8. PowerPoint
After a hectic work morning, Anne headed next door for lunch at Papa’s Place. George and May had made her promise to catch them up on things, so she headed down alone. Spencer met her at the door. “Have you found a match for me yet?”
“No luck so far. None of them are willing to compete with all the girls that are constantly hanging around you, vying for attention,” she teased. She started to head back to her table but stopped dead in her tracks. “How old are you, Spencer?”
“I’m twenty-five. Why?”
“And you’re in grad school, right?”
“Yep, getting my MBA.”
“Do you like climbing?”
“Sure. Climbing, bouldering, hiking, mountain biking, skiing—just about anything outdoors.”
She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and found a picture of Emily and Charlotte. “Want to go climbing with me and my girls this weekend at a climbing gym? And do you think you could find another friend to come along? I don’t really know any young guys for us to hang out with.”
Spencer stared at the picture in his hand, and his mouth dropped open. He looked up with a grin. “I think I could find about twenty friends who’d be willing to go climbing this weekend if I showed them this picture.”
Anne laughed. “Great. I’ll call you and set up a time.”
“And by the way, search no further for a match for me. I’ll take either one of your daughters. Are they smart too?” He paused a moment and looked at the picture again. “Never mind. Who cares?”
George and May pulled Anne into the kitchen and grilled her with questions until she’d filled them in on most everything that had happened in the past few days. After lunch, Anne cornered Katie to get advice on entertaining her girls when they came to town.
“You know, you don’t have to see everything on this first trip,” said Katie.
“But I’m only here on a trial basis. What if this is the only chance we have?”
“He’d better not fire you, because I’m leaving for good when I get married, even if he doesn’t have a PA.” Katie glanced at his office door to make sure he was still safe inside. “That is, if he doesn’t fire me first when he catches me talking trash about him.”
“I think he’s going to fire me for not getting this presentation ready for the Switzerland trip. It’s frustrating knowing I have so much work to do on it, but I can’t do any more ‘til they get me the information I need. Why do they wait ‘til the last minute?”
“They always do that, and Mr. Gherring is the worst one.”
“Yes, I’m hoping I’ve scared Jared and Jeff into turning in their stuff earlier. But I don’t think my scary-mad-mom voice will work on Mr. Gherring.”
The office door opened and Gherring looked at the two conspirators with suspicion. Both sent him innocent smiles. “Did you need something?” asked Katie.
“Yes, I need Ms. Best for a moment.”
Anne followed him into his private office, wondering whether he’d caught on to her matchmaking efforts already. “Yes sir?”
“You don’t need to call me sir.” He tossed his pen on his desk with more force than necessary. “I have some things ready for the Switzerland group.”
“Oh great—I’ve been stressing about getting that presentation ready.”
“Okay, grab your laptop and we’ll get started.”
“You mean, together? I thought you’d just give me the information, and I’d kind of work on my own.”
“The information is in here.” He pointed to his head. “So unless I give you my head on a platter, we’ll just have to work together.”
“But it’ll take a long time.”
“Do you have something else to do?”
Anne thought about her daily talk with Henri. She’d have to miss this one. “I figured you had more important things to do.”
“Not today.”
“Okay.”
What was going on inside his head? His expressions were frustratingly inscrutable.
Anne swiftly gathered her laptop from her desk. She sent a text to Henri telling him she was tied up that afternoon, and then returned to Gherring’s office.
Gherring fired off information at a rapid rate, with Anne working furiously to take notes. After an hour of nonstop input, she stopped the pacing man. “Wait. I need a break. My brain is fried.”
“Let me see what it looks like.” Gherring came around to stand behind her.
“I haven’t even started to put it in the PowerPoint format yet. That takes forever. I need to get it organized first.”
“Then show me what you’ve done from before.”
Anne pulled up the saved presentation on her laptop and started going through the slides. Gherring leaned in close, reaching over her shoulder to indicate a bullet point. “There should be more information on this point.”
Anne felt that familiar warming that happened whenever Gherring touched her. She shifted a little to the side. “There’s a lot more information down below, in the notes section. But we don’t want too much writing on the slide. Just summary information.”
“I see,” he leaned down further and pressed a few keys. “And this is how we access the notes?” She could swear he purposely leaned against her. She felt her heart rate accelerate and her breathing was shallow.
“Don’t you already know how to use PowerPoint? You must’ve done this a thousand times before.” She leaned as far to the side as she could go, but she couldn’t escape his presence.
He shrugged but didn’t answer. He was so close, she could sense the intensity of his stare, but she kept her eyes closed, praying for self-control. She couldn’t let him know how he affected her. It had been easier to ignore the attraction when she thought he was snobby and obnoxious. But now that she knew him better, she found herself wishing for something she knew would never be possible.
Desperate for a reprieve, she stiffened. “I need to go to the ladies’ room.” She slid away from him and disappeared from his office.
In the restroom, she took a moment to calm herself. She had to go back and work with Gherring, but she needed to be in control, in more ways than one. She walked back into his office, and picked up her laptop.
“Okay, let’s get back to work. We’ve got a lot to do,” she said in her best mom voice. Gherring obeyed, spouting out so many details, she wondered how he could possibly remember that much. When he started to come closer to her, she stopped him.
“Don’t crowd me. I’m on a roll.” Gherring kept his distance, though he seemed a bit agitated. Anne was thrilled at the progress, although she knew how much work lay ahead in creating the actual presentation.
She was engrossed in her editing, when Gherring’s voice pierced her consciousness. “Ms. Best… Anne… it’s after five. I think we should call it a day.”
Anne stretched her arms over her head, realizing how tired and stiff she felt. “Ughh—I’m not used to staying still for this long. But we got a lot done, and tomorrow I’ll be able to put all this into the presentation.” She closed her laptop and stood up to leave.
“Anne, you know I’ve been thinking—”
“Yes, Mr. Gherring?”
He frowned at her. “You know, you could call me Steven.”
She felt the heat rising to her face again and quickly turned her face away from him. “Katie still calls you Mr. Gherring and she’s been here for five years.” Anne knew she needed to keep her perspective with her boss. Calling him by his first name would only make it harder to control her growing attraction.
“Katie’s younger than I am.”
“And I’m younger than you as well.”
“Not that much younger.”
“Still, it wouldn’t be proper.”
“Even Katie calls me Steven when we’re not at work.”
“But we are at work.”
He crossed his arms. “I could order you to call me Steven.”
“Let me know how that works out for you.”
