by Susan Lewis
Michael grimaced. ‘I have to confess,’ he said, ‘Sandy gives me less of a problem than Forgon, but both can be dealt with and once I’ve told you how and provided you agree, I’ll set up a meeting with Sandy …’ he grinned, ‘And give her the surprise of her life.’
Running to the door in a stylish turquoise blue suit, black lace body and four-inch black suede shoes, Sandy suddenly remembered all the pictures she’d seen of Michelle and how casual and understated she always looked. Feeling suddenly gaudy and obvious she almost went back to change, but she didn’t have the time. He had called at three this afternoon to invite her to dinner at a venue of her choosing and she hadn’t been able to get away from the office until gone seven. It was now twenty past eight and she had ten minutes to get to the restaurant, which she could make if she found a taxi straight away.
She was in luck and settling back for the five-minute journey she tried to get her nerves in some semblance of order. But she couldn’t. He had sounded so friendly on the phone, to the point of actually saying that he was looking forward to seeing her, that she just couldn’t keep herself calm through the onslaught of expectations and emotions that had plagued her ever since.
It was going to be the first time she’d seen him since the day he’d fired her, and when she considered what she’d done to his agency since and the way she had stitched him up with Ted Forgon and World Wide, she’d have to be some kind of fool if she was expecting him to sweep her up in his arms. But she couldn’t stop thinking about the phone call and the warmth in his voice. It had sounded so genuine and his pleasure on finding out she could make it at such short notice had seemed so sincere, that despite her efforts at caution her hopes were just soaring out of control. Actually, she might have better been able to temper them, were it not for the fact that just that morning she had read in the papers about his break-up with Michelle. Of course, it was only rumour at the moment, but when she’d called Jodi to find out if there was any truth in it, Jodi had said that all she knew was Michelle and Cavan were in Wales, and Michael and Robbie were in London.
Sandy gave a shiver of excitement as she considered what it might be like to be a stepmother. She’d never really thought much about kids before, but she was sure she’d get along well with Robbie; in fact, as he was Michael’s son she’d make sure she did.
A bolt of pure nerves hit her heart hard as the taxi came to a halt at the busy junction outside the restaurant. She’d chosen it in the hope that the press would pounce on the fact they were together and make as much out of it as she wanted them to. Indeed, it could well prove the first time their names were romantically linked, provided it all went the way she hoped, of course.
By the time she was greeted, shown to a discreet corner table and brought a much-needed glass of wine, she had managed to calm down a little. But then she looked across the restaurant and saw him coming in and the sensation that suddenly pressed down on her heart was so profound that she was unable to breathe. She had no idea what emotions might be shining in her eyes as she watched him follow the maître d’ towards her: all she knew was that the seeds of doubt Nesta had planted as to how she really felt about him were completely annihilated. She wanted him in a way that defied explanation; she felt linked to him, somehow destined to be with him, to share his life and his dreams, to be there for all his triumphs and tragedies, and be a part of them too. And it would happen, she knew that with the same certainty she knew that the sun would rise in the morning.
‘Hi,’ he said, smiling down at her as he reached their table, ‘I hope you haven’t been waiting long.’
Sandy shook her head and forced her voice through the congested emotion in her throat. ‘Just a few minutes,’ she said, watching him turn to the wine waiter to order a drink.
‘Are you OK?’ he said, looking across the table to see if she had an aperitif.
‘Fine, thanks,’ she said, glancing at the waiter, then returning her eyes to Michael, she felt her lips tremble as she smiled.
‘So how are you?’ he said. ‘You’re looking good.’
The laughter simmering in his eyes was disconcerting, but trying not to let it affect her she said, ‘Thank you. In fact, you look pretty good too.’
He grimaced, then said, ‘Zelda showed me an article about you – and your family – in last month’s Cosmopolitan.’ He laughed. ‘So now we know who you really are at last. Or at least, from whence you hail.’
Sandy screwed up her nose. ‘It’s nothing to be proud of,’ she told him.
‘Nothing to be ashamed of either,’ he responded.
