Take a Chance on Me (26 page)

Or would it?

Was Mac too long in the tooth to change? Was it too late?

Was it too late to pay heed to his instincts, to his gut, which was crying out
stop, stop!

But what Sadie did next gave him his answer. She held her head up high and stood up.

‘Mac, can you please go to your important meeting, you have business to attend to. You stick to your principles and I'll stick to mine. I'm on your side – and always have been. A part of your team – for as long as you want me there. I will inform Peter Galloway he can go stick his bribe, and if you can persuade Bill before it's too late, you will have your deal. Assuming he hasn't signed up with Tremain already. But you'll have to help out with funding probably more than you realised, because of what he's been threatening to do to Bill and the company's cashflow.'

‘What are you talking about?' Mac asked, feeling confounded once again.

‘Go find Bill. Peter told me they're meeting Tremain tonight. Presumably you're out of the loop on that one.'

Mac frowned.

‘Not nice, is it?' Sadie added. ‘To be kept out of the loop.'

Ooh that was a dig.
And it hit home. But he didn't respond, so she continued.

‘But don't worry, it's not my business. I'm a minion. I'm a Derek or a Graham. I'm not even an Alexis, am I?' she said. ‘Small print or no small print.'

She was on a roll, gesticulating and walking around flashing her thighs in the robe. Mac just listened. ‘I won't ask you to explain it all to me. Who am I but a ditsy woman? No, you can rest assured I will not get in the way of your business any more. Now it's time for you to leave.'

And with a dignity Mac had never seen in someone he'd just hurt so badly, she walked elegantly to the door, head held high, and opened it for him.

‘Sadie, I—'

Mac stopped when they saw a bellboy appear at the doorway, holding a delivery. Sadie made an ‘excuse me' motion, and closed the door again. They both dropped their voices.

‘I think we've said enough to each other, don't you? You go do your business, I'll do mine. And after this, we can both keep out of each other's way and live happily ever after,' she snipped, in a tone he'd not heard her use before.

He went to say something else and thought better of it. ‘You're one hell of a woman. You deserve much better than me.'

‘I'm also a mother, Mac, so
you
need someone other than me.'

She opened the door and he left.

Sadie closed the door behind him. Immediately, she rushed into the bathroom to throw up.

Outside, Mac was leaning back against the door, chin in the air, eyes looking skyward.
Dammit! Should I just walk away? Or go back in?

He angrily pushed himself upright, and went to leave. Then stopped and turned back.
Goddam women. Goddam Galloway.

‘Room 241?' said the bellboy coming back up the corridor now the coast seemed clear. He held out a small box. Mac nodded.

‘Delivery for Ms Sadie Turner from Mr Peter Galloway? There's a message on top.'

‘Thank you, I'll take it back in,' said Mac, tipping the lad generously as he scrawled on the receipt, and then taking the box from the bellboy who skipped happily away towards the lift.

Mac considered the parcel before him. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but curiosity got the better of him. He was about to be unethical again. But dammit, there was more than just a business deal at stake here. And the biggest of snakes had sent it.

Walking a little way away from the door, he peeked inside the envelope attached to the top of the box.

Sadie

Please reconsider my offer for dinner.

I'll keep asking until you say yes. We could meet at nine? I want to know what you think about my baby – my own Red Frish. Here are some more in case you run out. I think my version is much better than my father's formula, and it would give me great pleasure to hear you say so.

And to kiss you again.

More importantly, regarding what we discussed earlier, Tremain would indeed like to meet you. I have some urgent business to attend to, but I've written his number on my card. Call soon. It may be just the news you're looking for.

And I hope to see you later.

Yours affectionately

Peter xx

Mac shuddered. Unprofessional, a slimeball
and
persistent. Or maybe there's something going on after all. A bubbling fury began to boil inside him and he knew exactly what to do. He turned tail and headed off swiftly down the corridor, dumping the bottles of Red Frish in a trash can.

It was make or break. Time for some straight talking.

Peter Galloway stood at the window of his father's office, fidgeting. He peered through the blinds and watched as the rear view of an ambulance disappeared out of sight, its light flashing. He had beads of sweat on his upper lip and forehead, despite the noisy air-conditioning unit overhead being on full blast. It was a balmy night.

Moments later, the figure of Mac came in sight, bounding up the steps towards the office door, taking two at a time, seemingly impervious to the humidity outside. He seemed composed. Unlike Peter, who had a slight tremble in his hands as he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

Before Mac's knuckles reached the door, it opened, revealing Peter Galloway's smiling face. In fact it was more of a sneer.

‘Where's your father? He's agreed to meet me. And that doesn't include you.'

