Skinny Dipping

The Problem of Matthew Silver

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You can buy this book SKINNY DIPPING and the sequel SKINNY CAPPUCCINO on Amazon.

Chapter 1

Three months trying. Two letters, fourteen emails, thirty phone messages, but still no connection. Sophie Smart would leave another message, and another, and another... if it came to it. Why couldn't he answer the phone? Perhaps Sophie would be more successful reaching him if she devoted her life to science and pushing the boundaries of technology. Perhaps creating a mind boggling, innovative method of communication would increase her chances of catching a few seconds of his time. Surely contacting an extraterrestrial would be easier than speaking in real time with Matthew Silver?

If he hadn't wanted to work together, why bind their relationship with a legal contract? She was now obliged to work with an unwilling and uncooperative client. Lately, the mere mention of his name had created feelings of loathing.

If only she could be as evasive as he was. For now, at the very last minute, Matthew Silver had accepted Sophie's invitation to meet at the London Annual Advertising Awards, a gala evening and the most prestigious night in the advertising calendar. What kind of person gave such short notice?

Today couldn't get any worse. She felt low. Melancholy possessed her, making her chest ache. With a crumpled face, she sat in her Volkswagen Beetle on a quiet street in Highbury and dialed Matthew Silver's number. Was she supposed to dig deep and locate her last shred of patience for Matthew Silver? For today was the worst day of her life.

She exhaled and closed her eyes to summon a spark of her usual perseverance. "Pick up your phone," Sophie muttered.

A note chimed for Matthew's voicemail. "Leave it," his recorded message played. Leave what? Another message? Oh, how she wished she could 'leave it' and let him hear her wrath.

"Hello, again," she started. She remembered to stay calm, vital to her professionalism. Stay composed and polite. Don't reveal frustration. "This is Sophie Smart from Clarks, Clarks and Clarks Advertising Agency." She slowly relaxed her coiled fingers from their smothering hold on her phone. "I'm just letting you know I'll be a fraction late tonight for the awards gala. Why don't we meet at the table? Please call me back."

His extensive wealth probably meant he could snap his fingers, and any whim, any wish would be granted as if he were the bearer of Aladdin's magic lamp. Just one rub and he would be indulged. He was a spoilt kid in an adult's body and the heir to the Silver Family Leisure Group. He was also clueless enough to operate the multimillion pound corporation from a dinky back office in a swimming centre.

The Silvers owned a chain of swimming centres, hotels, gyms, stadiums, theme parks, theatres, restaurants, and retail shops. Sophie's world wasn't quite as gilded. She could only fantasise about the blissful life his wealth could create. She pictured life without the stress of working with people like Matthew Silver... Dream on Sophie.

When it came to marketing, Matthew shared his 'Silver love' around. The Silver Group's massive advertising budget was divvied up between various clawing advertising firms. There was no exclusive agency. The firm Sophie worked for had landed an isolated part of the Silver Family Leisure Group, the chain of swimming centres. It was the least glamorous or profitable unit of the Silver Group. The budget was only a tiny sliver of Matthew's entire advertising allocation. For this reason, Matthew, despite his riches, was considered 'small billing' by her firm.