12. What’s Important
For the rest of the flight there was no discussion of work, but she fretted over her out-of-control feelings.
What was I thinking?
With the new position she’d proposed, she’d be spending more time with Gherring than ever before. If it were only a physical attraction, it would be easier to handle her emotions. But he was also kind, thoughtful, and unselfish. The more she got to know him, the more she saw his true strength was so much more than physical.
If only he had a wife, she could put all those thoughts out of her mind. If Gherring were married, she’d lose all that physical and emotional attraction she felt for him right now. Then maybe she could let herself be attracted to someone else. She didn’t believe she’d ever find someone like Tom, someone she could really love and trust, someone she would be willing to marry. But maybe she could find a man she could be a really close friend with. Maybe even Henri. But first she had to eliminate Gherring from her system. He really messed with her perception.
It was seven thirty p.m. in New York by the time they arrived back at the apartment. Gherring hadn’t mentioned anything more about the job. Anne debated whether to ask about it as she dragged her weary body into the lobby.
But Gherring broached the subject as they entered the elevator. “So, I guess we should get together and talk about your new job description before Monday.”
Anne panicked. She’d already decided she shouldn’t spend any more time with Gherring outside of work, but she could hardly refuse. “Should someone else be at the meeting with us, like maybe Katie?”
His brows pinched together. “I don’t think Ms. Carson needs to be involved. After all, she’s leaving in mid-December. Why don’t you just come up for dinner tomorrow night? We can iron out the details.”
“Tomorrow night?”
He slanted a suspicious look toward her. “Unless you have other plans? Maybe you’re planning to talk with Henri at that time?”
“No, I don’t have other plans—”
“Okay then, six o’clock? Seven?”
“Seven is okay.” She heard the words come out of her mouth.
“Or, I guess if you’d rather, you could come up earlier and run while I work out.”
Anne felt all the blood drain from her face. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I mean, that won’t work for me. I’ll see you at seven for dinner.”
“See you tomorrow night then,” he said as she exited the elevator. She didn’t respond but she noted his self-satisfied expression before the doors closed. What on earth had she gotten herself into?
* * *
Henri had lefther a message on her phone to call him in the morning. He sounded weary. And Anne discovered her most recent email from Johanna.
Dear Anne,
I must hear what happened on your trip to Switzerland! How did Mr. Gherring behave toward you? Am I right? He is interested in you as more than a secretary? And what about Henri? Was he jealous you went to Switzerland with Mr. Gherring? What did Mr. Gherring say about your plans to go to Paris next week to stay with Henri? Are you still going?
My life here is boring, so write back soon! I am trying to talk Alexander into visiting New York in December. We must get together!
Yours truly,
Johanna
Anne quickly jotted a note back.
Dear Johanna,
Switzerland was beautiful! I have a stamped passport now! Mr. Gherring was extremely considerate. And no, I am certain he is not interested in me as more than a secretary. In fact, he tried to move me to a job that would have meant we seldom even worked together. I negotiated for something a little different. I am getting a kind of promotion, with expanded duties, as a reward for long hours of work on the presentation. I am a little nervous about living up to his expectations. Henri came to see me in Bern. Mr. Gherring and Henri got along fine, considering the circumstances. I still plan to leave for Paris on Tuesday night. I would love to see you in December. You could perhaps help me clear some confusion from my head with your sage advice.
Thinking of you,
Anne
Anne was exhausted from the trip, but she knew she needed some exercise if she wanted to sleep well. So she changed quickly and made her way to the gym. It was mostly deserted on a Saturday night. Only one other soul, and he was busy with the free weights. She knew most people in the building had something to do and someone to be with on Saturday nights. But she was glad to have a chance to clear her mind.
She set the treadmill for forty minutes and started her run. Soon she was in her zone, concentrating on the smooth repetitive motion propelling her feet forward on the belt, consciously minimizing extra movement, relaxing her shoulders. She felt the initial burn in her leg muscles and pushed through it until she no longer felt any discomfort, just warmth. Her mind relaxed along with her body, and she let her thoughts wander.
She was certainly overthinking the problem with Steven Gherring. She was not some young hormonal girl who couldn’t control herself. She was a strong, determined woman. She’d already proven herself in her education, her marriage, her motherhood, and now in this new job adventure. She was smart enough to handle any challenge put before her, and she wouldn’t let something like a little physical or emotional attraction to Steven Gherring cause her to make a misstep. She’d raised two children by herself for fifteen years. During that entire time she hadn’t let herself even look at another man. She was disciplined before, and she could be disciplined now.
