Czytaj książkę: «Mr. Loverman»

CHAPTER ONE

‘YOU want me to do...what?’ Laura frowned at the man sitting at the other side of the desk.

Besides being tall, dark and outrageously attractive, Jack Wilder was also well-known for possessing a good sense of humour. And Laura liked to think that she, too, was quite capable of enjoying a joke. But not first thing on a Monday morning, when she was still suffering from jet lag after the long flight from Tahiti.

‘Would you...um ...would you mind repeating that again?’ Laura muttered, wishing that she didn’t feel quite so tired and woolly-headed. Especially when her employer was looking his usual elegant and immaculate self.

In fact, other than the deep tan covering his arrogant, hawk-like features, there was nothing to suggest that Jack himself had only flown back to London a few days ago, leaving her to sort out any remaining difficulties on the set. And there had certainly been plenty of those, she reminded herself grimly. The latest remake of Mutiny on the Bounty had clearly been jinxed from the start, while dealing with that temperamental film star Craig Jordan had proved to be a complete nightmare.

‘I was just saying that I’m really very sorry to have to take this decision. Unfortunately, under the circumstances, I don’t see that I have any alternative. I’m afraid that I’m going to have to ask you to go.’

Laura stared glassy-eyed at her employer, trying to cudgel her weary brain into some sort of working order, because there was obviously something very wrong with this conversation.

‘I didn’t get back home from the airport until late last night. So I’m not feeling too bright this morning,’ she told him with a tired smile, brushing a stray lock of bright auburn hair from her face. ‘Exactly where do you want me to go? And what “circumstances” are you talking about?’

Jack Wilder remained silent, his grey eyes unfathomable beneath their heavy lids as he studied the girl in front of him, before swivelling around in his chair to gaze out of the large plate-glass window of his office.

‘As you know, ever since I founded this theatrical agency, I’ve always insisted on my staff obeying one basic, golden rule,’ he said at last, continuing to stare out at the heavy traffic forcing its way down Shaftesbury Avenue. ‘And that is never, under any circumstances, to mix business with pleasure.’

‘So...?’

‘Your brains really are scrambled this morning, aren’t they?’ he drawled, a tight note of exasperation in his voice. ‘I was referring to our own personal relationship, of course. The fact that we spent last weekend together.’

‘Oh—er—right...’ she muttered, staring down at the hands in her lap and hoping that the thick, heavy hair falling down over her face would successfully hide her flushed cheeks. Surely this was neither the time nor the place to discuss such a very private subject?

‘Craig buttonholed me at the airport, just before I left,’ Jack continued with a shrug of his broad shoulders. ‘Unfortunately, he left me in no doubt of his feelings about you, and...’

‘Oh, is that it?’ Laura gave a nervous gurgle of laughter. ‘For heaven’s sake—you can’t seriously believe that I somehow got involved with Craig Jordan? OK, I know he was pestering the life out of me,’ she added quickly as her employer remained ominously silent, ‘but surely you know that I can’t stand the awful man? As far as I’m concerned, he’s hell on wheels! Besides, is it likely that I’d even look at him, when you and I...er...?’

‘That’s precisely the point I’ve been trying to make,’ he said, his lips tightening as he stared out of the window. ‘Believe me—Craig was very vocal on the subject of theatrical agents who sleep with their staff.’

‘I bet he was!’ she muttered grimly. ‘But only because he couldn’t get anywhere with me. He was obviously out to make trouble. Believe me, that scumbag really hates to see anyone else having a good time.’

‘You may well be right about Craig—but it’s no good trying to avoid the issue. Despite the enchantment of those hot, tropical nights in the South Pacific, I should have known better than to give in to temptation—however enticing it may have seemed at the time. Unfortunately, I can now see that our brief...er...affair was a very unfortunate mistake.’

‘A mistake...?’

‘I’m not blaming you—it’s entirely my own stupid fault,’ he admitted with a heavy sigh, brushing long, tanned fingers through his dark hair. ‘Nevertheless, rules are rules. And they apply as much to me as to my colleagues,’ he added quickly over her strangled gasp of protest. ‘So, while I obviously don’t want to lose you, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to terminate your employment with this firm.’

