Mr. Loverman. Mary Lyons
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much longer. It was now over three weeks since she’d been so summarily dismissed from the agency by Jack Wilder. And, despite trying hard to obtain another position, she didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. So it looked as though it wouldn’t be long before she’d have to face the harsh facts of life and sell her apartment.
Although she suspected that Jack was to blame for this disastrous state of affairs, Laura knew that she didn’t have any real proof that he was behind her failure to get a job. Unfortunately, without some solid evidence that he was using his influence in the theatrical world and deliberately blocking her appointment to any of the firms she contacted, there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. And yet...well, it definitely seemed highly suspicious that not one of the agencies she’d approached had been able to offer her a job.
Despite being initially shattered by Jack’s shockingly cruel, heartless decision, she now burned with an ever increasing anger and deep resentment at the way she’d been treated. The ratfink had made absolutely no attempt to contact her, either by phone or in person. So it was obvious that he didn’t give a damn about the fact that he’d completely ruined her life. I’ll have his guts for garters! Laura promised herself grimly, amazed that she could have imagined herself in love with such an unbelievably awful man.
In fact, the only faint light amidst the doom and gloom had been the long, warm and sympathetic phone call from Susie Carter, some days ago. Formerly Jack Wilder’s secretary and PA, Susie had left the agency to marry a wealthy man soon after Laura’s arrival. Sadly, it appeared that her marriage had not been a success.
‘We couldn’t seem to agree on anything—not even having children, which I wanted and he didn’t,’ Susie had told her with a heavy sigh. ‘So, when I discovered that he’d not only been unfaithful for most of our short married life, but was also having an affair with a young girl in his office, I decided that I’d had enough.
‘Unfortunately, Laura,’ she’d added with an unhappy sigh, ‘I have to say that being a merry divorcee isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’m not only lonely, but also bored stiff and longing to get back to the theatrical world. So when someone told me you’d left Jack’s firm I...well, I was hoping that you meant to start up on your own, and might need a personal assistant.’
‘Believe me, if I had some money saved up and could afford to have my own business, I’d take you on like a shot,’ Laura had assured her wistfully, before explaining that she was now completely broke and needed to get a job as soon as possible.
Luckily, it seemed that Susie had only heard vague rumours of the violent argument between her and Jack—and had no knowledge of the real reason behind their row and Laura’s dismissal from the firm. ‘I know my old boss can be a very difficult man to work for. However, I’m sure it won’t be long before you find another position that’s every bit as good as the last one,’ the other girl had said encouragingly, before promising to let Laura know if she heard of any vacancies.
It had been kind of Susie to call, and she was also grateful for the messages she’d received from many of her old clients, expressing their overwhelming dismay and sorrow that she was no longer able to look after their careers. While actors were known to be notoriously fickle—rapidly changing their agents whenever they felt they could do better with another firm—she’d been touched and heartened by the level of support which she’d received over the past few weeks. Not to mention that quite extraordinary phone call yesterday—from Donald Hunt, of all people!
Never having met the man who’d once been a business partner of Jack Wilder, Laura had been certain that it must be a hoax—possibly from one of her friends in the acting profession. And, even after he had eventually managed to convince her that it really was Donald Hunt on the phone, it had taken her some considerable time to fully understand what he was saying.
Boiled down to the bare essentials, it seemed that Jack’s ex-partner was now a mega-rich property developer who, over the years, had expanded the family construction business which he’d inherited from his father. Not only did he own a number of large office blocks in central London, but he’d also recently purchased the building where she’d been working until only a few weeks ago.
‘Well...er...it’s nice to hear from you, Donald,’ she’d murmured with a puzzled frown, wondering why on earth a man whom she’d never met should now be ringing her completely out of the blue.
However, as he’d proceeded to explain the business proposition which lay behind his phone call, Laura’s green eyes had widened in astonishment.
‘Oh, come on, Donald—you must be joking!’ she’d gasped, wondering if she was standing on her head or her heels. ‘I mean...yes, of course I’d love to have my own theatrical agency. Who wouldn’t? And your offer to set me up in business is...well, it’s amazingly kind and generous. But...but I couldn’t possibly go along with your idea of running the agency from the same building as WHAM. I...well, I’m sure it would be totally unethical of me to do such a thing. Not to mention the fact that Jack would be absolutely furious!’ she’d added with a nervous giggle.
Besides which, as Laura now told herself, she wasn’t entirely a fool. While Donald had, of course, strenuously denied any intention of making mischief, or causing trouble for his ex-partner, she still had considerable doubts about the motives which lay behind his amazing offer.
‘No, I can assure you that this definitely isn’t a personal vendetta,’ he’d assured her when she had tentatively raised the subject. ‘My bust-up with Jack is now ancient history, and I certainly don’t bear him any ill will. In fact, as it turns out, he did me a considerable favour. I’ve had far more success as a property developer than I ever would have had as a theatrical agent. What we’re talking about here is purely a business proposition. I’ve got some empty office space which needs filling, and from all I hear you’re more than capable of running a successful agency.
‘However,’ he’d continued, with a slightly self-conscious bark of laughter, ‘I must admit that I do sometimes miss the buzz I used to get from meeting so many famous and interesting people. And it might be fun to have a small stake in the business once again. However, it’s nonsense to think that Jack Wilder, with so many highly successful clients on his books, is likely to care about my involvement, one way or another,’ Donald had added firmly.
Despite his reassuring words, Laura hadn’t been entirely convinced, feeling obliged—however reluctantly—to turn down what was clearly the offer of a lifetime. Because it was one thing for her to run a small theatrical agency from home, or from a garret in Soho, neither of which was likely to trouble her ex-employer, but she was quite certain that he’d be extremely annoyed if, as Donald had proposed, she began operating from a large and glamorous business suite directly beneath his own office. And, if she was so unprincipled as to pinch any of his clients, Jack wouldn’t just be extremely annoyed—he’d go completely bananas!
Sinking down onto a sofa, Laura indulged herself for a moment in the delicious daydream of causing the maximum number of headaches for her ex-boss, before she eventually pulled herself together. She might be furiously angry with Jack—but even if he had behaved badly there was absolutely no excuse for her to do so. A good job will turn up soon; you’ve just got to be patient, she told herself firmly, then decided to have a shower and wash her hair.
Unfortunately, she was only too well aware that being patient wasn’t one of her strong points. And the normally refreshing, fine needle spray of hot water did nothing to soothe her battered spirits, nor ease her weary body. Over the past few weeks, it had seemed as though she’d barely had any sleep, with Jack’s tall, dark figure striding arrogantly through her restless dreams. Even now she couldn’t seem to prevent herself from recalling, in vivid detail, every moment of those few short days spent alone with Jack in the South Pacific.
She’d had no idea what lay ahead of her when they’d landed at Papeete Airport. It had been her first visit to the Polynesian Islands, and she hadn’t realised just how exhausting the hot and humid atmosphere would prove to be. While she and Jack had tried to deal with the problems of their client, Craig Jordan, it hadn’t taken them long to discover that the set of Mutiny on the Bounty