Anne finished her forty-minute run and cool down. Feeling much more positive and relaxed, she picked up her bag and stopped by the water cooler for a drink. She realized she even enjoyed the feeling of being drenched in sweat with her hair plastered to her head. It was a feeling of accomplishment. She opened the door and slammed her sweaty body into someone entering the gym.
Steven Gherring had arrived at the gym with his shirt off, and now she’d smeared his chest and abdomen with sweat.
“Yikes! I’m so sorry,” said Anne.
“That’s okay. I’m gonna be sweaty in a minute anyway. You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah… but what are you doing here?” She tried to keep her eyes on his, but her gaze kept drifting downward.
“I live here. I own the building. I can use the gym, can’t I?”
“But you have equipment upstairs in your apartment. Why are you using this gym?” she asked, as once again she felt her eyes fall toward his bare chest.
“Maybe I just wanted a change of scenery or a little company.”
Anne glanced back into the gym. “It’s dark outside and there’s no one else in here.” She couldn’t stop herself from gazing at his muscled abdomen. She felt her heart racing. “And why don’t you ever wear a shirt?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned and stomped down the hall.
* * *
The next day,Anne met Ellen for lunch.
“Catch me up,” demanded Ellen after May seated them, promising to return after the rush.
“There’s not much to tell. After the girls went home, I worked like crazy, ended up going to Switzerland, rode on Mr. Gherring’s private jet, toured around Switzerland on trains, rode back in the private jet, and got a promotion—kind of.”
“Are you kidding me? That makes my life sound downright dull, and I was feeling pretty good about it.” Ellen leaned in close. “Details, I want details. What was it like to ride on Steven Gherring’s private jet?”
“It was amazing. But you know, if you were to meet Mr. Gherring and y’all hit it off, you could find out for yourself.”
Ellen choked on her water. “Are you still on that kick? And tell me again why you don’t want to date him? What’s the secret? What’s wrong with Steven Gherring? Does he have some hidden deformity? There must be something wrong with him, or you’d be going after him yourself.”
“There’s nothing wrong with him, I promise.”
“Then why has he never gotten married before? Or maybe he has been married before?”
“No, he’s never been married. He was engaged before, but they broke it off.”
“But in the magazines and newspapers, he’s always got some girl hanging on him. Every time, it’s a different girl.”
“That’s just it. He doesn’t really date. It’s like he thinks every girl out there is only after his money, so he doesn’t give them a chance.”
Ellen laughed. “Only half of them are after his money—the other half are after his body. Have you ever seen pictures of him without a shirt?”
Anne felt her face heating up. “Yes, I’ve seen him.”
“Aha! You’re red. You’ve seen him up close and personal without a shirt. When was this? On the private jet? Just how private was this jet?”
Anne scrambled to cover her blunder. “No. When we went climbing, remember? Didn’t I tell you Mr. Gherring went climbing with me and the girls the morning before we came to meet you at the bookstore?”
“Maybe… I don’t remember that. But anyway, what’s wrong with him? Why don’t you want to date him?”
Anne sighed. “It’s not like I wouldn’t date him if he asked me. But he’s known me for two months, and he hasn’t asked me out. So I don’t think that would ever happen.”
“Why do you care whether he has someone to date or not?”
“I just care about him. I want him to be happy, and I know finding the love of your life can do that for you. It worked for me. And if I’m right, then you’ll find the love of your life at the same time. And as a bonus, he can provide financial support for your plays.”
“Even if I agreed to meet him, there’s one other little complication.”
“What’s that?”
“I kind of have a crush on my leading man.”
“You do?”
“Yes, but he’s not interested in me. So I guess it doesn’t matter.”
“If things don’t work out with Mr. Gherring, I’ll figure out a way to make this guy notice you.”
Ellen laughed. “You know, I think you’d really do that. It’s a deal. When do I meet Mr. Gherring?”
“How about next Monday, after the Thanksgiving holidays? Lunch at Papa’s? I’ll do my best to get him there, but no guarantees.”
“What should I wear?”
“Wear a dress and show off those dancer legs.”
“You’ve got it. And if it flops, you have to help me catch Ben’s attention.”
“Deal.”
* * *
By the timethe lunch rush was over and May came to join them, Ellen had to leave.
“Do you need to go too, Anne? I’m sorry I was tied up so long,” May said.
“No, I’d love to stay and chat,” said Anne.
“Tell me all about your trip.”
“Do you mean Switzerland? Did you know about that?”
“Yes. Although I think I found out through the grapevine. I’m pretty sure Spencer told me about it.”
