Mr Loverman

by Mary Lyons

  ‘I only wish that I had,’ Laura admitted gloomily. ‘But...but can’t you see that it’s all so unfair? Why should I have to be the sacrificial lamb? Why should I be the one to lose my job—while he gets off, scot-free? Everyone knows that it takes two to tango, for heaven’s sake!’

  Amy shrugged. ‘Well, you could hardly expect him to leave his own firm.’

  ‘There was no need for anyone to leave!’ her younger sister retorted grimly. ‘In fact, if Jack wasn’t so totally paranoiac about anyone mixing business with pleasure, there wouldn’t be a problem. As far as I can see, he was only intent on preserving his own, rotten reputation. Is it any wonder that I went completely bananas?’

  ‘It certainly sounds as if you burned your boats in fine style,’ Amy agreed wryly. ‘After all, I don’t imagine that any guy is going to be exactly thrilled to be called “a slimy ratbag”. And certainly not in front of everyone in the office!’

  ‘OK, OK... there’s no need to rub it in,’ Laura groaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment, desperately wishing that she could go to sleep and wake up to find that it had all been a hideous nightmare.

  After storming out of the agency this morning, she’d walked through the streets of London in a daze, not realising where she was going or what she was doing, until she’d found herself wandering down Piccadilly towards Green Park. Sinking down onto a wooden bench and closing her eyes as she’d raised her face towards the clear blue sky, Laura had still felt as if she was in the midst of a bad dream.

  It had only been as her tired mind and body had begun to relax beneath the warmth of the midday sun that she’d forced herself to accept the grim truth: not only had her successful career been suddenly reduced to a pile of rubble—but her name was now mud with the man she’d loved so hopelessly, for so long.

  In fact, that was an understatement of the situation, she now told herself gloomily, staring blindly down at the stainless-steel worktop in the large kitchen from where her sister ran a successful catering company. Jack Wilder might well be as attractive as all-get-out, but he was also a hard, tough and ruthless individual, who was almost certainly going to prove to be a very bad enemy.

  Not that she’d had any idea of the powerful force and aggression lying beneath his charming, handsome exterior when she’d first joined his agency over three years ago. Completely over the moon at having gained a coveted post at Wilder, Hunt and Martin—commonly known as WHAM and one of the most successful theatrical agencies in London—Laura had beamed happily at the man sitting behind his desk in the large office overlooking Shaftesbury Avenue.

  ‘There is just one more point I’d like to make, Miss Parker,’ he’d said as she’d risen to go and meet her new colleagues. ‘I do not, under any circumstances, allow anyone working here to mix business with pleasure. That applies first and foremost to our clients, of course—but also, if you will forgive the immodesty, to myself. Quite frankly,’ he’d added, his lips tightening momentarily in irritation and annoyance, ‘I’m sick and tired of having to get rid of foolish, silly girls who—God knows why—manage to persuade themselves that they’ve fallen in love with me. Do I make myself clear?’

  ‘As a bell!’ she’d laughed, before holding up her left hand to display a small diamond ring on her third finger. ‘I’m engaged to be married. So, if you will also forgive the immodesty, Mr Wilder, I think you’ll find you’re quite safe with me!’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it...er...Laura,’ he’d grinned, then had told her to call him by his Christian name before asking his personal assistant, Susie Carter, to show her to her new office.

  ‘He wasn’t joking,’ Susie had warned her a few days later as they’d grabbed a quick lunch in a nearby wine bar. ‘Jack Wilder may have quite a reputation in the business—I don’t imagine that he’s known as Mr Loverman for nothing!—but, as far as the agency is concerned, he doesn’t stand any nonsense. And I can’t say that I blame him,’ she’d added with a shrug. ‘It must be a real drag having someone spending all their time in a daydream—or, like your predecessor, flooding the office with tears every time she reads press cuttings about Jack and his glamorous girlfriends.’

