Blokebusters Read online

  “I guess you’ve got a lot to think about. I’m sorry for springing it all on you in one go.”

  “Are you serious about buying the business?”

  “Deadly.” It was an unpleasant word when she suspected that his line of business was probably often a lot nastier than a bit of infidelity.

  “Have you ever shot anyone?”

  “Yes,” he said as calmly as if they were discussing the weather. “When will you let me know if my offer’s acceptable?”

  “I’ll talk it over with my partners and get back to you. Have you got a contact number?”

  “I’ll call you. I know your mobile, your work and home numbers.”

  “When?”

  “When I think it’s right.” He pulled his chair around the table so he was next to her. “Everything I’ve said to you this afternoon is true.” He stroked her face and rested his hand on the back of her head, working his fingers into her hair. He kissed her and she let him. His aftershave was beautiful but was a constant reminder he wasn’t Matt. It was so long since she’d kissed a man other than Matt that it shocked her. His mouth was more aggressive and searching than Matt’s, his tongue moved in different ways. His other hand squeezing her breast brought her to her senses and she pushed him away.

  “That shouldn’t have happened,” she said. Her face flushed with a mixture of passion and guilt.

  “But it did – you wanted it as much as I did.”

  “I’d better go.” She scrambled to her feet.

  “You’ll consider my offers? Both of them?”

  “Yes.” She ran out of the room and gulped for air as soon as she got outside.

  *

  Matt stood in front of the bathroom mirror.

  “Georgia – I’m your husband and I’m ordering you to close Blokebusters.” No – too bossy. She’d dig her heels in to prove a point. “Georgia – I’m your husband and I want you to close Blokebusters.” Too similar to what he’d already said to her. “Georgia – close Blokebusters or we’re through.” Definitely not! She might pick Blokebusters and he’d be out on his ear. “Georgia – I love you more than anything and hate the way the business is tearing us apart.” Too needy? God, why did he find it so difficult? Other people just said what they felt and that was that. He couldn’t. He had to labour over it and rehearse it to death. If Georgia felt something she’d say it and move on. He was ashamed of his feelings; of letting them upset him. He was afraid of airing them and being laughed at. He couldn’t find the right words.

  *

  Georgia sat back at her desk and called Fiona. After spending five minutes trying to get her off the topic of who she had lunch with, she was able to make her point:

  “We need to have a Blokebusters board meeting. It’s really important.”

  “I could come over Wednesday night – I’ve got a free evening. I could bring Leo and you two could meet him. He’s dying to meet you both.”

  When her call to Fiona had ended she held the receiver, trying to decide whether to call Matt or not. She decided against. They’d only argue. If she closed her eyes and concentrated she could smell Dan. Joshua. It was hard to think of him as Joshua. If she really concentrated she could taste him. Had she felt like that when she fell for Matt? She tried not to imagine making love with him. She tried not to imagine him naked. He’d look amazing.

  “Dreaming about me again?” Jeff shouted from the doorway and made her sit up with a start. “Of course – say the word, and you won’t have to dream.”

  “It would be more like a nightmare,” she snapped, annoyed that he’d interrupted her thoughts and he slunk off.

  She had a meeting with a client early afternoon. Whereas she’d normally go back to the office afterwards, she decided to go home and see if Matt had returned. He wasn’t in the house but she spotted him digging. She opened the back door.

  “Hello.”

  He looked up at her.

  “Hi.”

  She scuffed the toe of her shoe along the patio slab.

  “Are you going to be monosyllabic all evening?”

  He straightened up as if thinking about it.

  “It’s odd isn’t it – how many syllables a word that means ‘only having one syllable’ should have?”

  “I ponder it constantly,” she said, unsure of his mood. “Did you have a good time last night with Billy?”

  “What do you think? You know what Billy’s like. We went to a club where they knew him. Could hardly speak to him for all the girls flocking round us. Billy knew a couple of the strippers and they gave us a private show. I didn’t see him for a large chunk of the evening. But I did see some very interesting sights.” He detected that she believed every word.

