Philip held her closely. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.”
Later that afternoon, while Philip sat at the piano, Lara went back into her office and returned Paul Martin’s telephone calls.
He came on the line almost immediately. “You’re back.” His voice was tight.
“Yes.” She had been dreading this conversation.
“I don’t mind telling you that the news was quite a shock, Lara.”
“I’m sorry, Paul…I…it happened rather suddenly.”
“It must have.”
“Yes.” She tried to read his mood.
“I thought we had something pretty good going for us. I thought it was something special.”
“It was, Paul, but…”
“We’d better talk about it.”
“Well, I…”
“Let’s make it lunch tomorrow. Vitello’s. One o’clock.” It was an order.
Lara hesitated. It would be foolish to antagonize him any further. “All right, Paul. I’ll be there.”
The line went dead. Lara sat there worried. How angry was Paul, and was he going to do anything about it?
Chapter Twenty-five
The following morning when Lara arrived at Cameron Center, the entire staff was waiting to congratulate her.
“It’s wonderful news!”
“It was such a big surprise to all of us!…”
“I’m sure you’ll be very happy… ”
And on it went.
Howard Keller was waiting in Lara’s office for her. He gave her a big hug. “For a lady who doesn’t like classical music, you sure went and did it!” Lara smiled. “I did, didn’t I?”
“I’ll have to get used to calling you Mrs. Adler.”
Lara’s smile faded. “I think it might be better for business reasons if I keep using Cameron, don’t you?”
“Whatever you say. I’m sure glad you’re back. Everything is piling up here.”
Lara settled in a chair opposite Howard. “Okay, tell me what’s been happening.”
“Well, the West Side hotel is going to be a money-losing proposition. We have a buyer lined up from Texas who’s interested in it, but I went over to the hotel yesterday. It’s in terrible shape. It needs a complete refurbishing, and that’s going to run into five or six million dollars.”
“Has the buyer seen it yet?”
“No. I told him I’d show it to him tomorrow.”
“Show it to him next week. Get some painters in there. Make it look squeaky clean. Arrange for a crowd to be in the lobby when he’s there.”
He grinned. “Right. Frank Rose is here with some new sketches. He’s waiting in my office.”
“I’ll take a look at them.”
“The Midland Insurance Company that was going into the new building?”
“Yes. ”
“They haven’t signed the deal yet. They’re a little shaky.”
Lara made a note. “I’ll talk to them about it. Next?”
“Gotham Bank’s seventy-five million loan on the new project?”
“Yes? ”
“They’re pulling back. They think you’re getting overex tended.”
“How much interest were they going to charge us?”
“Seventeen percent.”
“Set up a meeting with them. We’re going to offer to pay twenty percent.”
He was looking at her, aghast. “Twenty percent? My God, Lara! No one pays twenty percent.”
“I would rather be alive at twenty percent than dead at seventeen percent. Do it, Howard.”
“All right.”
The morning went by swiftly. At twelve-thirty Lara said, “I’m going to meet Paul Martin for lunch.”
Howard looked worried. “Make sure you aren’t lunch.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he’s Sicilian. They don’t forgive and they don’t forget.”
“You’re being melodramatic. Paul would never do any thing to harm me.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Paul Martin was waiting for Lara at the restaurant when she arrived. He looked thin and haggard, and there were circles under his eyes, as though he had not been sleeping well.
“Hello, Lara.” He did not get up.
“Paul.” She sat down across from him.
“I left some stupid messages on your answering machine. I’m sorry. I had no idea…”He shrugged.
“I should have let you know, Paul, but it all happened so fast.”
“Yeah.” He was studying her face. “You’re looking great.”
“Thank you.”
“Where did you meet Adler?”
“In London.”
“And you fell in love with him just like that?” There was a bitter undertone to his words.
“Paul, what you and I had was wonderful, but it wasn’t enough for me. I needed something more than that. I needed someone to come home to every night.”