  ‘Well, I can see he’s a very handsome and charming man, but I’m simply not interested,’ Laura had told her with a bright, confident smile. Having fallen in love with an engineering student, Bryan Turner, during her last year at university, she’d known that she was completely immune to her new employer—however attractive he might be.

  Unfortunately, Bryan had proved to be far less sure of his feelings. After joining a large firm of civil engineers, he’d been sent abroad a year later to deal with the construction of a large hotel in the centre of Bangkok. There, he’d quickly succumbed to the pleasures and distractions of an Oriental way of life—only bothering to inform his fiancée that he had met and married a beautiful Thai girl some months after the ceremony had taken place.

  Quite convinced that her heart was irretrievably broken, Laura had buried herself in work, grimly concentrating on her career. Looking after and caring for her clients had helped to assuage some of her deep unhappiness—until, some six months later, she’d been both amazed and somewhat ashamed to discover that her heart hadn’t been broken after all.

  As a result of her having become totally absorbed and single-minded about her job, Laura’s hard work and increasing success had not gone unnoticed. Rapidly promoted by Jack to a position of responsibility within the firm, she’d found herself increasingly in close contact with her employer. And, although for a long time she’d struggled against acknowledging the fact, Laura had gradually realised that she was in serious trouble.

  Almost without realising it, she’d fallen deeply in love with Jack Wilder—a dangerously contagious disease, which also seemed to have infected half the women of his acquaintance. However, since she’d known that the likelihood of Jack returning her love was less than zero, she’d been determined not to succumb to what could only be a hopeless and disastrous state of affairs.

  Ever since both her parents had died, when she was only sixteen, Laura had become used to talking over problems with her older sister. However, confiding the truth about her feelings for Jack had merely resulted in Amy’s practical, level-headed advice that she should leave the firm as soon as possible and get a job in another agency. ‘After all, love, what’s the point in giving yourself a whole load of grief?’ she’d said.

  Unfortunately, and despite knowing that her sister was right, Laura hadn’t been able to bring herself to follow such a sensible course of action. However, over the past two years she’d always taken the greatest care to conceal the true depth of her feelings, both from her friends and workmates as well as her employer.

  It hadn’t been an ideal situation, of course, but she was certain that she’d managed to convince everyone that she had no romantic interest in her boss. And there’d certainly been no problem when she’d accompanied Jack to other film locations, in such diverse places as Arizona, Spain and the Ukraine. So why had everything suddenly gone completely haywire in Tahiti...?

  ‘In fact, once he’s calmed down, I’m sure that Jack will see that he’s treated you very badly.’

  ‘Hmm...?’ She raised her head, looking blankly at Amy for a moment. ‘I’m sorry...I was miles away,’ she confessed with a heavy sigh.

  ‘I was just saying that it’s not the end of the world. Of course, you shouldn’t have lost your temper, but sooner or later Jack is bound to realise that he is mostly to blame for what happened today.’

  ‘Fat chance!’ Laura gave a derisory snort of grim laughter. ‘Even if he does eventually forgive me—and I’m quite certain that he never will—I still don’t have a job. And not much prospect of getting another one, either,’ she added glumly. ‘If only I hadn’t bought that smart, glamorous apartment in Soho! Even if Jack does give me a generous pay-off, without regular employment I’ll never be able to keep up the mortgage payments. Maybe...’ she looked hopefully around the large, superbly
equipped kitchen ‘...I could come and work for you...?’

  ‘No way!’ Amy laughed and shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, love. You know I’ll do anything I can to help, but you’ve never been interested in cooking, and it’s a bit too late to start now. Besides, there’s a world of difference between messing around in your own kitchen and catering full-time for businessmen’s lunches in the City.’

  ‘Yes, I know. But...’

  ‘The idea is a complete non-starter,’ her sister said firmly. ‘I can handle the amount of work I’ve got at the moment, mainly because it fits in so well with the children’s school timetable. But, if I took you on, I’d also have to expand the business in order to pay you a living wage. Which in turn would mean spending less time with the boys. And, quite apart from my own feelings, I also know that Tom wouldn’t be at all happy about the situation.’

