Take a Chance on Me (21 page)

Sadie went to reply, then stopped. Mac could feel her stiffen against the chair back. There was a definite awkward smile before she raised her glass to her lips. Only Mac could see that her hand was trembling ever so slightly and there was a telltale flush creeping up the back of her neck.

Peter took her hesitation as a sign to go on. ‘You see – it's like this. His team have simply put reps in each store who
tell
people what Frish can do. That way there is no paper trail. No paper trail, no proof of flouting advertising laws. Foot soldiers – in the stores. Word of mouth sales growth. See? Ha-haaa! The old man might not like Tremain's methods but their aggressive sales cannot be ignored.' He finished off his glass of champagne triumphantly and signalled for another.

Mac's eyes narrowed at this clear disrespect to Galloway senior.

‘But the “studies bullshit” is what will stop this being a flash in the pan, Peter.' Sadie frowned. ‘Set Frish apart from the crowd.'

‘No flash. No pan. Just a whole heap of order forms.'

‘It is working now, naturally it would, initially. But when they are discovered – or reported – it could fall around your ears and set you back, far further than if they'd never begun this tactic. Your father was very clear when he last spoke to me that he is keen to avoid ridicule and cynical posts in online forums. Otherwise there may be a backlash.'

‘I'm willing to take that risk. And I think you're wrong.'

‘You think I'm wrong?'

‘Whatever you call it, it's working. We're selling. We're growing.'

Mac scowled. ‘Don't you think that's a bit unorthodox?'

‘Whatever it takes, I say.' Peter smirked, ‘Frish
is
a miracle – we all know it's just a matter of time before we change the face of the water industry. It's just whether we choose to do it the fast profitable way or the slow painful way.'

‘But, Peter,' Sadie interrupted, but he was on a roll, drawing attention from the others around him, loving every minute.

‘And with my new plant finished we'll be able to flood the sports world with samples until every competitor is having to come to us to buy their own Frish just to keep up. And the media will be raving about it too. Pictures of winning athletes in the press, Sadie, they are worth a thousand scientific words and sadly, dear Sadie, it may or may not involve you. Or your dear friend here. No, I think Tremain's right – simple word of mouth
would
be the fastest way to my … our … fortunes.'

If Peter Galloway had known how much that name riled Mac, and how close Mac was to walking away from him and the deal completely, the young man may not have been so blasé. But seeing Sadie's flush creeping towards her chin, he found himself stalling.

When was the last time I cared this much about a deal
, he thought.

Sadie, meanwhile, was putting on a charm offensive.

‘But, Peter, let's face it,' Sadie said, her hand touching his forearm. ‘A full-scale multi-channel media launch
backed by
double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that have been peer-reviewed and published in the key journals, there's no comparison, surely? You must be able to see how much faster that will improve the bottom line in a solid, long-lasting way. No more struggling for the next lot of investment. No more bowing down to entertain the likes of us. To be truly in charge of your own destiny.' She paused, and Peter said nothing. She must have hit a nerve. ‘And just think of the world headlines – think of how the press will be clamouring to speak to you.'

The young man's eyes flashed, and he smiled a toothy grin, looking thoughtful.

God she was good
, Mac thought. Sadie certainly knew her stuff, no wonder the Galloways had been impressed with her. Peter was certainly mulling over her words, his dark features brooding and looking straight at Sadie, who appeared to be looking straight back. For all his sliminess, some women would probably call him handsome and fall for his charms, Mac thought. Alexis certainly would have and he found himself wondering if Sadie would. And hoping desperately that the answer was no.

‘Well, yes, I have been working on my own versions too. It's not only my father who can create life-changing products. A world platform would generate the highest bidding for my own inventions. Hmm, I suppose you may have a point.'

Peter toyed with his glass, musing, and Sadie patted him on the arm. He shifted a little closer to her until a waiter came along and reached over to top up his glass again. Mac and Sadie both refused a refill.

‘Short term, however, it still doesn't help us. Right now is what counts, we are … um … needing to maximise the impetus Tremain's team have created. Those publications take ages,' he said. ‘That whole scientific process takes ages. No, to be frank, I'm not sure we can afford to wait that long. My father's … concerned. About timescales. About how long before we get a return on our investment.'

Not as concerned as you appear to be,
thought Mac.

‘But we're so close, Peter. Why muddy the waters now? My contacts at the UK universities are chomping at the bit to work with you and to make their own mark, fast – with a breakthrough as revolutionary as your water.'

The younger man nodded at her words.

