“So the board will probably be negotiating for another three hours, maybe longer if they have drinks at the pub and the cigar club after.”

“A given,” Ted said.

“How long are they in town?”

“Today and then a half day tomorrow before they fly home.”

She calculated. “Okay—here’s what I want you to do. First, call me the minute you hear anything today from London—good or bad. Do you have someone on the inside?”

“Bill’s there. He’s the new CFO’s assistant. He’s been texting me on and off.”

“Good. Let me know when you hear from him. The board won’t bother contacting me until Monday if it’s bad news. And start working on Tokyo and Sydney. Get those exact figures to me, and set up a phone meeting for some time tomorrow.”

“Not possible. Our tomorrow is their Saturday.”

Ryann sighed. “Right—I always screw that up. Okay then—their tomorrow afternoon or early evening, whatever time that is here.”

“Might be close to midnight for you. Is that okay?”

“Sure. Just get me an hour with the CEO of each, and let me know the time here.”

“Consider it done.”

“Keep brainstorming about London in the meantime. Maybe we’ll luck out, and the board will come back with good news later today or tomorrow, but we can’t bank on it. We have to know someone over there who can put some pressure on them from the inside.”

“I’ll start combing the files again.” He cleared his throat. “What about you, Ryann? Are you still willing to fly to London if they won’t budge? I still think that’s the best way to persuade them.”

She rolled her shoulders a little, the strain now causing her entire body to ache. “Yes. I could get away next week for a couple of days, maybe, if I did a red-eye and came back as soon as possible. But let’s hold off on booking until we know the outcome of the board’s trip.”

“Sounds good.” She could hear him typing and waited for him to speak again.

“So how is it going out there?” he finally asked.

“I’m calling you from a heart-shaped, rotating bed, to give you a mental image.”

He laughed. “Listen. I don’t want to be the jerk here, and I know Stuart’s a major part of your life, but maybe this isn’t the time to disappear for two weeks? Any other time, perhaps, but even then, it seems like a lot to ask.”

She frowned. He was right, especially after last night. Juggling a multi-million-dollar deal and a wedding was not going to be pleasant, or maybe even possible. Still, it wasn’t her assistant’s place to say it.

“I’ll be the judge of that. Get those meetings set up.”

“Yes, ma’am.”