Double-Cross My Heart

by Rose, Carol

  “He’ll come along,” Sol predicted.

  “About Michele’s handing over the reins at the company,” Eden said, choosing her words carefully, “with her not attending to the decisions that have to be made, might the company not be in a lot of trouble in a year?”

  “I suppose that could be the case.” Sol’s gaze was sharp. “Give me your honest opinion of Wendi Williams.”

  Eden took another bite of her hash brown potatoes, chewing calmly despite the tension humming under her skin. Sol might be gentle to puppies and small children, but she wasn’t stupid enough to dismiss his tremendous business skills. He’d spent years honing his ability to troll the murky depths of the business world. A question like the one he’d just tossed at her shouldn’t be taken at face-value.

  He’d love nothing more than for her to pour out the problems troubling her girlish-heart.

  She wasn’t such a fool.

  Deliberately, Eden swallowed and said, “Wendi’s bright and articulate and persuasive.”

  “Interesting list of qualities,” he returned smoothly. “I notice you don’t say she’s honest and hard-working.”

  Eden allowed a small smile to ease onto her lips. “No.”

  Sol nodded again. “I thought as much.”

  He ate in silence for several moments before saying, “So, what was your opinion of the pink lipstick you wore at the AIDS Gala last month? Will it make the cut?”

  “With a few minor color adjustments,” she responded, very conscious of him changing the subject. Sol was a sharp old bastard who didn’t give a crap about lipstick, she knew, but she followed his lead and the conversation headed in less weighty directions.

  Everything in business was a matter of nuance. By coming to

  breakfast with Sol and allowing him to think he was guiding her into talking about tricky subjects she’d started the first phase of her campaign. Nothing else needed to be said right now. In fact, nothing should be done. Sol wasn’t the kind of man who responded well to pushing and shoving.

  He knew the game better than she did. Now she just needed to get started on phase two—locking in the other board members with her agenda while trailing Dave Sanders in front of Alex like a red herring.

  ***

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Sanders,” Alex said, aware of a surge of satisfaction as he shook hands with one of the biggest Michele Cosmetics stockholders. As a sitting board member at Michele, Dave Sanders was a tremendous contact.

  Sanders’ smile widened as he entered the hotel suite, “I’m glad to finally meet the dangerous Alex Holt. I’ve heard a lot about you. And I owed Eden a favor.”

  The uninitiated might have expected to see some sense of unease on Sanders’ face at this furtive meeting, but Alex recognized a man comfortable with the flexible ethics sometimes required in the business world.

  Alex slanted a glance at Eden. In setting up this meeting, she both confirmed his belief that they were indeed on the same page and demonstrated her power in the company. With Dave Sanders in his corner, Alex would have control of Michele Cosmetics a good six months earlier than first projected.

  Gesturing toward a cozy seating arrangement, Alex suggested, “Won’t you both make yourselves comfortable? I don’t know how dangerous I am, but I’ll admit to being glad you’ve heard of me. It makes things simpler.”

  Alex glanced over at Eden where she sat on a plush loveseat. He wasn’t really surprised to see her looking faintly tense. She probably still struggled with a sense of loyalty to Michele and the company. After all, she’d spent years furthering the company’s interests.

  She was a woman who preferred honesty. He respected that.

  Smiling at her, he jumped right into his sales pitch. Men like Dave Sanders played the big league. They demanded their time to be respected and their egos stroked. Alex had never developed a fondness for flattery himself, but he’d learned to use it when necessary.

  “I appreciate your making time to chat with me today. I know you’re a very busy man,” he said. Seating himself across from Sanders, he picked up the prospectus Bryan had developed on the company. “I understand Ms. Merritt has explained that I’ve developed an interest in Michele Cosmetics.”

  Dave Sanders glanced at Eden, his smile warming and an almost teasing light glimmering in his eyes. “Ms. Merritt did tell me something like that.”

  Handing the prospectus to Sanders, Alex was suddenly aware of an under-current in the room.

