Do Opposites Attract? (Kathryn Freeman’s Irresistible Romcom Collection #5)

Chapter Sixteen

Brianna felt slightly foolish as she walked towards Margaret’s sparse, functional office at Medic SOS. All morning she’d told herself this wasn’t a job interview. It was just a chat with one of her mother’s friends about some ideas she had for the charity. But somehow her mind had got carried away and here she was, dressed in a smart suit, her heart thumping, her clasped hands trembling, feeling very much as though she was going into the most important interview of her life.

Just outside the open office door, Brianna paused and took a deep breath. She was offering to help, to provide her services to the charity for free. She had absolutely nothing to be nervous about. Other than making a total tit of herself, of course. Oh heck, maybe she could just sneak out without anyone noticing?

‘Ah, Brianna. Please, come in.’

So much for disappearing. Plastering a smile on her face, she lifted her chin and walked into the office to shake Margaret’s outstretched hand. The smile the other woman gave her was friendly enough, but Brianna knew Margaret. She wouldn’t hold back if she disagreed with what she had to say.

‘Thanks for seeing me.’ Brianna returned the hearty handshake and sat down gratefully on the offered chair. At least now nobody could see her knees knocking.

‘No problem. I was intrigued by your phone call.’ Margaret sat opposite her, pushing her chair back a bit so she could lean comfortably against it. ‘But before we get round to what you wanted to discuss, how did you find the trip?’

Brianna considered her words. ‘A real eye-opener,’ she confessed. ‘You might hear about these disasters on the television, but nothing can prepare you for the reality of seeing tragedy up close. I have utter admiration for all the people working there.’ Did she sound too gushing? Brianna paused and took another deep breath. ‘Have you heard from them recently? How are things now?’

‘They’re getting there. Mitch thinks they should be back in a week. The rest of the agencies will be there for a few more months, helping to rebuild, but our work should be done. What were your impressions of the team?’

Brianna swallowed hard. Discussing the team was fine, but how could she do that without talking about Mitch? And how could she talk about him, without giving away her silly crush? At the mere mention of his name, her heart had jumped. ‘They’re professional, hard-working, capable, compassionate,’ she replied quickly. ‘I just don’t know how they keep going back for more. I felt emotionally and physically drained when I left. I couldn’t go back again.’

Margaret smiled. ‘You say that now, but in a few weeks you might think differently. We always try to make sure that the staff have some time off before sending them out again. You’re right though, it is exhausting work, on both the mind and the body.’

‘Margaret,’ Brianna began before the older lady could ask her any further questions, ‘while I was there I had some thoughts about Medic SOS and how it could re-position itself amongst the relief agencies. I think it would make them more attractive to donors.’

‘Well, don’t hold back. Go for it. I’m always receptive to new ideas, especially if they help bring in the funding.’

With her heart in her mouth, Brianna handed over the report she’d compiled. ‘I’ve outlined everything in here, so perhaps I can take you through it?’

Brianna spent the next hour discussing her plans and the details she’d worked up. Margaret listened attentively, asked searching questions, but gave away little of what she was thinking. So little that Brianna started to feel she was wasting her time. Maybe she was being ridiculous. After all, Medic SOS had survived very nicely for many years now. Moreover, it had grown from being a list of on-call doctors to a dedicated team. Who was she to think that, after one brief week, she could change the direction of the charity? She didn’t even know anything about medicine.

But you know something about marketing , her mind kept telling her. You just have to make Margaret understand that.

‘So you see,’ she continued, trying desperately to make an impression, ‘I think Medic SOS really has the potential to attract more funding by making it clearly different from the other aid agencies. In Mitch you already have a Chief Medical Officer who is known as an expert on severe trauma care, and who’s built a team with similar capabilities. I’ve seen it for myself. Medic SOS get the tricky cases because they have the experience to deal with them. If the charity capitalise on this expertise in their marketing, it would make it easier to promote and thus bring in more revenue. With the increased funding you could expand, recruiting and training more personnel and buying further specialist equipment.’

Brianna didn’t realise her eyes shone with enthusiasm, or that her voice betrayed her excitement. She only knew that she’d pitched her ideas with all her heart. If they fell on stony ground, then so be it. She had tried.

