10. Sightseeing
Anne and the girls slept late on Sunday morning. “Let’s go to Central Park today,” said Anne. “We can walk from here, and we’ll make a picnic lunch. After that we’ll go to Grand Central Station and the Empire State Building.”
“Okay,” said Charlie. “Today is picture day. We’ve got to get lots of them because I haven’t posted many. And this may be our last chance to see New York. Who knows how long Mom’s going to keep her job?”
She was probably right. Mr. Gherring had seemed pretty irritated last night.
Emily gave her mom a hug. “Mom, she was just teasing. Mr. Gherring seems to like you a lot. You’re not going to lose your job.”
“I’m not so sure. I just can’t seem to think straight around him. I’m always putting my foot in my mouth and making things awkward.”
Emily frowned. “Mom, I’ve got to ask you… Do you like Mr. Gherring?”
“Sure. Don’t you?”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“Yeah Mom,” said Charlie. “I think maybe you like him a little more than that. I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”
“I’m not falling for him or anything like that.”
The girls exchanged looks and crossed their arms simultaneously, and she squirmed beneath their inspection.
“Not that I don’t appreciate what he does for me. I mean all the things he did for us this weekend. That was really for y’all, though. Anyone can see he’s a nice person. That doesn’t mean I have feelings for him.”
“‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks,’” Emily quoted.
“What about Henri? Do you still like him? Are you still going to visit him in Paris?” asked Charlie.
Anne felt her stomach churning. “Yes. I’m still going.”
“Don’t be so excited about it. It’s not supposed to be an execution. You don’t have to go to Paris, Mom. If you don’t want to go anymore, just tell him.”
“Henri likes me. And I like him too.”
“You do? Or do you like Mr. Gherring?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think about Mr. Gherring because he doesn’t like me.”
“Why do you think he doesn’t like you? He bought us play tickets. He went climbing with us. He drove us around in his limo. He went on a tour with us. He paid for dinner.” Emily ticked off these points on her fingers.
“He did all that for you girls.”
“He did that because we’re your daughters,” argued Emily.
“I think he does stuff like that because he doesn’t have children of his own.”
“What about on the boat last night? You two looked pretty cozy over there. I don’t think he did that for us.” Charlie arched her eyebrows.
“Nice men don’t let women freeze to death. You two were cozying up with Spencer and Mark.”
“That’s because Emily likes Spencer,” said Charlie.
“I don’t either!”
“He sure likes you.”
“I can’t believe I was so off on that one,” Anne said to Charlie. “I figured Spencer would end up with you instead of Emily.”
“So if they get married, you won’t get credit for their match, right?” Charlie made a face at her sister.
“We’re not getting married,” Emily said. “And Mark likes you, too.”
“Maybe, but Mark didn’t get my cell number and email address. Has Spencer texted you this morning?”
“I don’t know.” Emily’s cheeks reddened.
“Aha! He’s already texted you. He’s really fallen for you.”
“I’m not interested,” Emily folded her arms. “Mom said girls are always hanging on him. I don’t intend to be one of his groupies. Besides, I’m way too practical to get involved in a long-distance relationship. Look at the mess Mom’s in.”
“Hey,” Anne protested. “Are you calling me a mess?”
“If the shoe fits…”
* * *
The sun was out.With no wind blowing, the rays felt warm despite the nippy air. “This is beautiful. I can’t believe how big this park is. It just goes on and on. It’s hard to believe we’re in the middle of Manhattan.” Emily leaned her head back, basking in the sun.
Anne looked up from her book in time to see Charlie make an amazing catch for her pick-up team of Ultimate. “She’ll need a shower before we go anywhere else.”
“No problem, she only takes ten minutes to shower and dress. An extra five to dry her hair. It really is kind of like you gave me a little brother.”
“It’s a good thing, since you used to spend hours in the bathroom, mostly just twirling around in front of the mirror.”
“You should’ve put a big mirror in my room. Then I wouldn’t have monopolized the bathroom.”
“So… about Spencer…”
“Don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay.” Anne and Emily turned back to their books.
“So… about Steven Gherring…”
“Don’t want to talk about it.”
Emily grinned. “Let’s talk about Charlie instead.”
“Great idea!”
* * *
After crammingin a tour of as many New York sites as possible, the girls returned to get ready for dinner at Gram’s. She sent a limousine to pick up Anne and the girls at the apartment at five thirty. Anne suppressed a pang of disappointment when she realized Steven Gherring was not going with them. He’d never said he’d be there, but she must have secretly hoped he would.
And that kind of thinking is exactly what I have to avoid.
It was actually a good thing that he wouldn’t be there. It would be easier to conspire with Gram about their matchmaking efforts.
The ride to the Gherring Estate was thirty minutes along the Hudson River to Yonkers. As they drove up to the two-story mansion at the top of the hill, they could see the lights twinkling a warm welcome in the courtyard. Anne counted four chimneys on the rooftop.
Charlie exclaimed, “This place is ginormous!”
“Mom, did you know she lived in a place like this?” asked Emily.
“I had no idea, but I suppose I should have guessed.”
Gram met them at the entry that opened into a huge main hall with an enormous grand staircase off to the left. Their footsteps echoed in the hall as they followed Gram across the marble floor.
“Come this way. We’ll sit in the library and chat until dinner is ready.”
The expansive library was lit with two large chandeliers that hung from an elaborately coved and painted ceiling. The twelve-foot walls were covered on each side from floor to ceiling with bookcases filled to capacity. The bookshelves even extended over the doorway. A seating area beckoned in front of a roaring fire in an ornate stone fireplace.
“Emily, Charlotte, this is Mrs. Gherring. And this is Emily, the oldest, and Charlotte.”
“I’m Gram! I’ve told your mother already that Mrs. Gherring is the name of my grandson’s wife.” The girls exchanged confused looks, and Gram chuckled. “I always say that. Love to see people’s reactions. You know, they think I might be senile and maybe I don’t know my grandson is still single.”
“We’re working together, Gram and I, to find a Mrs. Gherring for Mr. Gherring.”
“I see,” said Charlie, as one perfectly arched eyebrow kicked up a little higher than the other.
