The Book Group Ch. 06

Rachael's Story

Rachael's new house was a modernist edifice set in the middle of farmland just outside the village. Emily was just parking behind Jess and Lauren's cars when Hannah turned in through the gates. Even so, there was plenty of room to pull on to the drive alongside her. The gravel crunched softly under her heels as she stepped out of her car to join Emily. The floodlighting illuminated the white render and cedar boarding. They both raised their eyebrows at its geometric shape and deliberate asymmetry.

Rachael looked a small slight figure silhouetted in the oversized doorway. She was wearing a stunning chartreuse dress with orange splashes and dark olive-green heels. Her ginger hair looked particularly lustrous in the warm light of the hall and framed her freckled elfin face. When they complimented her, she admitted that she had taken the day off and arranged for the children to stay over at her mother's, so she could have it cut in a French bob. She had spent the rest of the day pampering herself and preparing for this evening, obviously out to impress.

She assured them that they didn't need to remove their shoes, so they clattered across the ceramic tiles of the hallway. There was a murmur of admiration as they entered the large airy living room with its full height windows. There was still enough light in the sky to pick out the rolling pasture beyond. It was like something out of a lifestyle magazine.

Rachael went to make the coffee while the group perched on the black leather and chrome chairs around a low glass table. The only decoration seemed to be a couple of large colourful abstract paintings on the white walls. The hard surfaces and lack of ornament made the room quite echoey and Hannah found it hard to catch some of the conversation. Rachael returned with two cafetieres and white porcelain cups on a stainless-steel tray.

"It's a beautiful house," Emily said.

"Thank you. We like it. We moved in nearly a month ago, now," Rachael said, placing a plate of amaretti biscuits on the table. "Would anyone like decaf and help yourselves to milk and sugar." She poured out the coffee and sat in front of the window. "I'd like to reiterate the confidentiality of these meetings," she said. "David is out at the golf club this evening and I have never told him about any of this."

This only served to whet the group's appetite and they quickly assured her that they would never repeat anything.

___

I met David in my post graduate year at university. I'd had boyfriends before, but he was the first guy that actually listened to me and accepted me for what I was. He understood me and didn't try to tell me what to do all the time. When we finished our degrees, I managed to land a training contract with a top architectural practice in London. David was happy to follow and took up a counselling position in a mental health trust. We got married that summer and found a flat to rent over a parade of shops. Money was tight. We were paying back our student loans as well as the rent, but we were together and really happy and we flung ourselves into our careers.

It was going well. I completed my one-year training contract and qualified as a fully-fledged architect. The firm gave me a permanent position and moved me into a team working on office developments under James Gascoigne, one of the junior partners. Although it was well paid, it was highly pressured and he demanded a lot from his staff. I was often working late into the evening. David was really understanding and said he didn't mind. He said it gave him time to prepare for his sessions the following day.

One morning James called me into his office. I was a little apprehensive as this didn't happen very often. "Take a seat, Rachael." He leaned forward across the desk, his dark deep-set eyes piercing me. "How's the Hopkin Road job progressing?"

"Quite well," I said nervously, shuffling slightly in my seat. Actually, I thought we were well ahead of programme, but I didn't like to overplay my hand.

"Will the final design be ready to present to the clients next week?"

I did a quick mental check before nodding. "Yes. We should have everything tied up by then."

He scrutinised me for what seemed like an eternity before finally sitting back.

"Good. I'll confirm the meeting for a week on Friday, the sixteenth. The presentation will be at their Head Office in New York. Is that a problem for you?"

"Err, no." I stammered. He obviously wanted me to join him.

"We'll fly out on the Thursday so we can set things up Friday morning and then give the presentation in the afternoon. It will be too tight to catch the Friday evening flight back so it will have to be overnight on Saturday. But it will give us a bit of spare time in the city. Right, I'll get it organised, thanks Rachael."

My mind was in turmoil as I left his office. I'd never been to the States before and I was elated that he wanted me at the client presentation. However, David and I were supposed to be visiting his mother that Sunday and it was clear I wouldn't be back in time. I hoped he didn't mind. I also needed to buy some clothes!