‘You’ve obviously given this a great deal of thought,’ Margaret replied, her face pleasant, but nothing more. ‘However, I have to ask myself, what does this young lady know about medicine, or the work of medical staff in times of disaster? One week doesn’t make you an expert.’

Brianna’s heart sank. She had always known the charity head would be a tough nut to crack. ‘I understand your reservations, believe me. If someone had told me a couple of weeks ago I’d be pitching an idea to market and expand a medical relief charity, I would have laughed in their face. I don’t have experience of working in disaster areas, you’re right, but I do have experience in marketing. It’s what I did much of my degree in, and what I’ve focused on in the family business. I’ve also spoken to Mitch about my ideas and he thinks they have value.’ Brianna felt she’d just played her last card. If the old bird didn’t respect the thoughts of her Chief Medic, then she was a fool. Brianna didn’t think she was.

At last, Margaret’s face relaxed into a smile. ‘I’m sure he did think that. Who wouldn’t? You’ve put together an excellent proposal, Brianna. One I endorse wholeheartedly. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can see things that should have been blindingly obvious to those who work here day in, day out. The only question I have is would you be willing to see your ideas through? To work for the charity?’

Brianna thought her grin must be a mile wide. ‘Yes, yes please!’

‘I’m afraid we can’t pay you much.’

‘Good heavens, I don’t want paying. Just the chance to make a difference.’ Crikey that sounded corny, but Brianna’s throat felt unusually tight and she had the uncomfortable feeling she was only a short step away from crying. She had to be crazy, getting emotional over taking an unpaid job. Or maybe, just maybe, the tears were because she’d found a direction for her life.

‘Well, you’ll certainly get a chance to make a difference.’ Either Margaret hadn’t seen her wobble, or she was discreetly ignoring it. ‘One final thing, Brianna. I will expect you to work normal office hours. That means being in the office for nine o’clock each morning. I’m afraid I can’t have you wandering in late and leaving early. It isn’t fair on the rest of the team.’

For a moment Brianna hesitated. She thought of her life, of the parties, of the long, luxurious mornings lying in bed. She’d have to give up both in order to do this. Was it what she really wanted? Then she thought of the traumatised faces of the people she’d met in South America, and of the hard work the team put in to save lives. Really, working in a centrally heated office and going back to her elegant home each night wasn’t so difficult. ‘No problem.’

Margaret stood and shook Brianna’s hand. ‘Then welcome on board, Brianna.’ The hand that clasped hers squeezed tightly, leaving Brianna to wonder if Margaret really was the battle-axe she pretended to be.

‘Come and meet the office crew and find yourself a desk,’ her new boss was saying. ‘If you’re going to work with us, there’s no time like the present.’

With a laugh Brianna picked up her bag and followed Margaret out into the main office. It wasn’t large, just a few simple workstations, a small kitchenette, two printers, and a couple of potted plants. When she’d worked for her father she’d been given a plush office, a leather chair, her own secretary. Here she was one of a small team in a basic environment.

She’d never felt more proud, or more delighted to be anywhere.

* * *

Several hours later, Brianna was finding it hard to remember why she’d been so excited about working for a living. Her eyes ached from looking at a computer screen and her brain ached from trying to understand how the charity worked, and who was responsible for what. She must be mad, she thought, as she drank her third cup of coffee that afternoon. She could be sitting in a spa, or shopping. She sipped from the chipped cup. Or having freshly roasted coffee with her friends. What was she doing in a shabby little office, drinking instant coffee and trying to get her head around the workings of a medical relief agency?

‘How are things, Mitch?’

Brianna’s head shot up at the sound of his name. Sally, the office manager, was smiling into the phone. All of a sudden the middle-aged mother of three was acting like a coy schoolgirl. ‘Well, just you take care of yourself, you hear me? You’ve been out there for nearly three weeks now. Time to come home.’

On impulse, Brianna scribbled a note to Sally asking to be put through to Mitch when she’d finished. Then she waited, heart hammering in her chest, for her phone to ring.

‘Mitch, how are you?’

There was a pause. ‘Brianna?’