Gherring followed her out to her desk. “Would you like a lift home? It wouldn’t be a problem.”
“No thanks, Mr. Gherring.” She escaped into the elevator. She saw him watching her as the doors closed, and she let out a breath she must have been holding. Her shoulders were sore and tight. She couldn’t handle many more days like this one.
* * *
Anne tumbledinto her apartment and collapsed on the couch. Her cell rang with the familiar sound of Charlie’s theme song.
“Are you getting excited about us coming?”
“I can’t wait to see you. Y’all need to pack some workout clothes too.”
“Why? Don’t tell me you’re gonna make us run on treadmills.”
“I’ve arranged a climbing date for you.”
“Climbing date? What are you talking about?”
“Katie’s fiancé owns a gym, and I’ve arranged for us to go climb while you’re here. With a couple of good-looking guys.”
“Awesome. Should I bring my own gear?”
“That might be a bit intimidating for the guys, don’t you think?”
“Tell me about them.”
“The one I think you’ll hit it off with is named Spencer. He’s super cute, twenty-five, very outdoorsy and adventurous. I actually haven’t met the other one—Spencer’s bringing a friend.”
“I’m in love already. But we’ll be lucky if we get Emily to climb. Have you told her yet?”
“Not yet, but I thought you could talk her into it. You know you have better luck with her than I do. You just look at her with those imploring eyes, and she always gives in.”
“True. I usually manage to get my way.”
“Bring some casual clothes and at least one nice outfit. Hopefully we’ll go see a play, if we can get some discount tickets. And we’ve been invited to eat dinner with Mr. Gherring’s grandma. She’s a hoot—you’ll love her. And I’ve got to show you this wood carving shop, and you need to see Ellen’s bookstore. It’s so cool.”
“We’re only gonna be there two days.”
“I know, I know. I’m just really excited. And I’m really tired too. I’ve got to get to bed early tonight.”
“Have you talked to Henri lately?”
“Not since yesterday, but hopefully I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
“About the climbing date… I’m getting the best-looking guy, right? I want to know so I can tell Emily about it.”
“Don’t you dare get me in trouble with Em.”
“Hmmm… I can be bribed.”
“I’ll remember this when your birthday comes.”
“Birthday presents make great bribes. By the way, I have some things picked out on my wish list already.”
“I know, but everything on that list is about three or four hundred dollars. Don’t you want anything small and inexpensive?”
“What can I say? I have expensive taste.”
* * *
With her teethbrushed and her mascara scrubbed off, Anne collapsed on the bed in exhaustion. But the sleep she sought eluded her. She tossed and turned for an hour. Finally, she surrendered to her insomnia and got out of bed. She took one Benadryl, considered for a moment, and downed another. She really needed a good night’s sleep. She decided to pull on sweatpants and grab a blanket to go for some fresh air on the rooftop patio while waiting for the antihistamines to kick in.
With her feet clad in furry house shoes and a cup of chamomile tea in hand, she wrapped the blanket over her shoulders and headed up the elevator. She’d only discovered the peaceful haven the previous weekend and had been itching to sit outside ever since. Her home in Weatherford had a big back porch with comfy chairs where she often sat to have tea in the early morning or at night before bed.
She opened the exterior door and peeked outside, assuring herself the retreat was deserted. She settled in on a comfy cushioned couch and sipped on her tea in solitude, enjoying the feeling of being outside with a clear view of the sky. Gradually she became drowsy and slunk down on the couch, snuggled warmly in her blanket and breathing the cool air. She could almost imagine she was camping.
“Anne… Anne…” The voice broke into her consciousness. Woozy from the residual Benadryl, she ignored the voice, refusing to give up her sleep. “Anne!” This time the voice was more urgent, and she felt a gentle shake on her shoulder. “Anne, it’s morning. You need to wake up.”
Whose voice was that? Was it Tom? She felt someone brush her hair gently off of her face. She peeled open her groggy eyes and tried to decipher her surroundings. Steven Gherring was peering at her, only a few inches away.
He smiled. “Sorry to disturb you, but you were still out like a light. I was afraid to let you sleep past six. That’s what time it is now.”
She sat up abruptly. “I fell asleep outside! How did you find me?”
“I sometimes come out here when I can’t sleep.” He chuckled. “But this time, Goldilocks was asleep on my couch.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up last night?”
“Believe me, I tried. Are you on something? You would not wake up.” He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “So I decided I had two choices: carry you down to your room or stay out here with you. I was afraid to do the first one. I thought you might be offended.”
“You stayed out here with me all night? Where did you sleep? You must have been freezing.”
“I left you alone long enough to bring both of us extra blankets. And I slept on that lounge chair. It was comfortable enough.”
Anne surveyed her surroundings, taking in the fluffy down comforter that surrounded her and the pillow she’d slept on.
“I’m so sorry you had to do all this and sleep outside. I couldn’t sleep so I took a couple of Benadryl. But I’m glad you happened to find me. I probably wouldn’t have woken up ‘til nine or ten o’clock. Unless I froze to death.”
She stood up and gathered her things. They walked inside to the elevator. Though Gherring tried to hide his discomfort from the long night on a lounger, she could tell his movements were stiff. The man was so sweet. She felt so guilty he’d had a cold, uncomfortable night just to keep her safe.
“I didn’t actually say it, but thank you. I really mean it,” said Anne.
Gherring smiled, his gaze intense over the pile of pillows and blankets he held. He took a slow breath, as if searching for words. “Anne, I’ve only known you for a few weeks—”
“Yes, but I hope you won’t judge me yet. I know I’ve been clumsy and sensitive and disrespectful, and I’ve mixed up the time by an hour. And now I’ve fallen asleep outside alone on the roof and almost missed work. But I’m usually very responsible. I really can do this job. I hope you won’t fire me before my three months is over.”
“Anne, I would never—”
“Thank you, Mr. Gherring—you won’t regret it!”
She gave him a hug with her arms full of blanket and her tea mug in hand, and rushed off the elevator to her apartment.
* * *
Gherring’s posturewas still rigid when he arrived at the office. Knowing she was responsible for his state, she resolved to make it up to him. Somehow. She threw herself into her work, plowing through the PowerPoint Presentation. She added creative graphics and animation, but not so much as to be distracting. Photographs of Bern, Switzerland proved the presentation was personalized for their company. She was working so hard she jumped when someone called her name.
“Anne!”
“Sam!” Anne jumped out of her skin, practically into the next room. “You scared me.”
