Read Online The Christmas Party by Carole Matthews - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carole Matthews
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Lance gave her a wry smile. ‘Methinks the lady doth protest too much. You know you’ll adore DC! Think of all those Congressmen’s wives and committees. All the worthy deeds you can do for the needy in front of the right people. DC is charityball seventh heaven. You know how you love a canapé and a good cause.’
It was pointless discussing it, Melissa knew. Fossil Oil had decreed it and that invariably meant it would happen. Unless, of course, Fossil Oil decided otherwise.
In any case, as Lance said, two years in one place had been tantamount to a minor miracle. Before that they had roved Fossil Oil’s European holdings – eight weeks in Belgium, eight months in Greece, eighteen months in Paris. In between all that, they’d regularly shuttled back to London for meetings. The list read like an airline timetable. In most places there’d scarcely been enough time for her to establish – well, let’s say
connections
, before they’d flitted off again, Lance chasing promotions like eccentric Englishmen chase butterflies.
At least she’d had time in England to enjoy a smattering of
liaisons dangereuses
. However, she’d found that it was true what they said about English lovers: in most cases they had kept their socks firmly on.
The tears threatened again and she bit them down. By some insanity Tyler Benson had become her latest lover. One of Lance’s own favoured directors! In Lance’s eyes, Tyler could do no wrong. If only he knew. She’d never played so close to home before and she knew it was madness.
She also recognised that, this time, it wasn’t just a no-strings fling to fill her empty days.
Tyler was different. His heart would be hard to break. He was ballsy and bright and destined for the top job, not unlike Lance had been thirty or more years ago. He would also be tough to leave.
Over the years, Melissa had made love to many men and had walked away when she tired of them, untouched by the burden of emotion. If she’d been younger and more impressionable, this time she would have said that she was in love. Not to him. Never to him. She felt as if he’d taken a piece of her soul and, if she was honest, there wasn’t a lot of it left to spare.
‘We’ll get a nice place in Georgetown. You’ll like that. All those shops.’
‘I can’t spend all my life shopping, Lance. Maybe I could get a job, a real job, at one of the charities?’
That would make the move away easier; she needed something to occupy her time.
‘Why would you do that? It would take you away from me. You know I need you as my wingman.’ Lance looked at his wristwatch. It was gold and emblazoned with the company logo – unimaginatively and unsurprisingly, a fossil: the distinct spiral of an ammonite. It was studded with four diamonds, each of them marking some long-forgotten milestone with the company. ‘There are going to be a lot of tough decisions to make and I can’t do it without you.’
The discussion, it seemed, was over. For now. ‘Does anyone else know you’re leaving yet?’ Melissa asked.
Lance shook his head.
‘Not even Tyler?’
‘Especially not Tyler. I think he could do very well out of this and I want it to be a surprise for him. I’m lucky, honey. He’s been a great right-hand man. Tyler’s always got my back.’
She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.
‘I’m just waiting for Bud Harman to fill me in on the final details. There’s a new international director on board too, and I need to talk to him.’
‘Who?’ She hadn’t heard anything about this either. ‘When did this happen?’
‘Last-minute, but we’ve been trying to poach him for a long time. Now we’ve got him. Everyone has their price.’
She was sure Tyler knew nothing about this either.
‘He’s supposed to be coming along tonight,’ Lance added. ‘I thought it would be a good opportunity for them to meet. I don’t want to say anything to Tyler until I know what the full deal is.’
‘Are you going to
Lance gave her a wry smile. ‘Methinks the lady doth protest too much. You know you’ll adore DC! Think of all those Congressmen’s wives and committees. All the worthy deeds you can do for the needy in front of the right people. DC is charityball seventh heaven. You know how you love a canapé and a good cause.’
It was pointless discussing it, Melissa knew. Fossil Oil had decreed it and that invariably meant it would happen. Unless, of course, Fossil Oil decided otherwise.
In any case, as Lance said, two years in one place had been tantamount to a minor miracle. Before that they had roved Fossil Oil’s European holdings – eight weeks in Belgium, eight months in Greece, eighteen months in Paris. In between all that, they’d regularly shuttled back to London for meetings. The list read like an airline timetable. In most places there’d scarcely been enough time for her to establish – well, let’s say
connections
, before they’d flitted off again, Lance chasing promotions like eccentric Englishmen chase butterflies.
At least she’d had time in England to enjoy a smattering of
liaisons dangereuses
. However, she’d found that it was true what they said about English lovers: in most cases they had kept their socks firmly on.
The tears threatened again and she bit them down. By some insanity Tyler Benson had become her latest lover. One of Lance’s own favoured directors! In Lance’s eyes, Tyler could do no wrong. If only he knew. She’d never played so close to home before and she knew it was madness.
She also recognised that, this time, it wasn’t just a no-strings fling to fill her empty days.
Tyler was different. His heart would be hard to break. He was ballsy and bright and destined for the top job, not unlike Lance had been thirty or more years ago. He would also be tough to leave.
Over the years, Melissa had made love to many men and had walked away when she tired of them, untouched by the burden of emotion. If she’d been younger and more impressionable, this time she would have said that she was in love. Not to him. Never to him. She felt as if he’d taken a piece of her soul and, if she was honest, there wasn’t a lot of it left to spare.
‘We’ll get a nice place in Georgetown. You’ll like that. All those shops.’
‘I can’t spend all my life shopping, Lance. Maybe I could get a job, a real job, at one of the charities?’
That would make the move away easier; she needed something to occupy her time.
‘Why would you do that? It would take you away from me. You know I need you as my wingman.’ Lance looked at his wristwatch. It was gold and emblazoned with the company logo – unimaginatively and unsurprisingly, a fossil: the distinct spiral of an ammonite. It was studded with four diamonds, each of them marking some long-forgotten milestone with the company. ‘There are going to be a lot of tough decisions to make and I can’t do it without you.’
The discussion, it seemed, was over. For now. ‘Does anyone else know you’re leaving yet?’ Melissa asked.
Lance shook his head.
‘Not even Tyler?’
‘Especially not Tyler. I think he could do very well out of this and I want it to be a surprise for him. I’m lucky, honey. He’s been a great right-hand man. Tyler’s always got my back.’
She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.
‘I’m just waiting for Bud Harman to fill me in on the final details. There’s a new international director on board too, and I need to talk to him.’
‘Who?’ She hadn’t heard anything about this either. ‘When did this happen?’
‘Last-minute, but we’ve been trying to poach him for a long time. Now we’ve got him. Everyone has their price.’
She was sure Tyler knew nothing about this either.
‘He’s supposed to be coming along tonight,’ Lance added. ‘I thought it would be a good opportunity for them to meet. I don’t want to say anything to Tyler until I know what the full deal is.’
‘Are you going to
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