The Wedding Setup, page 6
“Your what?”
“I have an art show in May.”
She leaned forward, taking one of Stuart’s hands. “Really? You didn’t mention it.”
He squeezed hers back, now appearing excited. “I wanted it to be a surprise. But of course a bunch of things are due soon, and I’m in the middle of all the planning stuff with the people at the museum.”
“So you decide to get married in the middle of a major project,” she said, laughing.
“Exactly! I can’t make things easy on myself, can I?”
“You never have.”
“Anyway—you’re better at all that planning stuff than I am. You know how I am about making decisions.”
“You’re terrible. It took you two hours to choose a scarf that one time in Venice.”
Everyone laughed.
“That sounds like Stuart,” Jai said.
“Exactly,” Stuart said. “And you know me better than anyone, Ryann. You’ll know what I like. Again—I place my whole faith in you and Maddie here.”
“What are we in charge of?” Maddie asked.
Jai and Stuart shared a quick, almost guilty glance, before Stuart said, “Let’s talk about that later. We should move to the restaurant first. It’s down the street a bit. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m famished.”
“Sure,” Maddie said, standing up. “I could eat.”
“You can always eat,” Jai said, and she smacked his arm.
As they all gathered and donned their winter wear again, Ryann fought against a rising resentment. She didn’t like that silent exchange she’d witnessed between Jai and Stuart. She could read her friend entirely, and that flash of guilt meant that they’d given her and Maddie the bulk of the work. While she’d never been in a wedding before or planned one, she’d had friends get married in the past and understood how much effort it took to line things up. And last-minute like this was bound to make everything harder. While she’d been excited to join him here, and help where she could, she resented the idea that she’d likely be busy the whole time on the wedding and what she could do for the office from here.
Maddie whistled, her eyes roaming up and down Ryann’s body once she was dressed.
Ryann glanced down at her outfit. “What?”
“That coat is incredible. Is that cashmere?”
She fingered the lapel briefly and nodded.
Maddie whistled again, shaking her head.
“What?” she asked again.
“Nothing. I just don’t think I’ve ever seen one outside of a movie.”
She frowned, not sure what she implied. Despite the “incredible” comment, Maddie didn’t seem impressed per se. In fact, if Ryann had to guess, she almost seemed put off. Resentful? Jealous? Not quite, but something similar.
“Cashmere’s the best,” Ryann said.
“I’m sure it is,” Maddie said, and winked.
She was about to reply, but the men started walking away, and Maddie followed. She had to hurry to catch up with them, still miffed. Who the hell was Maddie to question her wardrobe? Especially dressed the way she was now. Maddie wouldn’t look out of place in a lumber mill.
The last of the day’s warmth had faded from the air outside, and the chill was biting. Some of the melted snow had also frozen on the sidewalk, so it was slick with ice. The brewery was a little removed from the center of downtown, but from here she could see the stunning light display that crisscrossed over the streets. The ones above the street had been set up a little like the ceiling of a circus tent, rising to a point in the middle of the street. All the light poles were festooned in lights as well, sparkling under the garland, everything in reds and bright whites. It was pretty and impressive, altogether an effort that bespoke a great deal of effort and money.
She bundled herself a little tighter, letting the others get far ahead, wondering, then, how long it would be before they noticed her absence.
Maddie turned back for her, shoulders hunched up a little against the cold, hands stuffed in her coat pockets. She jerked her head toward the guys, and Ryann moved to join her. She almost slipped, and Maddie was there in an instant, catching her elbow in a strong, steady hand.
“Whoops,” she said. “Careful. Those aren’t the best shoes for winter weather.”
Ryann stopped still, glaring at her. “So now there’s something wrong with my shoes, too?”
Maddie shrugged. “Just telling it like it is.”
“Stop flirting back there, you two!” Stuart called. “I want to eat sometime this century, thank you very much!”
“Shall we?” Maddie asked, offering an elbow.
She ignored it and hurried to catch up with her friend. The last thing she wanted was gallantry from the woman after she’d insulted her. Twice.
“Wait up, Ryann!” Maddie called. She heard her jogging to catch up, and a moment later, her hand was on her arm again.
“Look. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to piss you off.”
She stopped and turned toward her. She glared and yanked her arm free. “It’s fine. Let’s drop it.”
Maddie’s eyebrows popped up. “Jeez. Touchy much? I guess what they say about redheads is true.”
“And what’s that?” she asked, voice rising despite herself.
“Hot tempers,” Maddie said, smirking.
She let her mouth drop open, almost unable to believe what she’d heard.
“Are you fucking—” she said.
“Hey! Ladies!” Stuart called again. “I’m starving here! Come on, already.”
Maddie smirked again and left her there, nearly breathless with rage. It took every ounce of her willpower to make herself keep walking. She caught up to the three of them outside a busy place called Henry’s and managed to catch Stuart before he went inside.
“Can I talk to you for a sec?” she asked him.
