The presentation!
“—so just relax. Think of tonight as an opportunity to connect.”
There was no way she could relax. Her nerves felt as jittery as popcorn kernels in a microwave. It was hard enough to draw a straight lipstick line. “Okay.”
“And don’t worry about that man. I’ll tell the manager, and we’ll make sure you get home safely.”
“I don’t actually want the man prosecuted.”
“Okay, okay, whatever you wish,” Gwen soothed again. “Now, are you ready? We have a private room at the back, and it’ll be nice and quiet. No more drama, okay?”
“I hope not.” She found a smile. “About the only drama I want is to have a bunch of investors snapping up shares.”
Gwen smiled. “Well, we’ll see what we can do.”
EJ followed as Gwen led the way past sleek tables to a section in the rear. A leather banquette divided the space, allowing for a more private area, a little like the golden table in Bennelong that only the most exclusive people got to use.
She pushed back her shoulders, bracing internally, wishing again that Jordan or Maurice were here, someone she knew was on her side, so she didn’t feel like Daniel walking into the lions’ den.Lord, be with me. Help me, please.
She pasted a smile on her dial and walked in.
Neil instantly rose. “Here she is! You okay now, Emma?”
She nodded, thanking him again, then glanced across the room at people she didn’t recognise.
Then nearly stumbled as she realised who sat beyond Neil. Someone she did recognise. Her nerves instantly rose to fever pitch.
Eric Churchill.
“Hello, EJ.”
She swallowed, but no way was she going to let this man see that he intimidated her. “Eric.”
He smiled. Well, lifted the corners of his mouth in a way unlike his usual smirk. “I hear you had a bit of an incident out there.”
“Yes.” She took her seat. Not the spare one next to him but the one next to Neil. Neil seemed a safer bet right now. She didn’t trust the crocodile grin Eric was offering.
“So, are you okay?”
She nodded, a sudden sting of tears taking her by surprise. How strange that his should be the question that clutched her heart. Maybe it was the way he asked, like he really wasconcerned. Or maybe that was part of his family legacy of compelling people to act in ways they hadn’t anticipated.
Still, she didn’t have time to let him see that his words affected her, so she tossed her hair back, tucking it behind an ear, then turned to Neil. “I have to say thank you again for your quick thinking out there.”
His chest puffed out a little. “You can thank the years of rugby union practice.”
“Neil once played for Sydney Uni,” Gwen said.
He grinned. “And helped St. Greg’s win three championships while I was in high school.”
She nodded. He seemed like a private school boy, someone who traded on his connections.
A glass of wine was placed before her, with Gwen’s compliments and encouragement to drink, but she refused. The day had already been unsettling enough, and she didn’t want to add anything more to cloud her thinking. “Thanks, but I’m sticking with water tonight.”
“Water?” Gwen’s nose wrinkled.
EJ shrugged. It wasn’t like she needed to explain her reasons.
The waiter took meal orders and the conversation continued, until eventually Gwen caught EJ’s eye and nodded.