  “I gave you a brief outline of the situation.” From her corner of the loveseat, Eden sent an almost quelling look at their board member. Alex was struck by the annoyed flavor to her expression. A socially-assured woman, she didn’t normally give much away. But there was something…personal to the slight irritated frown between her eyes? He knew Eden didn’t suffer fools gladly, but in this situation her faint tinge of exasperation seemed odd.

  Already launched into his opening line, Alex began outlining his assessment of Michele Cosmetics’ current financial picture. He didn’t have the time to wonder about that exchanged glance.

  “…I’m sure you’re aware of the company falling short of expected earnings,” he said smoothly. “Revenue has been declining steadily for several quarters, despite your introduction of one or two products that should have had a greater impact on the bottom line.”

  “Of course,” Dave replied, hitching his tailored trouser leg as he crossed an ankle over his knee. He smiled at Eden before saying, “But this is no secret, Mr. Holt. Michele Cosmetics corporate reports are very familiar to me.”

  Ignoring the byplay, Alex repressed his annoyance and refocused on the matter at hand. “As I’m sure Ms. Merritt has told you, I’m looking at the company from a very different angle. I view the components of any business first.”

  Dave grinned. “Eden didn’t need to tell me how you’re viewing the company, Holt. The fact that you’re interested at all means you’re planning on taking the business apart so you can sell the more profitable parts and junk the rest as a tax write-off. Your style of business is well-known. You’re acknowledged to be very good at what you do.”

  “Thank you for the compliment,” he said easily, not warming to Sanders. He had no problem with the business image the man described, but Dave Sanders lacked integrity on any level and it galled Alex to watch the obviously admiring glances the guy kept sending Eden. Sanders had a reputation himself, but it had more to do with his personal affairs rather than his business acumen.

  “With the state this company is in,” Alex said, calmly directing the conversation, “you’ll soon have others taking an interest.”

  Dave Sanders’ smile widened even further. “If that’s true, we’ll have lots of people we could choose to hand Michele Cosmetics’ assets. Why should I be interested in you?”

  “Because your Michele shares are slowly sinking in value,” Alex pointed out. “If you vote with me, I can assure you of a profit you’re not likely to find elsewhere.”

  The other man’s smile didn’t diminish, but his gaze turned calculating and he said softly, “I’m not going to jail for insider trading.”

  Alex shrugged. “At this point, you and I are talking about two different options. Either a simple stock purchase or an agreement on the best direction to take the company. It’s not like you’re aware of a threat to the stock prices and are selling out ahead of the pack. If you don’t want to sell, I’ll be just as pleased to have you with me in the decision process.”

  “Selling you my stock in Michele, since I have a sizeable position in this entity—wouldn’t be simple, by any definition,”

  Not challenging this assertion, Alex waited. Sanders had to decide how he wanted to handle his power in the company. Silence was sometimes the best selling tool.

  “And if I agree to vote with you when you choose to dismantle the company, I’m still laying myself open to acc
usations of impropriety.”

  “I disagree,” Alex stated evenly. “When I have enough stock to leverage a position on the board, your voting with me will simply be you acting as a director of the company. You’ll be responding in the best manner to handle the corporation’s assets.”

  Sitting silently to the side, her expression set, Eden said nothing. Alex registered the paleness of her face and the straight line of her mouth.

  Catching her quick glance in his direction, he couldn’t help wondering about her relationship with Dave Sanders. She’d never mentioned the man in any other capacity except as a director of Michele Cosmetics, but she wouldn’t be the first businesswoman to mix business and pleasure.

  Their gazes caught and met, her eyes dark and cloudy, a hint of vulnerability in the tense way she held her body. Alex hated that. She really was in a tough position. The bitch she worked for had knifed her in the back and done everything but pushed her into fighting dirty in return. But she still had conflict, turmoil even, in taking the company down.

  His mouth curving into a smile, he tried to reassure her. She really was doing the best thing. Given Michele’s betrayal of her, she had to take care of herself.