“That was the third time I said your name.”
“Sorry. When I’m absorbed in something, I’m in another world.”
“Impressive powers of concentration. Tanner and I wanted to take you to lunch today.”
“I’d love to if I make enough progress on this presentation. I can’t get this one slide to look right. I’m about to pull out my hair. It has to be perfect.”
“You’re the one who always says you shouldn’t skip meals. Right?”
Anne grimaced. “I did say that, didn’t I? Twelve o’clock? Next door?”
“We’d be glad to take you some place new, but I know you’re devoted to Papa’s Place.” Sam smiled.
“Do you have something to tell me?” Anne winked, pleased when pink rose in Sam’s cheeks.
“It’s only been a few weeks.”
“I notice you didn’t deny it was a future possibility.”
“You’re impossible. Did you know that?”
“So I’ve been told,” Anne laughed. “See ya later.”
She went back to work but shortly after got a call from Gram.
“I wanted to ask about this date you’ve planned for Steven. Who did you say this woman is?”
“She’s a news reporter. She hasn’t made it big yet, but she’s getting a lot of attention. I think she’s very intelligent and well informed. She’ll be able to carry on a decent conversation.”
“But is she the kind of woman who knows the importance of family? She may be totally self-centered. Steven doesn’t need a girl like that.”
“I have no way of knowing, but it’s worth a shot. Mr. Gherring is a wonderful, caring man. Any girl would be lucky to have him. Surely she’ll recognize that and be sensitive to his needs.”
“But that’s just it. These women decide they want Steven, but what they really want is to be ‘Mrs. Steven Gherring.’ It has nothing to do with caring about him and putting him first.”
“If she tries to take advantage of him like that, I’ll beat her up.”
“That’s more like it,” laughed Gram.
“But we should at least give her a chance, don’t you think?”
“I’ll reserve my judgment, but do you have a backup plan?”
“I’m evaluating everyone I meet as possible wife candidates. That is… every smart, pretty, sophisticated female between the age of thirty and forty.”
“Humph! How did you come up with that age range?”
“First off, Mr. Gherring always goes out with younger women, so that must be what he likes. But personally, I think girls under age thirty just don’t have enough life experience to go with Steven. And over forty, they’re not pretty enough and too set in their ways to change. You know how it is. Marriage is all about compromise. It’ll be hard enough for Mr. Gherring, having been single for so long, without saddling him with a bossy woman who’s inflexible.”
“It does seem like you’ve given this a lot of thought, but we may have to re-evaluate along the way. I’m having dinner with Steven tonight. He somehow discovered I’m staying in town, and he’s a little suspicious.”
“But he can’t know we’re plotting against him—I mean, plotting for him—can he?”
Gram laughed. “Don’t worry, dear. I have a feeling this time I’m going to get my way.”
“I’m glad I’m on your team and not playing against you.”
“We can talk on Sunday night when you bring the girls to dinner. I’ll send a car for you.”
“Thanks Gram, that’ll be great.”
“Bye, now. Have fun with your girls.”
“Thanks, I will. Bye.”
* * *
Soon Anne was immersedin the presentation again. Time flew by until Sam and Tanner stopped by her desk. “I figured you wouldn’t stop working if we didn’t come get you,” said Sam.
“Ready for lunch already?”
“It’s after noon, sweetie.”
Incredulous, Anne checked the time. “You’re right.” She hit save and closed her laptop. “Let’s go. I want to hear everything that’s happened between y’all. And I want to hear both of you admit I was right.” She began singing “Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof.
Gherring’s voice came from his doorway. “I didn’t know you could sing.”
Anne choked as she twirled to face him. “Mr. Gherring, I didn’t know you were there.”
“Don’t stop on my account; you have a nice voice—”
“We’re going to lunch,” Anne said. “Would you like to come?”
“I should probably go take a nap. For some strange reason, I didn’t sleep very well last night.”
Anne felt the blood rush to her face. Sam and Tanner were staring at her. She escaped to the elevator while they trailed behind her.
“Wait up. Why are you so embarrassed? You actually sing really well,” said Sam.
As the elevator doors closed, Anne saw Gherring chuckle before giving an exaggerated yawn.
* * *
After lunch,Anne called Jared and Jeff to make sure they were on schedule with turning in their PowerPoint data. Both agreed to bring up what they had before five o’clock.
She wondered what it would take to do something more than being a secretary. Perhaps if she went back to school and got an MBA, she could have a job like Jeff’s. It would be exciting to have an important job and travel around the world. She didn’t regret the decision she’d made to pursue motherhood rather than a career. But what was to stop her from doing something different with her life? With the confidence she’d gained from taking on this job and moving to New York, something entirely out of her comfort zone, maybe she could do something really interesting. Maybe after she found Mr. Gherring a wife, she would check into night school.
Hoping Gherring wouldn’t overhear her conversation, she took her phone and personal laptop and headed to the break room to talk to Henri. When Henri’s face appeared on the computer screen, he looked ecstatic to see her. “Mon bel ange—I have missed you.”
Every time she saw Henri, she couldn’t believe a man that handsome would be interested in her. “Wow, I love your new scruffy look. I think this is my favorite so far.”
“I am glad you like it.” He grinned at her. “I have been doing nothing but work, work, work. Anna-Laure had a birthday party yesterday. I bought her a pony.”
“A pony? You bought her a real pony? I wish you’d been my uncle when I was a little girl.”
“But I am very glad not to be your uncle. There would be no kissing if you were my niece.” He chuckled. “And I will buy you as many ponies as you want. But perhaps you would prefer diamonds or sapphires…”
“You’re not buying me anything. This trip to Paris is too much already.”
“But the Paris trip is for me, so I can see you.”
“I’m excited about coming—less than two weeks.”
“What have you been doing? You were too busy for me yesterday?” He pouted a little.
“I was working with Mr. Gherring on a presentation all afternoon.”
“Gherring! He is always interfering between us.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose. He pays me to work, you know.”
“And I will forever be grateful that he hired you, because if not, you and I would never have met.”
“So maybe you could go easy on him. He’s usually pretty nice to me.”
“Maybe I do not like him being so nice to you. Maybe he is trying to steal you from me.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. Mr. Gherring would never be interested in me like that.”
“Maybe he would steal you so I cannot have you. It is in our history.”
“Let’s not waste our time talking about Mr. Gherring. I learned how to climb. On Tuesday night, I went climbing at the gym Katie’s fiancé owns. I climbed up to the top, twice!”