  “Oh. Sounds fun.”

  “Yeah it does. Unfortunately we spent the evening in his kitchen drinking beer and eating quite the most horrible pizza I’ve ever had. His sofa is impossible to sleep on without picking up a mortal injury. I hurt my neck.”

  “Did you?” She advanced to rub it for him but stopped. The last contact between them had been the slap.

  He noticed and looked away.

  “You’re back early.”

  “Wondered if you’d be home.”

  “There’s a marvellous new invention – it’s called a telephone. You pick it up, put in the number and you can speak to people who are far away.” He scratched his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound sarcastic.”

  “I spoke to Fiona today – we’re having a board meeting Wednesday night. Fi’s bringing Leo over, she’s at that stage where she’s desperate to show him off. I think she really likes him.”

  “Why are we having a board meeting?” He leant against his spade and she could tell he was keen to resume digging. Georgia wondered how to mention her lunch.

  “It’s about Blokebusters and its future.” If he asked, she’d tell him.

  “Well, I suppose it’s best we discuss it with Fiona at the meeting. No point running through it all now.”

  “Right.” She went back indoors and watched him from the kitchen window. His digging took on a renewed energy; which emotion was driving him she couldn’t tell.

  Chapter twenty-four

  Matt chose to wear his ‘I am Larry Pink’ t-shirt to the board meeting. It still gave him a buzz that his idea and invention could lead to a fashion firm deciding to dedicate part of their production line to him. He loved Larry even though he hated the trouble he’d caused him.

  “Are we going to play ‘spot the defect’?” he asked Georgia.

  She tipped a pack of biscuits onto a plate for sustenance during the meeting; only she realised just how much there was to discuss.

  “Don’t be mean. She’s really keen on this one.”

  “Oh come on – how many times have we heard that before? Remember Mickey? He was so obviously married. Or David? The one who wouldn’t even admit she was his girlfriend. There’s bound to be something wrong with this one.”

  Georgia grinned. Matt was so seldom bitchy it seemed a shame to waste it.

  “What about when Billy thought she fancied him and told her he was up for it if she brought the rope?”

  “Christ – I’d forgotten that!” he chuckled.

  “And I was stirring it up because I was cross with both of them at the time.”

  “Yeah – why were you cross with Fi? I remember that Billy had sold us a kettle and it exploded and set fire to the curtains. But what had Fi done?”

  “I don’t remember,” Georgia said a little too quickly. She remembered with absolute clarity. Fiona had criticised Matt; she’d said he wore clothes a scarecrow would reject.

  Matt watched her arrange the biscuits. He knew her well enough to predict which biscuit would attract her attention next and where she’d move it to on the plate. His past was so interwoven with hers that it would be nigh on impossible to unpick it without ripping and tearing. She was as much a part of him as he was.

  *

  Leo planned to stay the nigh
t at Fiona’s. They took a taxi from her flat to Matt and Georgia’s.

  “Best not to drive – Matt might open some wine.”

  “Great,” Leo said.

  “Dandelion or rhubarb usually.”

  “Oh.”

  “Now remember what I told you – these are my oldest and best friends. I love them more than I love most of my family. I really, really, really want them to like you. And you them of course.” She fussed with his shirt collar and he let her.

  “Look at me – what’s not to love?” He smirked at her. “He’s the one who came up with it all? She’s the driving force?”

  Fiona nodded.

  “And they’ve been married for almost five years?”

  “Correct.”

  “And he’s –” he leant close and whispered, “Larry Pink?”

  “Yes.”

  “I feel privileged to meet them.” He tried to keep track of where they were going. “What firm was it you said Georgia worked for?”

  “Bailey Martin – a firm of accountants. You ask a lot of questions don’t you?”

  He looked away and tried to sound cheeky.

