The Christmas Party (37 page)

‘I should call her, explain that it was a silly mistake.’

‘It might help,’ he agrees. ‘Woman to woman she might listen.’

‘I can only hope so.’ Tyler might be a rat but this time he was certainly falsely accused. I can’t stand by and let him bear the brunt of this error. I might never redeem myself in his eyes, but it’s the least I can do to try to make this right.

I wipe away my tears and, when I’ve stopped snivelling, pick up the phone and dial Tyler’s home number. It rings and rings, but no one answers. When it clicks to voicemail, I don’t know what to say, so I hang up.

‘She’s not there.’

‘Probably out giving Tyler’s plastic a good battering.’

‘I feel like a piece of low-life.’

‘He deserved all he got,’ Josh sympathises. ‘You know that.’

‘I don’t know how I’m going to tell my parents. They thought I was going to end up running Fossil Oil, and I let them believe it. They’ll be so upset for me.’

‘All is not lost yet,’ he says soothingly. ‘You never know, if we appeal to his better nature, we might find that Tyler has a heart after all.’

Then Tyler appears behind him. His hair is freshly washed and he’s in his more customary sharp suit. He adjusts the knot of his tie.

‘If you’re hoping for that,’ he says with an evil glint in his eye, ‘I think you’re both going to be sorely disappointed.’

Chapter Fifty-two

‘How long have we been lying here?’ Kirsten asked, pulling the duvet round them.

‘Absolutely ages.’ Simon was dozing, drifting in and out of sleep.

‘It’s Christmas.’ She traced a finger down his chest. ‘We ought to think about what we’re going to do.’

He planted a line of kisses along her throat. ‘We don’t have to
do
anything.’

‘For once, I feel quite excited about the holiday. I want this Christmas to be a new start for us.’

‘We should leave here, that’s for sure,’ Simon said. ‘I’m not comfortable in Tyler’s home, in Tyler’s bed. It’s not right. I might be stealing his wife, but there’s no need to rub his nose in it.’

‘We don’t need to worry about that.’

‘What if he decides to come back?’

‘He already has,’ she admitted. ‘Actually, that was him at the door earlier.’

‘You should have told me, Kirsten. We could have faced him together. There’s no need to do this alone. I’m here for you.’

‘I know.’

‘You did tell him about us?’

‘Not exactly.’ She shook her head. ‘I did tell him our marriage was over, though. I’m just not sure he believed me.’

‘We should have been straight with him.’

‘I couldn’t face the confrontation. It’s pointless with Tyler. You know what he’s like. You would have ended up shouting or fighting.’

‘Give me more credit than that.’

‘I know Tyler. So do you. He won’t take this well.’

‘He blighted our lives, Kirsten, tore our love apart without any thought for either of us. He did it for his own selfish ends. I’m not going to have him put me on the back foot.’

‘All I want is a quiet life,’ Kirsten said. ‘I’ve been unhappy for too long. We could shout and rage at Tyler for what he’s done, but what’s the point? That’s all in the past. Now we have another chance to build our future together. Let’s not think about Tyler at all.’

‘I’d like to wring his lying neck,’ Simon said.

‘I know. Me too. But I don’t want to expend any more energy on him. We’re all that matters now. Us.’

‘A few short hours ago you wouldn’t even raise a toast to “us”.’

‘I was scared of my feelings, Si. How could I have possibly known the night would end like this?’ She kissed his lips. ‘Let’s sneak away. Just me and you.’

‘All right,’ he agreed. ‘We’ll do it your way. You can still twist me round your little finger.’

‘Good.’ She grinned at him.

‘We should pack a bag and go back to my place, though. Fossil have rented it for me. It’s nice. I have some food, a king-size bed, a log-burning stove. I may even have logs.’

‘I’m having trouble believing all this.’ She reached up and tenderly touched his face. ‘Am I dreaming this, Si? Here we are, making plans together. Is it true? Am I going to wake up and it’s the day of the Fossil Oil Christmas party and I’ll have to relive it all over again?’

‘No.’ He stroked the hair from her face. ‘This is as real as it gets. The sooner we’re out of here, the sooner we can begin our life together.’

She sighed as Simon pulled her into the crook of his arm and stroked the swell of her breast. ‘Are you happy?’ he asked.

