Legally Addicted - By Lena Dowling Page 0,15
Caro?’ one of the other committee members asked, with a look of concern.
Unleashing her over-whitened teeth in a crocodile smile around the meeting table, Caro finished with a warning look in Georgia’s direction.
‘It’s only very much in the preliminary discussion stages — an idea from one of our volunteers. If and when we have something firm enough to discuss, rest assured, I will put a report on the agenda.’
Satisfied with Caro’s response, the committee meeting broke up. The various committee members gathered up their papers, rushing to leave for their next commitment. Brad paused to give her a wink before doing the same.
With Brad’s exit from the room, it was as if a safety line had been cut, the security his presence had provided evaporating with his departure. Georgia shivered, pulling together her notes, hoping there would be plenty of people around when she went back to take over reception.
Caro lingered after the others had gone, standing in front of the door to the meeting room, preventing Georgia from leaving.
‘Georgia, I know this proposal is important to you, but I’m not prepared to jeopardise the relationship we’ve built up with the Spencer Charitable Trust so you can push your barrow. This shelter is almost entirely funded by Spencer money, and I refuse to risk that relationship by asking for more funding without a concrete plan. Even with a formal proposal, I understand what you’re suggesting is effectively a supervised injecting centre. And despite the add-on of support and educational services, that makes it too controversial, as far as I’m concerned.’
Georgia sized up the determination on the woman’s sharp featured face. She had half expected Caro to confront her after the meeting, but she wasn’t about to be railroaded.
‘An addiction centre is crucial. If we don’t start tackling the basis of the women’s problems the shelter will only ever be a band-aid and we will never make a real difference.’
Georgia knew from bitter personal experience that drug and alcohol dependence lay, one way or another, at the heart of most of the issues that drove women to seek help at the shelter. The hours of research she had done on the issue showed that providing a safe place for addicts to self-administer drugs and pick up clean needles had not only proved effective in reducing overdoses and disease, but had created a positive environment from which addicts were empowered to seek help. Once they got to know and trust the staff members at the centre, addicts were far more likely to reach out for support to enter rehab.
‘That’s all very well, Georgia, and you probably think you’re clever having wangled your way into Bradley’s bed, but you’re only flavour of the month and, believe me, he has sampled every flavour there is. Once he has had his fill and moved on, where will your proposal be then?’
Obviously satisfied that she had laid down the final masterstroke in her argument — unveiling Georgia’s ‘relationship’ with Brad as a cynical manoeuvre to gain his financial support for her proposal, Caro turned tail and stormed out of the room.
So Caro thought she was cultivating Brad Spencer to advance the addiction centre proposal? Before Caro mentioned it, it had been the furthest thing from Georgia’s mind. Until just over an hour ago she hadn’t even known Brad was involved with the shelter.
Was it worth the risk to her career? Sydney’s most eligible bachelor and improving the lives of hundreds of vulnerable people into the bargain. It was a crazy thought and Georgia buried it almost as fast as it had popped into her head.
Chapter Five
After a couple of days in her new spot, Georgia decided being back in the open-plan wasn’t quite so bad after all. With Miriam’s workstation right beside hers, she could monitor her secretary’s workload, and get instantaneous assistance. When she was hidden away in an office, although she hadn’t realised it at the time, she had actually missed the camaraderie of the other solicitors.
Her workstation was at one hundred and eighty degrees to her old office, so she didn’t have the distraction of being able to see Brad coming and going. The few times she had run into him, she had seen him well in advance. She had been able to collect herself and appear cool and calm by the time they were within comfortable conversing distance. Reminding herself that she was still annoyed with him for his behaviour the night of the party had also helped some in keeping her