“I think I would have enjoyed that sight. You are not afraid of falling?”
“I was nervous, but it wasn’t really dangerous. Do you climb?”
“I do. Would you like to climb in Paris when you come?”
Anne grinned. “Maybe I’d just like to watch you climbing. You know… enjoy the scenery.”
“I have a heated swimming pool. We can both enjoy the scenery.” He grinned back at her.
“Anne!” called a voice behind her. “Mr. Gherring is coming!”
“Henri, I’ve got to go. Talk to you tomorrow. Bye.”
“But—”
Anne closed the connection, just as Gherring came through the door.
“There you are. Why are you in here?”
“I was looking for a quiet place to work.”
“What’s wrong with your desk?”
“You’re right. I’ll just go back to my desk.”
She picked up her computer and headed back down the hall with Gherring in tow.
“What did Henri have to say today?”
Anne stopped in midstride.
“I know that’s your computer, not the office computer. And I’ve learned you talk to him in the afternoon.”
“I… I’m…”
“It’s not like I can stop you. Obviously, I’ve tried to warn you, and you won’t listen.” He started walking ahead of her. “You don’t have to lie to me. If you like him that much, I’ll leave you alone.” He tried to go into his office and shut the door, but Anne shoved her way in behind him.
“You don’t want me to lie to you? Here’s the truth! I don’t know how much I like Henri—I haven’t gotten to spend enough time with him to know. But the little time I have spent with him, he made me feel special and he treated me with respect. I don’t understand why you care so much whether I talk to Henri. You know, you aren’t my father! Or my big brother!”
“I don’t want to be your father or your big brother either!”
“What you want is to control me. And you can. You can be my boss about everything but my personal life!” She pivoted on one foot and stalked from the room, shutting the door behind her.
* * *
The restof the afternoon passed with Gherring secluded in his office and Anne hard at work on the presentation. Jared emailed the bulk of his presentation information to her by three o’clock, but Jeff arrived at her desk with a file in hand at four fifty-five.
“Hey, there’s a lot of stuff I need to go over with you. What do you say we talk about it over dinner?”
Anne cringed inwardly but managed to keep a civil voice. “I’m really too busy with work to do dinner. And anyway, aren’t you dating someone?”
“We’ve gone out a few times, but we aren’t exclusive.”
“I’m sort of dating someone.”
“You mean that French guy, Henri? The one you went to the gala with?”
Anne nodded.
“He’s in France, isn’t he? Surely you’re not exclusive with him when he’s across the Atlantic Ocean!”
“I really don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“I say, when the cat’s away… I can just scratch that itch for you. It doesn’t have to be anything serious.”
With a leer on his face, he leaned in close. “You know, you’re so hot—I bet you’re a real tiger in the sack.”
Anne’s mouth fell open and she struggled to breathe. She leaned back as far as possible, but he invaded her space. “I have a really good friend in my pocket who’d just love to meet you.”
“I… You…” Anne’s eyes filled with tears. She was mortified. How had she let him get this close? She didn’t even know what to say.
“Jeff,” said Gherring’s voice from his office door.
He quickly straightened up and threw Mr. Gherring a professional smile. “Mr. Gherring, Anne and I were just working out some details about the presentation.”
Gherring walked over to stand between Jeff and Anne’s desk. Though Jeff was over six feet tall, Gherring still looked down at him. “I heard you ‘working out details.’”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “I’m sorry… She’s been giving me signals—”
Anne sprang up from her desk. “I have not been giving you signals! Except for maybe a great big stop sign! And I’d like to say if your ‘friend’ ever comes out of your pocket when I’m around, I’ll cut his head off with a meat cleaver!”
Jeff’s face was as white as a sheet. “Look, I didn’t mean anything. I just misread you, okay?”
Anne started to retort, but Gherring held up his hand.
“Jeff, we’ve already had a previous sexual harassment complaint. I’m afraid you’re out.”
“That was a trumped-up charge! She was asking for it and got jealous when she saw me with someone else.”
“We have a no tolerance sexual harassment policy at Gherring Inc. You signed a form when you became employed here, indicating you were aware of that policy. One confirmed incident is all we need to terminate you, and this incident was confirmed by me.”
“You can’t fire me! Especially not before the big Switzerland presentation. There’s no one else who can do my part. And I already have personal connections with the execs over there.”
“On the contrary, I can fire you, and I did. Ms. Best, please call security and have them escort Mr. Murphy out of the building.”
He turned back to Jeff. “Your things will be boxed up for you to retrieve on Monday at the security office.”
Jeff started to speak, his face red and puffed up with fury, veins standing out on his neck, but Gherring silenced him with a glare.
“You’ll wait right over there.” He indicated the reception area across the room. “And I don’t want to hear you speak.”
Anne called security with shaking fingers as adrenaline coursed through her body. Gherring watched her carefully.
“Ms. Best, you should sit down. You look a little pale.”
A few minutes later, after two security guards had taken Jeff down the elevator, Anne felt tears rising to her eyes. “I’m s-sorry. I’ve m-messed up Switzerland for you.”
“How can you possibly believe that was your fault?” Gherring asked, shaking his head.
“I should have handled it. He’s been coming on to me, and I didn’t know how to put him off. If I wasn’t so na?ve—”
“The man is a lecherous jerk, and I’m glad to be rid of him.”
“But what will you do about Bern? He’s right, there’s no one to take his place. He’s got all the connections.”
Gherring sighed as he looked toward the ceiling. “Jeff thinks way too much of himself. I have far more connections than he does. And ‘Jeff the Jerk’ has offended a good number of people along the way, both male and female. Jared and I can take up the slack—we can work late every night and some on the weekend.”
Anne felt her stomach churning. Things were getting worse, and it was her fault. “But Jared and his wife have a new baby at home, and he’s already leaving them alone for four days.”
Gherring grunted. “Fine, I’ll do the work myself.”
“I’ll help! It’s the least I can do.” She bit her lips, tears shining in her eyes. “You were my white knight today… And last night too.”
“It’s not often I get the opportunity to rescue a fair maiden twice in twenty-four hours.”
She laughed, choking a bit, but then her hand flew to her mouth. “I forgot—there’s one little problem.”
“What’s that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I’ll work late tonight and Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday night, but my girls are coming in tomorrow, and I want to spend the whole weekend with them. I know I shouldn’t be making demands, but—”
“You don’t want to miss any time with your daughters. If I had any children I would feel the same.” A forlorn look passed across his face and then disappeared so quickly, Anne wondered if she’d imagined it.