  “Naturally inquisitive. My ma always used to clip me round the ear for it.” Unsure whether she was satisfied with his answer he launched the grin she found irresistible and pulled her close. “Give me a kiss before I explode.”

  She giggled and kissed him. He kept his eyes open in case they passed a memorable landmark or road sign. The taxi pulled into a side road and slowed down.

  “It’s right at the end – number fourteen,” Fiona said.

  They got out and Leo pinched her bottom.

  “Stop that – I’m here for a board meeting.”

  “This has to be the least sexy date I’ve ever had. You’d better make it up to me later.”

  “I think they’re here,” Matt called to Georgia. She dashed in and pushed close to Matt to gawp at Leo.

  “He’s nice looking. And very well dressed.” She intended neither comment as a dig against Matt but in his sensitive state he took them as such. He studied Leo: his hair was short and tidy; his clothes were crisp and new. A seed of an idea germinated in his brain and he tucked it aside to dwell on at a later date.

  “Fi – come in, come in. And you must be Leo!” Georgia ushered them in. “Leo meet Matt, my husband.”

  They shook hands and Leo’s eyes dropped to Matt’s t-shirt.

  “Ha ha – very good. I suppose you’re the only one entitled to wear that.”

  “I suppose so,” Matt said. He didn’t want to say too much to Leo. Firstly he was a journalist and therefore about as trustworthy as the chimp you’d asked to look after your bananas; secondly, he was damn good looking. Matt feared handsome men, half expecting to be made the butt of their jokes. Leo seemed just the cocky sort who’d gladly belittle him to show off.

  Leo bit his tongue but secretly wondered if he was the subject of a huge joke. Fi had warned him that Matt and Georgia were an odd couple – ‘the geek and the goddess’ had been her exact phrase, but even so he found it hard to believe that Matt was the brain behind Blokebusters.

  “Sit down.” Georgia gestured to him. “Makes it look untidy if we all stand.” It was the first time she’d ever spoken and heard her mother’s voice.

  Leo sat in Gyp’s favourite chair and Matt smiled at the thought of his designer trousers getting coated in ginger cat hair. However many times he washed those trousers, Gyp’s fur would cling on. They were all but ruined. It pleased him.

  “I’ll make some tea,” Georgia said.

  Gyp trotted into the room and froze in his tracks at Leo in his chair. He brushed against Matt’s legs and Matt tickled his ears. Gyp jumped into Fiona’s lap and she made a fuss of him. He then jumped onto the arm of Leo’s seat, sized him up and decided against sitting in his lap.

  “So come on – what’s this all about?” Fiona asked as Georgia carried the tea tray in. She noticed the plate of chocolate HobNobs straight away but tried to control herself in Leo’s company.

  “Is he staying for the meeting?” Matt asked.

  “It’s only Leo – what harm can he do sitting in?”

  “He’s a journalist,” Matt said.

  “He’s my boyfriend,” Fiona said, trying to sound reasonable.

  “I’d rather think of myself as your partner. Boyfriend sounds too temporary,” Leo said.

  “Oh bless him.” Fiona buried her neck into her shoulders with happiness.

  Matt rolled his eyes at Georgia, indicating he might require a sick bucket.

  Georgia perched on the edge of her seat.

  “I’ve had an offer for the business.”

  Matt almost slopped his tea into his lap. An offer for the business? This could save him all the difficulty of voicing his feelings.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I tried – when you were digging but you said there was no point discussing it all twice.”

  He sulkily conceded the point.

  “Who made the offer?” Fiona asked.

  “Dan Goldstein. Only he’s not called Dan Goldstein. His real name’s Joshua Daniels.”

  “When did he speak to you to make an offer?” Matt asked.

  “He took me for lunch on Monday – it’s when I had to cancel you, Fi, at the last minute.”

  “You went for lunch with Dan Goldstein and didn’t tell me?”

  “I tried. But you wouldn’t listen,” Georgia snapped.

  “Why does he want to buy us out?” Fiona asked.

