It's just that thinking about Tarken brought back memories of Abbey. For a month he'd nearly called her every single night-or called Lucy's office. By day he was in control around the office. Then he'd go home, pick up the phone before slamming it down again, angry at her and angry at himself for letting his barriers down again so easily. Every night he'd get to bed early because he was exhausted, but by two he'd get up again because he couldn't sleep. It was always the same.
No wonder Beverly told him looked terrible.
The door to his office opened and Beverly's fluffy blonde head popped around the corner. She had a notepad and pen.
"What did you same this man's name is again? Pratt?"
"Pratt. And Donaldson, JJC's head of I.T."
Beverly made a note then glanced up.
"Can I get you anything?"
"Another cup of coffee."
"I think you've had enough. One more cup and you'll be bouncing off the walls."
"Black, one sugar," he growled.
Beverly sighed and nodded.
"And Beverly, is everything set up?"
She nodded again. "I've booked them rooms at the Plaza just in case this goes into tomorrow."
She closed the door and Nick continued his pacing. He hoped it didn't go into tomorrow. He couldn't stand seeing Tarken's slimy face two days in a row.
Abbey listened to Donaldson's techno-babble for most of the flight but ten minutes before landing in Sydney, she tuned out. She couldn't help it. No matter how hard she concentrated, her mind just wouldn't focus. All she could think about was Nick, and that she would be seeing him again soon.
Did he even know he was about to see her? Did he know that Tarken was no longer in charge of JJC's Melbourne office?
She wasn't entirely sure. She'd kept out of the deal until now, leaving it to Donaldson to discuss details with Software Solutions' new VP of Marketing and tech gurus. Now that it was decision making time, she'd become involved in the number crunching. She hadn't spoken to Nick. This meeting would be the first opportunity. From what she'd heard of Nick Delaware in the last month, he was ruthless in business and always researched potential clients thoroughly. Which meant he probably knew she was in charge of JJC.
So how was he feeling right now? Hopefully as nervous as her. It was the least he deserved. Abbey wiped her palms on the plane's seat and took another deep breath.
As the plane taxied to a halt at Sydney airport she swallowed, blew out a breath, then wiped her hand across her eyes. This was not going to be easy.
Get a grip, Abbey. You can do this.
She wasn't here to start something with Nick all over again, she was here to do a deal on behalf of JJC. It was important to her new career. It was her first major project and she needed to succeed.
Lucy's words sprang to mind. "Screw him," she'd said.
"What? I thought you said I shouldn't get involved with him again."
"No, I mean screw him on price. Tell him you'll do whatever he wants if he gives you a discount on the software."
"I'm not going to do that! If he didn't think I was a whore before then he would if I said that."
Lucy had shrugged. "Okay, then just make him want you really bad so he'll agree to everything. Even if he doesn't, just make him want you. It'd be fun to see him squirm. Wish I could be there."
"Then you can take my place because I don't want to go."
That wasn't entirely true either. She wanted very much to see Nick again, despite her denial. She knew it. Her body with its hot tingles told her so.
This meeting was going to be unbearable.
An hour later, Abbey and Donaldson waited in the foyer of Software Solutions. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and too much makeup walked toward them. She introduced herself as Beverly, Nick's P.A.
She led them down a corridor, passed a row of desks where long-haired twenty-something men hunched into computer screens, surrounded by pyramids of empty Coke cans. A few of them openly appraised her, others glanced away nervously. Most just continued to work.
"Here we go," sang Beverly.
She opened the door to a large room with an oblong, polished wood table in the middle. Two men stood on the other side of the table. One, a stranger, was facing them. The other stood and stared out of the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to them.
He didn't need to turn around for Abbey to know it was Nick.
But he did, slowly, a grim frown plastered to his handsome face. Abbey swallowed and waited for recognition to set in.
It took a few seconds but when it did, his shock was obvious to everyone in the room. He looked like a man who'd just seen a crew of aliens disembarking a UFO that had landed in his front yard. He took a step backwards, as if he'd been shoved, and his eyes nearly sprang from their sockets.