Page 21 of The Facilitator: Part 2
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Ihadn’ttime to think the next day. I had meeting after meeting with Alex, HR, accountants, and Carolyn to coordinate diaries. When I had agreed to take over from Alex, I hadn’t anticipated how much of my day would be spent working on the business and not in it. I missed getting my teeth into a project, and I hated wasting time listening to the woes of staff, who didn’t feel appreciated, because their request for a new coffee machine had been rejected. I sighed, not sure that was what I’d signed up for. Alex chuckled besideme.
When the boardroom had emptied and it was just Alex and me; I turned to him and relayed the conversation I’d had with Mackenzie, minus the car crash details. I kept it to the fact Addison was sniffing around Jerry. Alex laughed at myterminology.
“Yes, Gabriella told me last night. I think Mackenzie is correct, of course. Jerry is a smart man, he isn’t going to fall for her conniving ways, I’msure.”
“I’m not as convinced, Alex. Jerry is lonely, more so since he sold the business. He lived to work, and he has nothing to occupy his time right now. It was a mistake for him to step completely away. I think if there is an opportunity for him to get back into something, he will. As for being able to see through her, I’m not so sure. She had me fooled, and Jerry come to think of it, when we met her that onetime.”
“Then maybe you need to have a chat withhim.”
“I will. I’ve been ignoring him because he stood me up, but I’ll give him a call and see if he wants to meet over the weekend. In the meantime, I have a date with your future wifetonight.”
“So I hear. Can I ask a favour of you? I hear her wonderful mother has all sorts of plans for us and our, or rather her, wedding. Can you mention you don’t think I’m the type of man to be on display to all those Southernbelles?”
“Are you scared of a few women, Alex?” Iteased.
“Terrified, Lauren, especially of hermother.”
I laughed as I left the boardroom. I glanced over to Mackenzie’s office. It was empty and I wondered where he was. Mary was nose deep in her book, and we all knew never to interrupt her when she was. I did give her a wave as I left the floor,though.
* * *
Isighedas I slid in the car beside Gabriella. She took one of my hands inhers.
“Long day, huh?” sheasked.
“Long week. Did Alex tell you what I toldhim?”
“No, I’ve hardly seen himtoday.”
“Okay, I did something I wasn’t sure I should have. I omitted a significant part of why Mackenzie isstressed.”
I then recounted the conversation, all of it, with her. I didn’t feel I was betraying Mackenzie in any way; he would have had that same conversation with her, probably before having it with me, at somepoint.
“Honestly, Lauren, that woman needs a good spanking sometimes. You must warn Jerry, he’ll have no idea how poisonous she is. Forget what the men say, you and I know he’ll fall at her feet, and I’d hate for him to gethurt.”
“I’m going to. I owe him that. He’s my friend and I can’t sit back and watch her use him. Now I have another dilemma. A certain gentleman, MBE, or Lord, or whatever he has after, or before his name, has asked me to tell you he’d much rather not be the main feature of your mother’s wedding. His words, not mine,” I laughed as Ispoke.
“Then he most certainly is in for a surprise. My mother loves him, he loves her, but yes, I can see his stiff back, or upper lip, which one is it?” She waved her hand, not actually wanting an answer. “Yes, his stiff upper lip really would be terrified at an event Mother wouldhost.”
We pulled up outside the same restaurant we’d dined at when I’d first met Alex. Our car door was opened for us, and arm in arm we were escorted to ourtable.
As I scanned the menu, Gabriella ordered wine. We then got down tobusiness.
“Here’s a list of registry offices we can marry in. I can legally work here, but I have no idea if I can marry here,” shesaid.
“I don’t see why not. If you have permit to work and live here, why would you be excluded from marrying? Even if you were, maybe we could organise a service of some kind, you stop in Vegas to do the necessary, then carry on down to yourmum’s.”
Gabriella choked on the wine she had just swallowed. She laughed outloud.
“Vegas, hell on earth, Lauren. Although having Elvis marry us might be fun. I could imagine that would simply finish Mommaoff!”
“Okay, so we won’t do that. We need to ring one of these offices and ask what the procedure is. Which one do you think is best?” Iasked.
Gabriella had certainly done her homework. She produced a file from her handbag with an A4 piece of paper on each venue. The one that caught my eye the most was, obviously,Kensington.
“Do you need to give notice?” Iasked.
