Sleepless in Manhattan (17 page)

Frankie stared at him. “You turn projects down?”

“Sometimes. You get a sense for when a client is never going to be satisfied. If I’m going to spend more time undoing than doing, I’m not interested.”

Paige’s phone rang and she reached for her bag, but by the time she found her phone the caller had hung up.

“No number.” She checked her missed calls. “I wonder who—”

Eva’s phone started to ring and she grabbed it. “Hello?” There was a pause. “Matilda? It’s you? We’ve been calling you and calling you! Why didn’t you—” She broke off and her mouth dropped open. “You’re
kidding
!”

“What?” Paige sat down next to Eva, concerned. “What’s happened? Where has she been? Tell her we can give her a job. We’ll work something out.” She was torn between relief that Matilda had finally called and guilt at not having been able to stop Cynthia firing her friend.

“Wait—shh, I can’t hear—” Eva turned away slightly and Frankie rolled her eyes.

“There are days when I could strangle her. You?”

Paige wanted to know about Matilda.
Is she okay?
She mouthed the words, but Eva shook her head and covered her other ear so that she could listen.

“We heard Chase Adams insisted you were fired.” She paused. “He
did what
? Wow. What sort of guy does that?”

“A guy who is a dumbass,” Frankie muttered. “Why does she ask such obvious questions?”

Jake raised his eyebrows. “He’s an astute businessman, not a dumbass.”

“He fired Matilda. That makes him a dumbass.”

“Shh—” Eva waved her hand to silence them. “Say that again, Matilda, from the moment you dropped your phone in the bath—”

Paige gave a half smile. That sounded so like Matilda.

Frankie looked baffled. “Who takes a phone into the bath? And she wonders why she has so many accidents—”

Paige was watching Eva. She said nothing, simply listened, and then huge fat tears welled up in her eyes.

“Matilda—” her voice was choked “—I—I don’t know what to say.” Tears spilled down her cheeks and Paige felt sick.

It was obviously worse, much worse, than she’d feared.

She held out her hand. “Let me talk to her. Give me the phone, Ev.” She was determined to make it right. She’d give Matilda a job even if it meant living off instant soup for the rest of her life.
“Ev!”

“Wait!” Eva held on to the phone, scrubbing her face with her free hand as she listened. “Great. Yeah, that’s right. We set up our own business. Urban Genie. We were going to offer you a job—I know! Incredible. We’ll see you then. It’s going to feel weird. Will you still speak to us?”

Frankie growled again. “It’s going to feel weird when I rip that phone out of her hand. And why wouldn’t Matilda speak to us? It was Cynthia who fired her, not us.”

Eva hung up. “Well! Can you believe that? Amazing.”

“I’m counting to three,” Frankie said pleasantly. “And then you’re dead. You only get one warning.”

“Why did you hang up?” Paige was frustrated. “Why didn’t you tell her we’d give her a job?”

“Because she doesn’t need a job.” Eva looked dazed. “She’s doing fine.”

“She’s found another job? How? What?”

“Her book is being published.”

Paige felt her spirits lift. “That’s great news! I’m so happy for her. But I can’t imagine that’s going to make her enough to live off, at least not for a while. She’s still going to need—”

“She doesn’t need anything.” Eva wiped her eyes again. “You always laugh at me, but this is proof that happy endings can happen in real life as well as in books and movies.”

“So she has a publishing deal—that’s great, but—”

“That’s not all.” Eva sniffed. “It’s the most romantic thing I ever heard. After she spilled the champagne, Cynthia told her to go home, remember? Which was why we couldn’t find her. So she got into the elevator and guess who was in there with her? Chase Adams. But she didn’t know who he was—”

“Only Matilda wouldn’t recognize Chase Adams.”

“I haven’t finished.”

“Then finish, before we all die of old age.”

“This is a real-life fairy tale. I’m not rushing it. She didn’t know who he was, but they had this amazing chemistry going so she went home with him.”

“She went home with a guy she met in the elevator?” Frankie gaped. “Holy crap, she’s as bad as you are. Please tell me that at some point she found out who he was, and then she punched him?”

“They fell in love.” Eva’s eyes filled again. “Sorry, but I’m so happy. It proves that when it’s right, it’s right. You don’t need years together to know.”

“What? Wait a minute.” Paige was confused. “You’re telling us she met Chase Adams, fell in love and—”

“—and now they’re going to live happily ever after.”

Frankie was incredulous. “Does she know he demanded Cynthia fire her?”

“That isn’t what happened.” The smile left Eva’s face. “He didn’t care about the spilled champagne. He didn’t say or do anything—until Matilda told him Cynthia had fired her. Then he pulled his business because he was so mad with Star Events for firing Matilda.”