“Spencer knew?”
“Sure. He found out from talking to Emily.”
“He was talking to Emily? She just told me they texted. She didn’t say anything about talking to him.”
“Spencer’s been talking to her alright. He’s talked to her every day since she left. He’s saving up his money to fly to Texas.”
“Does she know that?”
“I don’t know. I only hear about it from Spencer. He’s crazy about her, I think. I’ve never seen him act like this before.”
Anne stared at May. “I’ve got to talk to her and see what’s going on. Either she’s hiding something from me or she’s leading him on. I don’t want Spencer to be hurt.”
“Or it could just be Spencer’s moving a little faster than she is. When he makes a decision, that’s it. He jumps in with both feet.”
“Not Emily. She thinks about everything and then thinks some more and then maybe she’ll try it. Just tests the water with her toes.”
“I don’t know, they don’t sound too compatible, do they?”
“I disagree—I think they could be really good for each other. Strike a great balance. Hmmm…” Anne drummed her fingers on the table. “I need to find a way to get her back out here.”
“If this works out, we’d be aunt and mom-in-laws together.”
“I’d love to be related to you and George.”
* * *
Anne madesure she was five minutes late to dinner with Mr. Gherring. She didn’t need to catch him in any state of undress. She wanted to compose herself and reestablish their professional relationship. As soon as the door opened, her senses were assaulted with the aroma of food cooking. He let her inside and hurried back to the kitchen.
“Make yourself comfortable. Dinner’s almost ready.”
She followed him into the kitchen, noting he was fully dressed in khaki pants and a dark blue sweater. Still, she remembered exactly what his chest looked like under that sweater. She could see his muscles flexing through the fabric, even when he was just cooking dinner. She was hopeless.
“That smells wonderful. What is it?”
“It’s a stir fry with shrimp, steak, chicken, and veggies. Hope you like it.”
Her stomach rumbled noisily. “If it tastes as good as it smells, I’ll love it.”
“Could you set the table? You’ll have to look around for placemats and such. I don’t ordinarily use the dining table.”
She went into the dining area and searched through the buffet and found two linen placemats, napkins and silverware. There was a china cabinet with glassware and plates. Gherring had already set out a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. He came in with the steaming food just as she finished.
“Wow, I haven’t seen this china in a long time.”
“Is it okay? I found it in the bottom of your china cabinet. You have another set, but I really liked this one.” The plates were a simple design, white in the center with cream-colored rims and gold-encrusted edges.
“These belonged to my parents. It’s a Minton pattern. I think it’s called Buckingham. And it’s great to use them tonight. I dislike owning things I don’t use.”
“My folks were too practical to own china. And I don’t even remember my mom. She died when I was three.” She took a bite. “Wow—this is so good. I’d be fat if I could cook like this. I’d just eat all the time.”
He chuckled. “I seriously doubt that. You and your girls look like you’ve got metabolisms that work overtime. You’re fortunate.”
“That’s true. I’m so lucky because I love eating.”
“Good. When I cook, I want people to enjoy the meal.”
“So… about the job. I’ve been thinking. Are you having regrets about this? I mean, we’re talking about creating a whole different position that doesn’t fit into your current framework. I can be a bit impulsive at times. I want you to be honest with me.”
His dimples flashed. “Why don’t you hold that thought until after dinner? I think I know you pretty well. If you start thinking too much, you won’t be able to eat.”
Her mouth hung open. He was right—her stomach often refused food when she was upset about something. “Okay. We’ll wait. So what shall we talk about? Should we go with… qualities you would like in a wife?”
He laughed. “Not again—that one upsets my stomach.”
“Tell me about growing up with Gram.”
His expression grew contemplative. “That‘s a good one. Good memories. Gram took me out of boarding school when my parents died. I grew up in Gram’s house—the one where you had dinner.”
“And Michelle?”
He frowned. “What about Michelle?”
“She told me you were childhood friends.”
“That’s true. I used to change her diapers. She was born when I was ten years old.”
“I see—so you’ve always liked younger women.”
His mouth twitched up on one corner. “We didn’t date until long after we were grown.”
“Mmmm. Okay, where did you go to college?”
“Columbia and Harvard Law.”
“Really? I didn’t know you went to law school.”
“That was my rebellious stage.”
“You rebelled by going to law school?”
“I thought about going into politics instead of running the family business that had been waiting for me. It felt like I didn’t have a choice. But in the end, it was in my blood. I had a knack for it, even more than my father.”
“And then, you absorbed yourself in your business and forgot to get married and have a life.”
