Fates Tied (4 page)

things that he described to her. She knew that she would love it. Then she got a message that startled her and was completely unexpected.

‘Suzie,

Can we meet for a drink sometime? I think we’ve been talking on the computer long enough, I want to see you again in person.

Your Edward,’

She stared at the words in shock. She hadn’t seen him in weeks, she barely knew anything about him still, except that he would be a spectacular lover and she longed to see him naked. There was no real emotion from the man, only passion.

There couldn’t be a relationship founded on just that, not a lasting one and Suzanne was in no mind for a purely physical relationship. She didn’t want to do this but she knew that she had to.

‘Edward,

I’m sorry but I think we know where having a drink will lead. I’m not the sort to engage in casual relationships, I’m looking for something more meaningful. I’m going to have to say no to your kind invitation.

I hope that we can still be friends though.

Suzie,’

Suzanne read through the email several times, checking and double checking that there could be no hidden meanings in her words and that it carried the right tone. Finally she couldn’t hold it back any longer and she quickly hit the send button. She turned off her computer then, best to stop herself from deleting the email before he had a chance to read it. He needed to see it, to understand her reluctance and maybe, just maybe, start to change for the better.

CHAPTER 3

Edward stared at his computer screen, unable to believe the words that he was reading. He had been so sure that Suzanne would say yes, even if it was just to relieve the sexual tension that was building between them both. He had thought that they were growing closer with each message, drawing nearer and nearer to entering into a relationship that they both wanted. And yet here she was, turning him down. He couldn’t believe it and he suddenly shot from his chair and began to pace around his office. What had he done wrong? He wondered to himself. Why did she think that he was only after a casual relationship? He had opened up to her, more than he had to any woman in a long time, even his now ex-wife. Talking to her, messaging her as he had, had been terrifying, the first time in a long time that he had made the first move towards a woman. And she had turned him down.

Edward sighed and leaned against the window, looking out of his company’s building and across most of London. He loved this view, every time that he had had a problem or difficult decision to make in the past he had stared at that view and the answer had eventually come to him. It even worked when he got stuck on research. He would look out of the window, his eyes never resting on any single place for too long and let the information he had run through his mind. Often the solution would come to him in a sudden flash of brilliance. He tried it now.

Slowly thoughts of Suzanne ran through his head. It started with her appearance, how she had been so beautiful that night at the dinner, how stunning she had been when she laughed. His mind drifted to thoughts of the two of them in bed together, what passion she would display for him, how she would react to his every touch. Their messages to each other had burned with it and he was itching to finally experience it in more than just in his mind.

Those thoughts led him to the conversations that they had actually had, the ones unrelated to sex and lust. And that’s when he realised.

He had been too casual. He had opened up a lot for himself and told her more than he ever intended to. But he hadn’t opened up enough. Women needed that emotional connection, Suzanne needed and wanted that emotional connection and he just hadn’t done enough to provide it. Now he just needed to find a solution and make her realise that he wanted her for more than just a casual relationship. He wanted to see where things took them, if there was anything more between them than just the physical. Edward was sure that there was but he had believed that before only to be let down. There was no other way to find out other than actually giving a relationship a go. But how to get her to try a relationship with him, a proper relationship at that?

He could continue to message her, to talk to her and draw her in to meeting with him. But she might believe he was doing that only to get into her knickers as she had clearly stated that she wanted more than just casual. He didn’t want to hurt her either, to start something intimate and deep only to realise that they weren’t suited. He had to open up, to get close to her emotionally as well as physically but the idea of that terrified him. He couldn’t bear the thought of opening up to another person as he had before. Whatever he told that other person could always be used against him as a weapon. He would have to reveal all of his strengths and his weaknesses, his flaws and his obsessions. Laying himself bare, open, for Suzanne to see was a terrifying thought and he wondered whether he could actually do it. Now he just needed to get her to give him the chance to open up, in a way that didn’t just involve messaging.