“Would you like to meet them?”
To her amazement, his face actually lit up. “I’d love that, but… but I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“It wouldn’t be an intrusion. The girls would like to meet you too. They’ve heard so much…” Her voice trailed off.
He lifted one eyebrow. “Really? What have they heard?”
“You know, they’ve seen stuff in newspapers and magazines.”
“Ah.” He sounded almost disappointed. “So you weren’t talking about me.”
“That would be unprofessional.” Her throat suddenly dry, she struggled to swallow. We’re going climbing again on Saturday morning at nine thirty. Want to come?”
“Nine thirty in the morning? You’re starting early.”
“I’ve got a busy day planned. We have breakfast before that, and lunch after, and then we’re going to MOMA and trying for tickets to a play Saturday night. Sunday we’re going to visit as many sites as possible. You know, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, whatever we can fit into the schedule. And Sunday night we’re eating with Gram.”
“What play are you going to see?”
“Whatever we can get three cheap tickets for at the discount place. We’d love to see one of the popular ones, but we’ll take anything we can get. As long as it isn’t raunchy.” Without warning, Anne’s stomach made a huge gurgling noise.
“Sounds like you need dinner.” Gherring sighed. “Was that a genuine offer to help with Jeff’s work? I’ll have to pull most of it off his computer, and first I’ll have to find it. I’m sure he wouldn’t be cooperative and helpful if I called him to ask about it.”
“Yes, it was a real offer, and the good news is I’ve got a lot of the info right here,” she pointed to the file folder on her desk.
“Then I guess we should order something to eat and get to it.”
* * *
At nine forty-five,Anne was sifting through the papers spread out among half-empty Chinese take-out boxes, when Gherring let out a moan.
“Ughh! That’s enough for tonight. Let’s go home and tackle this in the morning.”
Anne pushed her disheveled mane out of her face. “Sounds like a good idea. My eyes are starting to cross.”
Gherring called for his car as Anne started organizing the mess. “Why don’t you leave that? We’ll be back here in the morning.”
“No, I need to sort these things into organized stacks. Otherwise we won’t be able to find anything tomorrow, and we’ll waste a lot of time.”
By the time they made it to the lobby, the limousine was waiting.
“I noticed this time you didn’t argue about riding home with me.”
“I’m too tired to argue,” she moaned. “And afraid to use the subway alone at night.”
“I’m glad you weren’t stubborn about it. This time I would’ve had to put my foot down.”
“Well,” she said in an exaggerated country drawl, “I’dduh been fine, if’n I’dduh had muh shotgun wit’ me!”
Gherring laughed. “I would’ve liked seeing Jeff’s face this afternoon if you’d pulled out a shotgun.” He chuckled some more. “Did you see his expression when you told him about using a meat cleaver on him?” He laughed again.
Anne chuckled at the memory but abruptly sobered. “Mr. Gherring…” she saw the irritation on his face at the salutation but ignored it. “Tell me the truth. Do you think I was leading Jeff on? It’s so hard to know what to say to guys. I didn’t want to be rude. But he always made me feel uncomfortable. Maybe I just need a little thicker skin. I don’t know.”
“Stop right there.” Gherring’s expression turned dark. “You’re always making excuses for people’s behaviors because you want to believe the best about them. You’ve got to realize not everyone deserves the trust you dole out so blindly.”
“I know you’re probably right, but I think it’ll be a sad day when everyone I meet has to earn my trust, instead of a few earning my distrust.”
Gherring’s gaze was intense. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re right. I’d hate for you to lose that. But it means you need someone to watch out for you, to keep you safe.”
She contemplated his words. “Maybe. But after fifteen years of getting by on my own, I’m not sure I could ever let someone do that.”
“I know what you mean. Try fifty years…”
Yikes! She hadn’t meant to discourage him about the prospect of having a serious relationship. But maybe it meant he recognized he’d been alone too long. He might be ready for a change. Maybe tomorrow night when he went to the benefit with Sharon Landry, he would realize how empty he felt. Anne wondered at the knot that formed in her throat when she thought about Gherring and Sharon together. Probably fatigue from such a long day.
The car let them off at the apartment building, and they dragged themselves inside and over to the elevator.
“Please promise you won’t fall asleep outside anymore. I don’t want to have to go up on the roof every night to make sure it’s empty.”
Anne blushed. “Never again. I promise. I don’t want you to have to check on me all the time. You have enough to worry about without me adding to things.”
“That’s not what I meant. Don’t go putting words in my mouth.”
“I know you didn’t mean that, but I do. I’m sorry I’ve been a burden to you. And now because of me, you had to fire Jeff and—”
“And get rid of a liability before I had a lawsuit on my hands. It was only a matter of time, you know.”
Gherring seemed almost relieved to be rid of the man, but she couldn’t shake feeling responsible for the current crisis. “Still, I’m going to make it up to you.”
“You know what would make me really happy?”
“What? I’ll do anything.”
“Anything?” His eyebrows arched. “In that case, let me reconsider…”
She covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know why I bother to wear shoes around you. I keep my foot in my mouth most of the time.”
He pulled her hands down and leaned down to eye level. “Seriously, if you really want to make me happy, tell me Jeff didn’t traumatize you. I’m the one responsible here—don’t you see that? One of my employees assaulted another employee at work.”
“It certainly wasn’t your fault. And I’m perfectly fine.”
“I’m not so sure. I think you should talk to a counselor.”
She couldn’t tell him about her secret fear of talking to any type of counselor. Anne was fairly certain her brain didn’t work like other people’s, and more than one person had questioned her sanity.
“I swear I’m okay. I won’t worry about Jeff anymore. Okay? And you don’t have to worry about me, either. Furthermore, I promise to sleep in my bed from now on.” With a teasing smile she added, “Alone.”
His dimples winked into view. “Finally—you’ve put my mind at ease.” The elevator opened on Anne’s floor, but he stopped her before she departed. “How about a lift tomorrow morning? Downstairs at six forty-five?”
It sounded really early, especially since fatigue was leaking out of her bones. But she owed him all the help she could give, so she put a bright expression on her face. “Awesome.”
* * *
Emily had leftseveral messages on her cell phone, so Anne returned the call.
“What’s up?”
“Just checking in. What’s this I hear about us going climbing with some guys?” Her voice sounded skeptical.
“No big deal, you don’t even have to climb if you don’t want to. But I think you’d like it if you tried.”
