Landing in New York City went smoothly, not at all what Meg anticipated. She was expecting pure chaos. The limo driver was waiting for her at arrivals and held up a sign; Ms. Malone. She approached the driver with a smile. “Ms. Malone?” he asked, raising one eyebrow in question.
“Yes, that’s me. I assume you’re the driver that will bring me to the hotel?”
“Absolutely,” he said with a polite smile before he proceeded to take the luggage from her hand. He placed both the suitcase and the overnight bag on the luggage cart and off they went toward the exit.
It was pretty hot outside. The sun was bright and the humidity was suffocating, not a breeze in the air as the heat wrapped itself around Meg. “Geez, it must be ninety degrees out here.” The parking lot was pure chaos. It was challenging to get through the crowd. People were yelling at one another over taxicabs, no apologies. They simply squeezed and butted in front of one another. It appeared as though everyone was in a hurry to get somewhere. They made it to the limo, and the driver held the door open for her to climb in. She sat back and prepared herself to enjoy the cool air-conditioning and take in the sites on their way to the hotel.
Within an hour, Meg found herself in the hotel on 42nd street. The room was cool from the air-conditioning; it was a simple suite but nice enough. A king size bed was situated in the middle of the room, complete with crisp white linens and a nice clean smell. She quickly and eagerly unpacked her things.
After carefully studying the familiar material Frank had passed on to her, she had taken in every detail over and over again during her flight from Toronto to JFK Airport. She felt confident and well prepared for tomorrow’s meeting with Mr. Noble. Meg decided to take a long hot shower before calling Sarah to let her know she was here in New York. Everything had happened so quickly. She hadn’t had time to give her a heads up. But now that she had a free evening, Meg was hoping Sarah would be available to meet up with her.
The shower was exactly what Meg needed to recharge herself. She was in New York and was now ready to take on the world. She applied a little makeup and threw on a simple black strappy sundress. A little cleavage showed but not too much, the dress was long and stopped just above her ankles. She grabbed her cell and after the second ring, someone picked up. “Sarah?”
“Oh, my God. Meg, is that you? I thought you fell off the face of the earth. I haven’t heard from you in over three months. I was about to send out the state troopers, for God’s sake. I should be giving you hell right now, but it’s so good to hear your voice. What have you been up to? I have so much to tell you,” she said, her voice filled with excitement.
“Actually, I’m in here in New York.”
The line went completely quiet for a brief moment, then in a confused voice, “What do you mean, you’re here in New York?”
“Yeah, I just arrived about an hour ago. I would have called before I got here, but everything was so rushed, the last two days have been a complete blur. I’m here on business, but I think I’ll have a lot of free time on my hands. I was hoping we could get together. How’s your schedule for the rest of this week?”
“Oh, my God, Meg. You’re serious!” Sarah squealed into the receiver. “Where are you staying? I’ll come get you.”
Meg laughed lightly and was just as excited as Sarah, “I’m staying at the Weston Hotel on forty-second and I’m not sure how far that is from your place though.”
“You’re not too far at all, but why are you staying there? You could have stayed with me.”
“Come and get me. I’ll explain when I see you.” Sarah wrote down the name of the hotel and assured Meg she would be there within half an hour and to wait for her out front.
Eight years had gone by since high school and that was the last time they had seen one another. Despite their efforts to get together over the years, it had never worked out. They talked on the phone and communicated through e-mail to keep up to date and to lean on one another when they needed too. Edged with excitement, Meg headed down to the lobby. It was a little past six when she walked out the front door of the hotel and took a seat on the bench. Anxiously, she waited.
* * * *
Like clockwork, Sarah pulled up to the hotel parking lot. Meg was waiting outside the front door. She jumped out and ran toward Meg and nearly knocked her over. They hugged tightly for a long time before letting go. A million questions flew between them all at once. They both laughed when they realized they were going on and on and repeating the same questions at the exact same time. They finally gave up and made their way to the car.
“Sarah, you look more gorgeous now than you did before. I didn’t think that was possible, but wow!” Meg touched her cheek affectionately. “I see modeling works very well for you. But you’re thin, maybe you could use a few pounds,” Meg continued with concern.
“No way. My agent keeps close tabs on me. I can’t gain an ounce or I will be out of a job. They have me on a very strict diet: no carbs and lots of protein, vitamins and mineral water. That’s pretty much it. The exercise program is exhausting, but hey, I’ve learned to adjust. It’s all good, and I splurge once in a while a few days before I’m scheduled for a shoot. God forbid I bloat just a little,” she laughed.