Stunned into silence, Paige absorbed the truth. “So you’re saying Cynthia lied? Again?”

Matt exchanged glances with Jake. “We did tell you it didn’t sound like the sort of thing Chase would do.”

“But—why would Cynthia lie?” But she didn’t need to hear the answer to that. She already knew it. “Because she didn’t want to take responsibility for her decision. Because she’s a coward.”

“So Chase is, in fact, indirectly responsible for the fact that we lost our jobs.” Frankie gave a short laugh. “There is a certain symmetry in that. We should probably be mad.”

“We should be grateful.” Paige stood up. “It’s because we lost our jobs that we now have Urban Genie. And I’m so relieved about Matilda. Where has she been all this time?”

“Holed up in Chase’s beach house in The Hamptons having lots of beach sex and writing her next book. Because she dropped her phone she lost all her contacts, and of course when she called Star Events to speak to us they wouldn’t pass on personal details. Chase bought her a massive diamond from Tiffany’s. And we’ll see them soon enough because the two of them are coming to Jake’s event.”

Paige glanced at Jake. “You didn’t mention it.”

“Chase Adams was on the list. I didn’t know he’d accepted and I knew nothing about this Matilda person.”

Matt put down his beer. “You must be excited, Paige. This is your first big event.”

Excited? She was dreading it. All she could think about was the fact that Jake would be there and everything felt awkward.

“Of course she’s excited. We’re all excited!” Filling the silence, Eva bounced to her feet. “It will be lovely to see Matilda again.”

That much was true. Aware that they were all looking at her, Paige nodded. “It will.”

She needed to move on and forget what had happened.

She needed to think of Jake as a client. Nothing more.

She’d be professional, friendly and efficient.

And she’d avoid elevators at all costs.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When life sends you lemons, ask for a return address.

—Eva

P
AIGE
WALKED
AROUND
the rooftop terrace in Lower Manhattan, checking every small detail.

It was hard to believe that weeks of work were about to come to fruition.

The rooftop echoed with hammering and shouts as the crew Frankie had hired put the final touches to the display and tested the lights. They’d been there until late the night before and were back again at dawn. Frankie, dressed in jeans with her red hair pulled into a careless ponytail, stood like a fierce warrior, directing proceedings. She’d set up a staging area where they could untie the bundles of flowers and prepare them.

Paige had to admit that what they’d designed together was impressive.

On the other side of the terrace Eva flitted backward and forward as she coordinated final details between the venue and Delicious Eats.

The elevators had been transformed into futuristic pods, ready to transport the guests into a new cyber age. From there they were directed through two cleverly lit “tunnels” onto the roof terrace, where the world opened up to them, symbolizing cyber technology.

There wasn’t a single possibility Paige hadn’t considered. She had two contingency plans for every element of the evening and she was convinced that there was nothing that could go wrong that she couldn’t handle.

Jake said that you couldn’t control things, but she could control this.

And she didn’t only have Plan A; she had Plan B and C.

There was a storm forecast, but all the signs were that it would arrive after the event had ended. If it came early, then she was prepared for that, too. They would close the glass doors and bring everyone inside.

“I am never making a round canapé again,” Eva moaned, coming over to join Paige. “I will be seeing ones and noughts in my sleep.”

“It looks incredible. So clever, Ev.”

Frankie joined them, her eyes tired. “I have climbed that scaffolding so many times in the last two days my pecs are going to be bulging.”

“It’s all brilliant. All we need now is guests.” Paige reached out and wiped off a dirty mark from Frankie’s face. “And maybe we need to change because right now the staff of Urban Genie are looking a bit, too, er, urban. We need to make it look effortless. As if we did all this while filing our nails.”

Nerves fluttered and danced in Paige’s stomach as all three of them escaped to the private room that had been reserved for their use.

Eva and Paige wore the same short black skirt teamed with heels, but Frankie, who hated skirts, had opted for tailored black pants. Each had a different-colored shirt with Urban Genie picked out in silver on the front pocket.

Paige’s was black, Eva’s was midnight blue and Frankie’s was a deep forest green, the color in her outfit complementing the fierce blaze of her hair.

Paige looked at her friends and her eyes filled.

“I’m so proud of you. Of
us.
Can you believe we’re doing this together? It’s
our
business. You’ve worked so hard. We’re going to make this company the biggest success. Thank you for taking the risk and saying yes.”

Frankie flushed. “We said yes because we trust you. I don’t know anyone as driven and focused as you are. Or as determined. If anyone could find a way to make this work it would be you.”

