“Sophie, I wanted to go over our closing argument one last time,” Lydia said. “We’re off to grab a coffee, Mom. Can I get you anything?”
“Do I look like I need caffeine?” her mother said, then stalked back to her laboratory. “You two go on. I know how you are about your coffee breaks.”
“I will be glad when all this is over, no matter what happens,” Lydia said as they walked to her car. “Because Mom gets more frantic and more desperate every day, have you noticed? It’s starting to really worry me.”
Sophie nodded, feeling weary right down to her bones. “I’ll be glad when it’s over, too,” she admitted.
Unbidden, Mark’s face popped up in her mind.
Just a hope of a chance…
She shook her head, clearing it. She wouldn’t think about Mark. She told herself that hourly…sometimes every other minute. And every time she told herself that, it didn’t work.
“I was talking to that vendor, and I think we’ve managed to fix that problem of getting supplies in high quantity, so Trimera can’t hit us with it anymore,” Lydia said, as they sat down at their usual table at the local coffeehouse. “But when I was talking to her, I heard something sort of weird.”
“Oh?” Sophie asked, not actually listening. She sipped at her mocha.
“Yeah.” Lydia peered into Sophie’s face. “She said you’re sleeping with Mark McMann.”
Sophie choked. Lydia handed her a napkin and patted her back.
“I take it that’s a yes,” Lydia said wryly. “Jeez, Sophie. And you make fun of me for not being your consummate professional. Last time I checked, boinking the competition wasn’t something they taught in an MBA program.”
Sophie gasped for air. “It wasn’t like that,” she finally sputtered out.
Lydia’s eyes rolled. “You can’t possibly tell me you’ve got a good explanation for sleeping with him.”
“Well…no.” Sophie stared at the table surface. “But it always made sense at the time.”
“He is gorgeous…and charming.” Lydia looked at her, her face filled with concern. “He seduced you, didn’t he?”
“No!” She remembered that first night they’d almost slept together—how he’d persuaded her, working against her better judgment. “Not exactly.”
“Riiiight,” Lydia drawled, obviously unconvinced.
“I even seduced him,” Sophie added, trying to be fair. “I made the decision, every time. It was my idea.”
“Con artists always make you think it was your idea,” Lydia said sternly. “Good grief. You’re the one who always tells me that Trimera can’t be trusted and that big-business types will do whatever they have to, to win. Didn’t you think about that when you decided to sleep with him?”
“He didn’t use me,” Sophie defended. “And before you go there—I never, ever told him anything about Diva Nation. It was never about the competition.”
“How could you think it wouldn’t get mixed up in it?” Lydia’s voice was edged with exasperation. “I’m a creative type, and even I know that one.”
Sophie felt her throat close, this time with tears. “Listen, I don’t have any excuse for it. It happened.”
“You’re not the type for casual affairs.” Lydia sounded baffled.
“I know,” Sophie agreed.
Lydia was silent for a long moment. Then she said, “And this isn’t a casual affair, is it?”
Sophie slumped in her chair. “No.”
“Are you in love with him?”
“I don’t know.” As soon as Sophie said it, the truth of the matter seemed to burn in her chest. “Yes. I am in love with him. And I don’t know how, or what we’re going to do next.”
Lydia paused. “I have to hand it to you—you never take the easy road. So, do you think he’s in love with you?”
“I don’t know. But he cares about me.”
“Enough to walk away from this competition?”
Sophie shook her head. “I wouldn’t ask him to, Lydia. That wouldn’t be fair. I mean, what would you think if he asked that of me?”
“Which brings up my next question—did it ever occur to you to walk away from this competition for him?”
Sophie felt scandalized. “This is too important, Lydia.”
“It’s business, Sophie,” Lydia countered.
“It’s Mom’s life,” Sophie said. “She’s counting on us.”
“I love Mom, and I’ve spent most of my life trying to live up to her expectations…and failing miserably,” Lydia answered, smirking. “I’ve worked my hardest for her, but we can’t control everything. She’s not going to be out on the street, no matter what. I wouldn’t let her, and neither would you. So if we don’t win this account…she’ll be upset, and it’ll be harder, but it won’t be the end of the world, Sophie.”
Sophie shook her head. “That’s no way to win.”
“Being inflexible is no way to live,” Lydia said. “And I’m not saying we should lose just because you fell in love.”
“Then what are you saying?” Sophie snapped.
Lydia reached over and took her hands. “I’m saying…don’t be a butt-head.”
Surprised, Sophie actually laughed.
“Mom was burned by love and business—getting fired by Trimera, and having Dad leave us. She’s got a lot wrapped up in all this. But just because she’s bitter about what happened, and convinced that winning might make everything right, doesn’t mean that you have to follow in her footsteps,” Lydia explained.
Sophie thought about it. “If we lose, it won’t be because I didn’t try,” Sophie said.
“Nobody’s telling you to throw the challenge,” Lydia said. “But if we lose…nobody’s telling you that you’ve got to punish the guy because we didn’t make it.”
“For a kid sister,” Sophie said weakly, “you’re pretty wise.”
“Yeah, well, I’m starting to realize that I was getting sucked up in the need to win,” Lydia said. “I love Mom, but sometimes you start to live in her world…where winning is the only option. Trust me, she’ll be okay if this doesn’t go through. And loving her and wanting to help her doesn’t mean that we have to put our whole lives into chaos because she needs us to. That sounds cold, I know.”
Sophie sighed. “It’s tough, though.”
“After this, no matter what, I’m opening my own design consulting company,” Lydia said. “I love Mom, but I can’t keep working with her. It’ll save the relationship for both of us.”
Sophie smiled at her, feeling weepy. “I’ll help you with your business plan,” she offered.
“Thanks, I’ll need it.” Lydia smiled back. “And after this, no matter what…if you’re in love with this guy, I say go for it. Even if it pisses Mom off no end. You’re not in high school anymore.”
Sophie thought about it. Her mom and the business meant a lot to her—but Lydia was right. It wasn’t her life.
“And, we may win,” Lydia added, with a wink. “Which brings up the question—will he still love you if he loses to you?”
Sophie closed her eyes. “I’ll jump off that bridge when I come to it.”
8
MARK SAT IN A CONFERENCE ROOM in Marion & Co.’s New York corporate offices. Simone and Roger were out in the lobby, Simone on her laptop, Roger barking at someone on his cell phone. They had already made their sales pitch to Mrs. Marion, privately—apparently her “open competition” finally had some privacy, probably because she had the instincts of a horse trader: if one company thought their opponents were giving a better deal, they’d just keep going lower and lower until Marion & Co. had everything they wanted for a song. He had to admire the woman’s shrewdness. After all, it was what had made her family’s company such a force to be reckoned with, all these years.
Sophie sat in a corner with her mother and sister. Her mother was shooting poisonous glances in his direction. The sister was more intent on Sophie, who wasn’t looking at him at all. They had already had their turn with Marion & Co., as well, and everyone was waiting for the final announcement as far as who’d won the account. It was overly dramatic, probably the most over-the-top competition Mark had ever been involved in. He wouldn’t have minded so much, if it didn’t put Sophie and himself in such an awful position.
The sister finally looked at him, a curious, measured gaze. Mark wasn’t quite sure what to make of it—it wasn’t a come-on or anything sexual, more of a sizing up. Then the sister turned to Sophie’s mom. “Come on, let’s go get some air.”
“I don’t want any air,” the mother snapped.
“We’ll make it short,” the sister said persuasively, tugging her mom to her feet. “If you stay here and review every detail of our offer, you’ll drive Sophie nuts. Come on, the walk will do you good. Sophie, you’ll be all right, here?”