“Emily?” Gram asked, shifting her attention to the other Best daughter who’d turned her head to study the walls of books. She quickly forced her eyes back to the short woman with the commanding voice.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“I can see you’re dying to peruse the book collection. Go ahead. I’ll just grill your sister for a while.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Emily flashed a smirk at her sister and hurried to survey the books.
“So your name is Charlotte?”
“Actually, I go by Charlie.”
“Charlie? Isn’t that a boy’s name?”
“I just think Charlotte sounds kind of weak. And I’m not a weak person.”
“Hmmm, and I’m betting you like to compete with boys a lot.”
“I don’t compete with ‘em… I beat ‘em.”
“Ha! That’s my girl. I would’ve been just like you in my day, if I’d had the opportunity.”
Anne pictured Gram as a modern day twenty-one-year-old, and laughed. She knew Gram’s small size would never have prevented her from being a daunting adversary.
“Thanks, Gram. I hope I turn out just like you when I’m a grandmother.”
“What do you do, Charlie?”
“I teach ski lessons in the winter and lead rafting and climbing trips in the summer.”
“That sounds like fun. Plenty of time to settle down. Not like me. My Samuel swept me off my feet when I was sixteen.”
“Wow, you got married at sixteen?”
“Yes, and I had my son, Steven’s father, when I was nineteen.”
“Our family’s small.” Emily rejoined the group. “Mom and Dad were ‘only children’ and we’ve lost all our grandparents except for Mom’s father. I think maybe that’s why we’re so close. We’re all we’ve got.”
“And the Best name is dying out now, since we had two girls,” Anne added.
“I don’t know. I might just keep my maiden name. I can’t imagine a guy that I’d be willing to give up my name for,” said Charlie.
“Any guy that manages to catch you, with the fight you’ll put up, deserves to have you take his name.” Emily chuckled at her sister’s feigned indignation.
“Ha-ha, sister. The poor guys can’t even get you to pay attention to them. At least I look at them, over my shoulder, as I leave ‘em in the dust.”
“It looks like you’ve got plenty of work to do after we get Steven married,” said Gram.
This cracked everyone up, and they were still laughing when a butler came to announce dinner.
The dining room was so expansive it held three, long rectangular tables. Their dinner was set up on one of the tables. As they took their places at the table, Anne noticed a fifth place setting.
“Dinner is served,” said a familiar voice.
Steven Gherring appeared, wearing an apron and carrying a soup tureen.
“You cooked dinner?” Her heart gave a leap of joy at his presence, despite all her self-warnings.
Gram answered. “Steven is a fantastic chef. And we don’t keep a cook on staff since I’m seldom here anymore.”
“What’s for dinner?” asked Charlie.
Gherring smiled. “The first course is lobster bisque.” He set the soup down and headed back to the kitchen.
“You’re not eating with us?” asked Anne. She kicked herself for sounding so eager.
“I’ll be back in a second. I just need to turn the burner down to simmer.”
When the kitchen door closed behind him, Anne turned to Gram. “When are we going to work on our plan? I didn’t know Mr. Gherring would be here.”
“Steven made me promise not to attempt to set him up with a woman, so I’ll keep my promise. However, I didn’t promise not to help you, so I’ll be your secret consultant—” Gram’s voice dropped abruptly.
“How’s the soup?” Steven strode back into the dining room.
“I love lobster bisque—it’s my all-time favorite soup. And this is the best ever. What’s the secret?” asked Emily.
“A little dry sherry,” he replied. “It’s also got Worcestershire and Tabasco. I can give you the recipe.”
“Emily loves to cook,” said Anne.
“Tell me about yourself, Emily. What do you do?” Gram asked.
“I have a master’s degree in accounting and I’ve already passed my CPA exam. I just need to work another four months and I’ll be certified.”
Charlie said, “Yep, the family genius.”
“Maybe I was just the one who actually put forth a little effort in school. Don’t let Charlie fool you, Gram. She’s just as smart as I am. But she never saw the value in studying.”
“New subject… How did you learn to cook?” Charlie asked.
“It was that or starve to death,” he laughed. “I guess I could eat out or order in every night. But cooking is a lot more challenging and a lot more satisfying. Although it’s not a lot of fun to cook for one person.”
Gram cleared her throat. “Yes, it would certainly be nice if you had someone to cook for.”
Gherring glared. “Gram, we’ve talked about this.”
“I meant, of course, you could stay out here with me.”
“Sure Gram, except you’re usually four hours away from here.”
“You could cook for Anne.”
Anne felt the heat radiating from her skin. Perhaps she could melt under the table, and no one would notice. The room was deathly silent.
Gram continued, “You do live downstairs from Steven, don’t you Anne?”
“Yes, but Mr. Gherring has to deal with me all day, Gram. In the evening, I’m sure he needs a break.” She turned a hard stare at Gram. “Besides, if he was with me all the time, when would he have time to date?”
“You’re quite right, dear. That would be bad. He does need time to date. How will he ever find a wife if he doesn’t date anyone?”
“Gram! That’s quite enough of talking about me as if I’m not sitting here at the table. We’ve already had this discussion, and you promised—”
“I did promise not to attempt to set you up. But I didn’t promise not to nag you about it. There’s only one way to get me to stop nagging you. Get married.” She paused to pat her lips with her napkin. “Or I guess you can keep waiting for me to die…”
“I know, Gram. You’re not going to die before I get married. The way I see it, I’m giving you eternal life.” He looked at Charlie and Emily. “You see what I have to put up with?”
Charlie laughed, but Emily said, “I’d say you’re pretty lucky to have someone who loves you that much.”
“How can you take her side after that great dinner I bought you last night?” Gherring pretended outrage.
“I’d be more worried about the dinner tonight, Emily. He could spit in your food,” said Charlie.
Chuckles broke out all around and the mood was lifted again.
Gherring served a main course of almond-crusted salmon with garlic-mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus. Dessert was chocolate mousse.
“I’ve died and gone to heaven! This meal was even better than last night’s,” said Charlie.
Gherring beamed at the praise. But Anne had been quiet throughout dinner. Her mind was swirling with confusing thoughts. Nothing made sense.
“Did you like the meal?” he asked her.