Of course, David didn't mind. Indeed, he seemed to be as excited as me at the idea of the business trip. They never happened in his line of work. He even came with me to choose a suit. In the end I went for a plain blue-grey wool blend with a knee length pencil skirt. I also picked up a matching bag and a fitted white blouse. David suggested a pair of high heels. "You'll look more authoritative." he said.

I was in and out of James's office all the following week, tweaking the design. It was Wednesday evening before he was finally satisfied with it and we could do a dry run of the presentation. He was pleased with the result and we downloaded it onto both our laptops and a memory stick, just in case.

It was ten o'clock before I got home. I was exhausted. David had cooked a farewell meal not thinking I would be so late. He had waited for me but it was spoilt. I was so tired and wound up, I had no appetite for it anyway, and I still needed to pack. He was obviously disappointed and, to be honest, rather grumpy about it. We went to bed in silence.

By the time I woke, David had already left for work.

It was an afternoon flight, so we didn't need to leave the office until ten. James's car was in the basement, a huge white SUV that swallowed us and our luggage and still looked empty. It was absolutely spotless inside and smelt of fresh lavender. I had decided to pack my suit so it wouldn't get creased on the journey, but I felt out of place in my more comfortable clothes perched on the cream leather seat.

I hadn't realised that James had booked us in business class and at Heathrow we were fast-tracked through check-in and security in no time. From the waiting lounge there was a grand view over the runway and I was mesmerised by the rapid succession of planes taking off and touching down. James worked on his laptop and sat at the back to avoid the glare on the screen.

The flight was uneventful. However, it was nice to have the extra space and I took the opportunity to review the presentation again. It was early evening as we came into New York and I will always remember the view of Lower Manhattan illuminated at dusk as we circled round; all blues and purples sprinkled with gold. Again, we got through the airport very quickly, even immigration, and we were whisked off in a bright yellow taxi. Our hotel was in Manhattan, in one of the skyscrapers I had been admiring from the plane. The reception rooms were amazing; double storey height, polished granite floors inlaid with carpet, stainless steel, glass and black walnut furniture.

James suggested going up to our rooms to freshen up before meeting in the bar. My room was large with a double bed that seemed to float above the thick carpet. I swung my case onto the luggage bench and walked over to the window seats. Even though I was on the ninth floor, when I gazed out, the neighbouring buildings still towered above me. I looked down at the minute figures and model cars scurrying along the urban canyon below. Although London had its high-rise blocks, I had never seen anything like this. I tried to ring David but got no answer. I realised it was now after midnight at home.

I padded back to my case and hung my suit up before going to the bathroom. The down lights came on automatically. It was enormous with a walk-in shower, a stand-alone bath and two counter-top basins. Above the counter there was a complete wall of hardwood shelving full of soft towels, toiletries, potted plants and a back-lit mirror. I stood my paltry toiletry offerings on one of the shelves next to the basins.

I felt a lot fresher after a shower and I decided my suit was more appropriate in the hotel than my other clothes. I also chose to wear a little more make-up than I usually went for; not foundation or blusher; just lip stick, eye shadow and liner, but I was pleased with the effect. I put my heels on and practised walking in them around the room before stepping out into the hallway.

In the bar, I could see James's tall slim figure on a stool as I wove between the tables towards him. He had also changed into a charcoal grey suit with a white shirt and burgundy tie. When he saw me, he did a double-take before a wide smile broke across his face and he got to his feet!

"Wow. You look fabulous."

I was quite taken aback. He wasn't known for his compliments. "Thank you." It gave me quite a glow inside and brought a slight blush to my cheeks. My efforts had been worth it.

"Let's go through to the restaurant." he said. "We can have a drink at the table while we look at the menu."

He took my elbow and guided me to the double doors at the far end and, pulling one open, stood back to allow me through. "Quite the gentleman," I thought.

