Page 31 of Embracing Love

Chapter 14

Michael Zimmerman was a shrewd man. Interesting, enigmatic and shrewd, thought Gabriel, as he walked slowly back to his office after a late afternoon lunch with him.

It had been eye-opening working with him in Tanya’s absence. They’d had a few meetings and he’d already seen the man’s razor sharp brain at work. He had plans to open an office in London.

Gabriel had also learned that Tanya’s year in Europe might not be confined to a year after all. He wondered what Tanya might be doing in Milan. Heading towards his office he stopped and asked his secretary. “Can you get me the number for the Zimmerman Group’s Milan office?”

His secretary stopped typing and accepted his request as a matter of fact. “Of course.”

Gabriel wavered in a rare moment of indecision. “Actually, forget it.” He wandered into his office and examined the rashness of his sudden request. What would he be calling Tanya for?

He didn’t have a reason. But he felt he ought to have a good, valid one in order to call her.

The truth was Gabriel felt the urge to hear her voice once more. All this talk with Michael over lunch had got him thinking of her and he had the urge to talk to her. Not for any reason in particular.

He settled back into his chair, opened the drawer of his desk bureau and took out the scarf she’d left behind a few meetings ago. He’d forgotten to give it back to her the last time he saw her. Picking up the delicate and flimsy lemony lime-colored slip of silk, he held it to his lips. It was summer sun and fragrant flowers all mixed together; it was unmistakably her.

He left the scarf on his desk—maybe it would be easier to get his secretary to post it to the Paris address. Tanya would be back soon enough and there was no point him holding onto it any longer.

He let out a sigh as he saw thirty or so new emails which had arrived while he’d been at lunch. The one from Russell Trent, buried lower in the list, caught his eye first. Did the man never sleep, wondered Gabriel? It must have been very early morning back in the US.

I hope your lunch with Michael went well. I’ve been invited to a weekend with the Zimmerman Group. It’s their yearly get together or something, in Sacramento. And by the time you get this email, you should have heard from Michael too.

It will be a chance for the two of us to catch up. Not only with the Zimmerman people but you and I. Apparently this place has an excellent golf course and amenities. One of their senior managers is doing a presentation on our collaboration. It will be interesting to see.

Let me know your thoughts and I’ll send you the details if you are able to attend. Sorry for the short notice, buddy. Michael only suggested this to me yesterday. You must have made an impression!

Gabriel smoothed down his tie. Of course he knew. Michael had already spoken to him about it over lunch and he’d also learned that Tanya Braun would be there.

And that, as far as Gabriel was concerned, was a good enough reason for him to attend. He quickly replied:

“I’m looking forward to it. I already have the details. We’ll catch up soon. Gabriel.”

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