“I’ve seen your pictures plastered on the cover of so many magazines over these past few years. I have to admit, it’s exciting having a famous friend. I talk about you all the time at work and share your pictures with my co-workers. The guys are all infatuated and mesmerized and the women…well, they try their best to find some sort of flaw, which of course they never do.” Meg chuckled.
Sarah leaned over to kiss Meg on the cheek. “You’re so sweet and I adore you, Meg Malone. So, tell me, what brings you to New York, my beautiful friend who hasn’t called me in three long months?”
“You could have called me too, you know. I haven’t changed my number. What’s your excuse?”
“Ah, forget it, we’re both to blame, but we’re together right now and I can’t believe I’m sitting here next to you. My God, it’s been eight years. Where did the time go?” Sarah shook her head at how eight years went by so quickly. “Let’s get going, and you can fill me in on what brings you to New York over dinner.”
“Sounds good, Sarah. I’m starving,” Meg replied in sync with a loud stomach growl. Sarah looked her way and they both broke out in laughter. Meg looked Sarah over one last time before adjusting her seat belt, thankful that she was finally with her friend. It had been far too long.
Sarah focused on moving out of the hotel parking lot and on to the main road. “I had my agent’s assistant book us a table at an Italian restaurant. I am so eating carbs this evening. I have a shoot three days from now, so I’ll work it off before then. You still like Italian, don’t you?” she asked with anticipation in her voice.
Sarah’s face looked like she desperately needed pasta or she would die. Meg chuckled and shook her head at her friend, whom she figured must be eating less than one thousand calories a day. Even if Meg didn’t like pasta, she wouldn’t dare admit it to Sarah right now. “Of course I do. In fact, I’m craving for penne a la vodka and a veal cutlet. Italian sounds perfect! Do you think they’ll have cannolis? I haven’t had one of those things in a long time.”
“Meg, we’re going to an Italian restaurant, of course they have cannolis. Now hold on because New York City is filled with crazy drivers.” Sarah gave Meg a daredevil look and winked. The back of Meg’s head hit the headrest, and she held on for dear life.
“Jesus, Sarah, slow down or I’m going to puke.” Meg really did feel like she was going to heave up the breakfast she’d had earlier that morning. She steadied herself and watched Sarah maneuver quickly around the traffic. It was a miracle she didn’t hit anyone. When Meg opened her eyes again, she had to admit that as scared as she felt, Sarah was an excellent driver. “You know, if modeling doesn’t work for you, you could always take up race car driving!”
“Yeah, you think?” Sarah laughed and winked at her friend. Her beautiful smile lit up her face.
In less than fifteen minutes, they pulled up to valet parking at Carmine’s Italian Cuisine. “Wow, good thing you made reservations. It’s packed in there.” Meg pointed toward the lineup.
“Don’t worry. Just follow me, we’ll be at our table within two seconds flat.”
Sarah ushered her forward, and they approached a young woman dressed in black. Both women exchanged a friendly hug and greeted one another in the traditional European exchange of kisses. The young woman led them inside past the lineup to a quiet table in the corner away from the crowd. After taking a seat, Meg noticed Sarah still had her sunglasses on. She looked at her questioningly, with one eyebrow raised. “Are you seriously going to leave those sunglasses on all night? I can’t see your eyes, and you’re in a restaurant for God’s sake.” The fact that Sarah sat across the table from her in a crowded restaurant with dark sunglasses covering her eyes annoyed the hell out of Meg.
“Sorry, I’ll take them off. It’s just that once the public realizes who I am, they stare, they point, and they whisper. I really don’t feel like talking to anyone right now, Meg. I want to catch up with you and blend in without anyone approaching me for a change. I haven’t seen you since forever. Maybe we can change seats; if I have my back to everyone, maybe no one will notice. Would you mind?”
Meg wasn’t sure if Sarah was full of herself or if she felt sorry for her. While being a famous model most certainly had its perks, they really didn’t have much privacy. Meg stood up and exchanged seats without uttering another word. She couldn’t help but think this lifestyle definitely wouldn’t suit her. She loved her privacy and would absolutely despise being the center of attention.
Sarah ordered red wine for both of them. They talked through dinner, catching up on all the details of their life, their jobs, and the fact that they were both still single. They talked and laughed for hours and before they knew it, it was past eleven in the evening. The bill arrived and Sarah insisted on paying. “You are my guest. While you visit this city, you are not paying.” Sarah said in her don’t-mess-with-me voice. Sarah settled the bill and both women stood at the same time. Sarah put her sunglasses back on and led the way out of the restaurant with Meg following closely behind. Every head turned their way, and Sarah looked straight ahead as though she were walking down the runway of a fashion show. She swayed those perfect narrow hips, her long legs in perfect rhythm with her stride. Meg was used to the attention Sarah received. She reminded herself it was no different now than when they had grown up together. Sarah never intentionally looked for attention. It simply came with the territory of being so drop-dead gorgeous. Mouths simply hit the floor and women pinched their husband’s arms, but they never took their eyes away. Sarah was, of course, oblivious to everything around her. Meg often wondered if Sarah had any idea how incredibly beautiful she was. Meg was beautiful as well, but when Sarah was around, Meg felt as though she were a shadow.