  Leo leant forward, waiting for the answer. His hand instinctively rested on his knee, as it would if he had a pen and notepad.

  “He’s a private detective – he’s got his own business.” Georgia told them everything she knew. “He’s offering six million or ten million.”

  The numbers flashed before Fiona’s eyes. Her first thought was that she need never feel guilty again for buying expensive handbags. Her second thought was that she might be shallow.

  “Why six million or ten million?” Matt said. He wasn’t quite so blinded by the numbers.

  Georgia explained, careful to omit the offer of sharing Joshua’s bed.

  “So – you’ve had longer to think about it than us – what’s your preferred solution?” Matt’s knee bounced up and down, undoing all his good work in keeping a calm tone.

  Georgia opened her mouth to answer when she was interrupted by Leo’s mobile.

  “Excuse me,” he said getting up and heading to a quiet room. He ended up in the kitchen and closed the door for privacy. “Yes?”

  “Have you got anything yet?” his editor asked.

  “No! I need more time. I’m working on it and making real progress. Trust me.”

  “If one of the other papers gets to Larry Pink before us I’ll demote you to editing the puzzle page. Do you understand?”

  “I understand. Trust me – no one is nearer to Larry Pink than I am,” Leo said, turning his phone off.

  “I haven’t decided,” Georgia said. “I like working with Blokebusters; the opportunity to do that without having to be a Carrot anymore is tempting. Very tempting. And we get four million more on the sale price. Think of the possibilities, the options it would give us.” She put her hand on Matt’s knee.

  “I’d be happy with the lower amount.” They’d walk away with a four million pound share and Georgia would be free to start a family. If she stayed involved she’d spend more time with Dan Goldstein or whatever his name was and become even more engrossed in the business. Matt had suspected that Dan’s offer, when it came, would be purely sexual; it never entered his mind he’d be smart enough to wrap his intentions up in such a beautiful package.

  Fiona sensed the atmosphere.

  “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t mind which option you take. I assume we’re all agreed on selling? It’s down to you two – I’ll sign whichever deal you settle on.”

  Leo came back into the room.

  “What have I missed?” A
gloomy silence answered him.

  “Maybe we should go – you two need to talk.” Fiona got up and finally cracked, taking a biscuit from the plate.

  “What happened?” Leo asked as they got in their taxi.

  Fiona told him and he whistled at the numbers she mentioned.

  “What did you think of them?”

  “Like you said really – the geek and the goddess.” It would make a fabulous headline.

  “He seemed nice,” Georgia said to Matt.

  “I can’t believe you’re thinking about working with – him.” He couldn’t say the name. “You know how I feel about him.”

  “Matt – I’m twenty-nine. I need to do something with my life.”

  He stared at the floor, desperate to say that raising a family and making a good job of it was the most fabulous thing anyone, man or woman, could do with their life. But he couldn’t voice it. Instead he made a huff sound.

  “I understand you don’t like Josh —”

  “Oh, Josh now is it?”

  “Don’t be childish. I understand you don’t like him but think about it – if I work full time for Blokebusters I can quit at Bailey Martin. I won’t be working evenings as a Carrot anymore – we’ll spend so much more time together that you’ll be sick of the sight of me.”

  “I hardly think so.”

  “Oh Matt, this is such a great opportunity for me.”

  “For you – and that’s all that matters isn’t it? Tell me Georgia, when did you become such a selfish little madam?” He’d never spoken to her like that before and saw she was shocked. “Are you really so daft you can’t see what he’s doing? You think you’ll be doing a nine-to-five for him? I give it a month until he needs you in Manchester or Birmingham or wherever to help set up offices – just you and him in a hotel. Then he’ll need you in New York or LA or somewhere. I won’t see you for weeks at a time. You’ll forget all about me.” He stopped talking when the first fat tear dripped down his cheek.

  She nudged closer to him on the sofa.

  “I want to take the job, Matt. I hear your concerns but I wouldn’t ever leave you behind. I love you.”