And then he had the idea that would make all the difference. He grabbed his phone and dialled a number, waiting for the ring tone and the eventual click as it was answered.

“Christian I’ve just had an idea,” he said quickly.

“You always have ideas, what’s new?” the other man at the end of the phone said. “Is it dangerous and could lead to the earth’s destruction?  Because you know, the company frowns on that.”

“It’s nothing to do with research,” Edward snapped, “it’s for something else.”

“Nothing to do with research?” Christian said sharply. He was paying attention now, “Since when do you have ideas that don’t have anything to do with research?”

“Since I was going over the accounts and the business plan we initially put together and realised that we have a problem,” Edward replied, making something up, pulling it from the top of his head. “We’re low on funding for next year and we’re falling behind in innovation. I think we need to try to pull in more funding, more scientists and maybe even new board members.”

“The board aren’t going to like that idea…” Christian said slowly. “Let’s do it.”

Edward could practically hear the grin that was likely spreading across the other man’s face, the dimples in his cheeks that would be appearing and the glint of mischief in his eyes.

“Come to my office and we can discuss ideas,” Edward said quickly.

“Will do,” Christian replied.

He hung up the phone and Edward returned to staring out of the window, satisfied with what he was doing.

“Why Nottingham though?” Christian said, “Surely if we were going to do an event for fund raising and recruitment we should do it in London.”

“Not necessarily.” Edward replied, “A lot of other universities have fantastic science programmes now and most people with a lot of wealth prefer to live somewhere rural. If we want to get new researchers, grabbing them before anyone else, we need to get there early and get them from all over the country. All the companies focus on London recruitment, they never think that there may be people further afield that are equally good if not better. Besides have you seen the prices of event rooms in London lately?”

“Since when have you been arranging events in London?” Christian asked, now thoroughly confused, “You barely ever leave your cave.”

“I hear things,” Edward said, evading the question, “and I listen to the news sometimes and search on the internet while I wait for results to run.”

“Fine… fine,” Christian said, looking at Edward before returning to making notes in his notebook.

Edward knew that the other man didn’t completely believe him, that Christian knew he was hiding something. But for now he clearly wasn’t interested enough to start digging. Edward breathed a sigh of relief as he stared out the window and checked his phone again. There were still no messages from Suzanne.

“So what are we actually doing with this event then?” Christian suddenly said, startling Edward, “Are we trying to get funding or are we trying to find new researchers?”

“I’m going to go with researchers,” Edward said after a moment’s thought and a quick click through on his computer as he pretended to be reading reports. “The funding can wait but we need to start pushing for more innovation. Once we’ve got new employees on board and new ideas to show then we can start to push for more funds.”

“Okey dokey,” Christian said, making another note. “Any ideas on budget and the size of the event? Theme, dress code, guest list, that sort of thing?”

“I don’t know,” Edward said, whining a little melodramatically. “Isn’t this your area?”

He was worried for a moment that Christian knew that he was putting on an act when his friend looked at him oddly, but the other man made no comment.

“My area is business,” Christian said, “that means I manage the day to day running of your company and the people you employ. I’m general information, business related events at best. This is pure pleasure, nothing to do with the business, not really.”

“Oh…” Edward said slowly. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“I guessed as much,” Christian said. He leaned forward towards his friend and colleague. “Look if you can free up some extra money in the budget then I might be able to hire a company to do this for us. Might!”

“Ok… Ok let’s do that,” Edward said excitedly and began to scribble things down and open up his email programme. “You try and find a decent costing agency or something and I’ll work on the funds for it.”

“You’re excited,” Christian remarked pointedly.

“I didn’t realise this idea was going to be so much hard work.” Edward said quickly, “If I can shove it on you then I don’t have anything to worry about. Once the money’s sorted I’m free to go back to doing what I do best. Sciencing.”

“Sciencing isn’t a word,” Christian said. “I think it’s time you went home and had a lie down.”

