Read Online Blaze by Di Morrissey - Free Book Online

don’t read everything Triton publishes,’ said Roberto.
    â€˜You mean other than the financial reports?’ Manny downed his brandy. ‘Yeah, I find the mag interesting. Gives me a few controversies to debate with my sons who think they know everything now they’re costing me private college fees. Mind you, I don’t need to know about women’s circumcision in Eritrea.’
    Larissa was about to argue the point, but Ali kicked her under the table indicating there was no need to antagonise the executives.

TAKE THREE . . .
    Â 
    T he call Ali was waiting for came two days later.
    She smoothed her hair, added another coat of lip gloss, waved the atomiser of Georgio around her head and went to the bathroom.
    Then she walked calmly down the hall to Nina’s office.
    Nina was relaxed, cool and somewhat preoccupied with a field of paper, which unnerved Ali. Nina waved at the sofa and Ali sat down feeling slightly nervous, but she managed to rearrange her face into what she hoped was an expression of studied nonchalance.
    Nina closed the folder then moved to the sofa opposite Ali. She gave a half-smile. ‘You might remember our last conversation.’ Ali nodded slightly. ‘We were not to know the tragic events that would unfold. Fate has a strange way of stepping in at times. However, that is not changing any of my plans.’
    Ali said nothing, but her stomach began twisting. Surely, without Lorraine, she had to be appointed the new editor.
    â€˜I have been reassessing my life and, as I said at the dinner, I have been thinking about how I want to spend the next few years,’ began Nina.
    It sounded so calm, so reasoned, belying Nina’s sleepless nights, the anguish of losing her mother, her fear of being alone in old age. In the few months since Clara had peacefully died, Nina had begun to seriously rethink her life. No ripple showed on the outside to indicate her inner turmoil. Most people would have been shocked to think that the celebrated, exquisite Nina Jansous was suffering insecurities, confusion and melancholy. She had decided to plunge ahead with the resurrecting of the Australian edition of Blaze. And to try to bring a level of coherence to the mental flashbacks that plagued her. She knew they were linked to her growing up in Croatia. Secretly she had made a tentative plan. But first she needed time in Australia, not just to settle in the staff and infrastructure for the first edition, but also to be clear in her mind why she was feeling the way she was. Ali was tempted to fidget, but kept motionless. What had Nina’s life plan to do with her, here, now? Get on with it, Nina, she urged silently.
    â€˜As you now know, I am temporarily easing out of Blaze here in the US – though it’s been a wonderful and fruitful relationship. Since the company went public, my role has not been so hands-on and, I have to say I miss it. So, after discussions with Baron Triton and the other members of the board, we have agreed to start a new Blaze – in Australia.’
    â€˜So you mentioned the other night,’ said Ali, trying to calm her impatience.
    â€˜It may seem a strange move in some people’s eyes, but it’s what I want to do. After all, it was where Blaze started and, now that the magazine is so highly regarded internationally, it is not as if we’re faced with launching an unknown name into a competitive field.’
    Ali shifted and recrossed her legs. She really was not interested in Nina’s plans. What about her future? Sensing her impatience, Nina leaned forward slightly.
    â€˜It will have to be an excellent magazine to live up to the Blaze standard. Like the other international editions, Blaze Australia will carry a number of features from Blaze USA , which will always remain the flagship magazine, but it will also have an identity of its own, purely Australian. It will have the opportunity to be very contemporary –