After All - Part Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six

Mattie looked at Dylan’s earnest face. She believed what he said, he really did feel like he needed her, but she had no doubt that his thoughts didn’t extend beyond the here and now.

                “Dylan, you think that’s what you want. But you never plan more than the next day. I can’t be thrown around like that. I have to move on.”

He stood, smiled sadly at her, “you’re wrong. I don’t want your sympathy, and I’m not being impulsive. You are good at your job, the best...and you challenge me personally and professionally. Call me mad but I think having you around will make me be a better person. If that sounds nauseating or contrived...well I’m sorry.” He stepped away from her, “have the weekend to think about things. But nine am Monday morning I’m meeting with the managers, I want you there. That ‘pokey little hotel’ wants you there too. I’ll email you a renegotiated contract.”

Giving her a smile he gave a little wave, “have a great weekend.”

How long had she been sat on the bench? She didn’t know, but she was cold, her legs felt stiff. She had so much to think about. It would be easy to slip back into a job with Dylan, but on the other hand it could be horrendously difficult. She had to think about the pros - she loved the job, it was well paid, he was offering her a better deal than she already had, it was a regular income, with the cons - of which there was just one - Dylan.

Was it being stubborn to avoid him just because? Was it a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face?

She hadn’t rushed into her decision; she’d contemplated it all weekend. A weekend during which four temp agencies called her back with not just placements, but job offers too. It was food for thought, and even on Sunday afternoon she hadn’t truly made up her mind.

Sitting across the table from Andy and his two friends Scott and Paul, for Sunday lunch she hated that she was still undecided.

                “You’re quiet.” She glanced up from her roast beef and smiled at Andy.

                “Bug decisions on my mind.”

He smiled, “does it help to talk? I’m not exactly the best on advice, but between the three of us we might make some sense.”

Chuckling she speared a carrot with her fork and chewed on it contemplatively for a moment, “Dylan offered me my job back, better money, more seniority.”

Andy almost spat out his dinner, “what? The man who made you resign...YOU the most conscientious hard working person I have ever come across, but you’re contemplating going back? It must have been hell to make you resign...”

She nodded, “but I love the hotel, the staff...it’s a great place.”

                “What about you? This is the problem with working with an ex; they know exactly what buttons to press. He can promise you the world now, but what’ll happen in a week, a month...a year?”

That was what she’d been thinking about; did she trust Dylan enough to NOT hurt her again? He promised he’d learned, but had he really?  She sighed, they’d talked, properly, she’d finally understood that them splitting had hurt him too, maybe it was immature, but they’d both held that pain in front of them like a shield. They had to get past that, and she wasn’t sure that she was, or that he was either. How much water could pass under the bridge before the relationship was soiled forever?

Andy must have been operating on a telepathic level because he immediately offered, “you can’t possibly think that you two can be friends, colleagues? It’s too late and he’s hurt you too much.”

She sighed, “I’ve hurt him too.”

                “BULLSHIT!” He exclaimed leaning across the table towards her, “do you remember how you were when I met you? Do you remember all you’d been through? ALL due to him, no one else.”

His vehemence surprised her, but she had been a mess when she’d taken the apartment across the hall from him, it was her lowest ebb, her darkest moment. But she now knew that it had affected Dylan too, he wasn’t immune to all that happened. With a sigh she turned back to her dinner. Because as much as Andy was slating Dylan, reminding her of where he had taken her, every word was making her want to defend him. Andy didn’t need to hear that now, but it was her own internal monologue that justified or at least tried to reason every negative point.

Mattie straightened her jacket, and checked her makeup in the small mirror, she was more nervous than before any interview or any job. Was she doing the right thing? She felt as thought she’d flipped a coin she was that unsure of her choice.

Dylan had heard NOTHING from Matilda all weekend. He didn’t know whether that was good or bad as the moments passed, but now, ten minutes before the meeting with the management team she hadn’t showed her face. He had to face up to the fact that he’d screwed up AND lost her for good. With a sigh he stood, he had to face the music. Brandy was arriving later in the day to replace Louise. Louise who he’d sent home tail between her legs, and immediately dispatched off to one of his smaller companies out of Manhattan, he knew it was wrong to punish her, she hadn’t made him turn against Matilda, she’d just made suggestions, but someone so disruptive wasn’t good for business. He would fly out and talk to her once he’d sorted out the issue of the lack of manager.

Strolling through reception he made straight for his office to collect the agenda and the details for the meeting that was scheduled to be in the boardroom. Hearing a cough, he looked up to see Martin behind reception. He hadn’t faced any of the staff since the debacle the previous week, and as he looked at the scowl on the man’s face he realised that had been a gift, but had only prolonged the inevitable.

                “I know,” he grimaced, “I screwed up. I will be apologising profusely in the meeting. Ok?”

Martin shrugged, “it won’t bring her back though will it?”

Dylan wished he could say ‘YES, yes it will’, but he’d laid his heart on his sleeve on Friday, and that obviously hadn’t been enough. There was nothing more he could do. Nothing at all.

