It took every bit of strength she had to pull the heavy mattress from her bed. But she managed; she stood it up on its side and then dragged it through the bedroom door, down the stairs, and into the garage. She stood back and looked, wondering how the hell she got the mattress into the pan of her dad’s old pickup truck and off she went to the dump outside of town.
* * * *
That evening, two showers later, Meg’s skin felt raw and sore from scrubbing it so hard. She still felt his hands on her. She wandered aimlessly around the house checking every window and door as she had done so many times since she had woken up that morning. The window in the laundry room was the one she paid most attention to. She felt around the frame with her hand, making sure nothing was broken. The window closed easily enough, and the lock worked just fine.
Later that evening, Meg worked up the courage to call Sarah. She told her she wasn’t feeling up to going out. Sarah was disappointed but she surrendered and let it go. They settled for talking on the phone for over an hour. Meg told her everything that happened between John and her. She told Sarah every detail from the time they left Ethan’s to the time he left her house. After telling her John’s reaction when finding out she was a virgin and then everything came to a halt, Sarah was pissed. Meg could hear the sadness in her voice and a hint of anguish toward John for leaving Meg hanging like that. Sarah knew Meg wanted John to be her first, and she tried her best to reassure Meg that his feelings must have been much deeper than she realized. She apologized to Meg over and over again for setting them up. Meg wasn’t blaming her and reassured Sarah she had nothing to feel bad about.
Although Sarah was giving Meg her best attempt at making her feel better, she couldn’t help the anger she felt toward John for leaving her. A part of her wanted to punch him for leaving her alone. If only you’d stayed, John. Things would have worked out a hell of a lot differently for me last night. A part of her couldn’t help but to blame him. She had wanted so badly for John to be her first, and now Meg felt as though he gave her away to that sick bastard. After reassuring Sarah the whole disaster with John wasn’t her fault, Meg turned the conversation to Sarah, asking about her night with Ethan. She was through talking about John for good.
“Meg, I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Everything about him is amazing. He’s funny, he’s smart, and he’s easy on the eyes. I had a great time, we were up all night, and we had sex three times. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be telling you all of this, when your night was such a disaster. Anyway, enough about Ethan, he’s wonderful and I’m going to miss him when I leave here and that’s that. Are you home alone tonight? Do you want me to come over and keep you company?”
Meg thought for a moment, it would be nice to have Sarah over and to talk some more. She wouldn’t be alone while she was waiting for her parents, and it was starting to get dark outside. “No, no, it’s okay. I’ll be fine. Mom and Dad decided to come back early from the cottage and should be home any minute.” They ended the call, and Meg went back to her empty house, growing more nervous by the minute. She walked through the house again to make sure everything was locked. She was becoming obsessed. She turned all the lights on in the house and headed down to the basement. Finally, she managed to drift in and out of sleep while she waited for her parents to get home.
Austin Straubel International Airport, Wisconsin
John stood next to his pickup truck just outside the wired fence securing the runway. He watched Meggie say good-bye to her parents. John had a perfect view. Dressed in black tights and an oversized black T-shirt that covered her perfect shape, Meggie looked stunning. He let out a deep agonizing breath, one that felt like he’d been holding for three whole days. Meggie was leaving Door County, and John felt regret tighten his chest. I should have stayed with you Saturday night. I should have been the one that made love to you, not him. Why him?
He was pissed. He knew he had no right to be angry, but he was. With his hands fisted at his sides, John’s eyes remained fixed on Meg. He wished like hell that he could turn back time. “Meggie.” Her name escaped his lips, and he thought back to every single detail of that night. The softness of her skin, her sensual mouth, her perfect little body arching in to him; he’d wanted more than anything to bury himself deep inside her that night. But the moment she confessed she was a virgin, he’d held back. Regret was a terrible thing, John thought, as he shook his head. He had a hard time dealing with the fact that Meggie gave herself to someone else. It made him wonder why the hell he did right by her. His intentions were good; he wanted her to save herself for that special someone. Someone that would appreciate the gift she was holding back for the right person.
His body tensed up again as he thought back to the night before; his fists grew tight at his sides. A few doors down from John’s house, a bunch of guys were hanging out and drinking a few beers. That asshole showed up and whispered the details so that only John could hear. “I fucked her into all hours of the morning, and she was the sweetest pussy I ever had.” It took everything in him to hold back from popping that son-of-a-bitch between the eyes and then breaking every tooth in his head. But it was pointless; he couldn’t change what happened.
With a long sigh, he shook his head and watched her one last time before she disappeared into the aircraft. He wished he was right there with her. You will always be in my heart, Meggie Malone, and I will never forget you. He promised her silently. I will never understand why you gave yourself to him. It was wrong on so many levels. But John knew he was partly to blame. He should have taken her; he would have taken his time and made love to her all night long. He would have appreciated her. The problem was, he didn’t think he could let her go.
John pulled himself back into the old pickup truck, with his head hung low, and gripped the steering wheel with both hands before hitting the dashboard with his fists.
Chapter 7
Current Day
“Meg, in my office, now,” Frank yelled out over the top of her cubicle.