  “So you’re making an offer for my shares?” Dave asked, getting to the point that obviously mattered most to him.

  “I’m prepared to do that,” Alex said, his voice level as he mentioned the specific figure he knew would buy this smiling turncoat.

  The satisfied look that sprang onto Dave’s face told Alex he had the man where he wanted him. He wasn’t offering a foolish amount, but Sanders was taking the deal. That fact was transparent. Guys like Sanders never lost big in these situations. They always landed on their feet, usually cushioned by a huge sum of money gained in the fallout.

  “Let’s schedule a time to work out the details,” Alex said, moving forward to seal the deal.

  The sooner they got this settled, the sooner Eden’s situation evened out and the sooner he’d be able to put his plans into action.

  As he quickly outlined the workings of the deal, he was conscious of Eden and his determination that she come out of the deal financially strong. Money didn’t heal wounds, but it bought a lot of bandages. She deserved this.

  Feeling like she was watching the circling of the dogs, Eden drew in a deep breath. She’d done it. She’d set the plan in action by bringing these two together.

  There was no going back now.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Eden paused as Jessica reached across her, grabbing a package of diapers off the grocery shelf and tossing it into the cart. At eleven o’clock at night, they pretty much had the place to themselves.

  “That must have been weird. Actually introducing the guy you’re dating to a guy who cheated on his wife with you,” Jess commented, lifting her brows expressively.

  “It’s not like I knew he was married,” Eden felt compelled to say.

  “I know, but still…”

  They reached the end of the baby aisle and turned onto a row with cans and bottles of juice.

  “And you can’t technically say I’m dating Alex,” Eden corrected. “We’re…”

  “Manipulating and lying to each other?” Jessica offered helpfully as she reached for the V8 Splash.

  Eden scowled. “Exactly who’s side are you on?”

  “Yours, so far,” her friend smirked, “but Alex is pretty hot, so you better watch yourself.”

  “Thanks,” Eden grinned reluctantly in response to her friends’ goofy leer, “Alex thought you were pretty cool, too.”

  “I know,” Jessica’s self-satisfied smile widened, “you told me that after we first met him. By the way, when are we getting together again?”

  For a moment, Eden struggled, wishing things were so simple. Wishing she had a hot guy who was dating her because he thought she was amazing and they went out as a couple looking forward to finding out if they could fall in love.

  Only the real life scenario jarred against the fantasy.

  “This is the guy,” Eden said forcefully, “who deliberately got involved with me in order to use me in his takeover attempt. Your own husband confirmed that. Could we please remember he’s an asshole and we can’t trust him?”

  Jessica sobered. “I know. I shouldn’t kid around about him, but you’re getting so intense about all this. I’m just trying to lighten things up.”

  “Sorry,” Eden apologized, her ire ebbing away as it always did with her best friend. “You’re right. I am too tense these days, but it’s hard to get away from this mess.”

  “It’s just that he doesn’t seem like a scheming SOB when you’re with him,” Jessica explained. “He actually comes off really sincere.”

  “I know.” Eden hated the gloomy note in her voice.

  Just then the phone in her pocket emitted a burble of musical notes.

  “Eden here,” she said, answering.

  “Eden, Sarah Briggs here,” the woman’s voice came through a burst of static. “I got your message and I’d love to play racquetball with you. I only recently took up the sport, but my coach says I have good instincts.”

  Eden laughed. At fifty-four, Sarah Briggs had achieved considerable success in the corporate world, mostly through hard work and mega-balls. Her competitiveness was legend. “I have great respect for your instincts. It’ll be fun to play. Shall we meet at the club Thursday at six?”

  “Sounds fine. I’ll be there.”

  “Great.” Snapping the phone shut, Eden slid it back into her pocket, saying to Jessica. “Can I borrow your racquetball racquet?”

  Stopping her shopping cart to stare at Eden in astonishment, Jess said, “You just agreed to play racquetball? With who?”

