by Simone Jaine
Nate paused on the other side to say something to Martha coming up behind him. Jem took the opportunity to make the situation clear to Mark.
“If you’re determined to take credit for my work then from now on you’ll also have to do it yourself too,” she told him angrily.
Jem forced herself to smile when Nate held the door open for Martha and himself to come through.
“Everything all right here?” Martha asked.
“I just wanted to clarify a few points and now I know exactly where I am,” Jem said, knowing that complaining about the situation wouldn’t help.
“Good, good,” said Nate absently, checking his watch again then looking at Mark. “We’ll have to finish up later as we’ve got to tee off in just over an hour.”
“I think we covered everything that we needed to,” Mark told them.
“Excellent. If you’ll excuse us ladies,” Nate said then he and Mark headed around the corner.
Martha shook her head as though to herself.
“Has a decision been made about the promotion?” Jem asked after the men were out of sight.
“Yes but we may have to reconsider it as other issues have arisen,” Martha said.
Jem’s shoulders slumped. She’d hate to think that Mark’s so-called help tipped the odds in his favour.
“I see,” she said politely then left Martha so she could retrieve the Bryson folder Mark had left behind in the conference room. When she came out Martha had gone.
Jem walked back to her office and looked out the window. Thinking of the uncrossed items on her list she recalled how less than a fortnight ago she thought she had everything she had ever wanted within her grasp. Now it seemed unlikely.
“How’s your first day back going?”
Jem turned from the window to see Eben standing there dressed casually as she had last seen him, in jeans and a warm grey fisherman rib jersey. Safe, solid, dependable Eben. She rushed toward him, needing a hug.
“I could get used to being greeted like this,” he joked as he returned her hug and used his foot to hook the door and kick it shut behind him.
When she didn’t joke with him and instead tightened her arms around him Eben became concerned.
“What’s up?”
Jem took a few calming breaths, stepped back and told him the events of the last half hour.
“You know what really ticks me off?” she said at the end. “After all that Mark gets to go off for the afternoon and be paid to play golf with the boss.”
She threw her hands in the air in frustration.
“How can I possibly compete on such an un-level playing field?” she demanded.
“You have to level it,” Eben told her quietly.
“I’m not going to stoop to doing anything underhanded to get this promotion even though Mark has,” Jem said firmly.
“I didn’t have anything like that in mind,” Eben replied easily.
“Then how?” Jem asked. “If you think of something, please tell me because I don’t have a clue.”
Eben pulled his phone out and appeared to read a text then sent one back. A few moments later his phone buzzed. He looked at the response and smiled.
Looking up at Jem his smile dropped.
“Something has come up and I have to take care of it now. I’m sorry about missing lunch. Will you be okay if I go?”
Jem crossed her arms across her chest.
“I guess.”
Eben drew her back into his arms.
“Will you miss me a little bit then?” he asked playfully.
“Maybe,” Jem reluctantly conceded, trying not to smile.
“Say “I’ll miss you Eben,”” he cajoled.
“I’ll miss you Eben,” she said and rolled her eyes.
“That’ll do,” Eben said, amused “for now.”
He let her go and walked towards the door then turned back.
“Why don’t you have lunch with Cherie,” he suggested. “Go and have a bit of time outside in the sun.”
“I will,” Jem said.
“That’s my woman,” said Eben.
He crossed the floor intending to give a brief goodbye kiss. Instead his lips lingered over hers and when she responded the kiss became hot and Jem found herself digging her fingers into his shoulders to keep him there. His hands tugged her blouse free of her skirt then slid underneath the silky fabric towards her breasts. In return one of her hands lowered to cup an impressive hardness which she stroked through his jeans. Her fingers had started fumbling with his belt when he pulled back. Eben shook his head.
“Must go now,” he muttered.
He gave another quick kiss then left the room without looking back.
Jem went behind her desk and dropped into her chair.
“Wow!” she exclaimed, smiling.
A couple of minutes later when she felt sufficiently recovered she gathered her purse and walked to Martha’s office to find Cherie sitting at her desk painting her nails hot pink. Jem knew she only did that during work hours when she was annoyed about something.
Upon seeing Jem Cherie capped the bottle and fluttered her hands to help them dry.
“What’s up?” Jem asked as she reached her friend.
“These files of Celeste’s I can’t figure out,” Cherie responded, nudging a small stack of manila folders on the desk with her elbow. “I’ve tried phoning her but she always brushes me off by saying she’s too busy at the moment then doesn’t get back to me.”
“Maybe I can help,” Jem offered as she picked up the top file.
“I’m not familiar with this company,” she said then replaced it and glanced inside the two files underneath.
She let the files go and frowned.
“I haven’t heard of any of them.”
“That makes two of us,” Cherie muttered. “And there’s another company we’ve paid a big sum to that I haven’t heard of either.”
“Are you sure? Maybe Celeste wrote these up when she was learning just for practise and forgot to delete them.”
“They’re real all right. Anna in accounts confirmed that the amounts on the invoices have been cleared.”
