Life Exchange by Jenny Dooley
Chapter 1 Luke and Jake
Luke Harrison sat at his desk and looked through the door into the next room; his secretary was preparing the room for the directors meeting, Luke smiled. On the table the crystal glasses and golden cigarette box was shining in the light from the lamps, there were red roses to go with the red velvet chairs. Yes, the directors wouldcertainly have a comfortable meeting, the smile at his face. He wasn’t so sure of the discussions of the meeting. His partner Jake Fulbright was talking to him from the other side of the room, there was anger in his voice “Luke wake up, the office look good, doesn’t it? Our company is going well, isn’t it? Together we’ve done a good job and how? By always doing what’s best for the company” “it’s nogood Jake, you’re not going to change my mind, our business is property in land, houses and buildings we became a great company because we gave the people what they wanted and they paid us well, now our city wants us and for a good cause, we have to give them what the want, a children’s home, there is more in success than money Jake, there is pride and respect” “stop that, our city needs an officeblock and big companies would pay us good money, think of your family Luke, don’t you want to do the best for your wife” Jake took out a cigarette and lit it. “If you’re so kind on doing the best for yourself, why don’t you stop that harmful habit?” Luke hated smoking and Jake hated being told what to do by anyone even if it was his old friend and partner, the two men have grown up together andbuilt their future together and together they have found riches and success but in the past years something have gone wrong between them, what was it? Luke wish he knew.
“For goodness sake Luke, listen to me. I’m going to fight you on this one, I’m going into that meeting and I’m going to persuade those directors to agree to the new office building” “I’m sorry Jake, you can’t do that, we are thepartners they are the directors, they can’t agree to anything if we don’t agree, those are the rules Jake” “Rules are for losers, I’m a winner and I take chances” Jake bang his fist on the tablet the he looked directly into Luke’s eyes “ he who dares wins Luke, remember? And I dare” It was and old saying that the two men had used in the early days of their business, they had used the saying to giveeach other courage, now Jake was using it to give him the strength to fight his own partner, just then the phone on Luke’s desk rang, he heard his wife gentle, loving voice “hello, is that you Luke? Yes darling, how is it going at home? Fine, what’s the matter? You don’t sound too happy.” Dear Megan, she always knew if something was wrong but she must not know that anything was wrong between Lukeand Jake, Luke tried to sound happier “I’m fine love, just a bit busy, you know, usual Friday rush to get things done before the weekend. How are things at home? Pretty busy here too, Nathan have brought a friend home from school, can you hear them? They’re playing upstairs, and I’ve got your favorite dinner, beef and it’s nearly red so what time are you coming home? Listen Megan love I’m sorry butI’m going to be late there’s a meeting this evening. Oh Luke, not again, darling you’re being working too hardly, come home and relax, we miss you. I know love, and I’ll be home as soon as I can” Luke put the phone down he wish Jake hadn’t been in the room listening to the conversation “you leave that gorgeous wife of yours alone far too much, If she was my wife, I would never leave her side.”There was something about Jake when he spoke of Megan, a look in his eye and a strange tone in his voice. Luke couldn’t explain why but it made him very uncomfortable but Jake was keeping a secret to his partner; Jake, the man with money and power but without a woman in his life was in love with Luke’s wife, Megan knew nothing of this, she loved her husband, her son and her home, Jake knew this but…