“It was amazing.” She avoided his gaze, fearing she’d be trapped by those sparkling blue eyes.
“I have a little surprise for Charlie.” Gherring stood, walking toward the door.
“What? Is it a present? What is it?” Charlie leaped up to follow him.
“No, it’s not a present. It’s an experience. Come see.”
Gherring led the group outside to the garage and opened the door. Inside, was a white Maserati MC12. Charlie squealed at the sight.
“I thought you might want to go for a ride.”
“Okay, she can go first, but I want a ride too,” said Emily.
Anne felt warm inside as Charlie climbed into the passenger’s seat. This was something she would never forget.
“You won’t go over the speed limit, will you?” Anne asked in her best worried-mom voice.
“We wouldn’t dream of it.” Gherring grinned. “Although I’m fairly certain Maseratis have a different speed limit than the rest of the cars out there.” He chuckled as he started the engine and spun the tires in the driveway before racing to the road.
“I can’t believe he’s got a Maserati,” said Emily. “This is the best weekend ever. None of our friends will believe it. We’ve got to get pictures. I wish we didn’t have to go home tomorrow.”
“I’m going to miss you so much.” Anne gave Emily a hug.
“Why don’t you girls come back here for Thanksgiving? I’d love to have you.”
“We’ve got to take care of Grandpa at Thanksgiving because Mom’s going to be in Paris.”
“Paris! Why are you going to Paris?”
“She’s going to Paris to see this French guy named Henri who’s really crazy about her.”
“Henri? Henri DuBois?”
“You know him?” asked Anne.
“I know him. And you should avoid that man at all costs.”
“Gram,” said Anne, “he’s not as bad as you think.”
Gram’s expression was disapproving, and Anne’s heart fell.
“Please don’t be mad at me, Gram. He’s been really sweet to me and to the girls.”
“I know what he was like before. I can’t believe he’s changed that much.”
“Steven found out some of the stuff he thought about Henri wasn’t true.”
“I don’t like him.”
“It’s not like I’m planning to marry him, Gram. I’m just going to visit him.”
“Humph!”
“We’re only friends, Gram. And please don’t say anything to Mr. Gherring about me going to Paris. He doesn’t know.”
“Humph!”
Emily put her hands on her hips. “Mom, maybe you should tell Mr. Gherring.”
“He’ll just read more into it. There’s no reason to get him upset.”
Emily pursed her lips in an expression that matched Gram’s, and they stood in uncomfortable silence until the Maserati returned.
Anne’s heart thudded as she waited for Gherring to get out, praying Gram would keep her secret.
Charlie climbed out of the driver’s seat. “That was a blast!”
“You let Charlie drive it?” asked Emily.
“I made the mistake of saying I would let her drive it if she knew how to drive a manual,” Gherring chuckled. “Who knew she’d actually know how?”
“And I was pretty good, wasn’t I?”
“I have to admit, you surprised me.” Gherring stretched his arms over his head.
“Steven,” said Gram, in a stern tone, “I can’t believe you let Anne associate with the likes of Henri DuBois.”
To Anne’s surprise, Gherring laughed. “Now you see what it’s like to be on the receiving end of Gram’s disapproval. Perhaps you’ll be more sympathetic in the future.”
Anne held her breath, but Gram didn’t volunteer any more information about Henri. When she glanced over, Gram lifted a white eyebrow.
And now I owe her.
“I suppose you drive a manual as well?” Gherring asked Emily.
“I do, but I’d rather just enjoy the ride.”
“I think every girl should know how to drive a stick shift. All three of us drive a manual car at home,” said Anne.
Gherring shook his head. “You never cease to surprise me.”
When the Maserati disappeared again, Gram turned to Anne. “If you think Henri is so great, why don’t you want Steven to know about Paris?”
“Because he doesn’t like Henri either, and I don’t want to hurt him. But Gram, Henri was a perfect gentleman. He said a lot of things that made me feel… I don’t know… attractive again. He makes me feel special and beautiful. And when he calls me, I feel like I’m really important to him. Plus, he opened up and told me some things about how he’s been hurt—”
“That’s the real thing, Gram,” Charlie butted in. “Mom can’t stand to see anyone hurting. She just melts.” She gave her mom a hug. “But I love you for it.”
“Humph! All right, I won’t tell him. But I think you can do better than Henri DuBois.”
“I’m not looking for a new husband. I’ve had one great love in my life, and that’s enough. Just like you. Right, Gram?”
This time Gram didn’t respond.
When Emily and Gherring came back, Charlie pulled out her phone and took pictures of them in the Maserati. He asked Anne, “Did you want a ride as well?”
“No, that’s okay—”
“Come on, Mom. It’s amazing,” said Charlie.
Emily said, “Mom, if you don’t try it, you’ll never know what it feels like. You’ll probably kick yourself for wasting the chance.”
He was already climbing in the driver’s seat.
“I guess I’m going.”
Charlie leaned in the car and took a picture of Anne and Gherring inside together.
“Ready?” asked Gherring. Before Anne could answer, he stepped on the gas and sped out of the driveway. Anne couldn’t help a little squeak that came out of her mouth as she felt her back pressed into the seat. Gherring drove a short distance to a turn-off on a deserted road that wound around through the hills. As he steered the car skillfully through the twists and turns, Anne found herself with a broad smile plastered on her face. And she couldn’t stop smiling. Watching him control the powerful car, she thought of how strong he was. He handled driving as he did everything else in his life—with expert efficiency and absolute control. It made his masculine appeal even stronger.
Just for a moment, she allowed herself to imagine what it would feel like to kiss Steven Gherring. Would he be soft and gentle, sweet and romantic? Or would he be strong and powerful, taking what belonged to him? Or maybe he would be subtle and teasing, drawing out her fervor until she surrendered her lips to be plundered?
“You look like you’re really enjoying this,” Gherring commented. Anne felt the blood rising in her cheeks and thanked God the light was dim. He’d caught her enjoying a bit more than a ride in a fast, powerful, sports car.
“It’s… indescribable.”
“Did you want to drive?”
“No, I like watching you. I mean, I like watching you drive. I don’t need to drive.” She blushed even deeper. Thank goodness he couldn’t tell. “So does this thing really do one-eight-five, like the song says?”