“Have you asked Nate about them?” Jem asked.
Cherie just looked at her in disbelief. Nate could spend half an hour giving a response to something that just needed a yes or no answer and at the end of it there was still the possibility you still wouldn’t know which one he meant.
“Yes,” she griped. “He’s been even vaguer about things than usual and told me to ask Celeste.”
“In that case when we next see her I’ll keep her put while you interrogate her,” Jem offered. “But in the meanwhile have you had lunch?”
“Not yet but you look like you’ve had an appetiser,” Cherie said slyly.
“What?” Jem said and looked down to see her blouse hanging out. She quickly tucked it in, her face turning pink.
While she was doing that Cherie carefully opened the bottom drawer of her desk.
Jem leaned forward and pulled Cherie’s purse out and handed it to her.
“Here you go,” she said.
“Ta,” said Cherie, smiling even though she knew she had embarrassed her friend. She looked at Jem thoughtfully. “What’s say after lunch we have a bit of retail therapy?”
“I’ve still got a lot of work to catch up,” Jem began but Cherie held up a hand to stop her speaking.
“Look,” Cherie began “Mark is out playing golf with Duh-boss all afternoon and Martha will be in a meeting for a long while so they’re not going to know. What I know is that you have been regularly working late into the night because I see all the emails cc’d to Martha and the times they come in. The reason for all that extra work you have is because of all that extra work we put in for that presentation.
“That work isn’t going anywhere. It’s Friday and no one is going to want to action any of it over the weekend. Not only that but you have been looking after your sister’s kids who are as much hard work
as they are adorable. I think you’re overdue for some time out.”
Jem couldn’t argue with Cherie’s reasoning.
“Okay,” she said.
“Glad we agree,” Cherie said, relieved and led her to the elevator where she carefully pressed the down button with a hot pink nail.
Just as the elevator doors closed Jem thought she glimpsed a familiar figure approach Martha’s office.
Nah, she was seeing things. Why would Eben be wearing a suit and visiting Martha?
While they browsed in clothes shops Cherie persuaded Jem to try on many different outfits she normally wouldn’t wear and talked her into buying over half of them. After all the positive comments she’d had on her appearance this morning Jem felt her makeover was long overdue and willingly kept handing over her eftpos card.
On a lark they even went into a small bridal store and tried on gowns. Amongst the ones with full skirts and ones that looked like long tutus Jem found a simple satin sheath topped with a bolero style bodice and sleeves made of lace.
When she tried it on and looked in the mirror she loved how it looked on her so stepped out of the changing room to show Cherie. Not seeing her, Jem walked towards the front of the shop in case Cherie was looking for something else to try on. Instead, Cherie burst out of the changing room behind her amongst a froth of petticoats and silk. They had to move close to the front window for there to be enough room for Cherie to turn around in the dress without catching it on something.
After circling Jem, Cherie faced her friend.
“That dress is you whereas I look like a meringue,” she said.
Jem laughed.
“If you’re implying you look good enough to eat then…”
“Hey,” Cherie interrupted. “Was that Celste who just walked past?”
Jem turned around and peered out the shop window to see a petite red haired woman reach the intersection a couple of shops down. The woman jabbed the pedestrian crossing button and when she stood back to wait taller people walked up and blocked their view.
“It could be,” Jem said.
“What are we waiting for?” Cherie asked. “Let’s get her before she disappears!”
They were prevented from leaving the store clad in the wedding dresses by the shop assistant so tried to race back to get changed but Cherie’s dress got hooked on something between racks of gowns.
“You go ahead,” Cherie told her as she tried to unsnag the skirt without tearing it. “I’ll catch up. Don’t let her get away. I don’t like loose ends in my paperwork!”
Jem pushed past Cherie’s big skirt and flung herself into the changing room. Luckily she hadn’t buttoned the wedding gown all the way to the top so was able to slide it all over her head. She had changed and was gathering the handles of all her shopping bags when she heard Cherie crash into the changing room beside her.
“Are you okay?” Jem asked as she hooked her shoulder bag over her head so it wouldn’t fall off if running was required.
“Yes, yes. Just go… go!” Cherie urged.
Jem raced out of the changing room and tossed the gown she had tried on to the startled assistant.
“That one’s beautiful and I would choose it if I was getting married,” she said over her shoulder as she headed for the street.
By the time Jem reached the corner, most of the pedestrians had reached the other side and the crossing sign flashed a solid red don’t walk. She put a foot on the road to cross anyway just as the traffic lights changed to green. Cars started accelerating across the intersection and Jem quickly stepped back onto the footpath.
You know you’re going nuts when you consider risking crossing a busy intersection against the lights to sort out paperwork for a friend, Jem thought as she scanned the footpath across the street for her prey. Cherie needs a life as much as I do.
Where was Celeste?
Jem was about to return to the bridal gown shop and report that she had lost Celeste when she saw a red headed woman across the road greet a brown haired man in a dark suit. The kiss he gave her indicated he was much more than an acquaintance. Jem studied them as he took Celeste’s hand and together they walked into the lobby of the Hotel Royale behind them. Despite the distance he looked familiar but she couldn’t immediately place him.
