“Obviously, a great guy,” he said with a smile as he paid the check, and they left the restaurant, and then walked slowly back to his hotel. After she dropped him off, she took a cab back to her apartment.
And the next morning, they were back downtown, meeting with investors, and making their pitch to them. After that, they had lunch with some of her partners, and yet another group of investors, and were finally finished for the day. When the partners congratulated him on the success of his venture, he tried to give Meredith as much credit for the IPO as he could, but they were more interested in talking to him, than in giving Meredith accolades. As far as they were concerned, she had only done what was expected of her, and there was no reason to celebrate her for it. It annoyed Cal to see the way they handled it, and he mentioned it to her in the car on the way back to the hotel to pick up his bags, en route to the airport.
“They sure don't throw you a lot of roses,” he said, looking disgruntled for her.
“They would have done the same things I did. They know that. And as far as they're concerned, Paul Black brought you in as a client. I didn't.”
“That's stretching it a bit, isn't it? He made the initial contact, but you've done everything since then.”
“That's just the nature of the business. There are no heroes among investment bankers.”
“And not much gratitude either.”
“I don't expect that. I'll make plenty of money on this deal. We all will.”
“It's not just about money, Merrie, and you know that. You can't tell me that's the only reason why you do this. You do it because you believe in the companies you take public for them, and you love what you're doing.” He had more respect for her than that, and it bothered him that they didn't.
“That's all true. But there isn't a lot of romance in this business. They figure I'll make plenty on it, and so will they. They don't feel they need to throw me a lot of kisses.”
“I think they're harder on you, and expect more, because you're a woman. It's almost as if you have to prove something to them, that you're as good or as smart or as capable as a man, and there's something wrong with that. You're a hell of a lot smarter than most of them, Paul Black certainly. He's nothing but an old windbag with good social connections. All he is is a rainmaker.” She laughed at his description.
“Thank you for noticing, on both counts. But there are plenty of those in this business.”
“And not enough like you. I've had a great time working with you.” And more than that, he had really come to like her, and admire what she stood for. She was honorable and decent and loyal and as far as he was concerned, brilliant. And a hell of a nice person. He was also impressed that she spoke so highly of her husband.
“I've had a great time working with you too. And that's a good thing, Cal, because you're stuck with me for another week.” She laughed, and a few minutes later, they picked up Cal's bags and Charlie McIntosh at the hotel, and then went on to her apartment. Her bags were standing in the hall, and she ran upstairs alone to get them, and was back in less than five minutes. Steve had left her a note. He had gone back to the hospital, for a meeting, and was sorry that he'd missed her. She jotted down a few words at the bottom of the note, mostly just to tell him that she was sorry that she had missed him too, and that she loved him.
“Did you see Steve?” Cal asked with a look of concern as she came downstairs. He was beginning to worry about her, almost like a little sister.
“No, he had to go back to the hospital for a meeting. It's okay. I didn't really expect to see him.” She seemed disappointed but not surprised by it. It was the nature of the life they led, and she was used to it, far more than Cal was.
“That's too bad. I'll bet he was disappointed.”
“I'll see him in a week,” she smiled. “I might even take some time off when we get back. We might go to Vermont for a few days, if he can get away. If not, maybe we'll take a long weekend somewhere.”
“It's too bad he couldn't meet us in London for the weekend.”
“I tried to get him to come to Paris,” she smiled, “but he's covering for the head of the trauma unit next week, who has to go to Dallas.”
“You two lead a disgusting life. I don't know how you stand it. Well, maybe we can go to the theater this weekend in London. Or Annabel's. Do you like to dance?” he asked, and Charlie McIntosh glanced out the window, looking disgusted. Mixing business with pleasure, for Cal at least, clearly did not meet with Charlie's approval, and most of all not with Merrie.
“I love to dance,” she said, smiling, as much touched by the invitation, as she was amused by Charlie's obvious disapproval. It entertained her to shock him. “And I love the theater.”
“Maybe we can do both then.” He felt he owed her some fun for all her trouble. And they were both going to be alone in London, except for Charlie.
The three of them went over some papers together when they got to the airport, and by the time they boarded the plane to Edinburgh, they were all tired. The plane was making a stop on the way, in London. But as soon as they had eaten, Charlie and Cal turned off their lights and settled down under their blankets. Cal and Meredith were seated side by side, and Charlie was sitting right behind them. But as Cal put his seat back as far as he could, Meredith reached down for her briefcase.
“Merrie,” he asked softly in the darkened plane, “what are you doing?”
“I thought I'd do some reading.”
“Stop that!” he ordered her gently. “You need to get some sleep too. I order you to turn your light off.”
“You ‘order’ me?” She looked amused. “That's a novelty.”
“Maybe it's time someone said that to you more often. Come on, give it up for tonight. Turn your light off.” She hesitated for a moment, and then decided that maybe he was right, and her work could wait till morning. And quietly, she reached up and turned her light off. “Good girl. It'll still be there in the morning.” His tone was kind and fatherly, and she could suddenly imagine how he was with his children. She knew instinctively that he was a good father.
“That's what I'm always afraid of,” she said gently, “that it'll all still be there in the morning. I keep hoping the work fairy will show up in the middle of the night and do it for me.”
“You're the work fairy, Merrie. But even fairies need to rest sometimes.” It made him more determined than ever to give her some fun in London. She deserved it. She had done more for him than anyone had in a long time, maybe ever.
She moved her seat back like his, put a pillow behind her head and pulled up her blanket, and lay there, quietly beside him.
“Can you sleep on planes?” he asked, whispering. They were like two kids at a slumber party.
“Sometimes. Depends on how much work I have in my briefcase,” she said, smiling at him.
“Pretend you left it in New York. Pretend you're going on vacation.” She smiled at the game, and whispered back at him.
“Where would I go on vacation?”
“How about the South of France? … Saint-Tropez … how does that sound?” He was still whispering and she was smiling.
“That sounds very good. I like it.”
“Then close your eyes and think of Saint-Tropez,” he whispered gently.
“Is that an order too?” she whispered back again.
“Yes … now, be quiet, and just think about it.” And much to her surprise, she did. She lay there with her eyes closed, envisioning the South of France, the little port, the narrow winding streets, the Mediterranean, and the flower market. And the next time he looked at her, she was sound asleep, and he gently pulled up her blanket and tucked it around her.
Chapter 7
THE PLANE STOPPED in London, and then flew on to Edinburgh, and Meredith was surprised that she slept for most of the flight. It was morning in Scotland when they arrived, and they went directly to the location where they were to make their presentation to the officers of several of the Scottish trusts. It was part of the standard ritual of the due diligence tour, and one of the routines Meredith knew well.