Page 24 of Hayes

"You obviously made an impression, my dear." Celeste swept into her office without knocking.

"What do you mean?"

"The article you wrote about the acquisition of Southern Airlines by Marsden was well received. I suspect that's why you were issued an invitation to their celebration party, which will be held on Saturday at the Plaza Hotel."

"I did not receive an invitation," Camelia pointed out. She had not heard from Hayes since he warned her of his intention.

"It was sent to me personally." With a flourish, Celeste handed her the pale yellow envelope. "It's a formal event and I received one as well. I am looking forward to seeing you there and I was thinking that we could do a follow-up story." With a wave, she was gone.

Taking out the invitation, she studied the raised embossed letters and the glossy print. She would not go, of course. This was Hayes' way of forcing her hand. She still had three days left of the week he had given her, and she was not going to be forced into doing something she did not want to do.

With a militant look on her face, she reached for her phone and called his private number.

"Camelia."

"I will not be attending your little soiree, and I am just calling to let you know," she told him firmly.

"It's far from little. Acquiring Southern is a major coup, and the party has been arranged as a celebration. Your presence there will be a pleasure."

"I have done my part, and it's over. I know what you are doing."

"And what is that?"

She glared at the opposite wall in frustration. "Hayes, I need time–"

"I am giving you time. I have not called and demanded to see you, have I?"

"Yet here I am with an invitation in my hand, sent to Celeste instead of me. Won't your girlfriend be there?"

"She will be," he responded calmly. "She was invited several weeks ago, and I cannot change it. I am still with her because of you."

"Don't you dare put that on me! You are with her because you want to hedge your bet. Have you slept with her? I am sorry—that's none of my business." A headache was brewing, and she felt as if she had lost what little control she had of her life.

"I have not seen Simone since you and I were together. And I am not doing this to 'hedge my bet' as you so eloquently put it. I meant what I said, Cammy. I intend to be with you, and that's final. Get it through your brain that I am not going to stand back and allow you or anyone else to keep us apart. Wear something sexy. I have to go."

He hung up before she could blast him. Damn him! she thought furiously. Hayes Marsden was like a damn boulder, and whenever he made up his mind, there was no moving him.

Putting away the invitation, she tried to get back to work.

*****

Putting aside his personal feelings, Hayes sat across from the man and nodded to the hovering waiter. "I took the liberty of ordering the roast."

"Thanks." Bart Silver unfolded his napkin slowly, making a production out of the simple movement, and therefore, showing his nerves.

"You seem unsettled, Bart. Is there a reason?" Reaching for his glass of water, Hayes took a sip, keeping his eyes on the man across from him. "It wouldn't have anything to do with what my investigators discovered, would it?"

"I don't know what you think I did–"

"Not think. Know." Hayes waited until the meal had been placed in front of them before resuming the conversation. "You were the one who fed the information to the press, therefore causing unrest. You were also the one seen meeting with Gaston Blackwood, and I am guessing it was not to ask him to tea."

"We are friends–"

"I know that now. Eat." Hayes waved a hand at the untouched food in front of him. "How long have you been employed at Marsden?"

The man swallowed the lump inside his throat and took a swallow of the water in his glass. "Twenty years."

"My dad gave you a chance when you were kicked out of the company you were working for. Frankly, I think he did himself a disservice. But he always had a very good heart."