She looked doubtful about that. ‘You should try living with them,’ she said. ‘Or getting the calls that keep coming now, asking for loans they have no intention, nor any means, of repaying.’
They looked up as a producer they both knew suddenly spotted them. ‘Hey, Michael! How are you?’ he said, grabbing Michael’s hand as Michael rose. ‘It’s good to see you. You look great, man. Fatherhood obviously agrees with you.’
‘It’s the best,’ Michael grinned. ‘And how’s life with you?’
‘Great. Just great,’ he responded warmly. ‘And Sandy! What a surprise seeing you two together. Terrific deal you pulled off for Emma Hodge, by the way, Sandy. She was telling me about it earlier. No question she’s right for the part, but boy, did you do well to screw that kind of money out of Carlton. Best thing she ever did was get you as an agent.’ He glanced awkwardly at Michael, clearly not sure whether he’d just put his foot in it or not. Michael’s expression was totally benign, which did nothing to ease the man’s discomfort. ‘Right, well, I won’t interrupt any longer,’ he said. ‘Great to see you guys. Enjoy your meal,’ and he went off to rejoin his table.
Still laughing, as he sat back down and his drink was delivered, Michael said, ‘Well, you certainly are the toast of the town these days, Sandy,’ and raising his glass he saluted her too. ‘Congratulations,’ he said, ‘you’re fast becoming a powerful woman and once you get World Wide underway you’re really going to be up there – not just nationally, but globally.’
Sandy was flushing and her glass was still firmly on the table. ‘Yes, well,’ she stumbled, not at all sure what she wanted to say.
Michael lowered his head and peered at her. ‘There’s no need to be shy about this,’ he told her, ‘we both know what’s going on here, so let’s have it all out in the open, why not?’
Sandy lifted her eyes to his and was more nonplussed than ever when she saw not even a trace of rancour in his smile. Then it suddenly hit her that maybe he was talking personally rather than professionally and a rush of nerves collided with her heart. ‘So how’s Robbie?’ she said, sensing this might be easier territory for the moment. ‘Is he settling in well?’
Michael rolled his eyes. ‘He’s a handful and to say he’s settled in would be an understatement. He’s taken over would be more accurate.’
Sandy smiled. ‘I’d like to meet him,’ she said and blushed as she realized how forward that must sound. ‘I mean, one of these days,’ she added shakily.
‘Oh, there’s no doubt you will,’ he assured her, picking up the menu. ‘Shall we order?’
As Sandy scanned all the deliciously exotic hors d’oeuvres and entrées, she was trying desperately to work out what was really going on. He sounded so sure she was going to meet Robbie, and he was showing such bewildering unconcern about her success and how she had clinched it, that she was actually daring to hope that all her faith in her dreams was about to pay off.
‘Well, I guess there’s no point beating around the bush any longer,’ he said, after placing their orders, ‘I’ve got a couple of proposals for you and the quicker we get to them the quicker we’re going to find out how workable they are.’
Sandy looked at him, her large blue-green eyes showing how apprehensive she was inside.
Michael smiled, as though to put her at her ease. ‘The first,’ he began, ‘is probably going to surprise you the least, though you won’t think th
at until I’ve told you the second, but anyway, here goes: I’m not going to start getting involved in everything that’s happened over the past eight months, it would be a wasted exercise and though you’ve certainly downsized us at McCann’s and created a lot of problems that are going to take some time to sort out, the wounds definitely aren’t fatal. It’s essentially mine and Zelda’s lists that give the agency it’s real value, which is how come you haven’t managed to destroy us altogether. So I’m going to put it to you now that instead of continuing this vendetta we join forces and turn our agencies into one.’
Sandy’s eyes started to dilate.