He smiled. “I’ve had her up to one-eighty, and I think she’d do two hundred on a straight course.”
“She?” Anne asked. “What’s her name?”
“Gayle.”
“Really? Why Gayle?”
“That was the name of my first true love—in fourth grade.” He laughed. “Even now, in my memories, she’s beautiful beyond imagination.”
Anne grew quiet again. “I can’t thank you enough. You’ve been amazingly generous this weekend.”
“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure.” His eyes cut her direction. “I wanted this to be a special time for all three of you.”
“It was, thanks mostly to you. You didn’t go out and buy a Maserati just so Charlie could ride in one, did you?”
He laughed. “No, that one was a lucky coincidence.”
“Still, it was very nice, and the girls really like you.”
“And do they, like their mother, freely bestow love and affection on everyone they meet?”
“What? I don’t—”
“Really? You’re going to deny this?”
“I don’t bestow affection on everyone, just most everyone.”
“Name one person you’ve met in New York you haven’t loved.”
Anne thought for a moment. “Jeff Murphy!” She lifted her chin high.
Gherring chuckled. “Okay, but you were even nice to him at first. The original question was about your girls, though.”
“Okay, the girls… Charlie bestows love pretty freely. But if you make her mad—watch out—she’ll never forget. Emily is very careful and not very trusting.”
Gherring nodded as if he was not surprised. “They’re lovely girls. I’d be very proud if they were my daughters.”
He drove the sports car back into the garage. Gram and the girls had returned to the house, out of the chill air.
“This was really nice,” he said. His voice was husky as he leaned toward her. “I really enjoy making you smile.” His blue eyes were hooded as he reached his left hand out to brush against her cheek. Anne closed her eyes and held her breath while her insides quaked. Then his fingers slid gently down her neck, leaving a sizzling trail in their wake.
He’s going to kiss me!
Her breaths came faster and faster, anticipating the touch of his lips on hers. Never mind that it shouldn’t happen. She didn’t have the willpower to stop him.
His hand moved slowly along her sweater-clad arm. Then she heard a click as he released her seat belt.
“Sometimes that latch can be stubborn.”
She opened her eyes to see him smiling, dimples dancing as he watched her recover from his touch.
He was teasing me! He knew what he did to her. He’d watched her squirm in her seat, letting her anticipate something he had no intention of giving. She wanted to crawl under the car and hide forever. Instead, she salvaged her shredded pride with anger.
“Thank you again, sir, for the ride. You have a beautiful vehicle.”
She retreated into the house, determined to avoid him for the rest of the evening. But Gherring made her task easy when he came inside and announced he was leaving early. No one suspected her humiliation. No one but Gherring.
* * *
The girls gavetearful goodbyes before they left early the next morning. On her subway ride, Anne mentally prepared herself to face her boss again. Would he attempt to tease her again? Or perhaps he would apologize. The latter might be even more embarrassing. She was a nervous wreck by the time she arrived at her desk.
On her computer was a yellow sticky note from Gherring, requesting she come to his office. With tension permeating her body, Anne knocked on the door.
“Open,” ordered his deep voice. She found him in conference with Jared about the Switzerland presentation.
“Ms. Best, we need to work together today on Jared’s part of the presentation. I understand he’s given you the bulk of his material for the PowerPoint. If we could get a copy of what you have so far, I was hoping you would finish his portion and then see how much of Jeff’s part you can prepare on your own.”
Gherring spoke as if nothing at all had happened between them. He didn’t act awkward in any way. Why was she surprised? It had all been one big joke to him, so why wouldn’t he be fine? Two could play at that game. She could be a cool cat if that’s how he was going to be.
“Yes, sir. I’ll get that for you right away. Will you be working in here or in the conference room?”
“I think we’ll work in my office and leave the conference room for you, since Jeff’s materials are all organized in there. Are you okay working on your own?”
“Absolutely, sir. I prefer it that way.” She noted with some satisfaction the slight wince on Gherring’s face.
She sent a copy of Jared’s PowerPoint to Gherring’s computer and perused the additional material he’d given her. She estimated she could finish his portion easily in an hour, and then she would tackle Jeff’s part.
Maybe she could give her tattered pride a little boost if she could organize Jeff’s presentation without asking for Gherring’s help. He was so swamped with his other duties he didn’t have time to work with her anyway.
Since Jeff’s proposal involved a choice between acquisition and contractual cooperation, she’d have to understand the material to show which option would be optimal. Jeff’s summary claimed that because of tax consequences, the most favorable option for Gherring Inc. would be a contractual cooperation with a company formed by the merger of two existing Swiss companies.
The PowerPoint presentation needed to prove this would also be the most favorable option for the two companies. Otherwise, Gherring Inc. would simply buy out the two companies and merge the acquisitions. It was very complex, but she planned to study until she understood it, backwards and forwards.
And concentrating on this will keep me from thinking about Gherring.
* * *
“Does that make sense?”Sam had just given Anne a summary of a concept that had her head spinning.
“I think that helps me understand enough to make sense of this article. “
“I can’t believe you’re doing this all on your own,” said Sam. “Why isn’t Mr. Gherring helping you?”
“He’s really busy working with Jared today. This will be Jared’s first big presentation, and I’m sure he’s nervous. I would be—I hate public speaking.”
“You seem to grasp the basic concepts pretty well. It’s all very complex. I’m sure even Jeff didn’t understand all the international laws that are involved. Mr. Gherring is the only one who really does. I’ve already taught you everything I know. But I’ll pass on your questions to Randy. His specialty is mergers and acquisitions.”
“Thanks. Maybe after I talk to Henri, I’ll run up there and pick his brain.”
“So things are still going strong with Henri?” Sam asked. “I still can’t believe you snagged him. Women around here have been falling all over him for years. You show up, and he’s following you around like a puppy dog. Do you have some secret aphrodisiac?”
“She certainly seems to,” Steven Gherring’s deep voice carried from the doorway of the conference room.
“Hi, Mr. Gherring. I was just leaving.” Sam made a small gesture to Anne indicating she would call her later.
“Are you making progress?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s coming along.”