‘What's more, we'll
protect
the brand, not damage it. And best of all, when you've got heavyweight backing on board – when someone like Mac's interested,' she said, turning to look at Mac. ‘Well, let's just say he's one of the fastest movers I know.'

Despite Sadie's dig, her smile was on full beam, aimed directly at Mac and he puffed up with pride.

‘What's the timescale we're talking about here?' asked Peter, with a furrowed brow.

‘Half the time it usually takes, and half the cost,' she replied.

‘And you can really meet the deadline for the funds to be in place?' he said, turning to Mac.

‘It's possible,' said Mac, his serious business face firmly in place.

The younger man paused, then nodded thoughtfully. Sadie relaxed slightly, and leant back, brushing against Mac's fingers resting on the chair behind her. She sat back up again immediately.

‘So, Peter,' Mac said, standing and offering his hand. ‘Let's talk seriously in the meeting with your father tomorrow. I'm sorry he was unable to join us this evening.'

Peter took his hand and shook it.

‘Three o'clock, isn't it?'

‘Is it? I suppose it is,' Peter said, and winced at the vice-like grip. Mac let go of Peter's hand, and turned to leave.

‘So, Sadie, tell me how you actually walk in those heels.'

Mac turned back. ‘
Actually
, Peter, I'm afraid I have to steal Sadie away. Conference call, I'm afraid, but she'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow.'

‘You did a good job in there tonight, Sadie Samantha,' Mac whispered into her hair as he guided her away from the table. She felt a shiver down her spine at his breath on her ear. She smiled graciously.

‘Thank you,' she replied. ‘But I didn't need rescuing. You don't have to be my knight in shining, you know,' she continued as Mac led her out onto the patio and down some steps towards the picturesque gardens beyond. ‘I was quite enjoying the attention, to be honest. He's quite easy on the eye.'
Where did that come from?
Sadie wondered ‘And I am a
big
girl. As your friend BJ told you on the plane.'

‘You heard that? The man's a liability. That's why I share business deals with him, not opinions.' Mac shrugged off his jacket and swung it over his shoulder.

With no one else around them for the first time in a while, she felt the mood become more relaxed and familiar.

‘I guess he's okay. I take men like that with a pinch of salt,' she said.

‘Yes, albeit a Texan-sized pinch.'

Sadie looked up at him. ‘Makes no odds to me.
Business and pleasure don't mix
, do they? So whether you think my bum looks big in this, really doesn't matter.' Sadie walked on a few steps, then realised he was looking right at her bum, so she swivelled round and walked backwards.

‘Anyway, I'm well aware that it's your alter-ego, Mac the deckhand, who downgrades to “dumpy” once in a while.'

‘Who's “dumpy”? Surely you don't mean you? You're curvy, not dumpy.'

Sadie ignored his backhanded compliment. ‘And anyway, I'm sure that “Michael C. Anderson – billionaire extraordinaire” will always have an Alexis on hand, you know, to attend to his every need, to attend to his “small print”…'

Sadie knew she shouldn't have said it, but right there on her shoulder there was a little devil licking a finger and striking a ‘one' in the air.

Mac didn't miss a beat. ‘BJ's “small print”, not mine,' he said.

‘What?'

‘I think you'll find it's BJ's small print Alexis “attends” to.'

That took the wind out of Sadie's sails. ‘You mean she works for him?'

‘I mean she's his fiancée.'

Oops.

‘Oh.' Oh shit
. And with a ‘pfffft' the little devil made himself scarce.

‘
But I can understand your mistake. BJ was her … shall we say, second choice? But as I keep explaining, I never …'

‘… mix business with pleasure. Okay I get it.'

‘It's more than that, Sadie. She's not my type. I wouldn't
want
someone like Alexis anywhere near my … “small print”.'

Sadie smiled. Small comfort, but comfort, nonetheless. And she hadn't even realised she needed comforting. She swivelled back round and fell into step alongside him again.

‘Anyway,' Mac said, mischief in his voice. ‘My small print's not so small.
Is
it?'

‘I take it that's rhetorical.' Sadie laughed, more relieved about Alexis than she had a right to be. They walked on a little.

Well, she got that one wrong.
But he was still a playboy. Even if he was a damned sexy one with such gorgeous muscles peeping out from beneath that polo shirt. As they followed the little pathway round the edge of the gardens, Sadie was careful to keep just enough distance away from him so she couldn't feel the heat coming from his body, and more importantly, so that he wouldn't feel hers.