“Sure,” he said, clearly confused. He turned to Jai. “Go ahead and get a table. We’ll be in soon.”
Jai raised his eyebrows briefly, but he and Maddie disappeared inside.
“What’s up?” Stuart asked.
She opened her mouth, almost ready to tell him about her recent exchanges with Maddie, but his happy, excited expression stopped her. The last thing he needed was some weird drama, not when he was so clearly thrilled with everything. She didn’t need to bring him down.
“It’s nothing. I’m not feeling well. I’m tired, and I shouldn’t have had all those beers.” She paused. “Do you mind if we pick up again tomorrow? I’m not up for any of this right now.”
Stuart squinted at her. “Are you sure something else isn’t going on? What were you and Maddie talking about?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “Okay, Ryann. You’re right. This is a lot to handle after the trip you had. I’m sorry. We should have saved the introductions for tomorrow.”
“No. It’s fine. You couldn’t have known. And I’m so glad to meet Jai. He’s really incredible.”
“He is, isn’t he?”
“Yes. He really is. Give them my apologies?”
“Sure. If you want, I can even order some food sent over for you. You have to eat something.”
“Thanks, but it’s fine. I can ask Ethel for a sandwich or something.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly not buying it. She laughed.
“Okay. I’d love it if you sent something over. Something light, please. A salad.”
“Are you sure? They have a really great steak sandwich here.”
She gave him a quick hug. “Salad’s good. So I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes—first thing in the morning. Nine a.m. I’ll give you and Maddie the lowdown so you can get started. You have an appointment at ten and one at two, so dress for a whole day out.”
She sighed again, suddenly as tired as she’d claimed to be. “Okay. But you better bring coffee.”
She spent the walk back to the hotel going over her interactions with Maddie. What on earth had made her behave that way and say what she’d said? Finally back in her room and lying on the ridiculous bed, she was too tired to wait up for the food to arrive. She started to drift off, fully clothed, long before someone knocked on her door. She didn’t get up.
Chapter Five
Ryann was up before dawn and showered and dressed long before sunup. The time difference worked in her favor, as she was able to call into the office and check in with Ted the moment he was there.
“Tell me how it’s going,” she said.
“It’s dominoes, Ryann,” he said. “Everything is getting set up, but at the same time, everything could fall down at the slightest screwup. I can’t think of a single moment since I started when things seemed so exciting or precarious.”
She laughed. Only Ted could or would be this honest with her. “You didn’t seem to have any of these misgivings when I was still there.”
“Well, that’s just it—you’re not here.”
She had to bite back a hot reply. She hated the idea that the company would fall apart the moment she wasn’t there. Still, this deal was her baby, so she could appreciate how delicate the situation could seem with her gone and not assuaging anyone’s nerves.
“What’s happening on the London front?” she asked.
Ted sighed, obviously stalling for time, rustling papers.
“It’s not good. The board went back and forth with them all day yesterday, and they’re doing the same today. So far, they’re not budging. London can’t commit to anything sooner than the first week in March.”
“Which means we’ll lose Tokyo and Sydney.” She squeezed the bridge of her nose, eyes pinched tight. It was much too early in the day for a migraine.
“Have you done the numbers yet?” she asked him.
“Yes. It’s not an easy choice. Sydney is pretty small potatoes—even smaller than our firm. But Tokyo is a giant. Together, they’re basically the same as London, so even if we can get the others to agree to wait, it’s basically the same one way or another in terms of shared costs.”
“What about the possible projections? How would they be affected?”
“Okay—so here’s where it gets really complicated.”
“The fast version, please.”
“In a nutshell, we’ll make more money if we have London than if we have the other two. But either way, if we lose anyone, it really, really hurts the numbers.”
“Damn it.”
“Exactly. I don’t see the board taking the risk if we can’t increase those profit margins with a loss of one or more of those cities.” He paused, and she knew without seeing him that he was reluctant to keep talking. Finally, he took a deep breath. “I hate to say this, Ryann, but the board will force you to pull out whether we lose London or Tokyo or Sydney, or any combination of those three. The numbers don’t justify the possible losses otherwise.”
“Well then, we’re back to square one. We have to get everyone on board.” She rubbed her eyes again. “What time is it in London right now?”
“Almost three.”
“So the board will probably be negotiating for another three hours, maybe longer if they have drinks at the pub and the cigar club after.”
“A given,” Ted said.
“How long are they in town?”
“Today and then a half day tomorrow before they fly home.”
She calculated. “Okay—here’s what I want you to do. First, call me the minute you hear anything today from London—good or bad. Do you have someone on the inside?”
“Bill’s there. He’s the new CFO’s assistant. He’s been texting me on and off.”
“Good. Let me know when you hear from him. The board won’t bother contacting me until Monday if it’s bad news. And start working on Tokyo and Sydney. Get those exact figures to me, and set up a phone meeting for some time tomorrow.”