“Unfortunately, I have to go to a meeting with some investors this afternoon. You know I don’t expect you to do this on your own. I’ll tackle it tomorrow and try to get it into a form you can put in the PowerPoint. Sound okay?”
“I’ll just keep plugging along. Katie’s handling all the day-to-day stuff.”
“Great.” His jaw flexed, causing his dimples to appear beside a grimace. “I think we need to talk… about last night.”
“Mr. Gherring, the last thing I want to do is talk about last night. I’d like to forget about it, and I’d appreciate it if you’d help me do just that. So let’s make an agreement not to talk about anything.”
“We can’t not talkabout anything.”
“Since I’m your PA, we can talk about work-related subjects.”
“I’m not agreeing to not talk.” Gherring huffed as his hands balled into tight fists. “I won’t press the matter right now because I’ve got to get to this meeting. But I’ll promise you this much—you will talk with me. Or if you prefer, you can sit quietly and pretend to listen. It’s going to happen. Just not today.”
He left the conference room, shutting the door hard enough to emphasize his irritation.
What does he have to be irritated about?
Anne’s hands shook with adrenaline. At least she’d managed to put off the discussion until tomorrow. She felt so humiliated. What she needed was a pep talk, and she knew just where to get it—Henri.
* * *
His face appearedon the screen, still sporting his scruffy look. “I am so happy to see you. You look amazing. Those deep brown eyes, they are fathomless.”
“Thanks, Henri. I needed an ego boost. And how do you know a word like ‘fathomless’?”
“I have been reading English poetry. And why do you need an ego boost? Someone as beautiful as you should not need boosting.”
Anne didn’t want to share the real reason for her distress. “Even someone as handsome as you must have doubts every once in a while.”
Henri appeared to think hard. “No. I believe I have always been perfect.” He tried to smile, but his expression was strained. “I hate to bring you down when you need a boost, but…”
“What’s wrong, Henri?”
“It’s my niece, Anna-Laure. She said that her leg was hurting, and we thought it was from riding the pony. But now the doctors are afraid it may be something worse. It might even be cancer.”
“Oh no! Are they doing tests? When will you know?”
“She had some blood tests today, and she will have more tests later in the week.” Henri looked absolutely destitute. “I cannot lose her. And her mom and her brother will be devastated.”
“I’ll pray for her—I promise.”
“I must be strong for my sister, but I feel so alone. I wish you were here. You could hold my hand. You understand now, don’t you? You see why I feel strongly for you? I knew from the beginning you were different from the other women. There are many women who want me, who offer themselves to me. But they are selfish, as I am selfish. But you are not selfish, and you make me want to be like you.”
“I’m not perfect either, Henri. You just don’t know me well enough. If you put me on a pedestal, you’ll be very disappointed when you see the real me.”
“I am not so young that I am na?ve, mon ange. I know you are human, not a real angel. You will see when you come to Paris.”
“I wish I could come tonight, Henri. I’d hold your hand and cry with you. I hope by the time I come, you’ll have good news.”
“If you would come tonight, I would buy your ticket. But you will not come, will you?”
“I… my job…”
“Your job.” Henri’s expression was sour. “Gherring does not appreciate you. You are more than a PA. You have a degree in chemistry, so you must be very intelligent. Anyone else would know you could be so much more than a PA.”
Anne took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “A chemistry degree and no job experience except being a part-time travel agent and a mother doesn’t qualify you for many positions. I’m lucky to have this job.”
“Still, Gherring does not know how valuable you are. He uses people. He plays with their lives. That is how he makes his living.”
“Henri, I don’t think he’s as bad as you think he is.”
“Of course, my angel, you will defend him. He does not deserve your loyalty. Let me ask you a question… Has he never done anything to keep you in his control? Has he never made you feel foolish? Has he never made you think he was your friend, and then done something to hurt you?”
She didn’t answer, struggling with memories of the previous night. Henri continued, “But a better question is this… Have I ever done any of those things to you? I pray the answer is no. If I have, I will fall on my face and beg you to forgive me.”
“No Henri, you haven’t ever done any of those things.”
“But? There is something you are not saying.”
“But… but you push me, Henri. I don’t like pressure. It makes me nervous.”
“I am sorry.”
“You don’t look like you’re really sorry.”
Henri chuckled. “Life is short, and I have wasted much of it. I do not want to waste another day. So I may try to hurry you along.”
Anne tried to keep a stern countenance but failed. “Okay, Henri. You’re forgiven.”
His smile was unrepentant.
* * *
After meetingwith Sam’s friend, Randy, Anne attacked her project with a vengeance. She had slides to show the actual profits from the five prior years. Then she organized the PowerPoint with comparison tables to show the projected profit with the merger and cooperative contract. She had organizational charts and slides with tax consequences.
Occasionally, some of Jeff’s notes would look like a foreign language to her, but so far Randy had been able to clarify the issues. Anne was tired but extremely pleased with her progress. She started reading a particularly tedious stack of notes. The information was random. Some pertaining to the physical plant while others referred to economic trends. She read until her eyes were blurry.
“Anne! What are you still doing here?” Gherring’s voice startled her from her trance.
“I was… I was just working. What time is it?”
“It’s nine thirty! There’s no one here but the night guards. How were you planning to get home?”
“I don’t know. The subway, I guess. I didn’t know it was so late. What are you doing here?”
“I tried to call you, and you didn’t answer your cell.”
“My phone is right here.” She picked it up from the table and stared at the black screen. “Oh. It’s dead.”
“You weren’t at the apartment and Rayna hadn’t seen you come in.” Gherring flailed his arms. “Gram didn’t know where you were. I even called Emily, and she hadn’t heard from you. Everyone was worried.”
“You had Emily’s cell number?”
“That’s not the point. No one knew where you were. You can’t stay here this late by yourself.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. But look what I got done. I’ve almost finished Jeff’s whole PowerPoint.”
“I don’t care about the PowerPoint. I care about—”
“You’d better care about this PowerPoint! I’ve sweated blood over this thing, and you’re going to look at it whether you want to or not!” She glared at him with her arms crossed until he finally gave in.