Mac had halted in front of a low veranda looking out towards the sea. The sun had long gone down and the gentle breeze picked up a couple of Sadie's escaping tendrils and blew them across her face as she looked up at him. His hand reached out, then stopped halfway, and she brushed them back herself quickly. She shivered and looked down, and he noticed her nipples beginning to harden beneath ‘that' dress. It flooded his whole being with flashbacks. She folded her arms swiftly.

‘Come on, let's get you inside,' he said, sweeping his jacket across her shoulders. The movement brought them close again, as he faced her and looked down into her eyes, almost black in the lamplight.
There it was again, that spark.
Electricity crackled between them, creating a perplexing cocktail of emotions. Passion, lust, plus a connection that made him feel like protecting her. More than anything, he felt a strong desire for things to work out for Sadie. For her to be free from the debts and the daily grind.

And free from men like Peter.

And – dammit – free from men like himself.

He couldn't get involved – and wouldn't get involved. It was just the romantic atmosphere of exotic Hawaii and the thrill of another deal in the offing. They always got his juices flowing.

There was a lot to do, and Mac had a hunch it was not going to be the easy ride they initially thought it would be.
Just when he thought he was about to wind things down.

Might as well go out with a swan song.

‘We've got an early start tomorrow. Let's call it a day. It's been a big one.'

‘You talking about your “small print” again?' She smiled, and they made their way inside. ‘I've booked a cab into town first thing to buy myself some more comfortable shoes. So if anything exciting happens make sure they don't go without me,' she said.

Mac bade Sadie goodnight at the bottom of the stairs, resisting the urge to kiss her, and as she ascended slowly once more, she didn't look back. So she would have missed the fact that Mac had headed off in the opposite direction from his room.

The next morning Sadie awoke to an insistent knock on the door. When she opened it, she couldn't believe her eyes. There was a valet standing holding bag after bag after hat box after suit carrier of expensive clothing and shoes. Flat shoes. Plus a brand new top of the range mobile phone.

She couldn't believe it. In her just woken-up state, she could only stand watching in amazement as the valet wheeled in the bags, saying she should check off on the list the ones she wanted and the rest would be collected later. And that if she wanted all of them just call the number on the side of the form and let her know how many suitcases she would need to pack it all in to take home.

She closed the door behind him and stared, stunned. Suddenly she opened the door and called up the corridor after him, but he seemed not to hear her and just disappeared round a corner.

The clothes were amazing. Not one tight business suit in evidence. Not one prickly jacket. Just lots and lots of loveliness, including several silk negligees and some beautiful underwear.
How did he know my size?

But Sadie was proud. After much deliberation – and much playing dress up – she put all but the bare essentials that she would need for the few days she would be here back in their packages and with a heavy heart picked up the form, holding a pen. Her hand ticked just a few of the boxes on the list until she reached one pair of pumps – which had a heavy price ticket, but she had loved them so much. She would pay him back, every damn penny, if it was the last thing she did. She couldn't become ‘one of his women'. She wouldn't.

Soon after the valet had collected what she didn't need, she got a call from Alexis to meet in the lobby, where everyone was waiting to get on a little coach which would take them off on a surprise excursion. Most of Mac's team were bleary-eyed and rubbing their temples, necks or eyes. Sadie looked around and saw Mac coming from the other direction with Alexis hot on his heels, and BJ hot on hers. She held up a hand to wave at him but Mac didn't see. He just bid Alexis goodbye and went off with BJ.

Alexis strolled over. Sadie noticed she wasn't wearing her usual high heels, but a pair of pumps. When she got closer, Sadie was shocked to see they were exactly the same as her own.

‘Oh, snap,' said Alexis, getting nearer and seeing Sadie's shoes.

‘Where did you …?'

‘Mac's so generous, isn't he?' Alexis drawled. The spark in her eye put Sadie on alert. Was she lying? Or was this another one of Mac's traditions? Does he buy all his female staff shoes in times of need? Whatever. Alexis was talking about how wonderful a night she and BJ had had and how Mac and they had met for breakfast and how she was looking forward to seeing the plant.

‘Perhaps you can tell me some of that science stuff,' she cooed. ‘I hear you're very good at it? Guys love an intelligent woman, don't they?'

‘Sure,' said Sadie, making sure she was sitting as far away from Alexis as possible when they boarded the coach. It pulled slowly away around the huge curved driveway in front of the hotel lobby and Sadie saw BJ getting into a big car, the same black car she'd seen a couple of times before. And Mac standing there bidding him goodbye. As her coach went by, he looked up, and seemingly without thinking, he blew her a kiss, then looked embarrassed and turned back to BJ. Sadie smiled to herself, and saw Alexis two seats down waving and blowing a kiss back towards the car. Or to Mac, she couldn't tell.