  ‘You’re quite right,’ Laura agreed quickly, ashamed of having been so selfish and only concerned with her own problems. Amy’s husband, Tom, was a very kind and easygoing, if somewhat absent-minded history professor at London University. But even he could be expected to cut up rough if his small sons began to see less of their mother.

  ‘However, I can probably help out with your mortgage—for a few months, anyway.’

  ‘Don’t be silly!’ Laura protested. ‘I wouldn’t dream of letting you do anything of the kind. I was just worried about what was going to happen in the future, that’s all.’

  ‘Well, I think you ought to keep on working in your own profession. You’ve been really happy and successful at looking after your clients. So why turn your back on the theatrical world just because you’ve had a row with Jack Wilder?’

  ‘Because I’m quite certain that he’ll do his best to see I’m blacklisted,’ Laura told her grimly. ‘I know Jack—he never forgives or forgets an injury. Just look at what happened to Donald Hunt,’ she added as she slipped off the stool and made her way to the door.

  ‘Donald Hunt?’

  Laura shrugged. ‘It’s ancient history now, of course, but he was one of Jack’s original partners in the agency—together with their accountant, David Martin, who died in a car crash some years ago. Nobody knows exactly what went wrong between Donald Hunt and Jack. However, it’s rumoured that there was an almighty bust-up because Donald had a torrid affair with Melissa Grant, who was Jack’s wife at the time.’

  ‘I never knew that Jack had been married to Melissa Grant!’ Amy exclaimed in amazement. ‘She’s a wonderful actress, of course—and stunningly beautiful. Isn’t she starring in that award-winning play at the National Theatre? We’ve been trying to get hold of some tickets, but it’s completely sold out for the next three months.’

  ‘Yes, well...dear Melissa—who may be beautiful, but is said to be a first-class bitch, and has just left her fifth husband—was apparently married to Jack for only a very short time before becoming fatally involved with Donald. The story is that Jack not only divorced his wife and dissolved the partnership but also made certain that no other agency would give Donald Hunt a job.’

  ‘Are you sure about this?’

  Laura shrugged. ‘Well, I must admit that I don’t know the full facts. But it seems that fairly soon after Donald and Jack split up Donald inherited a fortune from his father—who’d apparently been a big cheese in the building-construction business. However, the real moral of this story is: if he hadn’t had a family business to fall back on, Donald would have been left high and dry—totally up the creek without a paddle. So I don’t think my future is looking too bright and hopeful—do you?’

  ‘Oh, come on! I simply can’t believe that Jack would be that vindictive,’ her sister protested. ‘There’s a world of difference between pinching another man’s wife and two people having a row in the office.’

  Laura brushed a weary hand through her hair. ‘I hope you’re right. But the theatrical world is a very small one and absolutely riddled with gossip. In fact, while it’s only a few hours since I was sacked, I’m pretty sure that by now the quarrel between Jack and myself will be common knowledge. So I reckon my chances of being able to join another agency are just about zilch!’

  ‘I think you’re being far too pessimistic. What you need is a good night’s sleep,’ Amy told her firmly. ‘You’ll be feeling much more positive in the morning. In fact, I’m quite certain your fears are groundless, and that it won’t be long before you’re inundated with offers of work.’

  I hope to goodness that Amy is right, Laura thought glumly, waves of tiredness and resentment sweeping over her weary body as she slowly made her way back to her own apartment. Unfortunately, after having been so callously dumped by that louse Jack Wilder it now seemed all too likely that he would turn nasty.

  If so, she wouldn’t just have lost both the man she loved and a job she’d really enjoyed—it was beginning to look as if she might lose the roof over her head as well.

  CHAPTER TWO

  WITH a sigh of relief, Laura plunged the mop back into its bucket of soapy water. Leaning against the open doorway of the kitchen, she gazed with considerable pride and satisfaction at the bright, shiny worktops and gleaming ceramic-tiled floor.