‘Blissfully. This is idyllic. The sun is streaming through the window, albeit rather pathetically, and we’re lying here pretending that life is a bed of roses. The bubble has to burst. I want things to be different this time.’ She propped herself up on her elbows and turned to him. ‘Last night you promised me that we could stop the world and get off.’

‘So I did.’

‘Did you call Lance?’

‘I tried but there was no answer. I didn’t feel I could just leave a message. I need to speak to him in person.’

Kirsten hugged the sheet to her. ‘It’s going to ruin our relationship if we start again with the same emotional baggage. We won’t last five minutes.’

‘I promised you. I’ve waited ten long years for this, Kirsten, I’m not about to blow it. I’ll call Lance again. Now.’

‘Will you? If we’re going to make this work, we need a complete change of lifestyle.’ Kirsten stared at him determinedly. ‘I won’t be the neglected little corporate wife, sitting at home waiting for you.’

Simon lifted an eyebrow. ‘Yet you would consider being my wife?’

Kirsten smiled. ‘Of course. I love you. I should have been Mrs Conway all along.’ She looked at him earnestly. ‘But you have to swear to me that things won’t be just the same this time.’

He pulled her against his body and stared wistfully at the ceiling. ‘What do you want us to do instead?’

‘I don’t know. I can barely get my head round the fact that we’re together again.’

‘We could open a scuba-diving school in the Seychelles,’ he mused.

‘I’ve been there,’ Kirsten admitted. ‘It’s very beautiful. One of Tyler’s little conscience soothers. There are considerably worse places to live.’

‘There’s no doubt we’d leave the hamster wheel behind.’

‘I can’t scuba dive.’ Kirsten hated to pour cold water on his plan – no pun intended – but it did seem pertinent to mention it.

‘Neither can I. But we can learn. We can run the business end and get in experts to do the tuition.’ Simon pushed himself up in bed. There was a flicker of excitement in his eyes. ‘I’ve cashed in my share options from Petro Oz and Texan Oil. I had to when I left. Even as we speak, there’s a heap of cash sitting in my bank account doing absolutely nothing but waiting for an opportunity like this. We can do whatever we want. If not scuba diving, we could buy a beach café, a restaurant, a small hotel, chalets for tourists.’

‘Work together?’

‘Why not? Or if you don’t like the idea of that, maybe you could teach again, at a local school? We could even do something more community-based, if you want to. There are all kinds of opportunities that we could consider. I’ve been at the top of an international corporation. How hard could it be to run a small business of our own?’ He raked his hair and his eyes held a look of steely determination. ‘We could do this, Kirsten.’

She risked a half-smile. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Deadly.’ He took her hands. ‘I want to make you happy. I told you that. I’ll do whatever it takes. If that means that we have to have sun, sand and sea as well as sex, then who am I to argue?’

Kirsten laughed.

‘We need time to think this through and plan it properly,’ he cautioned. ‘I have enough money to start up a small venture and support us for a while.’

‘I have nothing,’ Kirsten admitted. ‘I’m reliant on Tyler for everything. That needs to change too. I want my independence.’ They had no money in this house, no equity. It wasn’t theirs. Tyler, she was sure, would want to move away as soon as he could. He’d probably ask Fossil to find him a bachelor apartment right across the street from the office. ‘There must be obstacles?’

‘Of course there are, but we’ll work through them together.’ He cupped her face in his hands. ‘I love you.’

Kirsten giggled excitedly. This might be the end of her marriage, but it felt very much like a new beginning for her. ‘I love you too.’

He kissed her, his mouth firm, insistent, pressing against hers.

‘Nothing can stop us now.’

‘Nothing,’ Kirsten agreed.

Chapter Fifty-three

Tyler folded his arms and stared at Josh. ‘No,’ he said. ‘I will absolutely not reconsider. That woman is a menace.’ He pointed in Louise’s direction. ‘She’s not staying here a moment longer.’

‘She’s a great girl,’ Josh said. ‘You know that. With a bit of goodwill, you can both sort this out.’

Tyler stood up and paced his office. ‘She’s cost me my marriage and my dignity. Now she’s paying the price.’

‘You got yourself into this mess, Tyler. You can end it all now by playing fair.’

‘When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.’ Tyler ground to an abrupt halt at the window and gazed out at the snow. He wanted nothing more than to get through this day unscathed and go home to Kirsten. That was a rare feeling. ‘Push me too far and
you
’ll regret it too.’

‘You need me, Tyler,’ Josh said. ‘We both know that.’