‘You must be kidding!’ she gasped, scarcely able to believe her ears.

‘No—I’m perfectly serious.’

Suddenly feeling as though she’d been hit very hard on the back of the head by a heavy sandbag, Laura stared blankly at his hawk-like profile.

‘OK, Jack—let’s get this right out in the open,’ she said at last, striving to sound as calm and objective as possible. ‘Are you seriously trying to tell me that just because we spent last weekend alone together—and Craig somehow found out about it—you’re now prepared to allow that...that slimeball to dictate who can and cannot be employed by this agency?’

‘No, of course I’m not.’ He drummed his long fingers impatiently on the arm of his chair. ‘It’s far more complicated than that. Craig merely drew my attention to a problem of which I was already well aware.’

‘Oops—my mistake! We mustn’t forget the hefty amount of commission on all those film deals—right?’ she ground out sarcastically.

‘That remark is completely uncalled for—and totally out of order!’ he ground out, his steely grey eyes glinting with anger as he spun around to face her. ‘I would never put money before the welfare of those who work for me. So any commission which Craig may bring into this firm has absolutely nothing to do with the problem. Do I make myself clear?’

‘OK, OK,’ she muttered, her defiance wilting beneath the hard, taut expression on his tanned features. ‘But...but I don’t understand why there’s a “problem”. After all, we’re both single; we haven’t hurt anyone, or done anything morally wrong. Besides, it was your idea to whisk us both off to that small island for the weekend,’ she added defiantly. ‘You definitely made the first move, Jack—and don’t you forget it!’

‘Yes, I know I did,’ he retorted tersely. ‘But that’s not the point.’

‘Well, what is the point? Why this sudden decision to give me the sack?’

‘I didn’t decide anything suddenly,’ he told her firmly, before once more turning to gaze out of the window. ‘I have, in fact, given the matter a great deal of thought. Unfortunately, there’s no way I can see us being able to work together in future. What happened in Tahiti was, I’ll admit, a very unfortunate error on my part. And it’s one for which I must take full blame.’

‘Blame for what?’ she demanded bleakly. ‘After all, I’m twenty-six years of age and no longer a nervous virgin. So why don’t you tell me, in words of one syllable, exactly what you mean?’ she added grimly as he remained silent. ‘Are you trying to say that you were lying through your teeth? That everything you said and did that weekend was totally false? That, in fact, you merely felt like going to bed with someone and...and I just happened to be available?’

‘No! I’m not saying anything of the sort,’ he retorted curtly, before falling silent once more. ‘Quite frankly, I’m not at all sure that I can explain what happened,’ he said at last, with a heavy sigh. ‘On our trip to the South Pacific, I had absolutely no intention of doing anything which would jeopardise our normal, good working relationship.

‘On the other hand...’ he hesitated for a moment ‘...I have to confess that during the past year I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on work when you’re around. The truth is, Laura, I find you far too...er...far too distracting. Which is precisely why I’m going to have to let you go. I am very sorry about the situation, of course, but—’

‘You’re sorry? How the hell do you think I feel?’ she cried, still not really able to believe that this was happening to her. ‘Incidentally, if you’re going to fire me, kindly have the courtesy to do it to my face!’ she demanded furiously, incensed at the way he was continuing to avoid looking at her.

‘This isn’t a decision which I’ve taken lightly,’ he said as he swung his chair back from the window, his hooded lids hiding all expression as he gazed at the flushed cheeks and glitteringly angry emerald-green eyes of the beautiful girl in front of him.

‘I’ve been in this business for some time. So I know what I’m talking about when I say that mixing business and pleasure is a certain recipe for disaster,’ he told her quietly. ‘When two people who happen to work closely together also begin sleeping with one another it always ends in tears and bitter recriminations. Believe me, I’m far too fond of you to let that happen.’

‘Oh, really...?’ she drawled caustically. ‘So how come you waited until I came into the office this morning before giving me the sack? If that’s your idea of fondness I hate to think how you’d behave if you really cared for someone!’