“You trust me because I’m your friend.”

“You’re more than a friend. You, Eva and Matt—even Jake. You’re family. The family I would have loved to have.”

It was an unusually emotional speech for Frankie, and Eva reached for her hand and then Paige’s.

“It’s going to be incredible. Let’s knock them dead.”

“I hope that’s a figure of speech,” Frankie said, “because we don’t want to be sued for manslaughter on our first event.” But she gave Eva’s hand a squeeze before walking to the door.

Paige wondered if she was the only one whose knees were shaking.

She wasn’t sure if she was more nervous for Urban Genie or because Jake would be there.

She so badly wanted everything to be perfect.

The moment they stepped out of the door they were swept up in last-minute preparations for the event. The trickle of early arrivers became a steady stream and soon the terrace was filled with laughter, conversation and oohs and aahs as heads were tilted upward toward the eye-catching lighting and floral designs. Lips moved in conversation and hands were busy with food.

The interactive areas where people could try out the technology proved very popular, with small crowds waiting for a turn.

Paige checked and double-checked everything.

She’d forgotten how much she loved this part of the job. The moment where it all came together, all the work, the discussions, the angst in the past. Now it was about checking tiny touches and detail. She loved the circulating—looking for smiles, conversations, spotting problems before they happened.

She loved the buzz and the responsibility.

And this time the responsibility was all hers.

It was a surprisingly good feeling.

She spotted when a female guest suffered a broken heel, and replaced the shoes with a pair they had in their “emergency” supplies. Plain black, mid heel. A perfect substitute. When a male guest had a red wine accident on his partner, she dealt with it promptly. In her store behind the scenes she had Band-Aids, spare bow ties, white shirts in different sizes and her phone, which had every contact she’d ever need to solve any problem. She could call cabs, doctors and dry cleaners if necessary, but so far everything was running smoothly.

The weather was still good and a light summer breeze cooled the terrace after a day of hot sunshine. In the distance a few storm clouds were gathered, but they were far enough away that Paige didn’t need to worry yet.

The dance floor was a blur of color. Silver, red and blue shimmered alongside tuxedos and gleaming white shirts.

She was aware of Jake in the center of it all, talking to each of the guests as they arrived.

He didn’t need to move, she thought. They all came to him.

But he did move; he circulated and networked, and every so often he brought someone across to Paige. His introductions were always amusing and complimentary.

It was fairly clear that after tonight, Urban Genie was going to be busy. She’d been asked to pitch for everything from product launches to birthdays, bar mitzvahs and baby showers.

“Urban Genie.” A tall man with a severe expression studied the lettering on her chest and nodded. “Jake tells me you’re the most sought-after events company in Manhattan. Do you have a business card?”

Paige handed it over.

“Paige,” Eva whispered in her ear, “take a look over there. By the fountain. It’s Matilda. She looks
amazing
.”

Paige looked and saw Matilda, tall and leggy, holding the hand of a tall, broad-shouldered man.

“He loves her.” Paige’s heart lurched. “You can tell by the way he looks at her.”

Eva sighed. “I want that one day. I won’t accept anything less.”

“Then you’d better prepare to be single,” Frankie said, waving at Matilda and melting into the crowd.

Eva stared after her in exasperation. “What is
wrong
with her? She can’t see a happy ending even when her nose is pressed against it.”

Paige thought about Frankie’s mother. “I guess if you’ve never seen it up close, it’s hard to believe in it.”

“Well, she’s seeing it now. Oh no! I see a food crisis. I’ll catch up with Matilda later.” Eva bounced away and Paige walked across the terrace to greet Matilda.

She thought about how much their lives had changed since the last time they’d met.

Chase Adams was cool and a little intimidating initially, but relaxed as Matilda introduced them.

“Matilda speaks highly of you.” He shook hands with Paige. “She loved working with you.”

Paige felt color flood her cheeks. “Thank you.”

“It’s so good to see you.” Matilda hugged her tightly, knocking her champagne glass into the fountain in the process.

Chase rescued it without comment. “I gather I’m responsible for the fact that you lost your jobs.” He set the glass down out of range of Matilda. “I won’t apologize for pulling my business because the way they treated Matilda was unacceptable, but I am sorry you were collateral damage.” His gaze was direct and Paige shook her head, appreciating his honesty.

“You did us a favor. It’s because of you that we’re doing this. And you’re right about what happened to Matilda. It was unacceptable.” The thought of it mortified her even though she hadn’t had the ability to change what had happened. “I tried to find her that night and—”

“I know.” He smiled, and the smile made him infinitely more approachable. “She’s told me all about it. And about Urban Genie. How’s it going? The market is pretty tough.”