“You know I don’t like doing dangerous things. Charlie got all the adventurous genes.”
“It’s not dangerous at all. And it’s only for an hour, with two cute guys. By the way, Mr. Gherring is going also.”
“Steven Gherring is going climbing with us? Wow! Have you told Charlie?”
“Nope, I just found out tonight.”
“Great. Don’t bother to call her. I’ll tell her all about it and save you the trouble.”
“Thanks a lot,” Anne said sarcastically. “I think this conversation sounds vaguely familiar.”
“I know you said he’s obnoxious and snobby, but I’m really excited to meet him.”
“I didn’t say he was obnoxious and snobby, did I?”
“Hmmm, no… I actually think you called him self-absorbed, selfish and conceited.”
“I said that?” She couldn’t remember having that opinion about Gherring.
“I’m pretty sure.”
“I may have been wrong about him.”
“I take it you’ve changed your mind? Do you like Mr. Gherring now?”
“I like him, but I don’t like-like him. You know…”
“I thought you liked Henri—”
“I do like Henri, and I’ve kissed him too. That counts for something I think.”
“And Mr. Gherring—have you kissed him?”
“No! He would never kiss me. We’re not like that. I’m just saying he can be pretty sweet when he wants to be.” Anne’s mouth felt like the Sahara Desert.
“Whatever. You seem a little defensive, though.”
“Maybe I’m uncomfortable talking with my daughter about kissing men.”
“You brought up the kissing, not me.”
“Let’s change the subject.”
“Okay. How was your day?”
Anne thought back to her morning—waking up on the roof with Steven Gherring, the phone call with Henri that was cut short, the scene with Jeff, and the evening working with Gherring. Emotionally, it was too much to process.
“It was fine.” Now she understood why that was always the answer you heard from a teenager.
“We can’t wait to see you. We should be at your apartment before you get home from work tomorrow, unless our flight’s delayed.”
“Rayna knows to expect you, and I left a key so you can wait inside. I’m sooooo excited!”
“Love you, Mom.”
“You too.”
* * *
Anne’s alarmshrilled in her ear. She reached for it and knocked it off the table. She hadn’t slept well, even though she was exhausted. She was afraid to take a Benadryl, even one, since her last experience with antihistamines had resulted in one of her most embarrassing moments. Bleary-eyed, she crawled out of bed and headed for the shower. She’d give herself a blast of cold water at the end to wake herself up.
She made it downstairs right on time, and found Gherring reading the paper with a cup of coffee. “I brought one for you if you want it.” He held out an insulated cup with a lid.
“Oh, I love you!” She snatched it from his hand. Only after she’d taken a sip of her coffee did she realize what she’d said. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed. Warily, she peeked at him from the corner of her eye. Nope, he’d noticed.
He looked downright smug. “I’ve always heard the stomach was the way to a man’s heart, not a woman’s.”
She ignored his subtle teasing. “I’ve heard money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy coffee, and that’s close enough.”
“As much coffee as I’ve consumed in my fifty years, I should be downright ecstatic.”
“Me, too.” She took a sip, savoring the taste as she swallowed the hot liquid. “Right now, I think any form of happiness is out of reach. I’ll settle for not-a-zombie.”
“Hope you can stay awake tonight when your daughters get here. What are you three going to do?”
“No real plans tonight. We were aiming for a play Saturday night because I can go get discount tickets in the afternoon. Maybe we’ll just walk around and take in the sites. I was thinking about going to that bar at the top of the Marriott in Times Square after dark. The view was amazing from there.”
“When did you discover that view?”
Anne realized she’d been there with Henri on the night of the gala. Not wanting to bring up a sore subject, she evaded the question.
“It’s a popular place. I’ll bet you’ve been up there, haven’t you?”
“That’s where we had the gala.” His face was inscrutable.
“Right… I… I must have gone there when we were planning the gala.”
“At night?”
“Yes, I think I went with Katie.”
“So you and Katie went at night? Alone? To a bar?”
“Maybe Gary was there… I don’t remember.”
“We could ask Gary tomorrow. He’d surely remember.”
Anne knew her face was crimson. “Okay fine! I went up there with Henri the night of the gala.”
“You could have just said that.”
“But I know you don’t like him, and I didn’t want to make you mad.”
He frowned. “I don’t get mad.”
“Call it what you want. You always start yelling at me.”
“I’ve never yelled at you. I don’t yell.”
“Well… you used a yelling tone of voice.” They rode the rest of the way in silence as she swore to herself she would never lie again.
* * *
Gherringand Anne worked together in the conference room. The earlier tension was soon forgotten as they immersed themselves in the job at hand. She found she could concentrate around Gherring easily, unless he got too close or brushed up against her. At the slightest contact, she felt her heart rate accelerating.
But her physical reaction wasn’t an indication that she was attracted to her boss. The real cause was her people-pleaser personality. She had a strong desire to make everyone happy, and Gherring was particularly difficult to please.
She was relieved that she wasn’t falling for her boss. That would be so awkward. Not to mention she’d be setting herself up for devastation.
Thankfully, she wasn’t attracted to him at all. Well, maybe a little bit. But she only admired him like a work of art. It didn’t mean anything.
She watched as he leaned over to pick up a paper that had floated to the floor. Hard, tight compact muscles. He turned toward her and flashed a distracted smile, his rugged face, blue eyes, and dimples a winning combination. It was okay to admit she was physically attracted to him. Any woman with eyes would be. That didn’t mean she had feelings for him. She couldn’t have feelings for him because that would simply lead to heartache. After fifteen years, she wouldn’t let herself fall for a guy she could never have. She was much better off with Henri. That relationship was practically impossible and therefore, incredibly safe. At least until she went to Paris….
She’d decided to FaceTime with Henri during her lunch break so it wouldn’t be an issue with Gherring. But as lunchtime approached, Gherring asked, “Should we order in from Papa’s?”
She took a big breath. “I’m going to try something new and to tell you the truth, I’m Facetiming with Henri during lunch. There, I said it. So please don’t be mad and don’t yell at me.” She cringed, waiting for him to vent his anger.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m not mad. I’m… I’m… worried. I don’t want you to get hurt. That’s all.”
“To tell you the truth, I think you should be more worried about Henri. He seems—I don’t know—kind of vulnerable. I’m really taking it slow, you know. After fifteen years, I have pretty tight reins on my heart. I’m not sure I can ever actually fall in love again. I know what true love feels like, I’ve experienced it before. I’m not sure that kind of thing could ever happen twice in my life.”