‘No, hear me out,’ he said as she seemed about to speak. ‘Obviously, if you’re agreeable, there are numerous ramifications to be considered, but to start the ball rolling on the simpler issues I’m happy to call the agency whatever you like, McCann Walsh and Sandy Paull, Sandy Paull and McCann Walsh – I don’t have an ego about these things, so it’s basically up to you. Obviously I’ve discussed it with Dan and Zelda, who are the other two major shareholders in McCann’s, and they both agree that combining what is left of our resources with those that are now available to you, would be an extremely wise route for us to take.’ He laughed, slightly self-consciously. ‘Of course, you’ll be wondering what’s in it for you and the answer to that is you will be a senior partner, along with me, in both McCann Walsh and World Wide Productions. In fact, Dan is willing to drop his name from the agency so we can call the company Sandy Paull and Michael McCann, or whichever way around, if that’s what you want; and considering that I will be concentrating much more on World Wide and the new productions coming in there, you will effectively be running one of the most prestigious agencies in London.’
Sandy’s mounting disbelief and euphoria were lighting up her eyes in a way that made her look even younger than her twenty-five years. Indeed, she felt like a child, one whom Santa had suddenly come to visit with all the desires that had built up throughout years of neglect. Her cheeks were turning crimson as she struggled to find the right answer – she didn’t want to gush, though God knew she felt like it, nor did she want to sound too cool or offhand.
‘I’ve spoken to Harry and Craig,’ he told her, ‘and they’re all for it too. So it just needs your agreement, then we can hand over to the lawyers.’
Sandy was confused. ‘You spoke to Harry and Craig?’ she repeated. ‘They never mentioned anything.’
‘Because I asked them not to,’ Michael smiled. Then, with a shrug he added, ‘OK, I confess I was sounding them out, checking to see if they thought you’d be interested. They thought you would be and quite frankly, with the way you’ve utilized the assets of other people’s indiscretions, turned me upside down and built yourself an agency of impressive reputation in such a short space of time, I can’t think of anyone I less want as an enemy, or would feel safer having as my partner. Why you’d want me is another matter, but you could do worse.’
As he grinned, Sandy felt her heart melting. ‘I’ve always wanted to be your partner,’ she told him softly, ‘but I never dreamt it would happen so soon – or this way.’ Then, laughing, she waved a dismissive hand at their drinks. ‘Where’s the champagne?’ she demanded. ‘We should be celebrating.’
Michael immediately raised his hand.
‘Oh God,’ Sandy said, pressing her hands to her cheeks, ‘I can hardly believe this. I mean, I was terrified you were going to come here this evening and … Well, I don’t know what I thought you would do. But after the way I took Harry and Craig and all their clients, and the best part of Diana’s and Janey’s lists too and then with tipping Ted Forgon off about World Wide so he could buy it out from under you …’ She stopped suddenly. ‘What about Ted Forgon?’ she said. ‘How is he going to take it, me joining up with you? I mean, he’s the head of World Wide now, he’s going to make the decisions on who runs it …’
Michael was smiling. ‘Believe me,’ he said, ‘all Ted Forgon wants is to be my boss, which he now is, so I don’t think he’ll give a damn who’s running the show on a daily basis over here in London. But if he wants to appoint you senior operative, then that’s OK by me.’
‘But I thought you wanted us to be partners?’
‘I do, so I suggest we cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime, we should set about putting all three companies, yours, mine and the London end of World Wide, under one roof. I would suggest the Chelsea Harbour offices, but maybe you’re finding it more convenient to be up in the West End.’
‘Convenient, yes,’ she agreed, ‘but there’s more space at Chelsea Harbour and now we’re going to be a much bigger concern, we’ll need to expand. Are those outrageously expensive offices beneath yours still to let? I’ll bet they are, with the rent they’re asking. Leave it to me, I’ll beat the price down and snap them up before anyone else gets in on the act.’
Michael was laughing. ‘Bring us a bottle of Dom Perignon,’ he told the waiter who had just materialized, ‘we’ve got some serious celebrating to get underway.’