“That’s what Gram would say. But the magazines reported my life was too wild, and that’s why I never got married. It just depends on who you believe.”
“And are you happy?”
“I’ve spent my life building an empire. Our charitable foundations have done a lot of good things. And you’re the only person I know who looks at me with pity, even though I’m a billionaire.”
“Let me ask you this. If you had to choose between being rich and having Gram in your life, which would you pick?”
He answered with a shake of his head. “You know the answer.”
“Exactly. You know what’s most important in life. I’m glad you have Gram. I’m just sad you never got married. But I’m just as sad for people who’ve only had bad marriages. There’s nothing like finding the love of your life, who loves you back the same way.” She sighed. “Even if you lose them after ten years.”
“I don’t disagree with you. You and Gram both—you act like I’ve never tried to find a wife. I’ve looked but—” He stopped abruptly. “Why am I discussing this with you? This topic is officially off limits. And I’d better not catch you trying to set me up with a potential wife.”
Anne’s mouth went dry. This hadn’t gone well at all. She’d have to proceed very carefully and be extremely subtle. Subtle—fat chance. She would just be sneaky instead. The wheels began to turn…
* * *
After dinner,Steven settled Anne in front of the fireplace with a cup of cocoa. “Dinner was incredible and now, hot cocoa and a fire. I’m in paradise.”
A pleased expression on his face, Steven lounged next to Anne on the buttery-soft leather couch. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I like to be appreciated, and it’s fun to make you smile.”
“So, about the job…. Mr. Gherring, I feel like I may have forced you into this.”
“Ms. Best, I’ve never been forced into a business decision by anyone in my entire life. Rest assured your influence, while formidable, does not equal compulsion.”
Anne’s spine stiffened. “Mr. Gherring, I certainly feel chastised for my presumptive assertion. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I was not suggesting your manhood had been detached. I was merely offering you an opportunity to withdraw the proposed job alteration with aplomb and promising not to take unwarranted offense.”
Gherring held up his hands. “I surrender! I bet you always win when you play Scrabble, don’t you?”
“As you said, I’m formidable.”
“So, about the job. If you went to CMA, you’d start at eighty thousand, since you don’t have a degree or job experience. I’m willing to give the assistant position a try for three months. It’s an intriguing idea. If it works, you’ll get at least a ten-thousand-dollar raise, plus bonuses. If it works really well, you could make as much as you would in CMA.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” Anne asked in a small voice.
“Then you’d be terminated.”
Anne felt a rock in her stomach. “I’m a pretty confident person, but I’m not that confident. I don’t think I want to take the risk—”
“Seriously? You think I would fire you? I was only kidding. If it doesn’t work, we’ll renegotiate.” He chuckled at the relief on her face. “How did you ever live this long when you’re this gullible?”
“I’m not really sure.”
“But there is one caveat.” His expression grew serious. “This deal we’ve made with Bern… You and Jared will need to work with those two companies, just as if you’re in the CMA department with him. I have yet to think what title to give you, but we’ll come up with something.”
“I feel better. And the secretary work?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to cover that as well until we get some help.”
“Katie’s gonna flip out. She’s already been through heck trying to get you to agree on a PA the first time. She’s not going to want to do it again.
“You and Ms. Carson can pick someone for me, and I’ll give the final approval.” He caught her hand and narrowed his eyes. “And you’d better be looking for a PA and not a potential wife.”
She blushed furiously. Especially since her thoughts had indeed been heading in that direction. He released her hand and leaned back on the couch, stretching out his arms along the back. She was acutely aware of the slight contact of his arm against her shoulder. That familiar zing began where she felt his touch and spread downward, causing her heart to flutter. Her breathing became shallow with anticipation. What was wrong with her? What was she anticipating? Nothing was going to happen.
Gherring leaned across her to set his wine glass down on the end table, sending thousands of alarms throughout her body.
“Anne.” His voice seemed deeper, slightly raspy. Or maybe it was her imagination. “Anne, you know, we’ve spent—”
A loud rapping sound on the door interrupted his speech. He looked puzzled. “Excuse me. Let me see who’s at the door.” Anne watched from the sofa but couldn’t see the person.
“Steven!” said a soft feminine voice. “I hope I didn’t come at a bad time. I really needed to see you. We really need to talk. You see, I’ve been thinking a lot about my feelings.”
“Wait, Michelle. Actually, this is kind of—”
“You’ve always been the one that understood me,” she continued. “The only one. And I know I can talk to you about anything. And your idea—the one about trying again, giving it another shot. I think I’m ready. I just need to be more selfless and understanding—”
Anne didn’t wait to hear the rest of the conversation.
