The Publicist Book One and Two (18 page)

Chapter Forty

“What do you mean she’s not coming to New York?” Mac was getting impatient. “I came back from my trip to see Saundra, and now she’s not coming in. What the hell?”

Saundra’s assistant was firm, but polite.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ellis, but Saundra had a personal issue come up. She promised to be in next week. I’ve had her flights moved.”

Mac sighed, “She’d better. Her book launches the second week in January. Remind her of that. I need her here.”

“She’ll be there. I will send her updated itinerary as soon as I have it.”

Mac dropped the phone. He was so pissed off. He had planned meetings for Saundra and a photo shoot that Kate had coordinated. All of it had to be moved.

…

“How was your date? What a hunk!” Lulu’s lyrical voice met Kate when she entered the office. She could see Mac in his office, within earshot.

“It wasn’t a date, Lu. That’s Allan’s nephew.” Kate wanted to keep moving, but her assistant handed her some paperwork.

“For your signature, Kate.”

She looked at the stack, ad approvals for Isla.

“I’m sorry, but it was still dinner, right? He looks just like Matthew McConaughey!”

That’s it!
Kate thought. Now she knew who Nick reminded her of. Leave it to Lulu to put a celebrity name to the face.

Pete came into the office, his red hair disheveled from the cold, biting winter wind. “Morning, girls, what are we talking about?”

Like most people in the office, Lulu didn’t care for Pete.

“Nothing,” she said and turned her attention back to Kate. Pete shrugged and walked to his cube.

“Are you two an item?” Lulu’s blue eyes were huge. “Does he have a brother? Oh my God, he’s such a hottie and he’s so tanned and that blond hair!” Lulu wouldn’t stop.

Kate was starting to feel embarrassed. She caught Mac watching now, like everyone else.

“Lu,” Kate almost whispered, “let’s have this talk in private.”

Lulu nodded, “I forgot, Kate, sorry.”

Kate smiled and headed to her office. What a show. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Mac hearing Lulu’s gushing about Nick. It hadn’t been intentional, but it had been awkward. Kate thought of Nick, and his kiss at the end of the night that had left her tossing and turning for an hour. She knew she was starting to care for Nick, too. But he was leaving soon, back to California.

“Expiration dating. It’s what I’m good at,” she said aloud.

“Excuse me?”

Mac stood in her doorway, filling it with his frame. She fought the urge to tell him Nick was nothing, just a date. But she knew it wasn’t true and wasn’t necessary. Mac couldn’t possibly be surprised. Could he?

Kate fumbled with the papers Lulu had given her.

“Nothing.” She sat down. “What’s up?”

Mac smiled. She was glad she was seated. Her knees felt weak,

“Dinner. I would love to take you to dinner tonight. We haven’t spent time together since I’ve been back.”

Kate nodded, “Sure, I’d love that.”

Mac left, feeling oddly awkward. There was a new dynamic between them, probably because there was a new man. Mac knew enough about the dynamics of courtship to know that Nick liked Kate. He wondered if Kate returned his feelings.

…

The waitress took their order and quietly faded into the background. Mac sipped his wine and watched Kate unfold her napkin.

“So tell me about Nick.”

Mac was almost surprised that he dove right into the inquisition. He’d intended to be more subtle, but somehow he didn’t have the patience for subtlety right now.

Kate shrugged, remembering Nick’s kiss and feeling a thread of guilt weave through her mind.

“He’s Allan’s nephew. Nice guy. Runs an organic shop in California.” “When’s he going back?” Mac asked.

Kate smiled. Mac’s jealously was transparent.

“Next week, I think,” she responded.

“You know, you’re free to date whomever you want.” Mac’s words did not match the feeling in his eyes.

“We’re not dating, Mac.”

Kate wasn’t entirely sure that was true, but for whatever reason she didn’t want to share her uncertainty with Mac.

Mac wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand or caress her cheek, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. If Nick were here, he could have. Mac hated that it made him want to punch someone. Preferably Nick.

