The Business Affair: Forever Mine (4 page)

“Yes.”

“Don, right?”

“Yes.”

“He really put you on the spot.”

“Indeed he did.”

“So how was breakfast?”

“Great, but no connection.”

“Thank you for the tip. I will get Pablo to take
me there.”

“Would you like some company?”

“I am here on vacation and I really don’t want
to waste your time. I went to the event last night because someone told me
about a huge event that was turning the city upside down and I was curious. I
don’t want you to get the wrong impression. Ok.”

“I asked would you like some company?”

Paula was stunned. She did not know what to say.
She did not want to waste his time, but she did want some company. Imelda had
sparked her desire to have some companionship. She just did not realize how
serious The Business Affair was.

He looked over at the concierge and said, “Call
Pablo and ask him to arrange for a party of two at Esmeralda’s Tavern.”

She was speechless.

“What is your name?”

It took her a moment, “Paula. Paula Anderson.”

The next thing she knew, she was sitting in the
back seat of Pedro’s limousine with Don heading 45 miles outside the city to
Esmeralda’s Tavern.

***

Roman was a complete frazzle. He never realized
how much work and how much pressure he had placed on Paula until she was gone
and he had to do all of the work. Baxter was some help, but he was not
executive material – not assertive enough. Paula, on the other hand was
aggressive, knew how to stay organized and how to keep things moving. She was
never afraid to put him in check. He longed to hear Baxter refuse to do
something or to make a gesture of disgruntle. But he was a complete yes man. He
did exactly what he was told, and agreed to do anything that was asked. Roman
found that quite boring. He concluded the first week of Paula’s departure as
dismal, very dismal.

Baxter brought in Roman’s schedule for the next
week. He gave it a quick over view.

“Listen the meetings will have to be rearranged.
Everything you have on the schedule for my research and development is fine.”

“When do you want them scheduled sir?”

“Do me a favor Baxter, don’t call me sir. Just
call me Roman, ok. Now ask yourself would Paula ask me when to reschedule the
meetings or would she just pick a time.”

“I think she would pick a time, sir…I mean
Roman.”

“Then do that. Baxter it is okay to think
outside the box. Since we are going to be working together for the next two
weeks, I would really prefer it that way. If we are working on an account make
some suggestions. If I am trying to purchase a company that you think is a
complete dud, tell me about it because that is what Paula would do. Has she
called you back concerning arranging the auction for Peterson and Sons?”

“No. I have called her numerous times.”

“Do you know which auction house she uses?”

“Yes. Webster’s Bank Auctions”

“Then what do you think my next request will be?

“Set up the auction and get everything sold,
because a Canadian business wants to buy the building.”

“That will be all.”

As soon as Baxter left, Roman mumbled, “The
audacity of her not to return one single phone call.” He picked up the phone,
dialed the first few numbers and then discontinued the call.

Just then his office phone rang. “Roman, this is
Constance, I just want you to know that the Fed has approved all the filings
for Wilson National. The acquisition is now complete.”

“Thank you Constance. You just don’t know how
perfect timing this is. I have not gotten any rest on this account since we
began the process. It has been grueling and doubly hard with Paula gone.”

“You can get some rest now.”

“Yes, until the next acquisition.”

“Roman do you ever stop?”

“Don’t know how to.”

“You need a woman.”

Roman laughed, “Aren’t we quite direct today.”

“I’ve known you a long time Roman. Your social
life is pathetic. If you had another interest you would learn how to stop.
Think about it Roman, you’ve made more money than 10 people would make in a
lifetime. What are you doing all of this for? Who are you going to leave this
massive company to?”

“I am content. Never you mind about my social
life.”

“I’m just saying Roman, Father Time never ticks
backward.”

Paula looked absolutely stunning in the purple
evening gown she had selected for tonight’s event. Her silky blond hair was
cascading over her shoulders. She loved the look on Don’s face when she saw
him.

 “You look beautiful.” He said kissing her on the cheek.

“There has been a slight change of plan in
tonight’s event. Marcus’ plane was late arriving so they will be serving us a
prime rib dinner and then when he arrives we will listen to his lecture.

“That sounds like a good plan. Let’s go.”

They arrived at the coliseum at 8:00. The room
was already packed and they had to find a table at the back.

“This many people come to hear him?”

“Yes, and he does about 4 lectures while he is
here. This is good stuff.”

The MC entertained the attendee’s during dinner.
They had more testimonials, suggested activities for the remaining days and
gave away spectacular door prizes. It was so much going on that no one left.
They waited patiently for the guest speaker. Around 9:30 the MC announced that
Marcus was on his way to the ballroom. Don now had Paula in great anticipation
of the guest.

The MC went to the podium to announce him, “Many
of you already know Marcus Grant. He has been one of our most committed
supporters and because of what he has gone through in life, he wants people to
find and cherish their partners. Even though he has not found one of his own.
He gives each one of us hope to stay in the game until we find whatever our
heart is truly seeking. So without further adieu, I would like to invite to the
podium Mr. Marcus Grant.  The
audience exploded with cheers and gave him a standing ovation.

“I can’t see anything.” Paula shouted to Don.