She decided honesty deserved honesty. “It’s been a slow start, but we’re hoping that after tonight things will pick up.”

Matilda tugged at his hand. “Chase—”

He turned to her, instantly attentive. “Sweetheart—?”

“Will you do something for me?”

“You know I will.” His voice was soft. Intimate. “Name it.”

“Will you tell all your friends to use Urban Genie? Paige is brilliant.”

Paige wondered how a man like Chase would react to being told how to run his business, but if anything he seemed amused.

“Of course. I was going to do that anyway.” He turned back to Paige, his gaze sharp and assessing. “Can you handle the business if it comes your way?”

“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate. “We’re building up a list of preferred vendors and suppliers. We can handle anything.”

“Good. In that case I can guarantee you’re going to be busy.”

Matilda hugged him impulsively. “You’re the best.”

Chase kissed the top of her head. “More champagne?”

“I had a full glass a moment ago. I have no idea what happened to it—” Matilda looked around, confused, and Chase laughed.

“It landed in the fountain. It’s fine. Jake Romano can afford to lose a little champagne. And talking of Jake, I should introduce you to him. Good meeting you.” He nodded to Paige. “If you need anything at all, call me.”

He and Matilda strolled away, and moments later Eva and Frankie joined Paige.

“Well?” Frankie’s tone was sharp. “Is he good enough for her?”

Paige stared after them, feeling a tug of envy. “Yes.”

“That,” Eva said dreamily, “is what love looks like. Frankie, how can that not melt that stone in your chest you call your heart?”

“I’m not in a melting mood. He’d better not mess her around, that’s all.”

Eva gave her an exasperated look. “He’s not going to mess her around. Did you see the way he looked at her? And the way he calmly rescued her glass of champagne. He
adores
her. He fired Star Events because of the way they treated her. What more does the guy have to do to convince you? I love him to bits already.”

“You love everyone to bits.” But Frankie’s voice was softer than usual. “Yeah, okay, I admit they were cute. And I liked the fact he seemed to find her clumsiness adorable.”

“And for once she was wearing heels because he’s even taller than her. I’m so excited she’s back in New York. It means we’ll see more of her.” Eva danced off across the terrace and Frankie stared after her in disbelief.

“She thinks life is a fairy tale.”

“No, she doesn’t.” Paige watched as Eva circulated, serving food and beaming smiles in equal measure. “She knows how to make the most of the moment. She believes in love. She knows bad things happen. She was devastated when her grandmother died, but she got out of bed every day and went to work. And even when she’s feeling low she still tries to find the positive in every day. It’s true that she’s a dreamer, but she’s also fiercely loyal and her loyalty is real. When Eva loves, she loves forever. I guess that makes us lucky.”

Frankie stirred. “I guess it does. Friend-love I believe in.”

“Me, too. Friends are the best thing. Thank you.” Impulsively Paige hugged Frankie. “Thank you for doing this with me, for taking the risk. I know how big a risk it was for you. I love you.”

“Hey—enough.” Frankie’s voice was gruff but she hugged Paige back before stepping away. “Don’t you get all emotional, too. It’s enough coping with Eva. People are leaving. I’ll go and do farewell duty.
Goodbye
is my favorite word after a long night.”

Paige stood for a moment, thinking how unpredictable life was.

Who would have thought that getting fired would have been the best thing that could have happened to Matilda?

Who would have thought that her, Eva and Frankie losing their jobs would have turned out so well?

Urban Genie existed only because life had laid a twist in her path.

Change had been forced on her, but it had proved to be a good thing.

Instead of fighting it, she should embrace it.

What had Jake said?

Sometimes you have to let life happen.

Maybe she should try and do that a bit more.

She needed to find time to date other men and hope that one day she found someone that made her look the way Matilda did when she smiled at Chase.

And maybe one day she’d look back and realize that
not
being with Jake was the best thing that could have happened because if she’d been with Jake she wouldn’t have met—

Who?

Would she ever meet someone who made her feel the way Jake did?

She stood, leaning on the railing, gazing at the city she loved.

The lights of Manhattan sparkled like a thousand stars against a midnight sky, and now, finally, as the last of the guests made their way to the elevators she allowed herself a moment to enjoy it.

“Time to relax and celebrate I think.” Jake’s voice came from behind her and she turned to find him holding two glasses of champagne. He handed her one. “To Urban Genie.”

“I don’t drink while I’m working.” And while Jake was present, this was definitely still work.

She knew better than to lower her guard a second time.