“Fine. Let me see what you’ve got.” He leaned over the computer. “You do remember I said I would do this tomorrow?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t give you time to practice the presentation.” Anne brought up the PowerPoint, flashing quickly through the slides and summarizing the information. “Okay, that’s not quite all of it, but most of it. What do you think?” She held her breath.
He was staring at the computer screen, scrolling through the PowerPoint. “How did you do this? How did you put this together using those crappy notes Jeff left? How did you know how to organize this or what this stuff even meant?”
“I did some research, and I got Randy from the international accounting department to explain the concepts and the laws and such. I mean, some of it still seems like Greek to me, but I’ve got the gist of it.” She paused for a breath, crossing her fingers. “Is it good?”
His eyebrows arched high and he smiled, his dimples announcing his pleasure. “It’s great. Just when I think I’m finally getting to know you, you surprise me again. I mean, every day it’s something new.” He shook his head, and then he forced his face into a stern expression. “But that doesn’t mean you’re out of trouble for scaring me to death. Oh… and you need to call Emily. I’ll call Gram.”
* * *
Anne rodehome with Gherring in the limousine. She was so tired she didn’t argue with him about her mode of transportation. Relaxing in the back with the vibration of the car, she felt herself nodding off, even though the ride only lasted fifteen minutes. She woke with a jolt when the car stopped and found herself leaning against his shoulder.
“I moved over so you could lean on me. Your head was tilting at an awful angle.”
“Thank you.” She felt awkward and shy at his sweet and gentle manner. He didn’t seem to be teasing her. Maybe he’d learned his lesson.
“It’s the least I could do. After all, I’m the reason you’re so worn out. Let’s get you upstairs.”
Gherring supported her elbow as they walked in; even that small contact sending warmth into her bloodstream. When they walked into the lobby together, Rayna spotted them immediately.
“Thank goodness you found her. Is she okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
But Gherring had stopped cold.
“Steven,” said a soft female voice.
Anne turned to see the owner. She was blonde and beautiful. Anne knew immediately she was wealthy. By now, Anne recognized the look—soft, self-assured, impeccably dressed, sophisticated demeanor, a subtly powerful presence.
“I’ve been waiting for you. I hope you don’t mind.” She strode confidently to Steven and kissed his cheek, before her glance slid questioningly to where Gherring’s hand still supported Anne’s elbow. “Have you rescued some fair maiden?”
Gherring broke from his reverie. “Michelle, this is Anne, my…”
“His secretary. I’m his secretary.” Anne spoke in a flat, emotionless tone. She wrenched her elbow from his grip. “I think I can make it upstairs alone. Thank you, sir… for the ride home.”
Anne started for the elevator. She heard Michelle speaking in a low voice to Gherring. “Can we go up? It would be nice to have some privacy.”
“Do you have a hotel room?” His voice sounded gruff and a bit impatient.
“No, I was hoping…” Her voice trailed off and a sob escaped.
Escaping into the elevator, Anne turned around to face the lobby and let her eyes fall on Gherring. He was standing frozen in place, but Michelle had thrown her arms around him, crying inconsolably. For just a moment, his eyes locked with Anne’s. The doors closed, shutting off her view and vaulting her back to reality.
Fortunately, she was too tired to be disturbed by the appearance of this Michelle woman. Or she should’ve been. Instead, she lay awake until after two a.m., reliving their emotional moment, and slept restlessly, tearing her covers off the bed.
She dragged herself into the office the next morning and headed straight to the conference room, intent on finishing the Switzerland project. She’d been working undisturbed for almost an hour, when Gherring came to the door.
“Good morning, Anne.” His voice was hesitant. He looked like he thought she might start yelling at him. She hadn’t realized he must feel even more awkward than she did. It wasn’t his fault Anne had fretted all night about something that was none of her business.
“Morning.” She kept her tone bright. “I’m getting a lot done.”
He sighed. “I hate to do this to you, but Michelle would like to talk to you.”
“Why?” The word stuck in her throat. She had no desire to talk to his ex, whether or not they had renewed their relationship last night. “Why does she want to talk to me? I’m nobody.”
Gherring frowned. “Don’t say that—”
He stumbled to the side as Michelle pushed her way into the room. “Please, Ms. Best! I must talk to you!”
Anne scrutinized Michelle—her quivering lips, her reddened nose, and her still-swollen eyes. Perhaps her night had been as bad as Anne’s. Her heart softened.
“Of course, you can talk to me. I just don’t know why you’d want to.”
Michelle nodded at Gherring and he closed the door, leaving the two women alone. “Can I sit down?”
“Sure.”
“I need to ask you about Henri.”
“Henri? Why do you—” Anne’s mouth fell open. “Oh—you’re that Michelle!” Now Anne remembered Katie’s story about the broken engagement between Michelle and Gherring.
“Steven tells me you’re dating Henri.”
“I don’t know if you can call it dating. I went out with him a few times while he was here, and I’ve talked to him on FaceTime. But I’m here, and he’s in Paris. And you’ve probably noticed, I have a job. So I can’t just drop everything and move to Paris.”
“Henri flirts a lot, but it’s not like him to actually pursue a woman. He must really like you.”
“Look, I don’t know the whole story.” Anne swallowed, choosing her words. “But I understand you used to date Henri, and you also dated Steven. I was also told you turned both of them down. Is that about right?”
“Yes. But I realize I made a mistake.”
“It’s none of my business. I try not to be a judgmental person, so you don’t need to explain your reasons to me, of all people. And if you and Steven have decided to marry after all, great. He needs someone. I hate that he”s alone.”
“But that’s not it at all! Just let me explain.” She looked behind her as if to be sure no one else was in the room. “I met Henri, and we were crazy about each other. But I knew he slept around, so I didn’t really trust him. I broke it off.”
She stood up and began to pace. “And I ran to Steven’s arms, sort of. We’d grown up together like a big brother and little sister—he’s ten years older. Neither of us had anyone else to marry, so we thought the perfect solution was to marry each other. Our families were thrilled, and we almost went through with it.”
She seemed to grow more upset as she shared her story, swiping at the tears rolling down her face. “But then I realized I still loved Henri. So we made up this story about me wanting children and Steven refusing, just to keep my parents and Gram from hounding us. And we called off the marriage.”