“Not possible. Our tomorrow is their Saturday.”
Ryann sighed. “Right—I always screw that up. Okay then—their tomorrow afternoon or early evening, whatever time that is here.”
“Might be close to midnight for you. Is that okay?”
“Sure. Just get me an hour with the CEO of each, and let me know the time here.”
“Consider it done.”
“Keep brainstorming about London in the meantime. Maybe we’ll luck out, and the board will come back with good news later today or tomorrow, but we can’t bank on it. We have to know someone over there who can put some pressure on them from the inside.”
“I’ll start combing the files again.” He cleared his throat. “What about you, Ryann? Are you still willing to fly to London if they won’t budge? I still think that’s the best way to persuade them.”
She rolled her shoulders a little, the strain now causing her entire body to ache. “Yes. I could get away next week for a couple of days, maybe, if I did a red-eye and came back as soon as possible. But let’s hold off on booking until we know the outcome of the board’s trip.”
“Sounds good.” She could hear him typing and waited for him to speak again.
“So how is it going out there?” he finally asked.
“I’m calling you from a heart-shaped, rotating bed, to give you a mental image.”
He laughed. “Listen. I don’t want to be the jerk here, and I know Stuart’s a major part of your life, but maybe this isn’t the time to disappear for two weeks? Any other time, perhaps, but even then, it seems like a lot to ask.”
She frowned. He was right, especially after last night. Juggling a multi-million-dollar deal and a wedding was not going to be pleasant, or maybe even possible. Still, it wasn’t her assistant’s place to say it.
“I’ll be the judge of that. Get those meetings set up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She hung up, tossing her phone aside and lying back, her head pounding. She’d kept the heavy blinds down, the room illuminated by the only lamp with tolerable light in the whole place. Still, the sunlight was peeking in from outside now. Glancing at the clock, she realized she would need to rush downstairs if she wanted something to eat before Stuart showed up in a little less than an hour. It all seemed far too complicated and annoying, and she closed her eyes. She would take a short nap.
Startled awake by loud knocking, she sat up almost screaming, clutching her chest. Her mouth was dry, and she was disoriented. It took her several seconds to remember where she was. She spied the clock then. It was after nine. It must be Stuart.
She climbed unsteadily to her feet, stretched briefly, and then walked over to open the door.
“Taking a nap, were we?” Stuart said.
She let him come inside without a word. He handed her a wrapped muffin and a large mug of steaming coffee.
“These are from downstairs,” he explained. “Ethel was worried that you didn’t come down for breakfast, so she sent this mug and a German muffin.”
“What’s a German muffin?”
He laughed. “You got me.” He stood still, taking in the decorations, and then turned back to her, suppressing laughter. “So how do you like the room?”
“You’re an asshole.”
He laughed again and steered her back to the bed, the two of them sitting down at the foot.
She took a sip of her coffee and wrinkled her nose. “You were supposed to bring me coffee. Real coffee.”
“And you’ll have it. Maddie is coming with your double espresso.”
She couldn’t help but pout a little, but she unwrapped the muffin and sniffed before nibbling at it, grimacing when she finally recognized the ham.
“Do you want this?” she asked.
“Still off the swine?”
“They’re intelligent animals.”
He laughed. “You don’t give a shit about animals, and you know it.” He started eating it, cramming in large bites. He’d always been a voracious, messy eater, but she’d forgotten. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched him shovel the rest of it in, and when his cheeks were totally stuffed, he asked, “What?” mouth still full, crumbs flying out.
“Nasty!” She pushed his shoulder. “Swallow first.”
He did, with some difficulty, looking like he might choke. He finally managed to get it down, clearly trying not to laugh.
“That’s what he said.”
“Did you seriously almost choke to death so you could make that joke?”
He snorted, and she pushed him again. He retaliated, and before long they had devolved into a wrestling match, which then turned into a pillow fight. Neither of them heard the knock at the door, so when Maddie came in, they were still distracted and engaged.
“You cheater!” Ryann said. “You can’t use a throw pillow.”
“Oh, yeah?” he said. “Why not?”
“Because they’re harder. They hurt more.”
“Like you can feel it through your thick head,” he shouted back.
“Children, children,” Maddie said. “Do I have to separate you two, or can you play nicely?”
“She started it,” Stuart said, pointing.
Ryann flushed with embarrassment and dropped the pillow. She tried to smooth her messy hair, which was surely sticking out in all directions from the static in here and the pillows that had been pummeling her the last few minutes. She could hardly stand the idea that this stranger had seen them playing like—well, as she put it—children.
Maddie, however, was smiling, her hair today more sophisticated and styled than it had been last night. She was once again in a version of lumber-wear, but those burgundy workpants hugged her shapely legs so well, and that nice gray-flannel shirt brought out the rich blue of her eyes.
“Excuse me for a moment, please,” Ryann said, heading toward the bathroom.
“You embarrassed her,” Stuart said behind her.
