Shouldn't Have Dealt - Book II

Chapter 6 - Trying

She looks around her, then asks, “Are you with Hunter?” with her eyebrow hoisted to meet with her hairline.

I left my mouth open. I literally don’t know what to say to her.

“It’s a surprise Hunter would even come to see Damien,” she hisses after she’s found me speechless, and probably after realizing Hunter’s absence. “He’s not usually the caring older brother type, you know. So what exactly are you doing here?” She crosses her arms together and moves forward to impose intimidation upon me.

She continues, “I presume you and Hunter Stone are back together. You wouldn’t be here if not for him. Perhaps his conscience bugged him to at least look for a proxy to send instead of himself wasting his time to unproductive activities.

“I don’t know what you have against Hunter…”

“Oh please,” she laughs. “You don’t have to defend him. When his father got sick, he barely came to visit. Now that it is his little brother, I bet on my life that Hunter Stone will never come to see him.”

Such big words coming from a mother.

I don’t exactly know the issue Mrs. Etheridge has with Hunter about Damien. It must be some family drama that is made unknown to people. But for the love of God, how did I not even know that Damien and Hunter are brothers? I’ve been living in this city all my life, and I have known the Etheridge family ever since I learned to use pi in my geometry class. Everybody knew who they are. But this thing about Hunter being part of the family is a shocker. Do people even know about this?

“Well, Ms. Grant, you tell Hunter that he can go on with his plan of marriage even in these great times. I believe it is you now that he has his heart and soul. Not heard of a new woman after your break-up, and now that you’re back, a wedding, I think, is just a formal unimportant ceremony to welcome you in the family,” she utters in the most disturbing fashion. She holds both my shoulders and heaves me close to her. “It’s not going to be an easy ride, Ms. Grant. You know what the Etheridge family is. It’s as complex as a web. You know what I mean.” The whisper is more than a threat, I believe.

She doesn’t really like me.

My phone keeps ringing but as much as I want to ignore it, I think I have no choice. I am on my way to Mezzanine. I know I am late for work and Thatcher will be going wild again about it. So in order to reduce the casualty, I guess I have to pick up her phone call.

I answer, clearing my throat, “Five minutes, Tessie!”

The cab driver seems to have detected my implied message that he steps on the gas and speeds off.

“Eva Goble’s in The Rose. Go get her!” Then she hangs up the phone.

How will I get Eva Goble in this state where my mind consists of nothing but Damien? I try to call Thatcher again but she isn’t answering her phone. Is this power play? I don’t even know where in The Rose Eva Goble is.

“Hey, mister. Change of destination. The Rose, please.”

“No problem, miss.”

As soon as we arrive at The Rose, I quickly mount off the cab and call on May.

“Hey May, I’m at The Rose. Thatcher said Eva Goble will be here.” I go straight to the lobby then. “But where exactly in The Rose will she be? You know I can’t explore The Rose like some wild hunter, don’t you?”

“Calm down, Angel. I was just about to text you the details,” says she. “Anyways, she will be going for lunch at the Emerald Suite. It appears that she will be meeting with Samuel Evans of the Stone Publishing.”

“And Thatcher wants me to just drag her out of the suite and kidnap her?”

“I don’t know. Is that what Thatcher told you to do?”

“No.” I shrug my shoulders.

I quickly go inside the elevator and press on the 10th floor.

“But it seems like she wants me to terrorize Eva Goble,” I say. Why does it have to be that impossible woman? There are a lot of potential good writers who can bring good cash into the company. I can name more than ten. Why Eva Goble? What makes it difficult for us is she’s tied with the Stone Publishing. There’s no way a small rising company like McGraddy will be able to outbid Stone.

“Just go in there, Angel. You might get something from their conversation with the help of your espionage skills.” I can hear May giggling from the other line.

“You are really helping.”

“Goodluck, dear!”

This is more than impossible.

Emerald Suite is a posh restaurant—small but very expensive—that serves Scandivanian dishes. They only cater reservations one month before. But lucky me, it’s Friday today so walk-ins are allowed.

From the entrance, I could already see Eva Goble in her glimmering cocktail dress at the far end corner of the room. She’s with a man in dark blue suit. I assume right away that it is Samuel Evans. From the looks of it, it seems that Samuel is trying to convince her to accept the offer, but Eva does not appear happy about the cards laid on her table.

There’s an empty table beside them, just behind Eva Goble’s seat, so I make my way over there to commence with my duty. I take out my pair of dark glasses and wear them right away. The waiter comes to me to ask for my order. I could only ask for a cup of tea. Everything in the menu is way too much for my pocket. Even if I have to use the company’s credit card, I thought it’s not nice to be wasting money for one grand meal especially when your business is in a state like ours.

“Oh no, Samuel!” Eva sounds so unsure. “I don’t think that will do. You are undervaluing me. I have sold millions of copies for my first ever book. Now that I have my third one, you are giving me this kind of offer?”

“Mrs. Goble, the second one did not live up to our expectations. The sales were a little low this time. And this is the best we could offer you.”

“No!” That is a one strong ‘no’. She must be really pissed. “I want my old editor back. She’s the best in the company! Why are you giving me a new one—an inexperienced at that!”

“Tobby Hughes has done a lot of works for a couple of writers,” defends Samuel Evans.  “He did Martha Andrews and Celino Paprizzo.”

“Who are they anyway?”

God! Eva Goble is just so unbelievable! She doesn’t care about what she says. I can’t imagine what it will be like to have Goble and Thatcher under the same roof. This is probably the reason why Thatcher had me on this mission. She won’t be able to display her madness and bitchiness around Goble, because she will definitely be eaten alive by this woman!

“You know, Evans. A lot of publishers are interested in my work. If you don’t give me what I ask for, I will have to look for others,” says she.

“Wait up, Mrs. Goble…” Finally Samuel Evans has begun to feel the pressure.

“I am serious, Evans. I will look for a publisher who listens. I am afraid that you and I are now a thing in the past.”

A smile forms on my face. That was exactly what I wanted to happen.

Now, it is time for me to appear in the picture.

I stand from where I was seated and move a few steps away from them. If I want to make this look like it is real, I will have to pretend that I have just newly arrived the vicinity.

“Mrs. Goble?”

That was a horrible starting point. It feels like something was stuck in my throat.

She turns to face me with a surprise look.

“Hi! Remember me? Angel Mohr from McGraddy Publishing.”

Her face lightens up while Samuel is caught lost somewhere in the conversation.

“Yes, I remember you.”

 This is probably going to be my lucky day.