Anne nodded. “I can see you’d have to take desperate measures with Gram. She can be pretty tenacious.”
Michelle stopped to search through her purse for a tissue to wipe her face, collapsing into a chair next to Anne. “Six months later, I decided to go to Paris and give it a try. For a couple of weeks, it was perfect. Henri was perfect. And he was rich enough I knew he didn’t love me for my money. I know that sounds snobby or stupid, but that kind of thing happens all the time. I’ve been burned so many times.”
She looked so miserable Anne put her hand on her arm to comfort her. “I’m sure it’s hard. That sounds terrible.”
She blinked away a few tears and continued. “One day I noticed Henri was always gone for an hour at the same time every afternoon. So, I know this sounds awful, but I followed him. And I saw him with two kids, a boy and a girl, and the boy looked just like him. I knew they were his kids, and I was just furious he hadn’t told me. We fought, and I wouldn’t let him explain. So I left. The press assumed I’d caught him in an affair, and so did the rest of the world, including Steven.”
Michelle took a deep quivery breath. “But the thing is, I found out later those weren’t Henri’s kids. Do you know about them?”
“They were his sister’s kids, right?”
Michelle nodded. “I said hateful things to him because I thought he’d lied to me.”
“He’s just an uncle who loves his family.”
Michelle’s expression was wretched, tears spilling from her eyes. “I know… You’re right. I was so blind and I wouldn’t even let him explain. And then, when I found out the truth, I was too proud to admit I was wrong. And I know I really hurt him.”
“Henri mentioned you. He told me you were with someone else.”
“I was. But he was a jerk. Just like always, he loved my money more than me.” She sniffed. “I could’ve had Henri, but I blew it.”
Anne agreed, but she kept her opinion to herself.
“What do you want from me?”
“I think Henri is the only man I ever really loved.”
Anne was thinking this woman didn’t even begin to understand the meaning of the word.
“I’m going to see him next week, during the Thanksgiving holidays. Mr. Gherring doesn’t know. I haven’t told him because he doesn’t like Henri, as you well know.”
“That’s mostly my fault.” Michelle picked at her ragged fingernails. “It really hurt Steven when I went back to Henri after we broke off the engagement, even though it was a mutual agreement. It hurt Steven’s pride for me to be with Henri. And I probably hurt him again last night by telling him about my feelings for Henri. Steven is so good to me. He only wants what’s best for me. I really wish I could love him the way I do Henri. I think I’ve waited too long now, anyway.”
Her heart hurt, not for Michelle, but for Mr. Gherring. He must still have feelings for her, and it must have killed him for her to profess her love for Henri. As much as she hated the idea, if he loved Michelle, she would help them get back together.
“Maybe you should forget about Henri and try again with Mr. Gherring. It’s obvious he still cares for you.”
“Actually, if you and Henri aren’t dating seriously, I was hoping you might put in a good word for me with him.”
“I don’t know, Michelle. Henri’s going through a lot right now. I don’t think he could handle it if you broke his heart again.”
“But I wouldn’t… not this time!”
Anne grimaced. “Maybe. But I can’t make promises.”
* * *
Anne worked alonein the conference room until lunchtime. She was about to order take-out from Papa’s when the door opened abruptly, and Gram marched into the room.
“It’s time for lunch.”
Anne thought about arguing, but she knew it would be fruitless. “I’m coming, Gram. But I need to get back quickly. I have a lot of work to do.”
“I’ve already spoken to Steven and informed him he’s been giving you too much work. The very idea of you working here alone until nine thirty last night. You can take all the time you need for lunch, and Steven can and will take some of this workload.”
“It’s not his fault.” Anne grabbed her purse. “In fact, it’s kind of my fault.”
“How’s that?”
“He had to fire this guy who was being fresh with me, and it left us with a crisis right before the big Switzerland presentation. And they’re leaving tomorrow evening.”
“Humph! I don’t believe it was your fault Steven fired someone. He’s not a rash man. He’s infuriatingly deliberate about his decisions… well, usually.”
“I know you didn’t invite me to lunch to talk about work. Have you made some progress on our project?” Anne asked as they got on the elevator with several other passengers.
“Progress and setbacks. I’ll explain while we eat.”
* * *
May chatted happily with Gram,leading them to the private room in the back. They ordered quickly, with Anne trying the new special—crab-stuffed whitefish.
“So what’s up?” asked Anne.
“I had a long talk with my grandson Sunday night, and I believe some of my advice is finally sinking in. He admits, at least, he doesn’t want to be alone for the rest of his life. But he says he’ll find the right person in his own way and in his own time.” Gram screwed up her face. “If I let him do it in his own time, I’ll be long gone before he finds someone.”
“At least it sounds like he’s open to the possibility. What about Michelle?”
Gram looked surprised. “Michelle? What about her?”
“She’s in town. She was with Steven last night, and she was here this morning.”
“That’s great information. I’ll give her a call. She owes me a visit anyway.”
“And after Mr. Gherring comes back from Switzerland, I’m going to introduce him to my friend, Ellen. I think she’d make a good match.”
“I’d still like to know why you’re doing all that work by yourself in the conference room. Why isn’t Steven helping you?”
“Partly because he’s just swamped. But I also think it’s partly because he doesn’t want to work with me. We had a misunderstanding. I’m sure he’s uncomfortable.”
“Sunday night?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“Let’s just say I get my feelings hurt too easily.”
“That answer is pure hooey. Steven wouldn’t explain it to me either.”
“It doesn’t matter. I can be professional, and I’ve proven I can get the work done.”
“It does matter. We need to clear this up, or my plan is never going to work.”
“I’ll still help you find him a wife, I promise. After all, I have to protect my reputation as the world’s best matchmaker. This one will be my crowning achievement.”
Gram’s chin jutted out. “I’m afraid you’ll never win that title away from me, dear.”
* * *
Katie cameinto the conference room that afternoon carrying coffee from the downstairs shop.
“Coffee! Is that a latté? I love you, Katie!”
“I haven’t seen you for days. Aren’t you going stir-crazy in here? Is there something I can help you with?”
Anne stretched her arms, arching her back. “Ugh! I am getting a little stiff. But I think I’m almost finished.”
