Tasmina Perry 3-Book Collection: Daddy’s Girls, Gold Diggers, Original Sin. Tasmina Perry

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       16

      Cate glanced anxiously around the impressive glass and steel atrium of PCT, London’s biggest firm of accountants, feeling a little sick. Damn Nick Douglas, she muttered, stealing another glance at her watch. He was late again, and on such an important day too. She didn’t need anything else to make her more nervous. Her laptop PowerPoint presentation sat in a slim case beside her, a sheaf of dummy magazines poked out of her Bottega Veneta holdall. She felt shaky enough without him being twenty minutes overdue. As David Goldman had taken great pains to tell her this morning, this was their biggest – and probably only – opportunity to raise the £2 million they needed. After all, the six venture capital firms David had approached had turned him down flat without even asking for a presentation. So David had pulled out all the stops to gather together twelve private investors who might be interested and who had agreed to assemble in the PCT boardroom this afternoon. If Cate and Nick failed to impress them with their presentation today – well, that was going to be it: dream over. David wouldn’t plough any more of his time or money into an idea that was clearly going nowhere fast.

      And maybe they were right, Cate grumbled to herself, maybe it was a waste of time. Especially since that phone call yesterday, the call she would have killed for on the day she was fired. Out of the blue, the editor of Harper’s Bazaar in New York had wanted to know if she would be interested in an editor-at-large position on the prestigious glossy. Why didn’t I just say yes? She smiled grimly to herself. The easy option was never her style.

      ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry,’ said Nick, flying so fast through the glass door that his caramel overcoat flew behind him like a cape. ‘Defective train in God-only-knows-where,’ he spluttered, desperately trying to catch his breath. ‘Brought the whole bloody tube to a standstill. Had to run all the way from Angel.’

      Cate didn’t try to disguise her annoyance. ‘Well, maybe you should have left a bit earlier,’ she said drily.

      Nick ignored her, instead giving a playful wolf-whistle. ‘Woo-wee! You look great,’ he whistled and, despite herself, Cate smirked back, confident for once in her appearance. She’d spent ages that morning getting ready. Her russet-gold hair was pulled back into an elegant chignon, she’d teamed a black Michael Kors pencil skirt with a mint green cashmere polo neck. Her make-up – glossed lips, bronzed highlighted cheeks – was understated but elegant. She looked professional but not boring, striking but not intimidating.

      ‘You’ll knock them dead,’ said Nick with a wink, walking up to the marble reception to announce their arrival.

      They rode the lift to the boardroom in silence – each not needing to tell the other how vital the afternoon was. Cate and Nick had worked so hard over the last three weeks since their initial meeting with David. The dummy magazine was finished, the business plan was polished. There’d been tough negotiations with printers and reprographic houses to get the best possible deals lined up. A deal to distribute the magazine in all airports, train stations and newsagents had been hammered out. They’d even set up meetings with important advertisers such as Estée Lauder, Chanel, British Airways and Armani to canvass support should they have to move quickly for a summer launch.

      The lift door hissed open and David was waiting for them. His grey eyes were serious, his mouth unsmiling: David’s operator mode, thought Nick.

      ‘Everyone’s here,’ said David in a hushed tone, ushering Cate and Nick down the corridor to the boardroom. ‘Ten men, two women. Watch out for Nigel Hammond who’s sitting at the head of the table,’ he said, lowering his voice even further. ‘Nigel made a billion in spread betting, will be very tough in questioning, but if we can get him, the rest will follow.’ At the heavy oak door, David turned towards them, resting a hand on Cate and Nick’s shoulders. ‘Be confident, answer all the questions as we’ve discussed and leave any of the tricky ones to me. Good luck.’

      He squeezed Cate’s shoulder and she felt a warm, fuzzy glow. ‘You’ll be fantastic,’ he whispered as they walked into the room.

      The boardroom СКАЧАТЬ