…

Later, at Mac’s apartment, he took great care to explore every inch of her body in a way he hadn’t before. There was an urgency to show her what he was not able to express. He kissed and sucked on her nipples and then dipped two fingers inside her, bringing her to one rocketing orgasm after another. Then, when she was almost totally exhausted, he held her eyes, kissed her gently, and slid himself inside her gently rocking her back and forth. He waited until she came again to release himself, and when he did, Kate could have sworn she heard a hushed, “I love you,” escape his lips. But she wasn’t sure and did not ask. Maybe she had just heard her own words echoing in her head.

Chapter Forty-One

Allan Lavigne’s funeral was held at the Central Synagogue at Lexington and Fifty-Fifth Street at ten a.m. The synagogue was filled with mourners, including just about everyone from MD. Mac sat near Kate but not beside her. She was seated in the family row next to Nick. It did not escape Mac’s eyes that Nick held her hand the entire time.

Kate got up and gave the eulogy. Mac watched her and realized she’d never looked more beautiful or more fragile. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of not spending time with his family over Christmas and staying here, instead. He knew that was not only impossible, but it would really hurt his sons. He couldn’t do that. There it was again, the choices he made or didn’t make, as the case may be.

After the funeral, there was a small gathering at a local Irish pub Allan loved and where he told Kate he’d written
The Fall
. There were about seventy-five people there, including several publishing folk, Allan’s agent, and Mac.

“It’s so lovely that he had such a good friend in you, Kate,” someone said to her. Kate had no idea who she was. Nick was nearby and put an arm around her shoulders.

“Hi,” he smiled, “I’m Allan’s nephew, Nicholas Lavigne.”

She held her hand out. “I lived in the building for years before my husband and I moved out to Westchester. Linda Fort.”

“Linda, nice to meet you and thanks for coming. I think Uncle Allan would have been surprised that so many people showed up. He never thought he made an impact on the world.”

Linda shook her head, “Ridiculous to think that, isn’t it? Especially after his book, which I started reading again the other day. I’m so sorry he never wrote again.”

“I am, too. What a legacy that would have been,” Nick agreed.

From the other side of the pub, Mac watched them both. He didn’t like where this seemed to be headed, but there wasn’t much he could do to prevent it. Katie was a smart, beautiful, savvy, single woman who should be dating someone who could give her more than evenings in bed or dinners in remote restaurants. The woman Kate had been talking to left, and Nick whispered something to her then walked off. He headed over.

“Kate, I’d love to see you after this.”

Kate was startled to see him beside her.

“Hi, Mac. It was nice of you to come and stay as long as you have.”

“Allan made MD what it is. I wish Edward had remembered that.”

“At least he showed up for the funeral.”

Mac’s lips formed a straight line. “It’s not the point. He should have done more—gotten up and said a few words—something. He’s probably just pissed now that he spent so much money trying to find a way to get out of Allan’s contract.”

Kate’s face fell.

“I’m sorry, Katie. That was insensitive.”

“No, you’re right. He’s the insensitive one. Thanks again, Mac.”

“I’d love to see you tonight, Kate. I leave in the morning…”

She wanted to see Mac, too. But she didn’t want to leave Nick alone.

“I’d love to, Mac, but Nick. He’s alone in the city, and today was his uncle’s funeral. I really think I should stick around.”

Mac felt his throat tighten.

“Sure. Of course. Then I guess I’ll see you after the holidays.” His voice lowered, “Merry Christmas, Katie.”

For a moment, they both remembered the first time he’d said that to her. It was the night he kissed her in Battery Park. She wanted to reach up and grab him and kiss him. But of course, she couldn’t.

“Merry Christmas, Mac.”

Mac turned to leave. Outside the snow was falling again. He would be alone tonight, and he hated being alone. He’d planned this whole evening with Kate, something to lighten her mood, even if only slightly. Now someone else would be with her, maybe making her smile, making her feel better.

He hated that.

Chapter Forty-Two

“What are you doing on Christmas?” Kate asked.