“Hi, Michelle. Mr. Gherring and I had just finished our meeting.” Anne slipped through the doorway. “Thank you, Mr. Gherring. I’ll see you at the office. Michelle—it was good to see you again.”
* * *
Monday morning,Anne left early for the office. She wanted to get a head start on the administrative work so she’d have time to begin training for her new workload, whatever that might be. Meanwhile, she wrestled with her feelings about Michelle’s appearance at Gherring’s apartment the previous night. On one hand, this could be an answer to her problems. Her arrival had certainly put a damper on Gherring’s escalating lure. But she worried Michelle was too fickle for him. Hadn’t she been crying about Henri just the week before? In Anne’s experience, you couldn’t love one person one week and another the next. She didn’t want Gherring to be caught in a bad marriage. Especially one based on Michelle’s chameleon emotions.
Steven Gherring didn’t arrive until almost ten o’clock. And when he came, he came with a vengeance.
“Ms. Best,” he said as he breezed by her desk. “In my office please.”
She meekly followed him inside and he shut the door. “I’ve gotten caught up a little. I’ve already returned the phone calls from last week. We’ve had a few schedule changes, but nothing major—”
“Ms. Best, what are your plans for the Thanksgiving holidays?”
Anne swallowed hard. He wanted her to work during the holidays, but she was going to be in Paris. With Henri.
“I’m flying out tomorrow night, but I could be available to work by phone and internet if you need me.”
“You’re going to see your family for Thanksgiving?”
“The girls and I always get together with my dad for Thanksgiving.” So far, so good. She hadn’t actually lied yet.
His eyes narrowed. “So you’re flying to Fort Worth tomorrow night?”
“My plane leaves at six thirty. I was planning to leave work a little early. I hope that’s okay?”
This time his voice was strained. “Ms. Best. Are you flying to Texas tomorrow night, or are you flying to Paris?”
Her throat constricted. “Who… who told you?”
“Michelle told me, but that’s quite beside the point. The point is, why didn’t you tell me?”
Anne’s temper rose. “Because I didn’t think it was any of your business where I went for Thanksgiving.”
“So on one hand you want to know everything I do in this company and work with me on every business transaction and investment. But on the other hand, you don’t think it’s my business if you have an affair with the head of another company?”
“First, it’s not an affair. And second, I thought you had a cooperative agreement with La Porte. Doesn’t that make him sort of a part of your company?”
“Exactly! I think I need to know what’s going on between my employees.”
Anne’s wrath came bubbling to the surface. “In that case… Mr. Gherring, sir. Please let me inform you I’m flying to Paris tomorrow to spend four days with Henri. And I plan to tour Paris and visit a very sick little girl in the hospital. And I’ll be sleeping in my own room at Henri DuBois’ house.”
Her jaw trembled with fury and frustration. “And I’ll probably hug him frequently, and I might let him kiss me. And maybe you’d also like to know I haven’t let anyone else kiss me for the past fifteen years. So maybe I’m a weak person to let him kiss me, but it feels nice. And maybe it’s just something I need right now.”
He’d taken a few steps back as her frantic tirade began. Now he came toward her and held out his hands in supplication. “I didn’t mean—”
“Will there be anything else, sir?” She backed away from him, keeping her eyes on the floor. “I’ll be at my desk if you need me for anything else of vital importance.” She walked out the door without closing it behind her.
* * *
Gherring didn’t bringup Henri or Paris again, but their conversations were tense and stilted. Both made an effort to talk only about business. He acted as though their exchange had never occurred, discussing her new job responsibilities and how to inform the other employees.
“I’ve decided to name your position as a new department in the company. I’ll call it Coordination, and you’ll start out as the only team member. Then if we don’t think it’s successful, we’ll just dissolve the department. At that point, would you be willing to move to CMA?”
“Sir, I’m willing to move to CMA at any time. It’s entirely up to you,” she replied without emotion.
He sighed. “Ms. Best, if we’re going to work closely together, you’ll find I have more than a few imperfections. I get stressed and irritable. I may sometimes get a little testy. I might say things that offend you.”
He took a deep breath. “I need to know you’ll be able to overlook an occasional lapse in my demeanor and comportment.”
Anne’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry. I have a terrible temper. I’m usually able to control it, but with you… I don’t know. You seem to push my buttons sometimes, just like my kids. But I can forgive your slip-ups, if you can forgive mine.”
“It’s a deal.” His eyes crinkled in the corners.
“And one more thing, Mr. Gherring…”
“Yes, Ms. Best?”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d forget most of what I said earlier today—especially anything that involved hugging or kissing.”