He was quiet for a few seconds that seemed like an hour. “I sincerely hope that isn’t true, Anne. I hope you’re able to find love again someday. But not with Henri. I still don’t trust him—let’s just say I question his motives. And I’m definitely not worried about him getting hurt.”
The conversation was cut short when her cell phone pealed out the Maserati song. “That’s Charlie!” She fumbled for her phone in her sweater pocket.
“Mom, we’re on the plane, getting ready to take off. Oops, the stewardess is giving me a dirty look. Gotta go. See you soon.”
Anne’s heart swelled with anticipation. She couldn’t believe how much she missed her daughters. It’s not like she was used to seeing them all the time when she still lived in Texas. It was just the knowledge they were so far away from her now.
“They’re on the plane.” She couldn’t stop grinning.
“That’s an interesting ringtone. Is it for everyone or just for Charlie?”
“That one’s just for Charlie. It suits her personality. The Maserati going one eighty-five, and losing your driver”s license—”
“She’s done that?”
“She probably would if she ever got to drive one.” Anne chuckled. “I don’t think she’s ever even seen a Maserati, but she got her fair share of speeding tickets in the little Honda Civic she drove.”
“What’s Emily’s ringtone?”
“Hers is piano music from Pride and Prejudice. That’s her favorite book and she loves the movie. She’s my ballet dancer and artist. Not one speeding ticket her whole life. She doesn’t even like to drive. She wants someone else to drive her everywhere so she can read on the way. She’d love New York. No one has to drive at all.”
Gherring chuckled. “And your names? Anne, Emily, Charlotte? Was that a conscious decision or an accident your names match the Bronte sisters?”
“It was on purpose. But I can’t believe you noticed that. Nobody ever does.”
“What can I say? I’m very observant.”
“Not me—I’m kind of absentminded. I get lost all the time and forget where I parked my car in the parking lot. It’s like I don’t have room in my brain for those pesky details.”
“You mean pesky details like what time it is or where your bed is?”
“You’re sooooo funny.”
He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost noon—time for you to call your French lover boy.”
“He’s not my lover boy.”
“Sorry if my choice of words offends you.” She didn’t hear the slightest bit of sincerity in his voice.
“You’re using that yelling tone I was talking about.” Anne scooped up her laptop and headed toward the door.
“I didn’t—”
“Yes, you did.” She let the door slam behind her. For once, she got the last word.
* * *
“Henri.”
“Hello, angel.” His exotically handsome face beamed at her.
“I’m so excited. My girls are in the air right now on their way to New York.”
“I am happy for you and jealous that I cannot be there to meet them.”
“How are your niece and nephew, and your sister?”
He smiled proudly. “Anna-Laure is riding on her pony. She holds the reins herself. My nephew is taking violin lessons. He is very talented. And my sister has broken up with the no-good boyfriend. I am so glad she will not marry him and take my kids away. They are like my own.”
Anne smiled. “I bet you’re a good dad to them.”
“But we should not talk about them. I want to know about you. What will you do with your daughters in New York?”
“Everything. We are going out to eat, going to a play, going to the Empire State Building. We’re even going climbing at the gym.”
“Just you and your daughters?”
“Yes, mostly just us. But I have a couple of young boys lined up to go climbing with us.” Anne refrained from mentioning Steven Gherring. She figured Henri wouldn’t be thrilled that he was going. And Steven Gherring’s presence at the climbing gym wasn’t really significant, was it?
“Maybe I am jealous of these boys. Are they handsome? Maybe I don’t want you to watch these boys climbing. You may forget about me.” He winked at her.
“They might be good looking, but they’re way too young for me.”
“I do not like that I cannot keep an eye on my competition.”
“Believe me, those boys are no competition for you.”
“And what about Steven Gherring?”
“What about him?”
“Is he my competition? You are with him every day, and I know he does not like me.”
“Mr. Gherring’s my boss. He isn’t interested in me. He’s seen how goofy I can be. You know, Henri, when you get to know me better, you might not be so interested either.” Why did she say that? She sounded so needy, begging for compliments.
“I know enough. When you come to Paris you will see. You need someone who knows how precious you are. I will show you—I am that man.”
Anne felt a little thrill. It was nice to have someone put you on a pedestal, even if you knew you didn’t belong there. But was she being foolish, investing in an impossible relationship? It was almost as impossible as a relationship with Steven Gherring, but for different reasons.
“Henri, what happens after Paris? I can’t date you over the computer screen.”
“Non, I agree. You are nice to look at, but the kissing is not so good on FaceTime. But everything will be good. It is not to worry.”
“I can’t help it, I’m a worrier. What if it doesn’t work, and you regret spending all that money to bring me to Paris—”
“The money is nothing to me.” He sighed. “I have something to tell you. I was waiting, but…”
“What? Is it bad? What is it?”
“It is good. I think… I hope it is good. After you come to Paris, one week after, I am coming to New York. Is that good?”
“Really? For how long?”
“I am coming just for the weekend, but I am used to traveling. I come to New York often already. I can come more often. And you can come back to Paris and bring your daughters.” He paused. “That is good? Right?” His green eyes peered earnestly from the computer screen, waiting for her reply.
“That’d be great. It’s the weekend of the Gherring Inc. Christmas party for all the employees. We could go together.”
“There is the beautiful smile I love to see, mon ange. Now, tell me everything you are going to do in New York…”
* * *
As Anne carriedher things back to the conference room, she realized Steven Gherring was going to the benefit with Sharon Landry that night. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity to help him see her good qualities. He seemed to mostly ignore Margo Milan at the big gala. Her plan would never work if he didn’t pay any attention to Sharon.
Standing outside the conference room door, she prepared a speech for Gherring, trying to ignore the little voice in her head that suggested she didn’t want him to like Sharon. “La, la, la, la. I’m not listening to you.”
“Who aren’t you listening to?”
She jumped at Gherring’s voice behind her, letting out a squeak. “How do you always manage to sneak up on me?”
“Perhaps because you’re oblivious to your surroundings.” Gherring opened the conference room door and led the way inside. “I’m convinced it isn’t safe for you to walk the streets of New York alone.”
“I do tend to be a bit oblivious.” Admitting her absent-minded personality helped her remember how unsuitable she would be for Gherring. Precisely why he needed a sophisticated woman like Sharon. “It’s because I have too many things swirling in my mind. Like the fact that you’re going to that benefit dinner tonight.”
