Chameleon In New York

CHAPTER 7 | it had been going so well

"Stop it," said Stephen with a low growl.

Sydney's heart caught in her chest with a thump. He had managed to materialise beside her without her knowledge.

Her eyes flying open, she looked up at him. "What?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't see through her thoughts.

"Stop where that over-active mind of yours is headed. I know you better than that," he accused.

Stephen always had the inane ability to know when she was on the precipice of panic. She had lost count the number of times he had pulled her back from the edge over the years. She was grateful that he had come into her life when he had.

Despite her wealthy parents willing and capable to pay for her entire education, Sydney had only allowed them to fund her tuition to Harvard Law. She had insisted on paying her own way when it came to the remainder of her expenses.

In her first year at law school, she had managed to find work as a ghost writer and copy editor with a boutique literary agency. For the most part, the job was remote from the agencies offices in New York. However, on occasion she was required to attend meetings. It was on one of these visits that she had met her future agent. Stephen, at the time, was a senior editor. They had struck up a close friendship and he had been there to help pick up the pieces when the story of her father had exploded out of control.

As with most laws students guaranteed to graduate in the top ten percent, throughout her last year at university, she had been courted by a number of prestigious law firms across the eastern seaboard. All that stopped the moment the connection between her and her father was established.

Even though she had graduated Summa Cum Laude from one of the world's most prestigious law schools, Sydney failed to get beyond the first interview stage for any position she applied for. The legal profession, in its wisdom, had decreed that they were not willing to take a risk of upsetting any of their clients by taking on the progeny of David Hutton.

As with Grace and her parents, Stephen had been her support and her life raft throughout the tawdry affair. It was he who had suggested that she return to editing and ghost-writing - to at least support herself until such a time that the industry had forgotten about the four billion dollars.

It was also Stephen who, recognising Sydney's gift of storytelling and encouraged her to complete the story she had been toying with since they had met. By the time he had sold her manuscript to a publishing house, her dreams of making her mark in the legal world were all but destroyed.

She owed Stephen for pushing her. Without his persistence and faith, DB Myers would not have been born and she would not have managed to salvage what little dignity she had left and forge a new path.

Poking her tongue at her agent, who was wrapped only in a towel, she flounced out of her chair, headed back into the house muttering, "Fine! But you're on Margarita duty tonight."

Thanks to Stephens constant hovering, Sydney refocused and managed to produce a reworking of the errant chapter to satisfy even Stephen's keen and demanding eye.

"Is it wine o'clock yet?" groaned Sydney, a few hours later. She stretched and glanced up at the clock. Seeing it had just turned five, she powered off her laptop and headed out to the patio.

Sydney raised an eyebrow as she sat down and perused the table. "Thanks for waiting," she remarked dryly. It looked like Stephen was already on a second glass, and had made considerable damage to a cheese and fruit platter.

"Did she say what time she would be here?" Sydney asked as she poured herself a glass of chilled Pinot Gris.

Grace had phoned earlier to let them know she had arrived on the island and would be up as soon as she had settled in.

Stephen looked up from his phone where he had been frantically typing, "Hmmmm?" he asked absently.

"Hello, earth to Stephen," Sydney waved, "Grace?"

His mind now on the matter at hand, Stephen popped a grape into his mouth saying, "Oh, she's on her way."

The words were barely out, when a taxi appeared up the long driveway that kept the house secluded from the main road and prying eyes. The line of trees blocking the view.

Sydney smiled fondly. She had her two closest friends near her. Both determined to keep her mind off of the possible eruption of her life that seemed to be bearing down on her like a freight train.

It didn't take long for her cousin to pay the taxi driver and glide up to the house. She rose, but as usual, Stephen was quicker than her and greeted her as she made her way up the stairs.

"Somebody is glowing," remarked Stephen as he hugged Grace and held her at arm's length, "not to mention, someone is getting some."

Grace chose to ignore Stephen's teasing tone and made her way to Sydney. "How are you holding up?" she asked, her voice full of concern and worry.

Assuring her cousin she was fine they sat and began to catch up. As expected Stephen was like a dog with a bone. "I want the details," he demanded as soon as they each had a glass in their hands, "And don't leave anything out."

Haltingly, Grace let Stephen in on her very recent, newly acquired 'friend'. Most of the details that her cousin was willing to impart, Sydney was already aware of. Stephen, however, was fussing over the single fact that he was the last to know and wanted to meet this new 'beau'.

"He'll be up the day after tomorrow. You'll be able to meet him then," Grace said, in an attempt to placate their friend, "the others will follow a couple of days later."

Sydney's head snapped to Grace's. She nearly dropped the knife that had been cutting a slice of Brie. "The others?"

Grace looked at her blankly. "Didn't tell you?" she said, "his sister Pauline and some friends are joining him. I think she's flying up with Mac."

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A/N. It seems she can't get rid of Ethan...

...And what good friends she has :-)

Don't forget to vote :-)

See you in two. Until then, take care.

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