‘Oh, do we?’

‘My sales figures keep the department afloat and Lance off your back.’

Tyler sat down again and spread his hands on his desk. There was a malicious smile curling the corners of his mouth and showing the merest suggestion of his teeth. He looked like a pitbull terrier. Without a muzzle.

Tyler smiled sweetly. ‘Are you sitting comfortably?’ Josh wasn’t.

Tapping at his computer, Tyler turned the screen so that Josh could read it too. The smile widened to a cold grin. ‘Shall we begin?’

Josh scanned the figures on the screen, which made for uncomfortable viewing.

‘These aren’t right,’ Josh said. ‘They show me as not hitting any of my targets in the last year.’

‘These are my back-up figures,’ Tyler said. ‘For times such as these. I can make them as right as I want to. You’re not out of the woods on this yet, Josh. You were the one on top of Louise when Kirsten thought it was me. In my eyes, that makes you complicit in this disaster.’

‘You can’t fiddle my figures,’ Josh complained. ‘That’s just not ethical.’

Tyler laughed in his face. ‘You should know me better than to think that would worry me. I always have these little beauties on standby. Just in case.’

‘I’ve enjoyed working with you, Tyler. Even though some of your practices have been dubious. There are people in Fossil who don’t like you, but I’ve always defended your corner. I’ve had your back, but this is beyond the pale. If you sack Louise, if you threaten me, then I’m done with you. You’ll get your come-uppance.’

‘Fine,’ Tyler said. ‘Sales managers like you are ten a penny. For every job we advertise there are hundreds of applicants. Someone will fill your shoes in five minutes. So, I’ll accept your resignation too. Just get your little girlfriend to type it up on the way out.’ He shooed at Josh as you would an irritating fly.

‘You really are low-life, Tyler Benson.’

Tyler shrugged. ‘Tell me something I don’t know.’

Josh stood up and walked from the office, dazed.

Louise was at her desk, but it was clear that she’d been straining to hear what was being said behind the closed door.

‘How did it go?’ she stage-whispered.

Josh bit his lip. ‘Hmm,’ he said. ‘Maybe not that well.’

Chapter Fifty-four

It was much later than usual when Lance eventually arrived at Fossil Oil’s head office. The staff would be wondering where he was. Martin held open the door of the Bentley for him and he bounded up the steps to the entrance and into the airy atrium.

He must phone Bud Harman, Lance thought, and firm things up from this end. They’d been good staff here, dedicated, trustworthy, and he didn’t want the whole shebang to collapse just because this was going to be his last day.

Instead of taking the executive lift straight to the top floor, he decided to take the stairs and walk up through the offices, giving him a chance to wish his faithful staff a merry Christmas. By the top of the first flight, his heart was banging in his chest. Could be that he’d overdone the dancing, unaccustomed as he was these days. Last night had been a heavy session, but wonderful fun, the few bits he could remember of it. You couldn’t beat a good Christmas party.

His first port of call, the Customer Service Department, was deserted. Only half the staff were at their desks, and only half of those were still sitting upright; most were slumped against their computer terminals in a state of inertia. There was a deathly silence where there should have been ringing phones. Either someone had thoughtfully pulled out all the plugs, or similarly debilitating office parties had been taking place the night before throughout their customer network. A large number of the staff were wearing sunglasses indoors.

It was the same in Refinery Output. And no one at all had made it in to Alternative Fuels. He was terribly disappointed. These youngsters had no stamina these days. A few glasses of bubbly and they all went to pot. How were any of them going to make executive level if they succumbed at the first sight of corporate hospitality? No deals were going to be done today, that was patently clear. It wouldn’t do him any harm to go home early either. It would be a pleasant change to be waiting for Melissa when she returned from her shopping trip or wherever she was. That was one of the dangers of becoming an old married couple – if you weren’t careful all the surprises went right out of your life.

He needed to talk to Tyler about the hand-over. At least he knew that Tyler had more stamina. His right-hand man would be here come hell or high water. Fossil Oil was in his veins, just as it was in Lance’s.

Veronica was at her desk when he reached his office, just as she always was.

‘Morning,’ Lance grunted at her.

‘Morning, Mr Harvey.’ She handed him the folder which contained his post. Each day she opened it, slotted it into place and made little notes as to how he should deal with each piece. The woman was invaluable; it was a shame she wasn’t coming to DC with him.