* * *
Elena signed off on the documents she was reviewing. It was late but she was finally done. She stretched.
A throat cleared.
She glanced up to find Madeleine leaning against her office door frame. She blinked at the sight of her, in a grunge band T-shirt, tight black jeans, and boots. “This is a familiar look. Weren’t you wearing this the first time we met?”
Madeleine sauntered over. “It seemed fitting given what I heard today.”
“Oh?”
“There’s this insane rumour that my beautiful corporate warrior woman defended my honour. She bought out CQ, fired its nasty editor, and then gave the staff a speech. Something about how she’s giving them all a month to prove themselves. And she’s going to base herself there for that time to see what they’re capable of.” She laughed. “Now isn’t that where we came in?”
“Except I don’t recall some garage-band extra getting in the elevator with me today and insulting me.” Elena smirked.
“Argh! I didn’t insult you! As you well know.” Madeleine shook her head. “So tell me, why the stay of execution? You told me this morning that if you hadn’t bought out CQ it’d be bankrupt in a year. Shouldn’t you be holding the last rites?”
“Truthfully?” Elena said. “I just wanted to edit one issue of CQ. Tick it off my bucket list and move on.”
“And then you’re firing them? Is it fair to give staff false hope?”
“It’s not false. They’re being reviewed. I’ve decided to merge CQ and Style. CQ has some excellent writers and designers. The management’s the cancer. Besides, a merger will send a rocket up Style that they can’t be complacent. I can clean house on two magazines.” Her eyes glittered. “Just because I made Style doesn’t give it a free pass.”
Madeleine shook her head. “God, that’s so you.”
She shrugged. It was.
“So,” Madeleine grinned. “You actually did it. Beat CQ.”
“I did.” Satisfaction warmed Elena.
“And all it took was Lecoq outing you.”
“All it took was her coming after you. I have my limits—a fact I pointed out to that diseased raccoon. I fired her for stupidity.”
“You fired her for being mean to me. You’re such a romantic.” Madeleine stole a kiss.
“Lies!” Elena snorted. “My God, though, Lecoq has zero taste. You should have seen her office. I might have to get a flame thrower in before I take over.” There was a thought.
Madeleine slid her arms around her. “I’m really happy for you.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you. Or the Duchamps and their boycott. I might have to send them flowers. A whole houseful.” Her lips curled up.
“That’d go down about as well as last time.” Madeleine laughed.
“Honestly, I never thought I’d ever get back my first dream.”
“And you did. You got the girl, too.”
Elena licked her lips and darted a nervous look at Maddie. “You know, I’ve been thinking. About the proposal you made?” She was pleased how flippant she sounded. She swallowed. Now or never.
“What proposal?”
Elena gave her desk a testing rap.
“Oh!” Madeleine’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? And don’t you dare tease me like last time. That was so cruel promising desk sex and not delivering.”
“About as cruel as you leaving me to attempt a serious conversation with Perry while my thong stared at me from across the room.”
“Okay, that was a little evil of me.”
“So it was on purpose? Distracting me from retrieving it?”
“You deserved it. Torturing me with impossible fantasies.” Madeleine looked unrepentant.
“Hmm.” Elena’s lips twitched. “Perhaps it was a little cruel. I’m prepared to make amends.”
Madeleine’s face lit up. “Are you seriously talking desk sex after all this time?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s something else.” She knocked the desk again, above the drawer. “Open it.”
Madeleine slid open the desk drawer. A velvet box sat inside.
“I promised to ‘table’ something last time,” Elena said. “This counts as a table, does it not?” She held her breath, placed the box between them, and opened it to Madeleine.
Her lover stared at the diamond ring for so long that Elena wondered if she’d made a terrible mistake. Elena had spent an eternity trying to find the right one, even enlisting the services of Perry, who was officially insufferable now. “Don’t you like it?” she asked pensively.
“Are you kidding?” Madeleine’s eyes shone. “I love it. But you know…a beautiful ring like that usually comes with a question.”