Peter had arranged a tour of his pride and joy, the Frish bottled water plant. Plus a token bit of sightseeing, including a trip to a local organisation supported by the Galloways' company, FrishCo.

Peter explained that this tour would be vital in understanding fully the scale of the investment stated in the business plan. Particularly the patented process. Sadie didn't mind – she was fascinated. Knowing that she'd be an integral part of the process to formulate the scientific research plan, she was given pole position on the coach and was kept at the front of the party for the tour of the plant.

Sadie was a little frustrated, however, as she checked her new mobile continuously. Mac had even had her number transferred already. How the hell do the super-rich do stuff like that?

She was awaiting the latest performance results from the early trials on the water samples she'd sent for analysis last week. They were due any moment, before everyone went to bed in England. Her old cash-strapped uni friends had been working on it day and night for her, and in return she'd promised this lentils and tofu brigade a steady supply at wholesale prices. Intellectuals could get very creative with a bit of couscous and some soy sauce. She was envious of them in one way at least – salivating at the thought of getting back to doing some solid research work. She'd missed being a geek.

‘Boo,' said a voice over her shoulder. It was Mac. ‘Have I missed the floor show?'

‘No, you just arrived in time for the star attraction,' Sadie said, annoyed that she could feel herself beaming back at him like a schoolgirl. Before he could reply, the guided tour began.

A bottled water plant tour was a new experience for Sadie, but she kept being distracted by Mac who was catching up with several employees as they walked around. Sadie started taking notes and making observations, taking it all in. She casually looked around as they stopped once more at the next point of interest and saw Mac, looking like he was dictating some business letter or something to Alexis, who had been trotting along beside him. Sadie hung back a little, and pulled at the frumpy net cap covering her hair – standard issue for the sanitised interior of a plant like this. An oversized, starched white coat had also been issued to each of the group – compulsory wear for everyone stepping inside the plant itself.

Sadie squirmed awkwardly, conscious of how glamorous Alexis had somehow made hers look. Like a forties siren. Even in lab gear and the identical flat shoes, the damned woman looked stunning. Sadie contemplated also turning up the collar and rolling up the sleeves slightly, and cinching the white coat in at the waist. Then she remembered that her waist and the word ‘cinch' had parted company years ago, and decided just to stew a bit more instead.

There she goes
purring along at Mac's heels like a hungry tabby cat.

But Alexis could purr all she liked – Mac's ‘small print' would still be out of bounds.

Hah!

And anyway the woman was supposed to be engaged to BJ who had apparently taken the private jet back to his next charity function in California, leaving his ‘fiancée' behind to tie up any loose ends and what-not. Right now, it looked like it was Mac's loose ends she was trying to tie up, and she almost certainly had her eye on his what-not.

Still, what do I care? Business, not pleasure … business, not pleasure.

The plant and machinery hummed in the background, and the group trotted along obediently amidst a quiet buzz of conversation, but Sadie wasn't quite far enough behind Mac to be out of earshot.

‘So did you agree with my choices for our local area visit, Mac?' Alexis said.

‘Yes.'

‘Hope you approved.'

‘They're fine.'

‘You see Bill Galloway gave us some options and BJ said you'd probably want to go see the children's home, so I requested a detour – even if only to show your face.'

‘You don't just “show your face” at a children's home, Alexis, but, yes, I approve.'

‘A-ha-ha, of course.'

Mac just sighed and nodded and glanced back towards Sadie, who suddenly took an inordinate amount of interest in endless rows of empty plastic bottles whizzing along past them at high speed towards the filling station.

‘And, Mac, I sent for your surfing gear just in case you fancied having a ride out yourself. I gather you've been missing out on some of your important training so I took the liberty. I did it to … please you.'

‘Well, I … okay. Thanks.'

‘Well, you did enquire about local surf times yesterday,' she said, coming round in front of him and walking backwards, to talk more confidentially. Sadie found herself masochistically inching closer to listen.

‘And it has been a while, hasn't it? Since we went surfing?' Alexis said, leaning in towards Mac, who instantly leaned back slightly, so she had to raise her voice just a little louder than she'd intended. ‘It's been ages since you bared that chest of yours, and it's so worth baring.' With that Alexis caught Sadie's eye, and merely smirked. A smirk that could only mean one thing.

What the …?

He's slept with her!

After
all he said
about business and pleasure, the lying, cheating so-and-so had slept with her.

