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Harper glanced at her mother. “I’m not certain where I’ll be. Ask Mary. She has a knack for finding me.”
He nodded and exited her office. With his departure, the energy level in the room plummeted. Harper’s heart pounded in her chest as if she’d done a two-minute sprint on her treadmill.
“You’re letting that scruffy man open a restaurant in your hotel?”
Penelope’s criticism would’ve stung if Harper hadn’t witnessed her mother batting her eyelash extensions at that scruffy man only moments before. “He only recently returned from four months in Indonesia.”
“I thought you said he was a chef. What was he doing there?”
“Filming his television series, The Culinary Wanderer.” Harper waited for her mother to recognize the name. “He travels all over the world, eating local cuisine and bringing attention to
the history or current troubles of the places where he films.”
“I don’t watch much television. It’s too depressing.”
Harper didn’t bother arguing. Penelope lived in a snug bubble. She played golf in the morning and then lunched with friends. After a few hours spent shopping, the remainder of her day was taken up by something cultural or philanthropic. The only interruption to her schedule happened when she traveled to the Hamptons to visit her mother or decided a room of her condo needed updating.
“His show is very popular.”
“I’m sure you know what you’re doing,” Penelope replied, her tone indicating that she’d dismissed a subject that no longer interested her. “How soon can you get me the money I need?”
“I’ll call the bank and have them wire the funds as soon as you tell me who is blackmailing you and why.”
“I’m your mother,” Penelope huffed. “Don’t you dare barter with me.”
Before Harper could argue, Mary appeared in the doorway. “Your grandfather is on line one and Carlo called to say Chef Cole wants to talk to you as soon as you’re available.” Mary placed a wealth of emphasis on that last part.
She needed to do some damage control. “Tell him I’ll be down as soon as I’m done talking to Grandfather. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes.”
Penelope clutched her daughter’s arm as Harper began to rise. “You can’t say anything to Henry.”
“Why don’t we sort this business out over dinner later,” she suggested, attempting to pacify her mother. “I need to know more details before we proceed.”
“But you are going to help me,” Penelope stated, anxiety shadowing her determined tone.
“Of course.” Harper’s gaze skittered away from the relief in her mother’s eyes and fell on her assistant.
Mary had been waiting patiently through their exchange. Seeing she’d regained Harper’s attention, she switched on her headset and spoke to the caller. “She’s on her way to the phone now. Okay, I’ll let her know. Your grandfather has had to take another call. He’ll catch up with you at four our time.”
“Thank you, Mary.” Harper turned to her mother. “I have some business to take care of. It shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes.”
Penelope glanced at her watch. “I have a manicure appointment in half an hour.”
It made perfect sense to Harper that her mother would schedule a beauty treatment in the midst of a personal crisis. No matter how bad things got, she never neglected her appearance.
“Mary will get you settled in a suite. I’ll order dinner to be served there at seven. We can talk then.”
* * *
Ashton lounged in the Fontaine Ciel’s executive conference room, tapping his fingers against the tabletop in a rhythm that called to him from the past. He had his back to the large monitor set on the wall opposite the door that led to the hall. The network suits in New York had not yet figured out the connection was live and he was gaining some useful insights into their thought processes.
He’d been in negotiations for a brand-new television series for almost five months now. The Lifestyle Network wanted him to star in a culinary show that “showcased his talent.” Or at least that was the way his manager, Vince, had pitched it. Ashton agreed that it was a solid career move. Something he’d been working toward these past eight years.
It would allow him to live permanently in New York City. He’d never again have to travel under the most uncomfortable conditions to places that no one in their right mind wanted to live.
Too bad he loved all those miserable out-of-the-way places he visited. Nor was Lifestyle Network’s demand that he quit The Culinary Wanderer if they gave him his new show sitting well with Ashton. With the sort of taping schedule he had with the travel show, there was no reason why he couldn’t do both. He’d given six years to Phillips Consolidated Networks and The Culinary Wanderer. The show remained vital and continued to do well in the ratings. Giving it up made no sense. And then there was all the aid that the places he visited received as a result of the show.
He hadn’t set out to do a culinary series that highlighted socioeconomic and political issues around the world. He’d started out romping around the globe doing a six-part series featuring out of the way culinary adventures for the network’s travel channel. At some point toward the end of the first season, he’d started to see the potential of shining the light of television on some of the places regular travelers would never go. But it wasn’t until the first segments aired that he realized he was raising social awareness.
