The Darkest of Shadows

The Darkest of Shadows by Lisse Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: The Darkest of Shadows by Lisse Smith Read Free Book Online
Authors: Lisse Smith
position, and Monterey is exactly the type of person to take advantage of that. If he doesn’t offer to buy the company outright, I wouldn’t be surprised if he forms a takeover bid. He’s very good at what he does, and I have no doubt that he knows exactly what is happening with C and N. The less attention we draw to ourselves in his presence, the better for everyone.”
    “So you need someone responsible to sit beside you and show a solid base for the company.”
    “Pretty much.”
    I knew Patrick was under a lot of strain—his role was diverse and complicated—but I had no idea that he was also battling to keep the company together. “Is it that bad?” I asked.
    “Not at the moment,” he replied. “But it all pretty much depends on what old Parsons ends up doing.” He shrugged, looking defeated. “We can only advise him so much, but ultimately the final decision will be his.”
    I’m not sure I would have said yes if Patrick had just asked me to attend a work function with him. But as with most things in my life, this wasn’t a normal situation, and somehow I heard myself agreeing to go. “I’m going to have to leave early tomorrow,” I told him, as I prepared to leave that evening. “Attending a black-tie function takes more than a few hours to prepare for.”
    “Take whatever time you need,” he agreed.
    I’m not quite sure any man actually comprehended how much effort it took for something like that. I had spent most of the afternoon organizing hairdressers and waxes, and that’s before I spent half the night shopping for the right dress. You didn’t show up to a Monterey function dressed in your Sunday best. You dressed to impress, and it had to be a high-end fashion label. I was inordinately glad that I had a fairly extensive nest egg as I trudged up the stairs to my unit with my new Gucci dress. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to wear it again, but I couldn’t find it in myself to regret the purchase. It was a stunning creation of pure white that hung to the floor, with a small train that swept the ground behind me as I walked. The cut was elegant and classic, with crossed folds of material that swept across each breast and over my shoulders and back before twisting around my waist, creating a very feminine shape.
    I was surprised to find myself extremely nervous the next morning at work. Patrick seemed as unruffled as always, but the butterflies in my stomach were causing me an inordinate amount of grief.
     
TEXT:
  
I cant believe im excited about this.
REPLY:
  
Id be disappointed if u werent. Lets swap.
TEXT:
  
U cant wear white. Doesnt match ur colouring…
REPLY:
  
id make it work. There better be a picture coming my way later
TEXT:
  
isnt there always
    “I’m going now.” I stuck my head in Patrick’s office to let him know I was leaving.
    He rose and crossed the room to the door. “I’m sorry you have to do this,” he told me. “I know how much you hate social events.”
    I smiled at his hesitancy. “I’m kind of excited actually,” I assured him. “Besides, it’s a work function, and I’m not going to know anyone there, and it’s unlikely I’ll ever meet them again, so I think I’ll be fine.”
    My smile must have encouraged him, because he relaxed a little. “OK, then. Well, I’ll pick you up at your place at six o’clock.”
    “I’ll be ready,” I assured him, and with a final wave to Sally, who was seriously glad it was me going and not her, I headed off to be made beautiful.
    I asked the hairdresser to keep the style simple; the dress was the focus, not me. So she swept it loosely up behind my head and left tendrils of it to float around my face. They also took care of the makeup, giving me a smoky, sultry, dark-eyed look, so it was probably a strange sight when I caught a taxi back home—half of me looked amazing, the other half was seriously underdressed.
    I had just enough time to snap a quick photo off before my phone buzzed to let me know

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