‘There's been a slight change of plan, Mr Anderson, I'm afraid. You see we all knew my father was ill—'

‘The ambulance. That was him? Is he—'

‘Yes, he will be okay, but he has had one of his turns. Quite a serious one this time. They've been more frequent these last few days. It's the stress, you see.'

‘You didn't go with him?'

‘No, he took his assistant, Makini. I wanted to be here when you arrived. To give you the news.'

‘What news?'

‘It is with regret, but my father has decided to go with the offer from Tremain Group.'

‘Well, with regret, and with all due respect, I can only accept that from your father.'

‘Ahh, but that may prove a little difficult, seeing as how my father is incapacitated. Before he had his funny turn, he made me the acting head of the company.'

Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing. How suddenly fortunes turned.

‘He what?'

‘I have this signed affidavit.'

Mac took it from him and saw it had indeed been signed by Bill, and witnessed by the assistant. Mac took out another piece of paper from his pocket and put them side by side. It may have been a more shaky version of the old man's signature, but it matched the one on the note Bill had sent Mac earlier that day.

Mac turned towards the window and ran his hands through his hair. His body ached from tension and lack of exercise. His mind ached from the maelstrom of the last few days.

And his heart ached too – but he refused point-blank to dwell on it.

Peter continued, ‘So you might as well ship out now. It's over, Anderson. Tremain has won.'

‘And Sadie?'

‘She is meeting me for dinner tonight – a feisty one, for sure – but with you out of the picture, I'm certain I will find that, like most women, she will turn her attentions to where her bread is buttered, as you English say.'

‘If I find you are lying to me about any of this—'

‘Yes? What will you do? Your threats are idle. Tremain holds all the cards. Tremain is the one who will make our miracle water –
my
miracle water – a success around the world. And, yes, including the studies – and if Sadie will not do them our way, well, we shall just replace her.'

‘You might find she's not quite the pushover you imagine her to be. Dinner or no dinner.'

‘Ahh, you are speaking from experience, I can tell. Well, my own methods of “convincing” a woman may be slightly more effective than yours.' And with that, Peter picked up a tumbler of whisky and swigged it down. He slammed the glass back on the desk triumphantly and smacked his lips, reaching for a top up. His hand accidentally knocked over several medicine bottles – tablets and herbal remedies, and an empty bottle of Red Frish. Peter saw Mac looking at it.

‘You are curious about my own creation, are you not? Well, in time it may be even more successful than my father's. Too bad you won't be a part of it.'

Mac turned towards the door, his head reeling.

‘Now, before you go, no hard feelings, huh? The best man won! Join me for a drink and we can part amicably. You never know, with your sports event not far away, we may even be able to sponsor you and give you some free water …
my
water.' Peter poured another huge tumbler for himself and a second one for Mac. But when he turned back round holding the drinks, it was too late. Mac was gone.

Outside Mac was already on the phone. His head hurt, his heart ached, and more than anything else, he could feel a building desire to run. He wasn't used to losing. He wasn't used to being pushed away by a woman. And he wasn't used to this throbbing feeling gnawing away inside of him, one he couldn't ignore. No matter how much he rubbed at his stomach, his chest, it continued unabated. In fact, it was only getting worse. There was only one thing for it.

‘Alexis?'

‘Mac, at last. I need to see you.'

‘Well, first get a car to take my surfing gear to the beach for me.'

‘Surfing, Mac? At night? Skinny dipping again? If I remember rightly, last time you and I did that a certain lady had just broken your heart. History repeating itself again, is it? Anything I can do to help, Boss Man? You know you can count on Alexis.'

No wonder she'd never look after his small print again.

‘Not now, Alexis. But there is something you can do for me.'

Back at the hotel, Sadie had started packing. It was half-hearted, as she kept putting things in the case then taking them back out again. Throwing up in the bathroom wasn't helping – the stress, she supposed. She wiped beads of perspiration from her forehead. Then her new mobile rang.

‘Mum? … Oh, Simon!' she said, and suddenly she found herself brimming up with tears. A friendly voice. He'd be there soon, so hold fire … and had anyone seen Mac? Sadie quickly filled him in on what had happened so far, Peter's jumped up ideas about Red Frish and how she'd fallen out with Mac. He then left Sadie to continue packing, but very soon he was back on the phone to her again.

‘There's something you should know,' Simon said.

He told her what no one else had, revealing Bill's sudden hospitalisation, Peter's coup and the fact that Mac had gone missing again, and suddenly at least one part of the puzzle began falling into place. And now Sadie knew what she had to do – if time permitted.

But where
was
Mac? He wasn't answering his mobile – neither was Alexis. Sadie grabbed her bag and rushed out the door. Were they together?
God forbid.
She didn't know. She didn't know about a lot of things right now, but it was time to find out.

