“I think we should go for the gusto and do it at the meeting. I want to see their faces when they realize that we’ve found out their agenda; plus my security guards can be there to escort them off the property.”
“Okay, that’s the plan then,” I said.
Three hours later, we were sitting in the conference room at the office and four very uncomfortable Foothill Studio executives were sitting next to an attorney and two other very uncomfortable executives from Silver Fern Productions.
I just sat there, not having to say a word. I had just handed a document to everyone when Marshall referenced it. It was exciting watching them squirm, and I was glad to see them get busted for what they’d attempted to do. It served them right.
The attorney for Silver Fern Productions and the Foothill executives said that he’d be starting legal repercussions for backing out of the deal immediately. It was clear that he didn’t want to get busted for helping a shifty deal take place and was covering himself. The executives looked at him, clearly indicating that he’d better sit back down.
“Can I have a few minutes with my clients,” the attorney asked.
“Certainly,” Marshall replied. Marshall and I got up and went out into the hallway while they talked.
“I’d love to hear what they’re saying in there,” I said.
“Trying to save face. Something like this getting out in public doesn’t work well in this industry. They’d never work again if they were found out. All of them are too young for retirement yet.”
The attorney opened the door and gestured for us to come in. We sat back down and he began to state demands like he’d just won. “We need a severance package of twelve months pay with full benefits for the Foothill executives and a non-disclosure agreement of the details of this failed merger for everyone. Deal?”
Marshall turned to me. “Becca, why don’t you handle this?”
“I’m afraid that won’t work. We clearly have a case here that shows ill intent and deceit. If anything, all of you should be covering the legal expenses that came with this entire merger and the research of its validity. I believe that you’ll be content with an agreement of silence so your clients, the former executives of Foothill Studios, will have a chance of working in the movie industry again. Plus, there will also be a silence agreement against any hostile talk or mention of disdain against Marshall Kent and Foothill Studios.”
“Why, that’s preposterous,” the attorney stated. I could tell that he saw his hefty commission slipping away.
“You have five minutes to decide. Take it or leave it and we’ll see where things fall,” I said. I stared at him and he looked to the eyes of his five clients and they all looked back at him, communicating with the fear in their eyes.
“You have a deal. Have the document to my office by morning.”
“Actually, I have it here right now so you can take this and read it, have your clients sign it, and then have it back to us by morning. If we don’t receive originals by 10 a.m. we’ll take that as a sign of forfeiture and begin legal proceedings.”
I got the last word, nobody else said anything else. The attorney and his clients filed out of the room like they were children who had just gotten reprimanded by the teacher. Marshall watched them with a coy smile on his face.
The second they were out the door he ran up to me and hugged me tightly. “You are one beautiful, smart, and brilliant woman. That was amazing. Couldn’t have done it better myself.”
“Thanks. My heart is pounding like crazy. I’ve never done anything like that before. It felt pretty good.”
“It was amazing. I hope I’m never on the receiving end of it,” Marshall laughed. “Now, it’s time to celebrate. Nothing else matters today. You’ve saved me millions, perhaps billions, and my studio. What would you like to do?”
I pretended to think about it, knowing exactly what I wanted to do. “Well, I’ve seen your wine cellar now and was quite impressed with it. I was wondering what your bedroom looked like?”
Marshall laughed, not wasting a moment to sweep me up in his arms and carry me from the office all the way to his house behind it and up to his room. He threw me on the bed, stripped down, and introduced me to a new day full of exciting sex with him. He was by far the best friend I’d ever had, and I was going to enjoy this friendship for all it was worth.
Chapter 19
That night, as our celebration wrapped up, and Marshall and I were lying there, and we’d eaten some food and were just talking, winding down from an incredible day, I could tell something was on his mind. “What are you thinking about?” I asked, running my fingernail down the curves of the six packs on his chest.
“I have a confession,” Marshall said. I looked at him, hoping that things weren’t going to suddenly get crazy again. Yet, something in his eyes seemed so relaxed that I knew I didn’t have to worry.
“Confess away then,” I answered, sitting up a little more.
“Well, that day when we had our interview you immediately intrigued me. I could tell that you were more than just smart and that you didn’t just settle for anything. It was so new and refreshing to me that I did a little research.”
“What do you mean…research?” I asked.
“Well, after you stormed out of the restaurant and I watched you cross that busy street in a huff I just had to know more about you. I called Sophia and asked a lot of questions.”
“What type of questions?”
“I wanted to know about your relationship status. She told me about the guy who’d hurt you pretty badly, and how it had really messed with your emotions, even your judgment of a good guy from one who could be a real jerk.”
“Oh, okay,” I replied. I couldn’t complain about that because I’d certainly done my best to find out a lot of information on Marshall myself. It was my way of trying to get a grasp on his unique and strong personality.
“I also learned that you tend to like guys that are harder to get. You’re used to getting a lot of attention from men, and that seemed to bore you. You’re a woman who likes a good challenge.”
“Is that why you’ve been putting me through the ringer with some of these things?” I asked.
“Well, a bit,” Marshall said, shrugging his shoulders. “I just didn’t want you to automatically rule me out if I seemed too interested.”
“And that had nothing to do with guarding your own emotions?” I replied. I was smiling. It was actually very sweet and enduring to me.