“I guess so. I’d forgotten, but it’s on my calendar.”
Anne deposited her things on their work table and turned to face Gherring. “And you’re going with Sharon Landry, right?”
“Who?”
“Sharon Landry—you’re escorting her to the benefit. Remember? I put her file on your desk.”
“You probably did. But I didn’t look at it.”
He shrugged off his suit coat and hung it on the back of a chair. She refused to notice the way his muscles rippled under his dress shirt. She couldn’t be distracted.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t care who she is.” His arms folded over his chest. “She’s using me for publicity, and I’m using her to keep my life uncomplicated. And I trust my PA to pick someone who won’t embarrass me.”
“But maybe this girl is different.” She barely kept the frustration out of her tone.
A deep crease formed between his eyebrows. “What do you mean, different?”
“She’s really smart and informed. She’s a television news reporter, and she’s beautiful.”
“That doesn’t change anything.”
Her hands went to her hips. “But how are you ever going to find someone if you won’t even look?”
“Find someone?” The furrow deepened and he loomed over her. “Gram! You’ve been talking to Gram, haven’t you? She wants me to get married, and now she’s using my own PA against me.”
“I… uhmm…” Anne cowered at his fury. And Gram was going to be upset that she’d blown their cover.
“That little schemer!”
“She didn’t… Not really…”
“You!” He pinned her with a glare. “You will cease and desist. I don’t want a wife. I don’t need a wife. You said it yourself. After fifty years alone, no one would be able to live with me.”
At these words, her temper flared in defense. “I never said that about you. It’s probably true for me, after being a widow for fifteen years. But not you!”
She punctuated her words with a poke to his chest, forcing him backwards.
“You have everything you need to attract someone really great. You’re smart and rich and famous and handsome. You’re sweet and generous, and you have a great body. There’re probably a million women who want you. Any girl would be lucky to have you. And yet you won’t even try.”
He backed into a chair and sat down. Anne turned away from him and crossed her arms, suddenly finding it hard to catch her breath.
“You yelled at me.”
“I did not!” she said over her shoulder.
“You used a yelling tone of voice.” He let out a little snicker.
Anne swirled around, determined to stay angry. “And that won’t work.”
“What won’t work?”
“You can’t make me laugh so I’ll forget I’m mad. It won’t work.”
“It might work.”
“It won’t.”
“So I should give up?”
“Yes.”
“Throw in the towel? Cry uncle? Call it a day? Give up the ghost?”
“Stop distracting me.” She stifled a smile. “I’m mad at you.”
“Are you fightin’ mad? Madder than a wet hen? Do you have a bee in your bonnet? Are you so mad you could spit? Are you mad as a hatter?”
“Yes, I’m mad as a hatter—you’re making me crazy.”
“What exactly are you mad about?”
“I’m mad because… because you… I don’t remember anymore. But that doesn’t change anything. I’m still mad.” She put her hands on her hips and gave him her best you’re-in-trouble-with-mom look.
But Gherring grinned. “How can you be mad at me? I’m sweet and generous. And what was that last thing you said? Something about my body?”
He stood up and walked closer to her, invading her personal space. Her heart thudded so hard she could hear it in her ears.
She backed away, giving up the fight to keep a straight face. “Okay, stop right there. Let’s make a deal. I won’t be mad anymore, and you promise never to bring up that last thing I said.”
He smirked. “But maybe we should discuss it first—”
“Please tell me you won’t bring it up again.”
“How could I say ‘no’ when you look at me with those big brown eyes?” He lifted his hand like he was taking an oath in court. “I hereby promise not to tease you about it anymore.”
Anne let out a slow breath, relieved. Why did she say such stupid things around him? He had promised not to tease her about it, but he hadn’t promised to forget.
Too late, she realized he also hadn’t promised to give Sharon any real consideration. But she didn’t dare stir up that hornet’s nest again. She was probably lucky she still had her job.
With a temporary truce in place, they once again joined forces to attack the PowerPoint presentation. Gherring had retrieved all the information he felt was relevant, and Anne was busy setting up the slides and the accompanying notes. “Who’s going to do Jeff’s part of the presentation? You or Jared? Or will you bring someone else from that department?”
“I’ll probably do it. Jared”s pretty green. I was really bringing him to give him some experience.”
“I haven’t canceled the other hotel room yet. Should I do that now?”
“No, just keep it for now. I haven’t made up my mind.” He stretched and glanced at his watch. “You should head home. Your girls will be in soon.”
“That’s okay. I can stay until five or even five thirty. I left a key with Rayna, so the girls can let themselves in the apartment. And we don’t really have a time deadline tonight.”
Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a small brown envelope. “Actually, your play starts at seven.”
She opened the envelope and pulled out three tickets to Parsimonious, the Proper Wizard. “This is the newest show on Broadway! They’re amazing, but… I can’t take these. Thank you. Thanks anyway.” She tried to hand them back.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Why can’t you take them?”
“I don’t know. It just seemed like the right thing to say. Isn’t there something improper about taking tickets from your boss?”
“I give extras to my employees all the time. It’s called a perk.”
“A perk? Are you sure?” She asked, hopping up and down on her toes.
“It’s not a big deal.” He gazed at the ceiling.
“You know, if you keep rolling your eyes like that, they might get stuck up there.” A giggle escaped, and then suddenly she hugged him, almost knocking him off balance.
“I can’t believe it! Thank you so much! Now I’m really sorry I used a yelling tone of voice.”
“You’re welcome. This is actually a much more thorough thank you than I get from most employees.” His wink put butterflies in her stomach.
“No one ever accused me of being normal.”
How am I going to keep from falling for him when he’s so nice? It’s easier when he’s grouchy.
“And I won’t be the first one to do it, either. You guys want to ride together to the gym tomorrow?”
“Yes, sure.” She felt like dancing. But knowing her, she’d fall flat on her bottom. “I’m so excited. The girls are gonna flip. Parsimonious—woo hoo!”
“I hope you have a great time.”
She gathered up her things and rushed out, stopping by the door. “And you… you need to have an open mind tonight. Okay?”
“I’m going to nod my head, and you can pretend that means I’m taking your sage advice.”
“If you were my kid, I’d call you a smart aleck.”
He got his signature grouchy look, but it didn’t stop Anne from wishing she could repeat that impromptu hug.
Great… even the grouchy thing isn’t working anymore.
“I’m not your kid, and I don’t want to be,” he mumbled.
It’s a good thing, too. I’d be a freak if I were having these thoughts about my son.