Why did the sound of his deep voice cause her to tremble? If she’d thought a few days away from him would cure her of her infatuation, she was wrong. If anything, it was getting worse. ‘Yes, it’s me.’ Not a cool, measured reply. More a breathy squeak.

‘You convinced Margaret then?’

‘Sure looks that way.’ She hesitated, picking up a pen, then putting it down again. ‘So I guess you and I will be seeing each other again from time to time.’ Immediately she cringed.

‘I guess we will,’ he drawled with a casualness she’d tried, but totally failed, to convey.

‘How is everybody?’ she asked, wanting to keep him on the line.

‘Well, Tessa’s not talking to me. Apparently spoilt rich girls aren’t my type.’

Brianna let out a chuckle. ‘I got that impression from her, too.’ There was a pause during which she wanted to ask him if Tessa was right, but she swallowed the words. Too keen. There were lots of other things she was bursting to ask. How was he, really? Had there been any more mudslides? When exactly was he coming home? When he swam in the lake, or lay down in bed, did he think of her? The questions died on her lips. Always so confident around men, now she felt tongue-tied and awkward. ‘Well then, I’ll see you around.’ Slowly she put down the phone.

‘I hear you’ve met our Mitch.’ Sally pushed back her chair and went to collect her coat.

‘Yes, I was out there with them all last week.’

‘My sources tell me he showed you more than just the camp.’

Brianna looked up sharply, but was pleased to find Sally was grinning. ‘What can I say? He’s a sexy man.’

Sally laughed out loud. ‘You won’t have any of us arguing with that. Well, good luck to you, love. Many have tried to crack him, but none have succeeded so far.’

‘Oh, it’s not serious,’ Brianna replied quickly, anxious to get this part straight. ‘We had a bit of fun, that’s all.’

* * *

Back at the camp, Mitch turned the phone off thoughtfully. He had to admit to a fair degree of surprise that Brianna had actually gone and joined the charity. His money had been on her going back home and not giving the place a second thought. But no, the enthusiasm she’d shown at the camp, the desire to help, seemed to be genuine. Whilst that was great for the charity, it was going to be bloody awkward for him. Not least because, when he bumped into her in the office, he knew damn well he was going to find it very hard to keep his hands off her. Even now, just imagining her, he could feel the heat pulsing through his body. But continuing to sleep with a woman who was now a work colleague, as well as the patron’s daughter, wasn’t going to work. Relationships ended, at least his always did, and with the end came bitterness and bad feeling. He couldn’t afford to taint his career with that, not when working for the charity meant so much to him. Not when it was all he had.

‘Can I come in?’

Mitch turned from his desk to find Sam, the man in charge of the whole refugee camp and an old friend.

‘Sam,’ Mitch greeted him with a warm handshake. ‘I wondered when I was going to see you.’

‘Well, you could have come and found me, you know,’ he replied, walking into the tent. ‘Dan did. He also introduced me to your newest recruit.’

Mitch frowned. ‘Pardon?’

‘That gorgeous, classy bird with the shiny brown hair and flashing green eyes.’ Sam grinned and wriggled his eyebrows expressively in appreciation.

‘Umm, let me think, it’s still hard to pin down.’

Sam laughed and slapped Mitch on the back. ‘You old devil. How do you do it? Every time I look round you’ve added another woman to your harem. What with Jane—’

‘Who’s married,’ Mitch interjected.

‘And Tessa, who’s not,’ Sam replied with a sly smile. ‘I thought you had enough on your plate. Now you add Brianna.’

‘I haven’t added anyone. Brianna is the daughter of our patron, and came to see what we were up to. If you’ve spoken to her, I’m sure you’ll know all that already.’

‘Well, if you had any sense you’d be grabbing that one with both hands. It’s not often someone like you will get to meet such a classy lady. And smart too, from what I could gather.’

Mitch knew Sam meant no slight, but the truth of his words stung. ‘She’s not my type, Sam,’ he told the older man. ‘High maintenance and way out of my league. Now what was it you wanted to talk about, or did you just come here to wind me up?’

They sat down and went about discussing the business of transferring any outstanding casualties to the outlying hospitals. Medic SOS had been on site for nearly three weeks. It was time to begin the process of packing up and going home.