Cherie sprinted up and stopped beside her.
Just imagine how fast Cherie would be if you replaced those heels with sneakers.
“Where is she?” Cherie asked breathlessly.
Her arms laden with bags, Jem nodded in the direction of the hotel.
“She went in there with a man. They looked rather… friendly,” Jem added.
“Ooh. I have got to know more,” Cherie said.
She slid the shopping bags onto her wrist and stabbed the pedestrian crossing button repeatedly.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Jem said as the buzzer finally went and they crossed the road.
“Of course it is,” Cherie asserted. “If she’s doing the nasty with someone else Duh-boss will probably give you the promotion out of being grateful he found out before she had enough time to spend all his money on her.”
“Wouldn’t he be more likely to kill the messenger?” Jem asked as they reached the opposite footpath.
“That’s a good point. Don’t say anything until after the promotion is announced.”
They walked through the hotel’s automatic doors and stopped in the lobby.
“Do you see her or the guy she was with?” Cherie asked as they looked around. Being short in this situation was a disadvantage and her heels just brought her to just over average height so she couldn’t see over people like Jem could.
“No. Now what?” Jem asked.
“Now we get information,” she said and marched towards the reception desk.
There was a skinny young man behind the counter and his Adam’s apple bobbed at their approach.
“Hi there,” Cherie said breezily. “I hope you can help us. We’re here for a meeting and I’m embarrassed to say that we’ve forgotten the room number of the people we’re supposed to meet up with. Perhaps you saw them walk past a few moments ago? A brown haired man and a red haired woman who is about my size?”
“Her name is Celeste Worth,” Cherie added helpfully with a smile.
“I have to ask a manager before I can give that sort of information,” he said nervously then fled into the back room before they could respond.
“If they have a room it’s probably under his name,” Jem suggested the moment they were alone.
“I realise that but I can’t give his name if I never saw him,” Cherie replied with disgust.
“What makes you think he knows which room they’re in if we can’t even give his name?” Jem asked.
“Have you noticed this place?” Cherie asked and with a sweep of her hand gestured to their elegant surroundings. “These guys are trained to recognise their clients and to know their preferences. They know so much they could probably tell us whether he dresses to the left or to the right.”
“Just what I need in my mind,” Jem muttered.
“No, by now it’s probably in Celeste,” Cherie said, tongue in cheek.
Jem groaned.
“Are you sure you can’t remember who he is?” Cherie asked, ignoring the groan.
“You know him,” Jem said. “We’ve seen him before and it was sometime recently… This is so frustrating. His name is on the tip of my tongue.”
“Well spit it out already,” Cherie said “because here they come.”
Chapter 24
A competent looking woman in her late twenties dressed in a forest green suit with a white silk blouse walked towards the counter with the gangly younger man trailing behind her.
“Hello,” she said politely. “Eric tells me you’re looking for the room of one of our guests.”
“That’s right,” Cherie said. “We’re running late for a meeting.”
“In that case I need to phone him for permission to giv
e the information out,” the woman said. She stepped to the computer beside her and absently flipped her light brown hair over her shoulder before starting to type in a name.
“No, don’t do that,” Jem blurted. “It doesn’t look professional if we forget that sort of detail.”
The woman stopped what she was doing to look at Jem, then without saying anything seemed to reach a decision. She looked over her shoulder at her lanky assistant who was busy watching a teenage girl on her cell phone out on the street.
“You can take a break now Eric.”
The boy didn’t budge.
“The Edge! You can take a break now,” she repeated firmly.
The boy startled at being caught not paying attention where he should. He quickly nodded and scuttled through the door to the back room.
“The Edge?” Cherie mouthed.
“Yes. Amazing what some people will name their kids,” the woman muttered, having read Cherie’s lips. “He wanted to be called something that sounded professional but is still getting used to it.”
She looked back at Jem and grinned.
“It’s great to finally meet the famous Jem. Eben has been talking about you for years,” she said warmly holding out her hand for Jem to shake.
“He has? Why? What? … How do you know who I am?” Jem stuttered in surprise as she swapped the bags she was carrying to her left hand to return the handshake. As she did so she quickly read the name Georgina Stone on the woman’s name badge.
Eben’s sister?
“He carries a photo of you in his wallet,” Georgina said as though it were common knowledge.
“Since when?” Jem asked, feeling a little dazed about being unaware of Eben’s long term devotion.
Georgina shrugged while Cherie read her name badge then scrutinised the woman behind the desk.
“He’s had it for years. I think you’re both at Jase’s wedding.”
“I should have realised sooner that you’re related to Eben,” Cherie interrupted. “You have the same eyes.”
Jem waited for Georgina to deny it and point out that Eben was adopted.
“Our changing eye colour is common on my mother’s side of the family but is a pain when filling in a driver’s licence,” Georgina admitted instead, smiling.
