Against All Odds (Arabesque) by Forster Gwynne

Author:Forster, Gwynne [Forster, Gwynne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises
Published: 2012-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Melissa read Magnus Cooper’s signed contract and decided she’d made a mistake. She had quoted the man a very high fee and had expected him to bargain or at least complain. But if her eyes served her properly, he would pay double that if she could find a manager who suited him within two weeks. She telephoned him to bargain for three weeks at one and a half times the fee she’d quoted.

“Are you telling me the president of MTG is a woman? Well, a man I trust told me this was one of the best executive search firms in the country. Who’s your CEO?”

“Mr. Cooper, I am the president and owner of MTG.” Melissa iced her voice to put the man in his place, but to her astonishment, he persisted.

“Well, I don’t know, ma’am. I’m not used to doing business with a woman...but, well...they say you know your stuff. Still, I just don’t know.”

Annoyed, she told him, “Mr. Cooper, I’m looking at a contract that says you do business with me. I hope legal action won’t be necessary.”

“Of course not,” he cajoled. And she envisioned honey dripping from his tongue as he drawled, “Let’s have dinner and smooth over this little misunderstanding.” Unimpressed with the offer, she declined—Houston, Texas, wasn’t around the corner. Magnus Cooper gave her the three weeks and fee she demanded and told her he’d forward an amendment to the contract. Pleased, she thanked him and said a polite good bye. Later, dispirited over her unsatisfactory relationship with Adam, she accepted Banks’s suggestion that they browse in a few antique shops after work.

* * *

They walked through Bessie’s Yesteryear, looking at old coffee grinders, grandfather clocks, alabaster candlesticks, a Tiffany lamp, an early Shaker rocker. Melissa paused beside an ancient brass scale and lifted one of its weights, thinking that if she polished the scale it would add a nice touch to her kitchen’s bay window. She felt Banks jab her in the back and glanced up and into the unfriendly eyes of Mary Roundtree. She couldn’t treat Adam’s mother discourteously, but the woman didn’t invite warmth. Melissa didn’t know what kind of response she’d get, but she squared her shoulders and spoke.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Roundtree. How are you?” For that, she received a stingy “Fine, thank you” and a nod of the head. Perplexed that Adam’s mother behaved more coldly toward her than when they’d first met, she nevertheless introduced Banks, who retaliated on Melissa’s behalf by accepting the introduction with a frosty “Nice to meet you, Miss Mary.” Melissa watched in horror as Adam’s mother excused herself and turned away in such haste that she crashed into an 1890 gaslight post and knocked herself out. Alarmed, she knelt beside the woman to assist her while Banks telephoned Adam and called for an ambulance. She gave silent thanks that both were only a few blocks away.

* * *

Adam rushed into Bessie’s Yesteryear and stopped short at the unbelievable scene. Melissa held his mother’s head in her lap and placed a cold compress to her forehead.

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