“Well, nothing.” Nick sipped his organic coffee. “I suppose going through Uncle’s apartment. I heard from the lawyer, by the way. He has the will. We’ll go through it after Christmas.”

“Great, that’s great. Well, not really. I’d rather…”

Nick covered her hand with his. “I know.”

The café they were seated at was bustling with crowds, mostly tourists. Christmas was always a popular time in New York. Then it occurred to her.

“I have an idea.”

Nick smiled, “What’s that?”

“Let’s spend Christmas like tourists, which you are, sort of. We can do all of the things that visitors come here for. Rockefeller Center, Central Park, all of it. I haven’t done this stuff in years. It’ll be fun.”

“I’d love to, Kate.” And leaned over and kissed her. It was the first time they’d kissed since the other night. Kate wasn’t sure he was really interested or if the kiss had been a mistake. “But don’t you have family you’d rather spend it with?”

“Allan was the only family I had in the city, and some friends—my best friend Grace—but we can stop by there and you can meet her.”

…

On Christmas, they spent the day wandering the city, walking under the bright sunshine. It was a perfect, cold day in New York and the streets were packed with tourists and locals. Sounds and sights of Christmas were everywhere. At some point during the day, Mac sent her a Merry Christmas text, to which she responded right away. She missed him, although she loved spending time with Nick. Confused didn’t even begin to describe how she felt.

“So, when do you head home?” she asked as they wandered through Central Park sipping their hot chocolate.

“End of next week. I have to get back to the stores. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do with Uncle Allan’s apartment. Rentals in this town are awful. I might just sell it.”

Kate nodded.

Nick put his arm around her. “I know it’s hard.”

They walked together in silence.

…

“Kate, I hate to do this on Christmas, but I need to drop by Uncle Allan’s apartment. Do you mind? I have some documents I need to grab and fax to the accountant so he can finish up some final paperwork before I send it to the attorney. He promised to look at this over the weekend.”

She nodded, “Sure.”

She remembered they had planned to be there on Christmas with Allan. The thought made her sad.

Allan’s apartment was lonely and dark. She hated going there now. It reminded her of Allan’s lonely life. She wished she could have done more.

“I’ll be just a minute,” Nick said and vanished into his uncle’s office.

Kate sat at the large table, remembering other Christmases spent with Allan. She always asked him why he celebrated Christmas if he was Jewish.

“I finally gave in to commercialism,” he would tell her, and she’d laugh.

Nick emerged from the room, looking a little flustered. He held something in his hand, a small, letter-sized box.

“Is everything okay, Nick?” she asked.

“Kate, I found this earlier. It’s got your name on it.”

He set the box down in front of her. Kate lifted the top of it. It was a stack of typed pages with an envelope on top addressed to her. She opened it.

My Dearest Katie,

If you’re reading this, then I’ve died, and I want to say I miss you very much. You were a dear friend to me; I don’t know how I would have gotten through the lonely times without your love and caring.

I wanted to give you one last gift, a piece of me that no one else has: My final book. I wrote it, although I said I wouldn’t. I think it’s good. I think it will leave a solid legacy and perhaps give you that career boost you so deserve. I would ask one thing: Don’t let my publisher get their hands on this book. They’ll ruin it. I know you’ll take good care of it. It is my gift to you, for all the times you cared for me, bought me food, and made sure I was never lonely.

I love you, Katie. Be happy. Always, Allan

Kate started to cry and handed the note to Nick.

“I was going through another box,” he seemed to stumble over his sentence, not sure what he’d dug up.

Kate gently lifted the pages from the box and started reading, tears still falling from her eyes.

“Would you hand me that box of Kleenex?” she asked.

Kate couldn’t believe what she was reading. It was, indeed, brilliant. He’d done it. Allan had written a second book.

“Kate, let’s go. Let’s read this somewhere, somewhere else.”

He was right. It was too sad for her to be reading Allan’s final words in his apartment.

“Okay, sure. Let’s go to my place. It’s just a few blocks from here.”

Nick covered the box with the lid, which had been marked with Kate’s name.