He chuckled. “I’ll try. But you do make an impressive speech when you’re angry.”
* * *
As predicted,Katie was not pleased at the prospect of searching for another secretary for Gherring.
“I can’t believe I have to find you a new PA. Do you know how long it took me—how much work I had to do to get you to hire Ms. Best?” She was on a rampage.
Gherring said, “Ms. Carson, you seem to be a bit more outspoken than you used to be—”
“I just want you to know if this is a trick to make me stay here after I’m married, it’s not going to work.”
He commented to Anne. “I think perhaps you’re rubbing off on Ms. Carson. I’d better keep you far away from my next PA.” Anne started to protest, but he let out a chuckle.
“Katie, please. I promise to make it easy this time. I’ve finally accepted you’re leaving me. You and Ms. Best can choose someone for me from the candidates we’ve already interviewed. Just set up one quick interview appointment with me. It will be on a three-month trial period.”
Anne said, “You mentioned that one girl, Lana something…”
“Yes, do you remember, Ms. Carson? Lana Stewart?”
“Her name was Lana Seward. She was extremely qualified and experienced, attractive, well-spoken.”
“How old is she?” Anne asked.
“I think she was about thirty-five,” Katie replied.
“She sounds perfect,” said Anne, already contemplating the possibilities.
“And I do believe she’s married,” he said with a sideways smile at Anne.
“Oh,” Anne replied. She turned her head and stuck out her tongue at him.
He chuckled. “Score one for Gherring.”
“What?” asked Katie.
“Nothing,” said Gherring and Anne in unison.
* * *
“Willyou mind if I read all your business email?” Anne asked Gherring. “I know it won’t make any sense at first, but eventually it’ll all fall into place.”
“Yes, but that’ll need to come later. First, I need you to meet with Jared and get an understanding of your responsibilities with the Swiss companies. These first few weeks are really critical. They could still back out of the deal. I’ve already sent out an office-wide memo and spoken to HR about the new department. And I’ve scheduled for you to meet with Jared this afternoon.”
“What did Jared say about my new job?”
“Why would he say anything about it?”
“I just thought it might bother people for me to get some sort of promotion when I don’t have education and experience.”
His face darkened. “No one here would dare to question my decisions.”
“Right.” But Anne had her doubts. “I’ll go meet with Jared.”
* * *
Workingwith Jared was even more entertaining than she’d expected. His constant jovial attitude, funny stories, and clever quips made the time pass quickly. But Anne was surprised both at the amount of work they accomplished and the knowledge she gained in a single afternoon.
“Let me ask you something, Jared. Will you be honest with me?”
“Sure thing. What’s up?”
“I just want to know if you think I can do this job. Almost everyone here has an MBA and, I don’t know…”
He smiled. “You can do anything. I’ve never seen any other employee with the b—I mean gumption—to chew out Mr. Gherring.” He laughed. “And then you end up with a promotion.”
“Yes, I’m trying to learn to control my temper,” she said, averting her eyes from his curious inspection.
“But seriously, you catch on to everything really quickly. I didn’t even understand some of the stuff you talked about on Jeff’s part of the presentation.”
She smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Jared. You’ve got a really encouraging personality. Do you have a younger, single brother I could fix my daughter up with?”
“Ha! Nope, I’ve got five, count ‘em five, older sisters. That’s why I laugh about everything. In my house, you had to learn to laugh to survive.”
* * *
Gram called justas Anne was about to leave for the day. “I’m picking you up for dinner. We need to talk.”
When she climbed into the back seat with Gram, she noticed Gram appeared to be upset.
“It’s about Michelle,” said Gram. “She’s back in town again… and I think she’s set her sights on Steven again.”
Anne swallowed. “I guess that’s good, isn’t it? Didn’t you want them to get married?”
Gram frowned. “I’m not sure I trust her anymore. Last week she was going on about Henri DuBois.” She spat out his name like it tasted bad. “And I know you like Henri and you think I’m misjudging him, but there’s no comparison between him and my Steven.”
Gram was obviously waiting for her to agree, so she nodded her head in response.
“She’s a manipulator, that one. I’ve loved her since she was a baby, but I’ve always known her parents spoiled her rotten. She’s always had her daddy wrapped around her finger so tight he’s still bent when she lets him go. And she always gets her way.”
“So you don’t want Steven to marry her?”
Gram squinted. “I think he can do better, don’t you?”
She had to agree. She felt like Michelle was using Steven to fill a void left by Henri. “I guess I concur.”