With their bellies full, they walked past the familiar woman that escorted them in earlier. Once outside, the wine hit them like a ton of bricks, making them both a little lightheaded and woozy. Meg felt tired all of a sudden. “Sarah, you’re not planning on driving are you? We must have finished off just shy of two bottles of wine in there. Let’s call a cab.”
“No way. They have limos here somewhere,” she slurred while looking around. She spotted what she was looking for and pointed in the direction of a limo. “Over there. Come on, hurry, before someone else takes it. This city is crazy.” She grabbed Meg’s hand in hers, and they ran toward the limo. A tall thin man stood next to the door and held it open; both women staggered inside.
“What about your car?”
“No big deal. I’ll arrange to have someone pick it up in the morning. So, Meg, what would you like to do now?”
“I think I had enough for one day. I should get back to the hotel and get a good night sleep so I can think quickly on my toes tomorrow,” she said a little nervously.
“Who is it you’re meeting again?”
“Mr. Noble and I have no idea what the man looks like. In fact,” she continued, “I don’t know much about him at all. Other than his last name and he owns an investment company. I have to admit I am a little nervous about this deal.”
Sarah looked her over and curled her perfectly manicured fingers around Meg’s arm. “Oh stop, you don’t need luck. You’re good at what you do. You know everything there is to know about that company.”
“You’re right. I can answer anything he needs to know, but like I said, I don’t know much about him. I’m sure it’ll be a boring meeting, very little excitement, more tense than anything. According to Frank, he’s on a very tight schedule, travels a lot, and he’s extremely successful. Most likely a little arrogant, but I’ll fill you in on the details when I see you again. Speaking of which, we didn’t get around to when we’re getting together again. You mentioned you have a shoot in three days, meaning Friday?”
“Damn it, I’ll be away from Friday morning and returning Sunday.” Sarah pleaded with Meg to stay in New York until at least the following Wednesday giving them a few days together. "Tell me you will still be here when I get back; we have a lot of catching up to do.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ll still be here. I may be sticking around for two weeks. At least that’s what I’m hoping for. How about tomorrow evening or Thursday, are you busy then?”
“Tomorrow I have a facial shoot for a magazine company and thank God it’s my face, because after what I ate this evening, my agent will have my ass. But I’m free Thursday. I’ll call you tomorrow night and we’ll work out the details.”
Meg pulled Sarah into a hug. “That sounds great, thank you, but listen, if I’m holding you back from other plans, I won’t be offended. I’m sure there’s a lot to do here in New York.”
“Are you kidding me? We are so getting together Thursday night. I’ll plan something, don’t worry.”
“Honestly, Sarah, I’m fine with just hanging out at your place, we don’t need to go out.”
“You’re nuts! You are in New York City, Meg, the city where no one sleeps. It’s insane and full of crazy people. No, I am definitely taking you out on the town and that’s that,” she said as she dug her fingernail into Meg’s chest making her point clear. “Hey, I have a great idea, why don’t you stay at my place? It’s near Central Park, and it’s absolutely beautiful there. I know you like your morning run, and it’s the perfect spot. You’ll have the place to yourself all weekend and it beats staying at a hotel.”
Now that would be perfect, Meg thought to herself. “You know what, Sarah, that sounds tempting. Let me get back to you tomorrow and I’ll let you know for sure.” Meg appreciated the offer and knew she would accept. But first, she had to get tomorrow’s meeting out of the way in order to plan her week and hopefully find out if she had to work on anything prior to the weekend. Meg always worked hard during the week, but she looked forward to having her weekends free.
“Alright, when you’re done with the meeting,” Sarah extended her hand out and gave Meg a business card, “Go straight to this address, tell security you’re my guest and I’ll let them know tonight to expect you. I may have to work late, so take the guest room and don’t wait up for me. I’m not taking no for an answer, Meg.”
“I’ll be there, I promise.”
The limo stopped directly in front of the hotel. “Meg, it’s so good to have you here. It’s been way too long. I’ve missed our talks, and I miss the belly laughs. Get a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow evening or Thursday.”