‘I wouldn’t be telling you this now, in the office, if I’d been able to contact you at home,’ he retorted grimly. ‘But for some reason you’d taken the phone off the hook.’

‘I just wanted a good night’s sleep,’ she snapped. ‘After coping with that foul man Craig Jordan I reckoned I deserved it!’

‘You did a very good job under extremely difficult circumstances,’ he agreed smoothly. ‘In fact, I’ll freely admit that it’s going to be difficult to find someone to take your place.’

‘You can cut out that patronising tone, you bastard!’ she ground out through gritted teeth. ‘Because it obviously doesn’t seem to matter how successful I’ve been—you’re still going to sling me out onto the rubbish heap. Right?’

‘Wrong!’ he snapped, only a muscle beating in his clenched jaw, and the high spots of colour on his cheekbones, betraying evidence of the fact that her caustic barbs were beginning to hit home. ‘You know very well that there are any number of agencies who’d give their eye-teeth to have you working for them.’

‘But I’ve built up a career in this firm,’ she pointed out forcibly. ‘There are several clients I spotted when they were fresh out of drama school and who are now doing really well. Not to mention a lot more depending on me because they know I’ll move heaven and earth to get them good parts in films or the theatre,’ she added, struggling to control her temper as she desperately tried to get him to see reason.

A tense, brooding silence seemed to fill the room for a few moments, before he gave a slow shake of his dark head. ‘While I agree that you’ve always been a valued, highly successful member of this agency, I’m not prepared to reconsider my decision. However, I will, of course, give you a handsome settlement in lieu of the proper notice, as well as a glowing reference.’

‘Oh, gee—thanks!’ Laura glowered at the handsome man sitting behind his desk. ‘So, what happens when, halfway through an interview for a new job, someone asks, “And just why did you leave your last firm, Miss Parker?” What am I supposed to say? That my boss fancied a quick fling—and is now covered with remorse for having had his evil way with me?’ She gave a shrill, harsh peal of laughter, roughly pushing back her chair as she leaped to her feet. ‘For God’s sake, Jack, they’d never believe it. Not in a month of Sundays!’

‘Calm down, Laura! I really don’t think that—’

‘No—you’re right. That’s one thing you didn’t think about,’ she retorted, her voice rising in fury as she paced angrily about the room. ‘Any prospective employer is bound to assume that I was either cooking the books or that I was caught with my hand in the till. And why?’ she demanded fiercely, spinning around to face him. ‘Because no one could possibly imagine that handsome Jack Wilder—the “Mr Loverman” of the London theatrical world, who’s had more girls than I’ve had hot dinners—would sack a colleague simply because they spent a weekend together.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ he snapped.

‘I’m not the one who’s going to look ridiculous when the news gets out,’ she stormed, her temper by now well out of control as she hit back at the man who was treating her so cruelly. ‘I’ll bet any money you like that your colleagues and rivals will be falling about and screaming with laughter when they hear that you’ve given up the lecherous, womanising habits of a lifetime. Can’t you just hear them? “Hey, guys, did I tell you the latest gossip about randy Jack Wilder? He’s suddenly had a rush of blood to the head, and joined the Salvation Army!”’

‘I’ve had quite enough of this nonsense,’ he growled angrily. ‘I think you’d better leave both my office and this firm as quickly as possible.’

‘Don’t worry—I’ve no intention of staying one moment longer than I have to!’ Laura yelled, her shoulder-length, bright auburn hair whirling about her head as she spun on her heels and marched swiftly away across the thick carpet.

‘In any case,’ she added, jerking open the door to the outer office, now jam-packed with agency staff who’d been listening goggle-eyed to the row, ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead working for such a...a slimy ratbag!’

‘If you don’t get out of here right now I’ll throw you out on your ear!’ he bellowed, jumping to his feet, his handsome features flushed with rage and fury.

‘Oh, yeah?’ she jeered, almost drunk with exhilaration as she heard some of her colleagues giving way to nervous giggles and muffled, hysterical laughter. ‘Do me a favour! You couldn’t even go two rounds with a revolving door!’

‘Get out!’

