Page 2 of The Second Ending
He pushed through the door to confront his opposition and send him packing, and—
He stopped short.
He’d been wrong. This meeting was not the last thing in the world he needed. The last thing was sitting there in the chair on the other side of the table.
Shelley, his EA, who had walked in a moment before, turned to him with a professional smile. “Marcus, good, you’re here. This is A—”
“Ashleigh Lynch.” His voice was as dead and flat as his heart.
Across from him, Ashleigh looked like she’d been struck by a bus.
“Then you must know—” Shelley began, turning to Ashleigh.
“Marcus Fredericks.” Ashleigh sounded like he felt.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea…” Marcus blurted out, but his words were cut short by the tiny Japanese lady who sat at Ashleigh’s side.
“Masako Matsuzawa.” She rose and held out a hand. Out of instinct, he shook it.
She might be short, but this lady was not the sort to take no for an answer, and she commanded the meeting without the smile leaving her face. Her voice was low and steady, with just the barest hint of an accent, and full of silk-lined steel. She must have no problem controlling her children, Marcus mused.
She didn’t give him time to think. “Thank you, Mr. Fredericks. I know your time is valuable. Now, we have a few things to discuss, mostly about why you should abandon this ill-conceived condominium project of yours. I’ve got this document to look at, unless you’d prefer me to go through it in PowerPoint. No? Fine. Let’s begin.”
“So, you know him. Since when?”Masako asked as they walked out of the building half an hour later. Masako had dominated the conversation, for which Ashleigh was eternally grateful. Seeing Marcus again had been exactly the sort of surprise she detested, and it had left her reeling.
“We knew each other several years ago.”
Eight. Eight long years. She had kept count, and had regretted every one. But her voice must have been steady, because Masako didn’t blink.
“Business associates? He seemed surprised to see you.”
“Er, something like that. We, uh, didn’t part on the best of terms.”
“Bad deal, eh?”
The worst.
“He’s handsome enough, if you like that type,” Masako continued. “I’m not usually keen on the dark, bearded sort, butin his case, I’ll make an exception. Don’t tell my husband.” She laughed at her own joke.
Ashleigh had met Masako’s husband only a couple of times, but his image sprang readily to mind. He was a blond giant, a Viking next to his diminutive Japanese wife. They were a study in contrasts, and made a striking couple.
“I don’t think Lars has to worry,” Ashleigh returned, happy to divert the conversation away from Marcus. “What did you think of the meeting?”
Masako exhaled sharply as she strode down the street towards the subway station, Ashleigh all but running to keep up with her. “His head is in a block of cement. It’s all about the money for that type. Can’t he see that there are kids’ lives at stake? Well, not exactly their lives, but their childhood. For all the lamenting that people do over kids growing up with their noses in their tablets, he should be celebrating that there’s a field that so many kids use just to run around and play. But no, there’s no profit in that. Shameful! They should leave it as it is.”
“But…” Ashleigh panted as she tried to match her friend’s stride, “now that the land is for sale, if they don’t buy and develop it, someone else will. I hate to say it, but I can’t see this ending the way you’d like.”
Her friend stopped in her tracks and glared at her, before deflating. “Sorry. I’m not angry at you. You’re just seeing this through disinterested eyes, which is what I want. You’re right. What do we do?”
They walked on for a few steps before Ashleigh replied. There was only one viable way forward. It was one that she hated, that she could hardly bear to think of, but for the kids, she’d somehow manage. “I think we need to negotiate. We need to draw up a plan and meet with Marcus Fredericks again and see if we can find some middle ground.”
And condemn herself to endless hours in the company of a man she’d never imagined she would see again.
CHAPTER 2
ASHLEIGH
Ashleigh twistedthe key in the lock to her front door with more force than it should have taken. She should put a drop of lubricant oil in there, since the lock was more tired than it might be. Just like her home.