“I missed you too, Sarah. We’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll call when I get to your place or text you.” Meg stood back and watched the limo pull out before turning to go inside.
Once inside the hotel room, she set the alarm for eight in the morning. She took a long hot shower, closed the heavy drapes, and left the bathroom light on. She threw on her pajamas and didn’t realize how tired she was until her head hit the pillow. The alcohol definitely took the edge off and made her feel a little less nervous about tomorrow’s meeting. Meg drifted off to sleep within minutes.
* * * *
Meg stretched and yawned when the alarm went off, feeling like she’d had less than three hours of sleep. After changing into her workout clothes, she headed down to the gym on the fourth floor. The morning went by rather quickly, and before she knew it, there was one hour left before meeting Mr. Noble. She pulled out her black pencil skirt from the closet along with a white fitted blouse and black stilettos with an open toe. After fixing her hair and touching up her makeup, she grabbed her purse and briefcase. Her cell phone rang just as she was about to step outside the door. She removed it from her purse and noted the call display showed Private Caller. “Hello, Meg Malone speaking,” she said a little hesitantly.
“Ms. Malone, I’m so glad I caught you. I have been asked to call you with a change of plans for today’s meeting with Mr. Noble. He seems to be running a little behind schedule and has asked that you meet him at a restaurant near your hotel as opposed to the office. He hasn’t eaten yet and would like to cover the meeting as well as lunch at the same time. I hope this isn’t an imposition for you?” the lady asked in a professional and polite tone.
“No, not at all,” Meg replied.
“Okay, there is a chauffeur outside your hotel. He’s driving a black limo; tell him your name, he’s waiting for you.” They ended the call politely, and Meg headed for the elevator, wondering how the hell they knew what hotel she was staying at. Frank must have told them was her guess.
On the way down, her mind started working overtime and admittedly she was still feeling a little anxious about the whole meeting thing. Once outside, she spotted the black limo parked at the curb. The driver stepped out to greet her when he noticed she was walking in his direction. He politely held the door open, “Ms. Malone?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Please step inside, ma’am. Mr. Noble is running a little behind schedule today, and we need to be on our way.”
“No problem, I understand.” She took a seat in the back of the limo, adjusting her skirt so it wouldn’t wrinkle. She looked curiously out the window at the city coming into view as they took to the streets of Manhattan. Tall buildings came to life and she couldn’t help but notice how many people were hurriedly walking along the sidewalks and bumping into one another. Cabbies beeped at pedestrians while rushing to cross the intersections. Tour buses were crawling slowly in the right lanes while cabbies cut them off; it was pure and simple chaos Meg thought to herself. Toronto was busy but nothing compared to this.
Meg mentally prepared herself to answer any questions she anticipated Mr. Noble would have. Her thoughts then shifted to food when she realized how hungry she was after her workout this morning. She had skipped breakfast and settled for a coffee instead and now regretted it.
The limo pulled up to the curb on their right. She took note they were parked in front of Grand Central Station. Then felt silly when she realized how close her hotel was. She could very easily have walked the three blocks to get here. Well, maybe not in these shoes, she thought. The driver came around and held the door open. Pointing toward the entrance into Grand Central Station, he instructed Meg to go inside, walk down the flight of stairs through the main entrance and that would take her directly into the station. “Take the stairs going up, once inside to your left,” he said. “You will find the restaurant to your immediate right when you reach the top floor. The name of the restaurant is Michael Jordan’s. Let the maitre d’ know that you have a reservation under the name of Noble. Enjoy your day, Ms. Malone,” he said before turning to leave.
She thanked the driver and made her way into Grand Central Station. It was extremely busy inside. People stood about taking in the art work. The famous clock hanging high on the wall was a piece that Meg was sure everyone was familiar with from countless movies filmed right here at Grand Central Station. The architecture and details of the building were truly amazing, and she wished she had more time to look around.
She took in a deep shaky breath and recalled the driver’s instructions that would lead her easily to the restaurant. Once at the top of the stairs, she let the maitre d’ know she was here for a business meeting and that reservations were under the name of Mr. Noble. Meg was immediately escorted to her seat. He wasn’t here yet, she noted, which was great in her opinion. She needed a glass of wine to loosen up a little. Meg took a long look around and absorbed her surroundings. What if he doesn’t drink while doing business? On an empty stomach, she knew it would go straight to her head and decided to skip the alcohol for now. The waiter approached her table, placed a tall glass of ice water, and a glass of red wine in front of her. She looked at him curiously. Thinking he must have read her mind.