  She had spent all day spring-cleaning her apartment from top to bottom, and it had been a shock to discover how much she’d seriously underestimated the exhausting, sheer hard work of those women who stayed at home, looking after their homes and families.

  ‘They definitely deserve a gold medal for valour!’ she muttered, wearily brushing the damp locks of hair from her brow as she turned to wander slowly through the large, airy and now sparkling clean rooms.

  She’d always longed to live in a warehouse apartment, and had jumped at the chance of buying a new loft conversion in the centre of Soho. It had been really more than she could afford, of course, but, after spending a day frantically wheeling and dealing on behalf of her various clients, the high ceilings and enormous amount of space had always proved to be an oasis of peace and quiet.

  But not for much longer. It was now over three weeks since she’d been so summarily dismissed from the agency by Jack Wilder. And, despite trying hard to obtain another position, she didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. So it looked as though it wouldn’t be long before she’d have to face the harsh facts of life and sell her apartment.

  Although she suspected that Jack was to blame for this disastrous state of affairs, Laura knew that she didn’t have any real proof that he was behind her failure to get a job. Unfortunately, without some solid evidence that he was using his influence in the theatrical world and deliberately blocking her appointment to any of the firms she contacted, there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. And yet...well, it definitely seemed highly suspicious that not one of the agencies she’d approached had been able to offer her a job.

  Despite being initially shattered by Jack’s shockingly cruel, heartless decision, she now burned with an ever increasing anger and deep resentment at the way she’d been treated. The ratfink had made absolutely no attempt to contact her, either by phone or in person. So it was obvious that he didn’t give a damn about the fact that he’d completely ruined her life. I’ll have his guts for garters! Laura promised herself grimly, amazed that she could have imagined herself in love with such an unbelievably awful man.

  In fact, the only faint light amidst the doom and gloom had been the long, warm and sympathetic phone call from Susie Carter, some days ago. Formerly Jack Wilder’s secretary and PA, Susie had left the agency to marry a wealthy man soon after Laura’s arrival. Sadly, it appeared that her marriage had not been a success.

  ‘We couldn’t seem to agree on anything—not even having children, which I wanted and he didn’t,’ Susie had told her with a heavy sigh. ‘So, when I discovered that he’d not only been unfaithful for most of our short married life, but was also having an affair with a young girl in his office, I decided that I’d had enough.

  ‘Unfortunately, Laura,’ she’d added with an unhappy sigh, ‘I have to say that
being a merry divorcee isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’m not only lonely, but also bored stiff and longing to get back to the theatrical world. So when someone told me you’d left Jack’s firm I...well, I was hoping that you meant to start up on your own, and might need a personal assistant.’

  ‘Believe me, if I had some money saved up and could afford to have my own business, I’d take you on like a shot,’ Laura had assured her wistfully, before explaining that she was now completely broke and needed to get a job as soon as possible.

  Luckily, it seemed that Susie had only heard vague rumours of the violent argument between her and Jack—and had no knowledge of the real reason behind their row and Laura’s dismissal from the firm. ‘I know my old boss can be a very difficult man to work for. However, I’m sure it won’t be long before you find another position that’s every bit as good as the last one,’ the other girl had said encouragingly, before promising to let Laura know if she heard of any vacancies.

  It had been kind of Susie to call, and she was also grateful for the messages she’d received from many of her old clients, expressing their overwhelming dismay and sorrow that she was no longer able to look after their careers. While actors were known to be notoriously fickle—rapidly changing their agents whenever they felt they could do better with another firm—she’d been touched and heartened by the level of support which she’d received over the past few weeks. Not to mention that quite extraordinary phone call yesterday—from Donald Hunt, of all people!

  Never having met the man who’d once been a business partner of Jack Wilder, Laura had been certain that it must be a hoax—possibly from one of her friends in the acting profession. And, even after he had eventually managed to convince her that it really was Donald Hunt on the phone, it had taken her some considerable time to fully understand what he was saying.