The restaurant was huge but subdivided into alcoves by floor to ceiling wine racks. The waiter led us to a table by a window and handed us leather-bound menus which were clearly going to take some time to read through. James ordered a beer but I went for a tonic with ice and lemon as I definitely didn't want a hang-over for the next day. I also needed to avoid dropping anything on my new outfit so I took some time arranging the napkin to cover as much as possible. I realised James was watching my efforts with a broad grin.

"I don't think I've seen you in a skirt in the office."

"Probably not." I smiled. I hadn't realised that he had noticed my attire at all.

"Something has come up," he announced after we had given our orders. "I have to meet another client tomorrow morning."

"Oh." I couldn't think of anything more intelligent to say just at that moment.

"So, you'll have to set up the presentation on your own, I'm afraid."

"But you will be there?"

"Oh yes, I'll definitely be at the presentation. However, I think it would be better if you gave it, anyway. You understand the detail of the scheme so much more than I do." My jaw must have dropped. "Don't worry, you know it all backwards, Rachael. I'll say a few words of introduction and then you can take it from there."

My mouth opened and closed in a mockery of the fish I had just ordered. "There's one thing knowing it all, but it's quite another to present it to a Board of Directors," I thought.

"The client will arrange for a tech guy to give you a hand setting up. You've got their address haven't you. Just get yourself a cab in the morning."

I can't remember too much about the rest of the meal. I don't think I gave it justice. I skipped dessert and coffee and shot off back to my room to go over the presentation yet again but this time talking my way through it. I spent a restless night worrying about what could go wrong before slipping into a fitful sleep.

I woke late feeling shattered. I shuffled down to breakfast but James was nowhere to be seen. I grabbed a couple of bread rolls and a cup of black coffee before rushing back to my room. I had a quick shower, did my make-up and changed back into my suit and heels. I picked up my laptop and the memory stick and ran down to the lobby.

There was a line of cabs immediately outside the hotel entrance and I was swept off to Evolution Developments. It was only ten minutes away, housed in yet another skyscraper. I announced myself to reception and waited in the lobby. As promised the technician, Todd, a rather large untidy young man in glasses and touseled hair, arrived to take me up to the conference room. There was a huge interactive smart board filling the end wall behind the boardroom table. It was all wireless, so once I had logged in, I could download the presentation and navigate on my laptop or on the smart board itself. I asked if I could have a cup of coffee and then sat going over it all again.

For the next hour people wandered in and out: secretaries laying out agenda papers, tumblers and water jugs, office workers just being nosy and one or two board members wishing to glean some information before the meeting. James had warned me not to divulge anything in advance, so I answered them with a small smile and pleaded ignorance.

I was getting anxious as the board members started to assemble but James arrived about fifteen minutes before the meeting was scheduled to start. "Okay?" he mouthed from the other end of the room. I nodded. He smiled and started mingling and pressing the flesh. As soon as the Chief Executive arrived, James swooped on him and took him aside. He glanced over in my direction and nodded, before taking his seat at the head of the table which prompted everyone else to take theirs.

"He's happy for you to do the presentation." James whispered, joining me at the other end in front of the smart board.

The CEO said a few words of welcome and took a couple of apologies before introducing James. The presentation was obviously the main item on the agenda.

James got to his feet and gave some history and background to the project before introducing me as the Principal Architect, which was news to me. "Well, here we go." I murmured to myself. I got to my feet hoping that my knees wouldn't give way. I started a little nervously, but once I got into the body of the presentation, I started to feel more confident and finished with a bit of a flourish.

The Chief Executive was very complimentary and asked if there were any questions. I was surprised at the number of queries and their probing detail, but I was able to answer them all and explain why the project was designed the way it was. Finally, the CEO brought the questioning to a close. "Thanks very much James and particularly Rachael. You've clearly got all the bases covered. Obviously, we need to consider all the information you've just presented and the financial implications. We'll get back to you as soon as possible."

James handed him a couple of hard copies of the presentation while I grabbed my laptop and we were ushered out. I was completely exhausted. I stumbled into the street in a daze while James hailed a cab. "Was that, all right?" I asked as it edged into the rush hour traffic.