Sandy watched the waiter go and felt her head starting to spin with excitement. It was beginning to feel as though she was coming apart from reality, drifting in some surreal, almost nirvanic state that was allowing her to see the people around her, and to hear them, but was somehow cushioning her from the noise and the harshness of colour. Her throat was tight and her heart was tripping in an odd, floaty kind of way. She felt humble, yet immodestly special as she realized how incredibly lucky she was, how charmed and blessed with good fortune. These past eighteen months, since she’d come to London, hadn’t always been easy, but there was no question now that dreams really did come true, if you held on to them long enough, for she’d always known that once she was in a position to meet him on his level he would want her.
Her eyes returned to his and as he continued to speak she could feel her smile starting to drain and a curious sensation nudging her heart. He was making his second proposal, but his words were suddenly sounding strange and her aura of happiness was melting away, as though she were slowly losing conciousness. She blinked and tried to reconnect with the euphoria of what he had told her, but it was as though the world had suddenly turned on its axis and was rotating another way. Perhaps this was what too much happiness did – or perhaps she was just too afraid to believe it was all coming true.
The champagne came, so did the food, but as the evening passed her shock and disbelief remained rooted in the moment when she had finally registered the full meaning of his second proposal.
Chapter 30
‘DID YOU FIND a home for all the pups yet, Mom?’ Ellen said, coming in the kitchen door and going to the cluttered sink to wash her hands.
‘Yeah, just about all of them,’ her mother answered, letting her glasses slide down her nose as she looked up from the accounts books she had spread out over the table. ‘Except the black one. Don’t know how he got in there, but he sure gave us a surprise, I can tell you.’
Ellen laughed. ‘He’s so cute,’ she said, gazing out to where her father and a couple of workers were checking on the ripening rows of soybeans.
‘Why, you thinking of taking him back to LA?’ her mother asked, returning to her paperwork.
‘I wish,’ Ellen replied wistfully. ‘But I’m going to be so busy over the next few months that I won’t be able to give him any time.’
Nina Shelby nodded absently and began prodding her calculator, while Ellen filled the sink with hot water to start washing up.
‘Bessie Jane’s coming over later,’ Nina said, referring to the housekeeper who had looked after them since Ellen was a child, until she’d retired a few years ago. ‘That was her on the phone just now.’
‘Is she still driving, at her age?’ Ellen asked, soaping up the water.
‘No. I’ll go pick her up. She’ll be staying the night, so I guess I’d better get the room ready, soon as I finish up here.’
‘I don’t mind doing it,’ Ellen said. ‘And why you pay an
accountant when you do all that work yourself sure beats me.’
‘Got to keep an eye on the old rascal,’ Nina winked.
Ellen chuckled, for old Sammy Katz who’d taken care of the farm’s taxes for close on thirty years was so honest he’d once turned himself in for late payment of a parking violation. It was a bit mean of Sargeant Brazier to lock him up the way he did, but everyone including Sam, once he was released, had enjoyed the joke.
‘My, it sure is getting warm out there,’ Frank Shelby commented, coming in through the door and stomping his dusty boots on the rush mat. ‘Fergus wants to know what you’re going to be cooking up for the fair next month, Nina. His wife’s getting on to him for an answer.’
‘Oh, sure, I’ll go talk to him,’ she answered, sitting back and sliding her fingers under her glasses to rub her eyes. ‘Bessie Jane’s coming over later,’ she told him.
Frank grunted, then, shifting his eyes half-way towards Ellen he walked on through the kitchen and started to climb the stairs.
Ellen’s heart twisted, for there was nothing she’d wanted more these past couple of weeks than to feel the comfort of her father’s arms and to know that at last they were putting this silly feud behind them. The maddening part of it was that she was certain he wanted it too, but his pride was just too stubborn to back down and right now she was simply too vulnerable to try any harder.
‘It’s done him good, you being here,’ her mother told her, as though sensing her despair and wanting to ease it. ‘That bout of flu really took it out of him, thought he was never going to get over it. He couldn’t walk for days, just lay there in his bed too weak most of the time even to speak, never mind eat. Well, you’ve seen for yourself how much weight he lost, still hasn’t put a lot of it back on. To tell the truth, he was frightened half to death that he wasn’t going to make it, not that he’d ever admit it, of course, but it was plain to me.