  “Sarah Briggs,” Eden replied, conscious to keep the defensiveness out of her voice.

  “Racquetball? Are you serious?”

  Shrugging, Eden replied as easily as she could. “Everyone has to start taking care of their health sometime?”

  “Yeah, right.” Jessica’s disbelief was patent.

  “I played racquetball in college,” Eden insisted, moving forward down the next aisle with Jess following.

  “If I remember right, you told me you took a class in racquetball because you hated bowling and you had a phys ed requirement.”

  “That may be why I learned to play, but there’s no reason I can’t be taking it up again for my health.”

  “I’m the first one,” Jessica said grimly, “who’d be cheering if you were actually taking up a sport to play, but I don’t think this has anything to do with you wanting a cardio workout.”

  They walked down the pet food aisle in silence, Eden wrestling with how to word her admission.

  “I need Sarah Briggs with me in order to get the board to move me into the CEO position.”

  “And Sarah plays racquetball, so you’re playing racquetball,” Jessica concluded, her usually animated face devoid of expression.

  “Yes.” Thank god the woman didn’t bowl. Eden thought the racquetball coincidence could only be a good sign. She might not be into sweating, but she wasn’t a total klutz, either.

  Walking next to her, pushing the grocery cart down the aisle, Jessica sighed. “Okay. You feel like you need to do this.”

  “Yes,” Eden agreed, glad her friend understood. “And think of the side-benefits. Strengthening business contacts while strengthening my heart. It’s all good.”

  “From what I’ve heard about Sarah Briggs, you might need CPR afterwards,” Jess teased. “Are you sure you can keep up with her?”

  “She’s in her fifties!” Eden protested, laughing.

  “So? Your point is?” Up went Jessica’s eyebrow, her face comical.

  “Very funny,” Eden said with a chuckle. “I’ll hold my own. I have to.”

  As they passed the prepared pasta, Jessica paused
, selecting several containers. “Well, you always do what you have to do. That’s the difference between us, I guess. I saw what I’d have to do to stay in the corporate world and I wimped out.”

  “That’s not true,” Eden protested. “There’s nothing wrong with choosing to have a family. Our feminist foremothers fought so we could have the choice to stay home with kids. They didn’t say everyone had to work all the time.”

  Her friend slanted Eden a glance. “Yeah, sure. But our foremothers had their kids, took the hard-won six-weeks of maternity leave and jumped right back into the battle.”

  “Maybe, but the important thing is that we get to make a choice now,” Eden said firmly. “There’s no one right way to do it.”

  “I know,” Jessica said glumly.

  “We have options,” Eden reiterated, putting an arm around Jess and squeezing. “You’re a terrific parent. There’s nothing wrong with either choice: work or home.”

  Jessica slanted her a considering glance. “I love my kid and I made my choice…you do know that you have a choice, too?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You have a choice in this situation with Michele and the company. A choice as to what you do in the Alex situation. You don’t have to sneak around getting the goods on Wendi and her sticky fingers at her last job. I do understand the things you’re doing and why you’re doing them, but you have to know you have other options, as well. You don’t have to jump on the ‘let’s burn everyone’ bandwagon. You have other choices. Not good ones maybe, but--”

  The smile on Eden’s face felt crooked. “None that count.”

  Jessica’s concerned expression prompted Eden to say in a lighter voice, “Hey, I had a stolen meeting with that Wall Street Weekly reporter this morning very early. All cloak-and-dagger. We met at six o’clock at a coffee bar way off the beaten track. So I’m now an ‘unidentified source’ who’s on record that there are problems in Michele Cosmetics.”

  “Nothing but the truth,” Jessica commented.

  “Yes.” Eden couldn’t deny that, but it didn’t make her feel any better about what she was doing. Just thinking about sitting in the small steamy coffee shop, the broad windows holding back the frosty morning air, as she leaked quasi-secrets to a reporter made Eden wince. She’d felt like an character in a sleazy detective show.