Meg cursed the narrow grid that had broken the heel of her favorite pair of her stilettoes on her way in to work that morning. She struggled to get the extra pair she stowed under her desk and spilled half her coffee on to her desk in the process. Damn it. Her day was off to a shit start. And if her boss’s stern low voice was any indication, it was about to get a whole lot worse.
I should be used to his sharp tone by now. Every morning just like clockwork, Frank Griffin walked past Meg’s cubicle; no “Good morning.” Nothing other than, “Meg, in my office now.” She could easily distinguish his mood by his tone, after years of working with him. And today, Frank was in a mood from hell. Frank Griffin was a great boss. He’d taught her everything she knew about the publishing business, but his mood swings were definitely something she could live without.
Quickly, she grabbed a pen and pad of paper before heading to his office and shut the door behind her. She settled into the chair facing his large, dark, wooden desk. Frank shared everything with Meg, and he trusted her. Despite their differences in opinion, they worked well together. Meg challenged him on a daily basis with the decisions he made, but he respected her for it. Today, Meg couldn’t shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She held her breath, thinking...this is it, my career is over, and I’m about to be let go. The palms of her hands were sweating, and she grasped the armrests of the chair and looked across the desk at her boss. With his eyebrows knitted together and a concerned look on his face, he stared back at her.
He cleared his throat. “How long have you worked for me, Meg? Eight years?”
“Yes, it’s been eight years.” She couldn’t help but repeat his words back to him. She was nervous, and her brain felt numb. “Why do you ask?” Rumor had it that additional cutbacks were about to take place; the year-to-date profit and loss statement wasn’t as promising as Frank had anticipated. He’d shared that bit of information with Meg at the end of last week. Suspecting that Frank had reviewed the variable costs more clos
ely, she knew salaries would have to be cut to make up for some of the anticipated losses over the next quarter. She waited, mentally preparing herself for what was coming next. I’m screwed, I just know it. This is exactly how I knew my day would go. I should have stayed in bed and called in sick. Anything would be better than to face being let go.
Frank sensed her tension and held both hands up with his palms facing her. “Relax, Meg. You’re not out of a job...at least not yet,” he said with a frown.
There it is. ‘Yet’ at the end of that sentence. She made eye contact with him from across the desk and let out a long sigh of relief. She straightened her shoulders and mentally calmed herself.
“I called you in here because I need a favor,” he said before he continued. “I’m selling the business.”
A part of Meg wanted to reach out and slap him. Frank had worked too hard to do this, they all had. What the hell are you thinking? His words sank in and all she could do was look down at her hands and squeeze them tightly together. A whisper was all she could manage as she held back the tears. “Why, Frank? We can fix this. We’ll come up with a solid business plan and cut back where we need to; make the business smaller before growing it again.”
Frank held his emotions intact and continued on; his face was drawn and Meg knew this had to be killing him inside. “You have been an excellent employee, Meg. I will do everything I can to try and have you stay on with the new owners.” He studied her carefully before he continued on. “Don’t panic. You are a very talented young woman and one of the best editors I have had the pleasure of working with. I will give you an excellent recommendation when, and if, the time comes, but for now, I need you one hundred percent committed to this business and helping me with the sale. I have three interested prospects, two private and one investor. I will handle the two private offers, but I need your help with the investor. Once we sell, rest assured you will be taken care of. I will pay you two year’s salary upon completion of the sale and two percent profit upon closing the deal. I’m confident that will keep you here in the interim and help you transition into seeking further employment, if it comes down to that. Either way, Meg, you have my word that you will be taken care of. I have taken the liberty of putting all of the details in writing for you.” Frank handed over the package, and Meg leaned over his desk to take it with both hands trembling slightly. “I’m hoping this will bring you some level of comfort during this transaction,” he said. His voice was all business, but Meg knew he was offering to take good care of her throughout the sale.
Meg gained back some composure, she watched him intently. “Frank, look, don’t get me wrong here, I am extremely grateful that you have gone out of your way to think about me and to ensure I am taken care of financially, but I have to admit, I’m surprised.” She searched his face before continuing. “I thought this company meant everything to you.”
He looked at her a little uncomfortably. They were close, but they never shared the details of their personal lives. “You know, Meg, this company has been my life for more than thirty years. In fact, I never thought I would see this day come, but truthfully, I’m tired. The past five years have been a long hard battle.” He stood up and walked over to where Meg was seated. He took a seat at the edge of his desk and continued. “I’ve met someone. There comes a time when you have to make a choice. I made mistakes in the past, but this woman is special and I don’t want to risk losing her. I chose her over this company.” He chuckled, a soft smile brought life to his eyes, and Meg could see he’d found someone very special.
“Anyhow, she’s a little younger, divorced, no kids, and we make one another happy. I can’t continue to work these crazy hours at the office then take more work home. She won’t last long if I continue the way I have been, and I don’t blame her. She didn’t ask me to do this. In fact, she’s a little worried that I made this decision because of her. She couldn’t be more right about that. But I have no regrets. It’s time for me to hang my hat and retire, enjoy what’s left of my life, take care of her, and let her take care of me.”