"Really good. Couldn't have done better," he added confidentially. They've now got to come up with the money, although those figures looked pretty convincing to me. I think they'll go for it."

We arranged to meet in the bar at seven thirty and I rushed up to my room to ring David with my news, but it went to his answerphone. I didn't fancy leaving a message.

I felt like a deep long bath and while it ran, I perused the choice of toiletries. All the tension gradually draining from me as I soaked in the scented bubbles. The water was only lukewarm by the time I got out to dry myself. I never normally used body lotions or creams but, since they were here, I thought I would pamper myself. I changed my clothes. I decided to wear my suit skirt again, but I didn't bother with the jacket as we weren't leaving the hotel. I tried David once more but still got no answer. I guessed it was after midnight there, again.

James was already in the bar on his phone. "They've approved it!" he cheered as I approached. "They want us to apply for planning permission and start detail design." I was overcome. We'd done it. I felt a broad grin spreading across my face.

"Let's celebrate!" He ordered a bottle of champagne for the table and slipped his arm around my shoulders as we walked through to the restaurant. It was a rose champagne and very lively with just a hint of sweetness. I sipped at it dreamily while James blathered on about what we needed to do next. He must have realised that I wasn't paying full attention. "Alright," he laughed. "Let's enjoy this evening and worry about work on Monday." He topped us up and then raised his glass. "Here's to you and a very impressive performance." I blushed. Fortunately, the hors d'oeuvres arrived to hide any further embarrassment.

Having missed lunch, I was ravenous. For the main course we had both ordered fillet steak and the dishes arrived with a bottle of malbec. I raised my eyebrows as the wine waiter lined the new glass up with my half full champagne flute. "We're celebrating." James said, draining his own glass.

We had just started the steak when half a dozen young men arrived at the next table. Although they were smartly dressed, they had obviously been to a bar first and their reading of the menu involved a prolonged bout of shouting and laughing at each other. However, once their orders had been taken, they turned their attention to us. They started making comments about my figure and tight skirt. I ignored them but I could see James was getting annoyed and he started to fidget in his seat.

"He's a bit old for you isn't he, babe? Why don't you come over here? We can give you a good time."

James put his cutlery down. His hand clenched as he started to rise.

This was going to ruin everything. I quickly leant forward and caught his hand. "They're not worth it." I whispered. "Why don't we have coffee in your room."

He looked at me for a moment. "You're right," he said tersely. "Let's go." I nodded; we had almost finished anyway. I tipped back the rest of my wine while he asked the waiter to serve coffee upstairs. As we walked away, he slid a proprietorial arm around my waist, provoking yet more jeers, but he kept it there even when we were out of sight.

His room was on the top floor. I thought my room was large, but this was enormous. There was a sitting area with a couch facing the panoramic windows. The pale green figure of the Statue of Liberty was reflected in the inky waters of the Upper Bay. There was still a deep redness in the sky above the opposite shore and over to the right a crescent moon was just rising. It was quite breath taking.

The coffee arrived and James poured. "Do you like the view?" he asked, joining me on the couch.

"Stunning!" I murmured. The lemon fragrance of his cologne enveloped me as he leant closer and kissed my cheek. For a moment I wasn't sure what had happened, and then he gently cupped my face and kissed me again, full on the lips.

"James!" I spluttered, breaking away from him. "We can't."

"I thought when you suggested ...." He broke off.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ...." I flustered.

"But why not, Rachael?" he asked innocently. "You look ravishing."

"I'm married," I said in exasperation. "And you've got a wife and two kids."

"I know, but they aren't here, are they?" He paused for a moment. "I want you, Rachael. Don't you find me attractive?"

I hadn't really thought of him in that way. I had heard some of the girl talk in the office, but I hadn't joined in. He was just one of the partners. But I had to admit, he was handsome; tall and slim with an aquiline nose and square chin. He wore his wavy hair long enough to look arty but still above his collar and he was always immaculately dressed.