The waves usually worked his troubles away. The effort, the pounding against the body, the extreme coordination of muscles and mind. Usually surfing left Mac satiated, spent – like good sex. But
without
the annoying ‘morning after'.

This time, however, he felt nothing.

Mac stopped. Gave up.
It wasn't working. Nothing was working.

No matter how hard he tried, no matter how many waves he caught, no matter how much he tested his body with sheer physical effort, he could not shake the sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Losing to Tremain.

Beaten by slimeball Peter Galloway.

Worried about Bill.

But most of all a mixture of concern and disgust over Sadie.

‘Women,' he said out loud, hauling himself and his board up the beach.

But the hut wasn't empty. Inside, Alexis sat waiting. She'd also been swimming and was drying herself down. She threw her damp towel at him and it landed squarely around his face. She laughed. Mac didn't.

‘Mmmm. Seems that six-pack is even more defined than I recall. Still looking good, Boss Man.' And she reached out to trace her fingers along his stomach, which was dripping wet as he breathed deeply from his exertion. He caught her hand and pushed past it, throwing the wet towel aside and heading for the little shower behind a screen at the back of the hut. Mac grabbed a fresh towel and placed it on the hook, then disappeared behind the screen.

‘Okay, so what's the news on Bill? Did you get through at last?'

‘Sure, it's not good, Mac. He's had some kind of seizure. It may be something he ate. Or one of his kooky Hawaiian herbs. His assistant was very worried about him. Said it's touch and go. He's in isolation until they get the test results, in case it's something more serious. No visitors. Even you.'

Mac was behind the screen, removing his shorts.

Alexis went on, ‘But the assistant, what's she called …?'

‘Makini.'

‘Yes, I knew it was some weird name.'

‘They're all weird to you, Alexis,' he said, popping just his face back out from behind the screen as he threw his shorts on the ground.

She wrinkled her nose at him, but he ignored her.

‘Well, anyway, she
did
witness the signing. Bill
did
sign over the company. She's confirmed it. Peter's in charge.'

Mac heard it all, but didn't respond, just turned the shower on full, directly onto his face.

‘Sorry.' She stood and picked up the wet towel and hung it over the top of the screen. Then took a step closer towards the shower area. ‘I'm sorry it didn't work out, Mac. A deal ain't done till the ink is signed, huh. Just a shame it was the wrong ink this time.'

‘Thanks,' Mac replied.

‘Anything else I can do? For you? Boss Man? Like … anything?'

‘No, but thanks for your help. You can go now. There's no phone signal here, so you can get my driver to take you if you like. Tell him to come back for me afterwards. He's up in the car park waiting in the limo.'

‘Yes, I saw him. Waiting to make sure you were safely out of the water. Someone's always looking out for you, huh, Mac. Thanks, maybe I will. Or … maybe I have my own plans.' She got up and sashayed over to look out at the ocean. ‘What's it like always having to be babysat, Mac? Simon's like a nanny, isn't he? At least BJ is his own man.'

Mac ignored her dig. She and BJ had never cared for Simon.

And, yes, Simon took care of Mac – he was always taking care of Mac. Always giving strict instructions to ensure Mac's safety. Another few months and that wouldn't be necessary – the tight schedules and stressful deadlines would all be over.

Well, maybe it can happen sooner, now …

Mac stepped further into the shower and gasped as the hot water hit his body. He contemplated his options. At least this next step was obvious – and the pounding of the shower spray was just what his body needed. He rubbed his chest and washboard stomach under the running water, feeling the tension in his muscles dissipate slightly.

But the tightness inside his gut was still there.

Turning the shower off, Mac realised he still had a bit of soap in his eyes, and started to rub them but only made it worse, so he kept them firmly shut. But when he reached around to feel for his towel, it wasn't there. It must have fallen onto the wet floor.

‘Alexis?'

There was no reply. She must have gone. Probably just as well. Last time he'd been this low, this vulnerable, she'd also conveniently shown up and had preyed on his weakness.

Damn women.

They were all the same.

Weren't they?

Who knows. Who cares? Maybe it really was too late for Mac to change.

Now where's that towel rack?

Feeling along the wall to the shelf where the towels were kept, he finally felt the fluffy edge of some towelling, and pulled it towards him. But what he actually did was pull Alexis's dressing gown wide open. She hadn't gone at all. Instead, she'd undressed, and was standing up close to him, naked underneath it.

‘Alexis!' Mac retreated back behind the screen and washed the soap from his eyes with water. ‘You're the limit, you know that.'

‘I gotta shower too, Boss Man. Sure you don't wanna come back in with me?'