And
he's
bothered about
me
bending the truth,
Sadie thought. Waiting for the reply that never came, Alexis had continued to blabber on. Sadie stopped walking, her jaw falling wide open.

A couple of the others overtook her. She shut her mouth but began to flush a little.

Mac was scouring the group looking for something, then he saw Sadie watching. He smiled and jerked his chin towards her.
Come here?

Sadie looked around her as if to say
who me?

He did it again.

Bloody cheek.

Indignant at the summons, she rose up on her newly purchased comfortable pumps and trotted towards him like a dog in beg position, hanging out her tongue. When she reached his side, and stood there panting, Alexis backed off a little, giving Sadie a weird look.

‘And today, we are being …?' said a bemused Mac, walking on.

‘Can't you tell? Today, “we are being” summoned by the master. Obviously.
Pant pant
.'

Mac furrowed his brow. ‘Who
are
you and what have you done with Sadie?'

‘It's like you say,
what Mac wants, Mac gets
, right? You called, so here I am. Obedient pet.
Pant pant
.'

Mac looked bemused and went to reply, but just then the local plant manager walked up to them.

‘Hello, Kaha'i, is it time for lunch yet?' Mac joked.

‘No, Mr Anderson, not even, how you Brits say, elevenses. Just to let you know that the information you were asking for will be sent to your room at the hotel by tonight.' He was a genial, white-coated chap with a kindly face, and eyes that smiled even when his face didn't. They all looked like a happy bunch of workers, noted Sadie, apart from when Peter was around.

‘Thank you so much. I'll get back to you once I've read it,' said Mac and Kaha'i left. Mac saw Sadie was looking quizzical.

‘He said he'd find out which of the competitors in my next Ironman were being supplied with Frish,' teased Mac, a sparkle in his eye, but before he could continue, a loud, pompous clapping noise sounded from a small gantry in front of where the group had come to a stop.

‘Oh God. Cue the sermon,' Mac said.

Peter Galloway, pumped up and full of self-importance, stood on high, holding his hands up for silence. Then he raised his voice so he could just be heard above the rising whir from the two huge stainless steel cylinders behind him.

‘And this, my friends, is where the magic happens. It is here, in these very chambers that we produce our fabulous life-giving water. It's here with the addition of our top secret ingredient, we create a miracle …'

‘Does he think he's preaching to a congregation?' said Mac, leaning so close to Sadie that his breath tickled her ear. He smelled fresh, intoxicating and his hand had slid to her shoulder blades in a gesture of intimacy. Or was it just to be heard more clearly?
Despite
herself, the corner of her mouth quirked. Then she remembered she was miffed with him for lying – again – and unquirked it.

Then she remembered that it doesn't matter.
Men don't matter, Sadie Turner.
Not for now.

Then she remembered to breathe.

‘They contain the secret process that changes ordinary water into Frish …'

‘All Praise Father Peter for he hath created a miracle,' Mac whispered, nudging Sadie. She elbowed him back. Peter looked down in their direction.

‘A-hem!'
Alexis said from just behind them, tut-tutting. Sadie snapped back to the real world and slid away from Mac. She moved to the front of the group to listen more carefully to Peter, who then directed his ‘sermon' at just her for the next few minutes.

‘Ten thousand litres an hour, filtered to zero milligrams per litre, then energised to seventy electron volts higher than usual at room temperature. This, my friends, is no ordinary water …'

Mac joined Sadie again. ‘You understand all this, boffin?'

‘You obviously don't, numpty,' she whispered back.

‘There we go with those school nicknames again. I thought you'd—'

‘Shhh! I'm trying to listen.'

‘We use reinforced PCP with a lower migration factor and then finally we pack our masterpiece into double-boxing, drop-tested to twice the normal standard …'

Sadie was fascinated, admittedly loving the science, but not as much as she was loving Mac's attention. ‘Kaha'i already explained most of this,' he whispered in her ear.

‘Shhh, Mac.'

‘Did you know Kaha'i means “the one who tells”?'

‘No, I didn't. Shush, Mac.'

‘Hawaiian names are very meaningful, they—'

‘Mac, please!' Sadie said, trying not to giggle, and moved slightly away, play-acting annoyance with him. Peter was now explaining the purpose of the big cylinders, and Sadie was back in her element, lapping up the science as she listened to him going on about ‘cavitation'. She was, however, not too engrossed in the commentary to feel Mac's mood suddenly change.

She felt the frostiness from a foot away.

Oh, no, have I overstepped the mark? Shit.