‘Relax—I’m going. But if you think you’ve seen or heard the last of me you’re very much mistaken,’ she hissed, quickly whisking herself around the other side of the door as Jack left his desk and began moving menacingly towards her. ‘Because I’m going to get my own back on you...you philandering Casanova—if it’s the last thing I ever do!’

Perched on a kitchen stool, Laura watched glumly as her older sister spread whipped cream over the thin rectangular slabs of dark brown sponge cake.

‘OK, Amy, you may as well say what you’re thinking.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I went completely over the top, didn’t I?’

‘Well...’ the other girl murmured, concentrating on her work as she deftly rolled up the chocolate roulades and dusted them with icing sugar before placing the delicate confections inside a large fridge. ‘I must say it does sound like a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease.’

‘You’re right,’ Laura agreed with another heavy sigh.

‘We both know that you’ve been mad about Jack for ages,’ Amy pointed out calmly as she began whisking some egg whites in a copper bowl. ‘But I can’t help thinking it’s a pity you didn’t get the ground rules sorted out before you gave in to temptation.’

‘I only wish that I had,’ Laura admitted gloomily. ‘But...but can’t you see that it’s all so unfair? Why should I have to be the sacrificial lamb? Why should I be the one to lose my job—while he gets off, scot-free? Everyone knows that it takes two to tango, for heaven’s sake!’

Amy shrugged. ‘Well, you could hardly expect him to leave his own firm.’

‘There was no need for anyone to leave!’ her younger sister retorted grimly. ‘In fact, if Jack wasn’t so totally paranoiac about anyone mixing business with pleasure, there wouldn’t be a problem. As far as I can see, he was only intent on preserving his own, rotten reputation. Is it any wonder that I went completely bananas?’

‘It certainly sounds as if you burned your boats in fine style,’ Amy agreed wryly. ‘After all, I don’t imagine that any guy is going to be exactly thrilled to be called “a slimy ratbag”. And certainly not in front of everyone in the office!’

‘OK, OK... there’s no need to rub it in,’ Laura groaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment, desperately wishing that she could go to sleep and wake up to find that it had all been a hideous nightmare.

After storming out of the agency this morning, she’d walked through the streets of London in a daze, not realising where she was going or what she was doing, until she’d found herself wandering down Piccadilly towards Green Park. Sinking down onto a wooden bench and closing her eyes as she’d raised her face towards the clear blue sky, Laura had still felt as if she was in the midst of a bad dream.

It had only been as her tired mind and body had begun to relax beneath the warmth of the midday sun that she’d forced herself to accept the grim truth: not only had her successful career been suddenly reduced to a pile of rubble—but her name was now mud with the man she’d loved so hopelessly, for so long.

In fact, that was an understatement of the situation, she now told herself gloomily, staring blindly down at the stainless-steel worktop in the large kitchen from where her sister ran a successful catering company. Jack Wilder might well be as attractive as all-get-out, but he was also a hard, tough and ruthless individual, who was almost certainly going to prove to be a very bad enemy.

Not that she’d had any idea of the powerful force and aggression lying beneath his charming, handsome exterior when she’d first joined his agency over three years ago. Completely over the moon at having gained a coveted post at Wilder, Hunt and Martin—commonly known as WHAM and one of the most successful theatrical agencies in London—Laura had beamed happily at the man sitting behind his desk in the large office overlooking Shaftesbury Avenue.

‘There is just one more point I’d like to make, Miss Parker,’ he’d said as she’d risen to go and meet her new colleagues. ‘I do not, under any circumstances, allow anyone working here to mix business with pleasure. That applies first and foremost to our clients, of course—but also, if you will forgive the immodesty, to myself. Quite frankly,’ he’d added, his lips tightening momentarily in irritation and annoyance, ‘I’m sick and tired of having to get rid of foolish, silly girls who—God knows why—manage to persuade themselves that they’ve fallen in love with me. Do I make myself clear?’

‘As a bell!’ she’d laughed, before holding up her left hand to display a small diamond ring on her third finger. ‘I’m engaged to be married. So, if you will also forgive the immodesty, Mr Wilder, I think you’ll find you’re quite safe with me!’