‘No, I don't, and cover yourself up. Those days are long gone. Hand me a towel, please.'

She reached for one round the corner, and he watched her in the mirror, peeking past the screen just far enough to make a ‘wow' face at his naked rear view. He caught her and scowled. She shrugged, handed him the towel, and retreated. Then Mac emerged with it wrapped around his middle, she'd given him a small one – only just long enough to reach round. You could see the muscular thighs peeping out from the slit at the front. He pushed past Alexis and grabbed another towel for his hair.

‘Shower's all yours,' he said. ‘I'm out of here.'
Be civil, Mac, be civil.

‘Need me to do that?' She moved in closer and started rubbing his hair, but he suddenly stopped and pulled her roughly to him by the arm. She offered her mouth to him. But instead of kissing her, he just held her still, trapping her arms by her side.

‘Ancient history, Alexis,' he snarled. ‘I told you before. You know my rules. You know how to behave if you want to stick around.' He glared into her eyes, daring her to respond. She did so, by freeing up her arms and immediately throwing them tightly round his neck.

Mac's towel started to fall and he tried to grab it. As his arms stopped pushing her away, Alexis thrust her naked body up against him and reached up once more for a kiss. In the tussle his towel dropped to the floor, leaving Mac naked with Alexis skin-to-skin, her dressing gown wide open. But before Mac could react, there was a noise from the doorway.

‘Sadie!' said Mac.

She was standing there open-mouthed, shocked.

‘The driver said you were in here … Oh for God's sake, Mac!' Sadie cried, and ran off.

‘Wait!' he called. ‘It's not what you think!'

‘Mac leave her! The heli-taxi's been ordered for her. She's leaving on the late night flight. She's the one that's outta here. I, on the other hand, am right here in front of you.' And she stepped forward and thrust her rounded bosom into his chest. He just shook his head, stepped backwards, and turned away, reaching for his clothes.

‘How did she know to come here?'

‘A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do, Boss Man.'

Suddenly Mac got it. ‘Get away, Alexis. Get back to BJ before I tell him everything.'

‘And lose your best funding buddy? I don't think so. But I'm going anyway. It just got kinda dull around here.' She pulled her dress over her head and grabbed her bag. ‘And you just got kinda boring. Usually
this
body doesn't need to beg.' And she stomped off towards the door.

Mac chased past her after Sadie but the wind was picking up and she was almost back to the car park. He went to shout, then changed his mind.

‘Dammit.' He stood on the darkened beach, the warm Hawaiian night breeze blowing his damp hair around, looking like a shot from one of those calendars, but with no one there to appreciate the view.

Alexis was off to take his limo. Way in front of her, Sadie had already reached her waiting cab.

If she looks back …

But she didn't. She got straight in, and they pulled away without a backward glance. He watched the cab disappear slowly out of sight, taking Sadie with it. Mac felt frozen to the spot. The ache in his chest doubled. Now it actually hurt. What was that ache? Maybe he'd pulled something.

A minute later, Mac's limo also whisked Alexis away, leaving an empty car park – apart from one other brave soul sitting in their black Mercedes.
I wonder if he's got women trouble too,
Mac thought.

At last, he turned and walked back to the beach hut, kicking up the sand angrily as he went. Well
this
trip had been a turn up for the books and no mistake.

Maybe it's for the best
, he thought.

He had, after all, taken Sadie halfway round the world on a gigantic goose-chase. And Mac didn't know how to handle ‘goose'.
Usually everything just worked out – so smoothly, so efficiently, so predictably.
What Mac wants, Mac gets …

Except this time.

Mac finished dressing and sat staring into space for a while.

Once again, Mac was all alone.

There was a growing battle in his head and it refused to be quashed. And right in the middle of the maelstrom, was his conscience.

Yes, he should try to contact Sadie. He needed to explain about Alexis. He shouldn't have to, but he felt the need to. Why, God only knows.

But then what good would it do? She wouldn't believe him, and in any case, he'd done exactly the same and not believed her about Peter earlier on. The irony wasn't lost on Mac.
Touché.

What a mess. A right royal botched up mess.

Proving once and for all, that women had no place in his business life. Especially this woman – in fact, she had no place in his life for either business
or
pleasure.

But no sooner had he thought it than the same angst-ridden feeling was gnawing at his gut once more. His head was saying ‘let her go'. But his heart was telling a different story.

Finally, he sat on the steps of the hut, swigging a beer and feeling the warm wind on his face, feeling more down than he'd felt in years. It hit Mac like a sledgehammer that even now, after all that had happened, there was only one person in the world he would have wanted to be with right now. And in that moment he knew that was precisely why he had to let her go.

It wasn't too late to charter a private jet – better get the hell out of here, before he changed his mind.