be but actually I’m fine.” She was rambling, so she bit her tongue.
Taj didn’t seem to know what to say. She’d obviously caught him off guard. “Look, I wanted to apologise for what I said last night,” she began. “You were right about me having to make a decision.”
“You have nothing to apologise for,” replied Taj firmly. “I was a bastard. You came to me because you trusted me with your feelings and I blew you out of the water.”
She sighed with relief. “I thought we’d have to say goodbye on a bad note and I didn’t want it to end like that.”
“Me neither.” Suddenly he held up a hand. “Wait here, I’ll be right back,” and he left her standing there while he darted back into the bar. Not even a minute later he was back, a bottle of Chardonnay in one hand, two glasses in the other. “I thought we could celebrate our newfound truce.”
She said happily. “What a lovely idea. Your place or mine?”
“Yours,” he said immediately. “I can’t vouch for the state of mine. As you so delicately put it, I had a rough night last night.”
“Mm… sorry about that,” she mumbled. “If it’s any consolation, I didn’t sleep too well either.”
“Really? That does make me feel a bit better,” he teased.
They reached Georgina’s cabin and Taj was amused to find it wasn’t much tidier than his. There were clothes thrown over the chair, books on the floor next to her open suitcase and piles of paper and magazines scattered all over the desk.
“Excuse the mess,” apologised Georgina, hurriedly sweeping everything on the desk to one side so he could put down the glasses.
“You thinking of taking a trip?” asked Taj, pulling a corkscrew out of his pocket.
The print out on top of the pile read, ‘Treasures of the Greek Isles’.
“Not really,” she laughed, “Max Copeland is trying to tempt me into going to work for him.”
Taj frowned, “By taking you to Greece?”
He was relieved when she burst out laughing. “No silly, that’s the itinerary for the upcoming documentaries I’d be working on.”
Out popped the cork! Taj filled the two glasses and glanced at the list in more detail. Mozambique. Zanzibar. Australia.
“There are some great destinations here,” he commented. “Are you seriously considering this?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t read that yet, but Max seems to think I’d be good at it.”
“Max knows his stuff. I saw your audition, it was great. You definitely have what it takes.”
“It wasn’t an audition,” she emphasised. “It was supposed to be a sample, oh never mind.”
Taj chuckled. “So Max is luring you into his network, the sly bastard.”
“Is he legit?” asked Georgina hesitantly.
Taj nodded. “Oh yeah, Pacific North Productions are rated as one of the best documentary makers in the States, if not the world. You can’t lose with them.”
It suddenly hit home that George could move to California. That opened up a whole new world of opportunities. He watched as she studied the document, her eyes following the lines down the page, her teeth chewing gently on her lower lip in concentration. She was amazingly sensual. He had to fight the sudden urge to kiss those lush lips, so he took a sip of wine instead.
“Here you are.” He handed her the wine glass and raised his own, “I was going to drink to us, but I think perhaps we should drink to your new venture?”
She gasped, “Oh, but I haven’t agreed to it yet. I still need time to think it over.”
“What’s to think about?” asked Taj. “You get to travel, see the world, live your own life instead of interviewing others about theirs.”
He couldn’t know that Georgina had had that same thought herself. “It’s all true, but don’t forget I actually enjoy my job in London, and I’m due a promotion when I get back. All my years of hard work are finally paying off. It’s not something I can just throw out the window.”
“No one is saying you can’t still write. I’m sure there are loads of magazines in the States that would pay for your work.”
She sighed, “I don’t know. What if it doesn’t work out. One ‘audition’ isn’t enough to base a life change on. What if I take the job and I suck?”
He moved closer to her and said softly, “Now that sounds like something the old Georgina would say.”
He saw her freeze while his words registered.
It was a gamble, but he knew she was proud of her newfound independence and wouldn’t like him insinuating she was retreating back to her old self. He admitted that it wasn’t only her best interests he had at heart here. Although he was convinced working for Max was the best choice for her, he also had his own selfish reasons for wanting her to take the job. He’d thought a lot about Georgina during the course of the day. After their little showdown last night he realised that they had developed an easy friendship over the last few days, one that was important to him. He felt closer to George than he did to any of his other girlfriends, and he wasn’t even dating her.
He wondered how he’d allowed her to get so close. Perhaps because she’d been such a far cry from the kind of woman he found attractive, that he hadn’t thought to put up his usual defences. Her p
rissy attitude and blatant dislike of the natural environment had immediately got his back up. It had been clear she was totally out of her element. But then as he’d got to know her, thanks to Don’s clever little plan designed to throw them together, he’d seen her bravely tackle all the obstacles he’d put in her way and some that he hadn’t, like that ice sheet episode. Her tenacity was admirable, and her vulnerability more appealing that he liked to admit. For someone he’d intended to loath, she had more than won his respect and admiration.
“That’s not fair,” she admonished, gazing boldly up at him. “I haven’t changed, I’ve just realised what’s important in my life.” After a moment she added, “And what’s not. I’ve never been the kind of person to rush headlong into things without thinking them through first.”
“I hear you,” said Taj, “but I do think you’d be making the wrong decision if you threw an opportunity like this away. They don’t come round every day.”
She gave him a look that said, ‘do I look stupid?’
“I know that, which is why it needs careful consideration. I haven’t ruled it out yet.”
“Oh good,” said Taj, perching casually on the edge of the desk, “because it would be kind of fun to have you around.”
He didn’t miss her look of surprise.
“Really? Would you come and visit me?” she asked coquettishly.
“Sure, when I’m in town.”
She grinned, “You mean when I’m in town. If I took this job I’d be travelling nearly as much as you, if not more.”
That jolted him. He hadn’t considered that she might never be around. Of course, she’d be off to Greece, and then to Mozambique and God knows where else. He almost laughed at the irony of it. He’d be lucky if they saw each other at all.
“We’d have to meet for coffee in airport lounges as we passed by,” he said, and then immediately felt miserable. That was such a depressing thought.
Antarctic Affair Page 12