Edward stilled and looked at his friend. There was a frown of worry creasing his brow and Edward realised that Christian was seriously worried about how he was acting. It was possible that he actually looked awful too, having spent most of the time since receiving Suzanne’s message running his hands through his hair and pacing back and forth in front of his window after all. Maybe Christian was right. Edward peered at himself in the reflective screen of the computer and saw the bags that were forming under his eyes. He had had a lot of sleepless nights lately…

“Fine,” Edward said. “I want a list of agencies on my desk tomorrow morning as well as quotes and budget estimates. Once I know and decide on costs I can release the money. In the meantime I’m going to go home and have a rest for a change.”

“Take care,” Christian said as he left the room. “Actually sleep, and don’t obsess over things like you normally do.”

Edward watched the other man go and decided that before he did as he had said he would, he needed to send a reply to Suzanne and make sure that she knew he wasn’t mad at her. He was a little annoyed certainly, he couldn’t understand why she would want him to open up to her emotionally when they didn’t even know whether they were sexually compatible.

There would be no other reason to open up emotionally, he wasn’t interested in simple friendship with Suzanne, there was too much of a connection and he wasn’t willing to spend the time going against everything

he knew just to make her happier and possibly have the chance to sleep with her. It wasn’t fair to either of them.

“I couldn’t find a company,” Christian said the next morning as Edward walked in to his office. Edward looked at his friend in confusion, “For the event… None of the ones that I found work outside of London and the ones that do quoted us a ridiculously high price. I had to put the phone down to stop myself from laughing in their faces.”

“Let me see the agencies,” Edward said, reaching out and taking a collection of papers from Christian’s hand. He quickly flicked through them, reading each quote, “No, too expensive, too snooty, no, no no, no. Definitely not. No, no. Ok you’re right.”

He handed the papers back to Christian and then tried to act as though he had had a sudden thought.

“Oh, you know that cruise I went on a while ago?” he asked. Christian nodded and he continued, “I think I met an events coordinator there, in fact she did a string of events for the cruise line afterwards and they went really well. From what I overheard her talking about the agency that she works for does a wide variety of events for all different occasions.”

“Please tell me you have that woman’s number,” Christian said quickly.

“No I don’t,” Edward said sadly before cracking in to a grin, “but I know the agency name and I’m sure you can find the number that way.”

“I think I love you,” Christian said awestruck.

He suddenly grabbed Edward, dragged him forwards and roughly kissed the top of the other man’s head.

“If you give me that name I will ask for nothing else from you,” Christian said quickly. “Just please give me the name, I can’t face looking on another website for events.”

So Edward gave Christian the name and finally went into the office. There was still no reply from Suzanne.

“Suzie!” Tiffany cried, “Suzie, Suzie!”

“What?” Suzanne called from her office. “What’s making you all shouty?”

“I did it!” Tiffany cried, “I finally did it!”

“Did what?” Suzanne shouted. “Oh for - TIFFANY GET IN MY OFFICE NOW!”

Tiffany came running in, looking terrified.

“Now, I’m not going to shout to you across the entire floor,” Suzanne said slowly. “What exactly is it that you’ve finally done?”

“I’ve finally got a real event to organise, one that I get to do all on my own,” Tiffany said excitedly. “Listen to the brief!”

She clutched a collection of papers to her chest, flicked through them all before she finally found the one that she needed and she began to read from it.

“
This event will be small scale and preferably held somewhere in the Midlands, Nottingham if at all possible.

This is an event to draw in new recruits and make them aware that science isn’t just lab coats and microscopes.

We would prefer to invite new and existing researchers in a variety of fields which will be included after we have received your quote. We have a very strict budget to stick to and would appreciate a company that will take on all aspects of event arrangement as our current business manager has neither the time nor the knowledge necessary to arrange an event of this scale. We have received feedback about your company’s work and visited previous individuals and companies that you have worked for to receive some very good feedback. I would appreciate a response as soon as possible.”