His voice was warm and friendly when he greeted her. “Ms. Malone, Mr. Noble sends his sincere apologies for running late. Unfortunately, he is stuck in traffic and asked that I make sure you were comfortable and well taken care of. This wine is our very best and exclusive to Michael Jordan’s restaurant. I do hope it’s to your liking. Mr. Noble asked that you sit tight until he arrives. We are expecting him within the hour,” he assured her.
Meg thanked the kind waiter for the wine and engaged in a nice long sip. The moment the texture hit her tongue, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. She decided it would be best to take her time and enjoy the velvety smoothness of the dark liquid. If she drank too quickly on an empty stomach, she knew the rest of the afternoon would be very interesting indeed.
She checked the time. Oh dear God, in half an hour or less I am going to be sitting across from some stuffy NY suit. The reality of the situation sank in real fast then. Frank is relying on me to make this sale a success and answer any questions without hesitation. “Hesitation will only make you look as though you are hiding something or that you have no clue what you are talking about,” she recalled Frank telling her. “Keep your answers short, Meg, and to the point.”
Meg knew it was important to focus and confidence would be a definite key to making this meeting as seamless as possible. The fact that she might be out of a job soon played wearily on her mind. Meg didn’t realize her eyes were closed until the waiter approached the table. “Are you okay, Ms. Malone?”
She cleared her throat. “Yes, sorry. I guess I was deep in thought there for a moment, but I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”
“How is the wine? Would you like me to top it off for you?”
“It’s wonderful, thank you, but I’m not so sure that topping me up is such a good idea. I’m afraid I’m on an empty stomach and this is already going to my head,” she laughed lightly. “But can I ask you something?” Not giving him the opportunity to answer, she continued, “My guess is you have reserved the rights to this wine? And if I were to inquire about purchasing a bottle, I am most likely out of luck, is that correct?”
He chuckled. “Yes, Ms. Malone. I’m afraid we do reserve the rights to the wine you seem to be enjoying so much, but let me see what I can do to get you a bottle before you leave. It’s not customary for us to sell it,” he winked at her before continuing. “We’ll have to keep that between us.”
“Do you mind telling me how much a bottle would cost? My curiosity is getting the better of me.”
“Why, yes, absolutely,” he replied with a kind smile. “One bottle is six hundred dollars. Would you like me to go ahead and put one aside for you?”
Meg’s mouth dropped and her eye’s flew open. “Ah, thank you, but that won’t be necessary…maybe next time though.” She smiled at the waiter. Who am I kidding!
He returned the smile, making sure not to embarrass her; he leaned in and in a low voice he whispered, “Not many customers purchase the entire bottle, so don’t be embarrassed, my dear, but do enjoy the glass and savor that taste. It’s a wonderful wine.”
“Thank you, sir. I will be sure to sip slowly and enjoy every last drop,” she winked in embarrassment.
“You’re not from New York, are you?” he asked, more of a statement than a question.
“No, I’m American. I grew up in Wisconsin, before moving to Canada to attend university there.”
His eyebrows shot up in interest. “Oh? Where in Canada?” he asked.
“Why do you ask, have you been?” Meg replied, curious as to why it seemed to intrigue him.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, many times. I happen to have an aunt that moved there years ago when she married a gentleman from Canada.”
“Where exactly in Canada does she live?”
“She lives in Toronto, in the downtown area. I used to visit her every summer as a young boy. I have many fond memories from when I was there.”
“That’s great,” Meg responded thoughtfully. “It is a beautiful place and full of a variety of different cultures. I live in the downtown area myself, and I’m pretty happy there.”
“Well, enjoy your afternoon, Ms. Malone. If you need anything at all, just look my way and I will be right over.” He winked at her reassuringly.
“Thank you, I appreciate your kindness and will certainly let you know if I need anything,” she assured him. The waiter nodded politely before walking away.
Meg sat back and took a long look around. She quickly discovered the attraction of Michael Jordan’s restaurant. Surprisingly enough, one would think with an open concept settled above the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Station that it would be filled with the loud sounds of people and trains coming and going. But despite the openness, it wasn’t noisy at all.
Music played low in the background, a little jazzy for her liking but definitely suitable for the ambiance it set within the restaurant. Most people appeared to be leaving after finishing their lunch, likely heading back to their office for the afternoon. The chair she settled in to on the balcony gave her a direct view of Grand Central Station. She absorbed the interesting pictures that were hung about the restaurant. Meg expected to see a variety of pictures with Michael Jordan playing basketball. Oddly enough, there were only two. The other pictures were interesting. The rustic wheels of a train etched in black and white spread across the top of the wall; the picture was broken up into three separate pieces and hung above two private booths tucked away behind the wall. The restaurant was trendy and upbeat, suitable for a business meeting she thought to herself.