Meg placed a hand over Frank’s. A genuine smile reached the corners of her mouth, showing him how happy she was that he found someone special and she wished him all the best. “I’m happy for you, Frank. You deserve this, and don’t worry about me. I’m here for as long as you need me.”
“Good, Meg, because I am about to ask you a huge favor. I’m not sure how you feel about traveling, but the investor I need you to deal with is situated in New York. I arranged a meeting between the two of you for Wednesday.”
Meg’s eyes widened in surprise, “You mean this Wednesday, as in the day after tomorrow?”
Frank nodded his head, “Yes, as in the day after tomorrow.” He chuckled. “There’s no need for you to sell him on buying the company; he’s very interested and he has all the information including the financials which you are familiar with in case he has any questions. I’m more interested in knowing what his offer is. You can answer to any cultural questions he may have, which is why I’ve chosen you to go out there to meet with him. All the arrangements have been made, flight, hotel accommodations, and itinerary. Everything will be forwarded to you on your BlackBerry. For obvious reasons, this conversation is strictly confidential. I don’t need to stress the importance of ensuring there are absolutely no leaks to the staff. For now, all negotiations will take place in New York City for this potential investor. I’d like to have all three offers on the table before I make a final decision. You’ll fly out tomorrow at noon. I think it would be best you leave the office for the remainder of the day, go home, pack, and get some rest.”
Surprised and thankful for the opportunity to take on this business venture, Meg asked, “Frank, what do you know about this investor? Do you have a name?”
“It’s Mr. Noble. He’s expecting you. From the few conversations I’ve had with him, he’s a busy man. His schedule is tight. He does a lot of traveling from what I gather.”
“Mr. Noble,” Meg whispered to herself. “What else can you tell me about him? Will I be dealing directly with this man or will I be dealing with his executive?”
“He’s pretty hands-on. Any business dealings I’ve had with him were with him directly. His company is headquartered out of New York City, but he does business globally. I’ve done some research on Noble Investment Group, and it would appear he has a solid reputation and is an extremely successful businessman. He’s looking to put his footprint here in Canada for the first time. Typically, he looks at purchasing companies that are struggling, like this one,” Frank said as he waved his hand through the air. “Then he’ll invest money to grow the business and resell after it starts making a marginal profit. He’s loaded, from what I understand. The usual successful workaholic, highly educated and comes from a wealthy background. According to my sources, he has never failed. He’s extremely sharp. He can be a little arrogant, but being as successful as he is, he’s confident, and of course with confidence, there’s always a little arrogance.”
Feeling a little intimidated by what Frank had just told her, Meg asked another question. “How do you think he’ll feel about you sending me on your behalf? I mean he sounds like a no-nonsense kind of man and this deal could bring you a lot of money if you play your cards right. Are you sure it would be in your best interest not to take this one on yourself, Frank? I mean—”
Frank interrupted before she could finish her sentence. He looked at Meg with every bit of confidence. “Don’t you think I’ve thought of that, Meg? Getting the biggest bang for my buck in this sale is my ultimate goal. I discussed your expertise and your background with the investor at great length. He assured me that he has no issues in dealing with you directly, provided you can answer his questions.” Frank’s face softened and his voice lowered, “Meg, if anyone can do this, other than me, it’s you. I have taught you everything there is to know. I haven’t held anything back from you. I purposely did that to ensure at least one person around here knew how to run thi
ngs if anything should happen to me. You know as much about Griffin Publishing as I do.”
Feeling bad for questioning his judgment, Meg assumed her confidence in her ability and shook his hand. “I won’t let you down, Frank. You’re right. I know I can do this and I look forward to it. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I wish you weren’t selling. Having you as my boss has been a wonderful experience. This is the least I can do for you after all you’ve done for me. So don’t worry, I will do what it takes, and you have my word, this information will remain between the two of us.”
Just as Meg was about to turn and walk away, Frank continued, “I emailed you the P&L and org chart in case he has any questions in that regard. Don’t forget, your flight leaves tomorrow at noon from Toronto landing at JFK Airport at twenty past one in the afternoon. From there, I booked an airport limo to take you to the hotel on forty-second. All instructions and addresses you require have been emailed to you and are available on your BlackBerry. You are expected to attend the meeting at one sharp in the afternoon on Wednesday and don’t be late. I think I mentioned he’s on a tight schedule. If I recall correctly, you have a close friend in New York. Hopefully, you can spend some time with her while you’re there. I will need you there for at least one week, possibly two. If you require additional time to deal with Noble, extend your stay. Just let me know a day or two in advance and I will delay your return flight from here. Now, get going. If you think of anything, just call me. I’ll be available by cell or e-mail. Oh, and Meg, be prepared. You will be free most of the time. Your meetings are light, but please, keep your cell phone with you at all times. You are expected to be available for any last minute questions or meetings at his request.”
“I will. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“I don’t mean to make you nervous, but I can’t tell you how important this is, Meg. I need you to put forth your best effort, that’s why I’m sending you in. You have what it takes to make this deal happen.”
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