‘I’m glad to hear it...er...Laura,’ he’d grinned, then had told her to call him by his Christian name before asking his personal assistant, Susie Carter, to show her to her new office.

‘He wasn’t joking,’ Susie had warned her a few days later as they’d grabbed a quick lunch in a nearby wine bar. ‘Jack Wilder may have quite a reputation in the business—I don’t imagine that he’s known as Mr Loverman for nothing!—but, as far as the agency is concerned, he doesn’t stand any nonsense. And I can’t say that I blame him,’ she’d added with a shrug. ‘It must be a real drag having someone spending all their time in a daydream—or, like your predecessor, flooding the office with tears every time she reads press cuttings about Jack and his glamorous girlfriends.’

‘Well, I can see he’s a very handsome and charming man, but I’m simply not interested,’ Laura had told her with a bright, confident smile. Having fallen in love with an engineering student, Bryan Turner, during her last year at university, she’d known that she was completely immune to her new employer—however attractive he might be.

Unfortunately, Bryan had proved to be far less sure of his feelings. After joining a large firm of civil engineers, he’d been sent abroad a year later to deal with the construction of a large hotel in the centre of Bangkok. There, he’d quickly succumbed to the pleasures and distractions of an Oriental way of life—only bothering to inform his fiancée that he had met and married a beautiful Thai girl some months after the ceremony had taken place.

Quite convinced that her heart was irretrievably broken, Laura had buried herself in work, grimly concentrating on her career. Looking after and caring for her clients had helped to assuage some of her deep unhappiness—until, some six months later, she’d been both amazed and somewhat ashamed to discover that her heart hadn’t been broken after all.

As a result of her having become totally absorbed and single-minded about her job, Laura’s hard work and increasing success had not gone unnoticed. Rapidly promoted by Jack to a position of responsibility within the firm, she’d found herself increasingly in close contact with her employer. And, although for a long time she’d struggled against acknowledging the fact, Laura had gradually realised that she was in serious trouble.

Almost without realising it, she’d fallen deeply in love with Jack Wilder—a dangerously contagious disease, which also seemed to have infected half the women of his acquaintance. However, since she’d known that the likelihood of Jack returning her love was less than zero, she’d been determined not to succumb to what could only be a hopeless and disastrous state of affairs.

Ever since both her parents had died, when she was only sixteen, Laura had become used to talking over problems with her older sister. However, confiding the truth about her feelings for Jack had merely resulted in Amy’s practical, level-headed advice that she should leave the firm as soon as possible and get a job in another agency. ‘After all, love, what’s the point in giving yourself a whole load of grief?’ she’d said.

Unfortunately, and despite knowing that her sister was right, Laura hadn’t been able to bring herself to follow such a sensible course of action. However, over the past two years she’d always taken the greatest care to conceal the true depth of her feelings, both from her friends and workmates as well as her employer.

It hadn’t been an ideal situation, of course, but she was certain that she’d managed to convince everyone that she had no romantic interest in her boss. And there’d certainly been no problem when she’d accompanied Jack to other film locations, in such diverse places as Arizona, Spain and the Ukraine. So why had everything suddenly gone completely haywire in Tahiti...?

‘In fact, once he’s calmed down, I’m sure that Jack will see that he’s treated you very badly.’

‘Hmm...?’ She raised her head, looking blankly at Amy for a moment. ‘I’m sorry...I was miles away,’ she confessed with a heavy sigh.

‘I was just saying that it’s not the end of the world. Of course, you shouldn’t have lost your temper, but sooner or later Jack is bound to realise that he is mostly to blame for what happened today.’

‘Fat chance!’ Laura gave a derisory snort of grim laughter. ‘Even if he does eventually forgive me—and I’m quite certain that he never will—I still don’t have a job. And not much prospect of getting another one, either,’ she added glumly. ‘If only I hadn’t bought that smart, glamorous apartment in Soho! Even if Jack does give me a generous pay-off, without regular employment I’ll never be able to keep up the mortgage payments. Maybe...’ she looked hopefully around the large, superbly equipped kitchen ‘...I could come and work for you...?’