Hanging his head he turned for his office tempted to call in the bar for a stiff shot of brandy...but that would mean encountering Dan, and he wasn’t ready for any more one to one confrontations, he was going to hide behind the formality of the meeting. He wasn’t one to ever back down or hide in business, but he’d never crossed the personal/business boundary so dramatically before.

Gathering his information along with his defences he stalled as long as he could, until Martin phoned from the boardroom to say they were all ready.

Taking a deep breath he closed the office door and tried to lift his shoulders that were so slumped, so rounded.

                “Anyone would think you’re going to you death!”

It wasn’t the flippancy of the comment, or the throaty chuckle that followed it that made him spin around, it was the voice itself. Matilda.

                “You came?” he asked his voice little more than a breath.

She nodded, “wasn’t the easiest decision. Well, the hotel was a given, and the staff...”

                “Me?” he half asked.

She shook her head, “us. That’s the sticking point. Our past. Can you assure me it’s over? That we NEVER cross that boundary again, either of us.” When he lifted his eyebrow in surprise she smiled, “there were a lot of times when I wanted to get one over on you, make you look stupid. I was haughty...and occasionally unprofessional...” seeing him smile she quickly added, “not enough to warrant what you did to me, never that much. But we have to grow up, get over things.”

He sighed, “you always were the grounded one, the sensible one. Thank you. We all need you.”

She smiled then; a genuine smile and Dylan truly breathed a sigh of relief.

                “Shall we do this together?”

He nodded, “that sounds good.”

And they walked in and both apologised for their behaviour, then assured all the gathered staff that they had got over their issues, that it would never happen again and that they had reformatted the boundaries of their relationship. Matilda was welcomed back into the fold with open and ecstatic arms, and even the reaction to Dylan was a lot calmer.

But they had work to do, there was less than two months to their golf weekend and as yet there were no headline names. After the meeting Mattie retreated to her office to unload the boxes she’d walked out with the previous week, she’d not moved them after dumping them from the taxi. It took minutes to replace everything in her office, and a little longer to reopen her email.

                “So you’re back!” She looked up to see Sarah stood there smiling.

Mattie grinned, “so you were a bitch to him?”

She chuckled, “he left just after you, so everything you emailed me I sent to him, then I set to work on breaking down that blonde bitch. I just knew it was her. When she started slagging off the hotel, calling it small fry and pokey, well I just had to let Mr Wallace know that she was speaking with such disdain.”

Mattie stood and walked towards her, “sorry for abandoning you.”

She sighed, “you’ve never spoken much about your time with him, Dylan that is, so I presume it wasn’t good. And you can cut the atmosphere between you two with a knife sometimes. Is this really workable?”

Chuckling Mattie dragged her into her office, “it has too. We’ve both finally grown up, so that’s a good thing. Finally aired all our issues. Nothing left.”

                “You make it sound easy!”

Mattie sat at her desk, “it has to be. Now, golf weekend, where have we got?”

It was well after six and she was still ensconced in her work. She had so many half promises, then there was an issue with the marquee provider and some changes to the price for the sign writing. These were all distractions from the real issue. The lack of celebrity at the celebrity golf event. The hospitality and ticket sales depended on them being big, household names.

Dropping her head into her hands she sighed, this was going to be a PR disaster. There was no other way of looking at it.

                “Aren’t you going home today?”

Mattie looked up to see Dylan stood in the doorway an awkward smile on his face, he’d avoided her all day, she knew he was giving her space and she was grateful for that chance.

Shaking her head she sat back, “just trying to avoid a disaster, and not having much luck.”

He came across the room and lowered himself into the seat opposite her, “can I help?”

Shrugging she reached into her briefcase and pulled out a file, “this...” She tossed some papers in his direction. “Paul arranged this a year ago, but other than a few C-list celebs, the usual Celebrity Big Brother crowd, we’re struggling to get the names we need. Every department has had this as a goal for so long, its’ success is important to all the staff here.”

He perused the details for a minute, “so you want some celebs, some pros and a whole host of sponsors?”

She nodded, “in that order. A satellite TV channel was interested, but it’s looking less likely as time goes on, but local TV will be here...I don’t want to cancel...but that’s preferable to it failing.”

He nodded, “I can see that. This was part of your hassle last week?” When she nodded, he added, “just wish you’d told me this earlier.”

                “Why?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Dylan sighed, “I have my contacts. Leave it with me. Ok?”

She was even more intrigued, “I think so, but I’m curious.”

He sat back in his chair and grinned, “my most recent and soon to be ex-stepfather is a politician, but his brother is a presenter on a certain sports show. He knows SO many golfers on the PGA tour. I mean a few years ago I played fours with him and Ian Poulter, he may not be Rory McIlroy or Bubba Watson, but at the time he was one of the best players.  Let me get on the phone tomorrow, I can dangle a few carrots, call in a few favours. Then a few celebs...he’s best mates with several well known faces, and would you believe an Oscar winning actor? I won’t make any promises yet, but he’ll come good. I know that. Plus the Wallace Corporation will stand as one of the sponsors. That’ll give all my boo boys a chance to come over and see the hotel at its best.” When she grimaced at the risk that involved he laughed. “I KNOW this will work! So what’s next?”