“Give it a minute, people love this guy.”

They must have applauded for 3 minutes.  Slowly things began to settle down.
Paula and Don were one of the first groups to sit back down.

“Can you see now? Don said. He looked at Paula;
all the color was drained from her face. She was white as a sheet of paper and
shaking.”

Don quickly grabbed her, “Are you okay? You look
like you saw a ghost.”

“What…what… did you say his name was?”

“It’s Marcus Grant.”

“I’ve got to go.” She raced out of the room. Don
was in close pursuit.

He caught up to her by the exit and grabbed her
before she went out the door.

“Hey, hey what is it? What is the matter?” She
was still shaking. He wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could until
the shaking stopped. “What happened in there Paula?”

“I can’t explain everything now, but I need you
to do exactly what I ask you to do and I promise I won’t leave this building
without you. I will be standing right here.”

“Ok, anything you say.”

“I want you to go back to the ballroom and tell
me exactly what happens in 5 minutes. I will be standing right here.”

“What will I be looking for?”

“You will know. Once you see it, come back to
me.”

“That is a little odd Paula.”

“No, you will definitely know.”

Paula gave Don time to walk back to the
ballroom. He sat down in the nearest seat to the door as he possibly could. He
listened intently to Marcus, trying to find some clue as to what Paula was
doing. He just waited. Within a few minutes Marcus cell phone rang right in the
middle of his presentation.

“Sorry you all,” he smiled, “When you are in the
type of business that I am in you have to keep this thing on you.” The audience
chuckled.

Don understood. He followed it through.

Marcus pulled out his cell phone and laughed, “I
have been waiting to hear from this woman all week. Excuse me but I have to
take this call.” The MC came back up and kept the meeting in order.

Marcus was on the line, “You have impeccable
timing Paula. Baxter has been calling you everyday on my behalf and you call me
now. Sometimes I don’t know what I am going to do with you.”

She mustered her quivering voice, “Did Wilson
National go through?”

“Yes, it certainly did. You are calling me for
that? Listen, I’ve got to go I was right in the middle of something very
important. Can I call you later?”

“I’m still not taking calls, go back to whatever
you were doing.”

“I haven’t seen you in two weeks, don’t you
think you owe it to me and the company to let us know you’re okay. It’s not
like you’ve ever taken a three week vacation before.”

“I am ok Roman and I am not taking calls.” She
clicked off the line.

Roman returned to the podium. Don left the room
and headed back to Paula. She collapsed in his arms in tears. “So his name is
not really Marcus Grant.”

“No.” She wept.

Don took Paula back to the resort and decided to
stay the night. She was a wreck and he had to find out what was going on. As
soon as she got in the room she started packing her bags. Don stopped her.

“Paula, it’s not going to be like this. You have
to talk to me and I am not going anywhere.” He put the bags back in the closet.
“Are you one of those women that he hurt in the past?”

“No.”

“Then what is going on?”

“Marcus Grant is Roman Neilson.”

“So his name is Roman Neilson.”

“Yes, and Roman Neilson is a very aggressive and
powerful man. He doesn’t have a social life. He is too busy and obsessed with
work. He has so much money he could probably get the U.S. out of the deficit.
This Marcus Grant you describe doesn’t exist.”

“Then why are you crying?”

“Because the thought that Marcus Grant could
possibly exist within him is overwhelming. It would also mean the exterior that
I have seen over the last seven years is just a front to cover someone truly
hurting. He has called me everyday since I left and I have been cross. I am so
confused.”

“You’ve known him seven years? How do you know
him?”

“I am the vice president of his company. I have
been trying to desperately get away from him and the company because I was
exhausted. There you were, my night in shining armor making this a trip of a
lifetime.”

“So you did not know he had a soft spot.”

She shook her head no.

“And now you think that the soft spot had
something to do with him calling you everyday? He might now even realize where
his feelings lie.”

“Yes.”

“Wow. I know you never saw that coming.”

“I didn’t. I truly did not. Now do you
understand why I have to leave?”

“You’re not leaving.”

“What?”

“I have a plan, you are going to find out what
type of man Marcus Grant really is because I need to know. If he truly is not
the person that we all have come to love and respect, then I want you for
myself. But if he is, I want him to have the person he has been waiting for the
last seven years.” He wrapped Paula in his arms and wiped her tears away. “We
will work on this in the morning.”

“Don why is this happening when after all this
time I am finally falling in love?”

“It’s okay to fall baby, but we’ve just got to
make sure it’s with the right person.” She reached up and kissed him.

By mid afternoon Don’s plan was in full
bloom.  They had spent the entire
morning weaving a failsafe web and had arranged for back up plan A and B. It
was like planning a take over. Paula had memorized all of Roman’s schedule for
the next 4 days, but was hoping that she would only need day 1.

“Ok Paula, where is he now?”

“At the book signing. I cannot believe he even
wrote a book. Who is this man?”

“Stay focused Paula, you’ve got plenty of time
to read his best seller. Where will he be at 2:45?”

“He will be attending the women’s meeting in
concourse C.”

“What happens at 8:15 this evening?”