‘No way!’ Amy laughed and shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, love. You know I’ll do anything I can to help, but you’ve never been interested in cooking, and it’s a bit too late to start now. Besides, there’s a world of difference between messing around in your own kitchen and catering full-time for businessmen’s lunches in the City.’

‘Yes, I know. But...’

‘The idea is a complete non-starter,’ her sister said firmly. ‘I can handle the amount of work I’ve got at the moment, mainly because it fits in so well with the children’s school timetable. But, if I took you on, I’d also have to expand the business in order to pay you a living wage. Which in turn would mean spending less time with the boys. And, quite apart from my own feelings, I also know that Tom wouldn’t be at all happy about the situation.’

‘You’re quite right,’ Laura agreed quickly, ashamed of having been so selfish and only concerned with her own problems. Amy’s husband, Tom, was a very kind and easygoing, if somewhat absent-minded history professor at London University. But even he could be expected to cut up rough if his small sons began to see less of their mother.

‘However, I can probably help out with your mortgage—for a few months, anyway.’

‘Don’t be silly!’ Laura protested. ‘I wouldn’t dream of letting you do anything of the kind. I was just worried about what was going to happen in the future, that’s all.’

‘Well, I think you ought to keep on working in your own profession. You’ve been really happy and successful at looking after your clients. So why turn your back on the theatrical world just because you’ve had a row with Jack Wilder?’

‘Because I’m quite certain that he’ll do his best to see I’m blacklisted,’ Laura told her grimly. ‘I know Jack—he never forgives or forgets an injury. Just look at what happened to Donald Hunt,’ she added as she slipped off the stool and made her way to the door.

‘Donald Hunt?’

Laura shrugged. ‘It’s ancient history now, of course, but he was one of Jack’s original partners in the agency—together with their accountant, David Martin, who died in a car crash some years ago. Nobody knows exactly what went wrong between Donald Hunt and Jack. However, it’s rumoured that there was an almighty bust-up because Donald had a torrid affair with Melissa Grant, who was Jack’s wife at the time.’

‘I never knew that Jack had been married to Melissa Grant!’ Amy exclaimed in amazement. ‘She’s a wonderful actress, of course—and stunningly beautiful. Isn’t she starring in that award-winning play at the National Theatre? We’ve been trying to get hold of some tickets, but it’s completely sold out for the next three months.’

‘Yes, well...dear Melissa—who may be beautiful, but is said to be a first-class bitch, and has just left her fifth husband—was apparently married to Jack for only a very short time before becoming fatally involved with Donald. The story is that Jack not only divorced his wife and dissolved the partnership but also made certain that no other agency would give Donald Hunt a job.’

‘Are you sure about this?’

Laura shrugged. ‘Well, I must admit that I don’t know the full facts. But it seems that fairly soon after Donald and Jack split up Donald inherited a fortune from his father—who’d apparently been a big cheese in the building-construction business. However, the real moral of this story is: if he hadn’t had a family business to fall back on, Donald would have been left high and dry—totally up the creek without a paddle. So I don’t think my future is looking too bright and hopeful—do you?’

‘Oh, come on! I simply can’t believe that Jack would be that vindictive,’ her sister protested. ‘There’s a world of difference between pinching another man’s wife and two people having a row in the office.’

Laura brushed a weary hand through her hair. ‘I hope you’re right. But the theatrical world is a very small one and absolutely riddled with gossip. In fact, while it’s only a few hours since I was sacked, I’m pretty sure that by now the quarrel between Jack and myself will be common knowledge. So I reckon my chances of being able to join another agency are just about zilch!’

‘I think you’re being far too pessimistic. What you need is a good night’s sleep,’ Amy told her firmly. ‘You’ll be feeling much more positive in the morning. In fact, I’m quite certain your fears are groundless, and that it won’t be long before you’re inundated with offers of work.’

I hope to goodness that Amy is right, Laura thought glumly, waves of tiredness and resentment sweeping over her weary body as she slowly made her way back to her own apartment. Unfortunately, after having been so callously dumped by that louse Jack Wilder it now seemed all too likely that he would turn nasty.