“So what do you think we should do?” Gram asked.
“I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow…”
“Steven’s a grown man who hasn’t had much female company in the last few years. I’m afraid if she offers herself, he won’t be able to resist. She’s beautiful, you know.”
She knew just how beautiful Michelle had looked when she visited Gherring last night. And she sounded so needy. Gherring was a sucker for a woman in need. And she was unscrupulous. She’d told Steven about Anne’s trip to Paris after promising she wouldn’t. Maybe she’d already offered herself to Gherring. Maybe she’d spent the night with him last night.
Her head swam at the thought, but she replied, “There’s certainly nothing I can do if he can’t control himself. I’m planning to introduce him to my friend, Ellen, next Monday. But I don’t have any other ideas.”
“Humph!” said Gram. “I was thinking you might flirt with him a bit before you left. You know, you could just keep him distracted so Michelle can’t get her hooks into him again.”
She felt the blood rush to her face. “Gram, I can’t do that.”
Gram stared at her for a long time. “No, I guess that wouldn’t be much like you to do something like that. It was worth a try.” She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t be too distressed, I’ll just keep him distracted while you’re gone. Maybe I’ll fake a heart attack or come down with some other life-threatening disease.”
The astonishment must have shown on Anne’s face, because Gram gave her a gentle pat on the back. “Now-now dear. Don’t you know? Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
* * *
Anne packedher bags for Paris that night. She tried to call Emily to wheedle some more information about her relationship with Spencer, but she didn’t get an answer. She’d just have to wait until she got to Paris. She knew Charlie was flying into the Dallas/Fort Worth airport on Tuesday afternoon to spend the holidays with Emily and Grandpa. Anne planned to FaceTime with all three of them together on Wednesday and on Thanksgiving Day. Perhaps she could pin her daughter down and pry the truth out of her. Both her daughters seemed to have an innate ability to talk around the truth, a skill that had obviously not come from their mother.
Tuesday morning dawned, and Anne was filled with excitement. Paris! Another stamp in her passport. She wished the circumstances were not so dire for Henri and his family. But Anne felt drawn to bring all the comfort she could to Henri.
Gherring suggested she work in his office that morning so he could begin to teach her about the investment side of Gherring Inc. She listened with rapt attention to everything he said, but quickly decided she needed a crash course in basic economics. Maybe Spencer could lend her a book. She texted him and he promised to bring one to Papa’s at lunchtime.
Anne fielded her first phone call from one of the companies in the Bern transaction. Fortunately, the question had to do with specific information she had covered in her presentation. She breathed a sigh of relief. But secretly, she felt like a poser in a cardboard house that would soon tumble in the wind.
She planned to leave work at two o’clock, so she worked through lunch. She called Sam and asked her to pick up the economics book at Papa’s Place. After lunch, Sam dropped the book by her old desk, where Anne was working for the short afternoon.
“Anne? I need to ask you something.” Sam’s eyes were scrutinizing. “Are you sleeping with Mr. Gherring? I won’t tell anyone, but—”
“No! Why would you ask me that, Sam?”
Sam shrugged. “It’s not a big deal… People have just been saying you and Mr. Gherring spend a lot of time together, and you were in Bern together, and now you’re getting promoted. You know, it just sounds like maybe—”
“It isn’t. How could you think that about me?”
“Anne, don’t be such a prude. I’m not thinking anything bad about you. If you got the chance to sleep with him, you’d be crazy not to. Any girl I know would jump at the chance… I mean, any single girl. Not me, I like Tanner.” She smiled benignly.
Anne couldn’t breathe. She laid her head on the desk as the walls closed together. What is Gherring going to think when he hears about this?
“Hey, Anne? What’s wrong? You look terrible. Are you sick? Let me get you a wet towel for your face.”
Anne heard voices, but her eyes refused to open. Something cool pressed against her cheek.
“I should get back to my cubicle,” said Sam.
“Wait,” Anne mumbled, finally forcing her eyelids apart. “Don’t go, Sam.”
Sam’s scrunched up face appeared in her vision. “Anne, are you okay?”
“Please, Sam. You have to tell everyone I didn’t sleep with Mr. Gherring. He’s never been anything but a perfect gentleman.”
Sam paled, glancing to the side, forcing her lips into a grim smile. “Okay, I promise.” She waved her hand, disappearing toward the elevator like she was running from a ghost. “Bye, Anne. I’ll see you next week. Happy Thanksgiving.”
Holding the damp paper towel against her forehead, Anne lifted her head, jumping when she heard a deep voice behind her.