“The president of the company from Bern just called. Gherring’s on the line with him now. There’s some kind of scheduling problem, and they may cancel the whole thing.”
Anne groaned. “Noooo! After all this work?”
“I’m sure they’d reschedule it for a later date. But Mr. Gherring wanted to get this thing done before the end of the year. Postponing would get us into Thanksgiving, and December is really tough, with all the end-of-year business to wrap up. We’ll see soon enough. Here he comes.”
His hair was mussed as if his hand had been pushing it in all directions, but he still looked like he could be on the cover of a magazine.
“Are we canceling the trip?” Anne asked.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” said Steven. “One of the companies involved has a conflict on Friday. We can’t move it up to Thursday because we aren’t even finished with the presentation.”
Anne said, “I’ll stay tonight and work late. We can finish everything. I’m almost done with Jeff’s part, even the last stuff you interpreted for me. By the way, thanks for clarifying that mumbo-jumbo.”
Gherring shook his head. “I’ve done this a lot. I’d rather postpone the presentation than show up for a meeting with jetlag.”
“I’ll call the pilots, and maybe you can fly out tonight. Just check with Jared and see if he can leave a day early,” said Katie.
“And you can give me the additions you and Jeff have. I’ll keep working tonight and email the PowerPoint,” said Anne.
“Absolutely not. I want that PowerPoint on a flash drive, and I prefer to have it on my computer already. I’ve had that backfire on me before,” Gherring frowned. “I think I’ll reschedule. It may have to be January.”
He strode to the door but froze in his tracks. “Or… you could just go with us.”
“Me?” Anne’s heart turned over in her chest.
“That’d work,” said Katie. “I’d volunteer to go in a heartbeat, but I have a meeting with the caterer on Thursday and a shower on Friday.”
“And you already have a passport, right? I heard you tell Johanna you have one,” said Gherring.
“You were listening?”
“I just happened to overhear. So you do have one, right?”
Anne nodded, numbly. “I guess I’d better get to work, then.”
“No,” said Gherring. “Ms. Carson, you call and set everything up with the jet, the pilots and the hotel. I’ll talk to Jared and call the company in Bern. Ms. Best, you need to gather everything here in some kind of organized fashion and be sure we have everything else we need for the presentation. Then we’ll get home and pack. We’ll leave as soon as possible.”
Anne felt dizzy. Things were happening too fast.
“Are you okay with this, Ms. Best? Is there some problem I don’t know about?” Gherring studied her with concern.
“No…”
“We’ll finish the presentation tomorrow at the hotel in Switzerland. I’ll have a suite, and we’ll have plenty of room to spread out and work. Okay?”
“I’m going to Switzerland?” she asked in a squeaky voice. “Tonight?”
“Yes, you’re going to Switzerland. You’re getting your first stamp in your passport.” Gherring’s face broke out in a broad grin, flashing his dimples. “Now, am I forgiven?”
“I guess so. I’m too excited to remember why I was upset.”
“Perfect!” Gherring pumped his fist in the air.
* * *
“I can’t believe it,Mom! You’re going to Switzerland? You’re so lucky! Switzerland this week, Paris next week. What’s next? Venice?” Charlie danced with excitement.
“I don’t have any time. I tried to get Emily, and she didn’t answer. Will you tell her for me?”
“Don’t worry your little head about that. I’ll be glad to call Em and tell her all about your fabulous surprise trip to Bern, Switzerland. On a private jet. With Steven Gherring.”
“It’s for a presentation, and it will be me and Jared and Mr. Gherring. You make it sound like a tryst.”
“If I’m telling the story, I’m telling it my way. Besides, it sounds so much better like that. So, have you told Henri yet?”
She’d been dreading it, but she had to let him know. “That’s my next call.”
Anne placed a FaceTime call to Henri, half hoping he wouldn’t answer and she could just leave a voicemail. He answered, dark circles under his green eyes, which had lost their usual sparkle.
“You are calling really late tonight,” he said. “But I am glad because I missed your call earlier. I was at the doctor’s office, with my sister and my niece.”
“What did they say? Do they have test results yet?”
“The numbers do not look good, but we do not know for certain. They are doing the scans tomorrow and Thursday. We will know something on Friday.”
“Henri, I’m so sorry. I’ll keep contacting you every day, but it may be at a different time. I’m going to be in Switzerland tomorrow through the weekend.”
“And why will you be in Switzerland?”
“It’s for work. We’re doing a big presentation in Bern.”
“Yes, I know. You have told me about your work, but you were not going before. Or you did not tell me.”
“It’s an emergency. It’s a long story that starts with a man named Jeff Murphy…”
“That man is scum. What does he have to do with this?”
“I didn’t even realize you knew him. But Gherring fired him. He was… he was making suggestive comments to me.”
Henri’s brows furrowed. “Gherring should have never hired that man. I am glad he is gone.”
“But Jeff was doing part of the presentation, and the date got moved up, and I have to go so I can help them finish tomorrow because the presentation’s on Thursday. Please don’t be upset, Henri.”
“You are going with Steven Gherring?”
“Yes, with him and Jared. It’s not like we’ll ever be alone. It’s my job, Henri, and it’s important to me.”
Henri’s face relaxed. “I am sorry, angel. I do not want to cause you stress. I will not say any more about it. But if he does anything to hurt you, he will answer to me.”
“Thanks, Henri. Maybe I’ll get to practice my French in Bern. Then I’ll be ready for Paris.”
Henri waggled his eyebrows. “I am hoping you will practice your French with me, mon ange.”
“If Anna-Laure is really sick, will you still want me to come next week?”
His smile fell away. “If she is sick, I will need you to come. Even more.”
“I’m praying for her, Henri.”
“Merci! Please be safe. I don’t want to lose you. I think I could not handle any more pain.”
Anne hung up, with more than a little concern that Henri was becoming dependent on her. What if he needed more than she could give?
Anne finished packing her bag and checked for the fourth time to be sure she had her passport. Then she picked up a pillow and held it to her face. She screamed into the pillow at the top of her lungs, “I’m flying to Switzerland tonight! Ahhhhhhh!”
She threw the pillow back onto her bed with a grin. “There—now I’m ready to go.”