“I’m sorry,” said Gherring. “I should’ve known that would happen. People don’t mean anything by it; they just don’t know you.”
“But aren’t you angry? They were accusing you as well as me.”
He grimaced and turned away. “Anne, I’m not as innocent as you. It’s not like I’ve never slept with a woman before. Or a secretary for that matter.” Then he turned back with a fierce expression. “But Henri’s no better than me, and I’ve changed a lot in recent years.”
She breathed in and out slowly, contemplating his words. “I guess this is what it feels like to lose your naivety. It had to happen sooner or later, but I don’t like it.”
A myriad of emotions passed across his face, at least one of which was anger. Anne knew she couldn’t handle another confrontation.
“I’m leaving work in thirty minutes. Did you have something for me to do before I go?”
“So, you haven’t changed your mind?” he asked with a hint of sarcasm.
She looked up, trying to appear calm and confident, though she wanted to run away and hide. “I really want to make everyone happy, but I can’t do that. So instead, I’m going to keep my promises as much as possible. That’ll have to do.”
Gherring nodded and returned to his office. When the door shut behind him with a quiet click, it resounded in her head like the closing of a tomb.
* * *
Anne madeit home safely with plenty of time to spare. She planned to take a taxi to the airport, leaving at three thirty to allow plenty of time to get to the airport and check in before her international flight. She double-checked her packing list and added some snacks for the trip. Then she heard a sharp knock at her apartment door.
She thought it must be Rayna, letting her know her cab was here. Her cell phone must be turned off. “Coming!” she exclaimed, as she hurried to open the door.
Steven Gherring stood outside the door. His clear blue eyes burned into her and held her motionless.
“What… what’re you doing here?”
“Anne…” His voice broke. “Don’t go to Paris.”
She stared at him, speechless for a moment. Then she turned around and walked back in the apartment and picked up her suitcases, one in each hand. She faced him again. “We’ve been through this, Mr. Gherring. I have to go. I promised Henri, and he needs me right now.”
“Has Henri been a perfect gentleman?”
“What?”
“You said I’d been a perfect gentleman. Has Henri been a perfect gentleman?”
“I don’t know… I guess so. Maybe not. It doesn’t matter—I have to go to Paris, even if he hasn’t been a perfect gentleman.” She still stood unmoving, suitcases in hand.
He crossed the floor in four steps to stand in front of her. “Don’t go. Please. I don’t want you to go.”
She strained her neck to look up at him. He was so close to her she could feel the heat radiating from his body. She opened her mouth to reply, but her mind was foggy. She couldn’t form a coherent thought.
Suddenly, he grabbed both of her arms with his hands. His voice was gravely and deep. “Anne—”
He pressed his lips to hers, claiming her mouth with his. This was no gentle supplication but a heavy, needy demand. She froze, shocked by his incursion. And then the heat began to spread through her body, warming her deep inside. Her bags fell from her fingers, and her hands rose of their own accord to press against his firm chest. She felt his heart pounding under her touch. Her own heart was answering, fluttering like a captured bird.
Her lips softened, and she heard a small whimper. Was that her? He groaned in response and deepened his kiss. His breathing was quick and heavy. He moved his hands to embrace her and crushed her against him. She clung to him as his mouth continued to assault her senses. Sparks rippled down every nerve.
Abruptly, a strident song rang out from Anne’s cell phone, and they sprung apart, breathing heavily. “I… I should get that. It’s Charlie.”
He nodded, clamping his eyes shut and rubbing frustrated fingers through his hair.
She rummaged through her purse to find her phone. “Hello? Charlie?”
“Mom! Mom! Grandpa… He was in a car wreck! I don’t know how bad, but they called me from the hospital! He was coming to pick me up and…” Charlie sobbed. “Mom, I don’t know! I don’t know! They’re in surgery! Emily’s going! I’m getting a taxi! But we don’t know—I think it’s bad!” She sobbed again. “Mom—”
“I’m coming! I’m coming as soon as I can get a flight! I’m coming, baby! Let me hang up and call the airline. I love you, baby.”
She hung up the phone and fell sobbing into Steven’s arms. Her mind was flooded with memories of the Thanksgiving fifteen years before, when a similar phone call had ended her fairytale life. She was consumed with terror and began to shake even as he held her.
“Did you hear?” she choked.
“I heard, I heard. I’m sorry.” He held her close and caressed her head with his hand. He held her until she caught her breath, then urged her toward the couch to sit.
“I’ll make the calls,” he said. “I’ll get your flight changed.”
“I… I should…”
“You sit. Give me your ticket. I’ll take care of you.”