The Boss's Little Miracle. Barbara McMahon
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conference room. Everyone scrambled to their feet and quickly left except Anna. She wanted to put her head down and cry at the unexpected turn of events. Or sleep for a dozen years until she felt able to deal with things.
“Coming?” Teresa asked at the door.
Mr. Taylor’s secretary Ellie peered in. She still had several packets left.
“In a minute,” Anna said. Ellie came in and placed the large envelope beside Anna’s notepad and left.
The silence was welcomed. Anna folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them. She had to see if her name was on today’s list. If so, she prayed it was soon. Then she had the journey home—through the pouring rain, the short train ride and then the few blocks walk straight up a hill to her apartment. But once there, she could cuddle up with her cat and sleep until she felt well. Or died, whichever. It was bad enough to get the flu, but to have the shock of Tanner Forsythe as her new boss was beyond anything she’d ever anticipated.
For a moment she wished it was last August again and they had just met. First thing she’d do is tell him she worked for Drysdale.
Or maybe she should wish that they had never met at all.
She heard a sound in the hall and lifted her head. The room spun around a little, then settled. Slowly she rose, picked up her coffee cup and the thick envelope and headed for her office.
There was a note on her desk, Mr. Forsythe would see her at one o’clock.
It was only a little before ten. She had almost three hours to get through. She called Teresa’s extension.
“Human Resources,” her friend’s secretary answered.
“This is Anna, is Teresa available?”
“No, she’s in with Mr. Forsythe.”
“Have her call me when she’s free,” Anna said. So her friend was one of the first to talk to the new man. She wondered what Teresa’s assessment would be. Could Anna get her opinion about how to deal with him? She couldn’t risk revealing anything. She wasn’t even sure Teresa knew she’d been seeing someone, she couldn’t tell her she’d slept with their new boss! She’d have to decide how to handle things on her own.
Reaching for a stack of phone messages, Anna saw several were from the East Coast. She’d get those returned first, then call the local ones. Might as well make best use of her time.
Promptly at one, Anna arrived at Ellie’s desk. She’d had some soup for lunch and was feeling marginally better. The rain had tapered off. All in all, the day seemed to be improving.
“I’m here for my appointment with Mr. Forsythe,” she said. She’d brought the latest plans she and Thomas Ventner had discussed. Thomas was the current Director in Brussels. Scheduled to retire in December, he’d been grooming Anna for his position for months.
“Ben Haselton’s still in there. Be another minute or two,” Ellie said. “Tanner has been good about not running long with anyone.” She peered at Anna. “Are you all right?”
“Think I’m coming down with the flu,” Anna said. “I’m trying to stay away from everyone so I don’t pass it around.”
“Have a seat, dear. I take public transportation. There’s no avoiding some illness during the winter months.”
Anna had scarcely sat when the door opened and Ben Haselton emerged. He looked upset. Charging ahead, he didn’t speak to either of them.
The buzzer sounded on Ellie’s desk.
“Is Anna Larkin there?”
“She’s been waiting,” Ellie said, smiling at Anna.
Anna took a deep breath and rose, heading into Tanner’s office like she was heading into a lion’s den. She still hadn’t a clue how to handle this interview. Did she pretend they had never met? Accuse him of dumping her? Or try to keep a cool facade and let him take the lead?
Tanner stood near the window that overlooked San Francisco Bay. She entered the room and closed the door behind her. It had been shut for Ben and if anything personal was said, she’d just as soon Ellie not hear.
He turned and looked at her. For a moment their eyes met and she felt a catch in the region of her heart. He still had the ability to cause a flutter in her heart rate. She’d been well on her way for falling for the man. He’d called a halt and a good thing, too. She had her life mapped out and getting deeply involved with a man did not figure in her plans. She knew better.
“Hello, Tanner,” she said, hoping he’d ask her to sit before her wobbly knees gave way.
“Anna. Have a seat. I won’t keep you long. I’ve already spoken with Thomas in Brussels. He brought me up to speed on the European division. He said you had a few new ideas you wanted to try when you’re at the helm. I’d like to see them. And get your assessment of our European standing.”
So he was playing it strictly business. She could deal with that. She placed the folder on his desk. “The new plans, complete with rationale and implementation schedules, are all laid out. After you review them, I’d be happy to discuss any questions you have. Otherwise, I think you’ll find Thomas’s assessment matches mine—robust in the U.K. area, not so strong in Italy and France. We’re running into a lot of competition from local interests. But cell phones are expanding and our new components are the best around. We just have to convince all customers of that.”
He nodded, sitting behind his desk. He drew the folder over and opened it. After a minute, he looked up, studying her for a moment.
“Are you all right?”
“I will be. I think I have a touch of the flu.” If she had to say that one more time today she would scream.
“Maybe you should go on home and rest up,” he suggested.
“I’ve stuck it out this long. I can hang in the rest of the day.” She wasn’t going to have the new CEO think she couldn’t handle her job no matter what. Or that she expected any favors. Once she might have thought she knew Tanner, but now she felt he was a stranger. The man who had shown her a fabulous time for three magical weeks was barely recognizable in the hard face opposite her.
Tanner looked back at the papers in the folder, quickly scanning them. Anna was on pins and needles watching him. Each second seemed to move in agonizing slowness. With him focused on the report, she could study him with impunity.
There were new lines around his eyes, his hair was cut shorter, his business suit fit to perfection. He looked like the successful businessman he was. Had circumstances been different, she would have been immensely proud of him for achieving such a high level position at a relatively young age. He was younger than she was and already CEO of a major corporation.
She’d hesitated dating him when she’d discovered he was four years younger. She’d never been sure exactly why this dynamic thirty-four-year-old man had wanted her company. She soon forgot the age difference. They had so much in common, from liking similar kinds of movies and books, to enjoying walks along the deserted San Francisco’s streets after the businesses had closed for the day. Exploring out-of-the-way streets, eating at little restaurants that were mere holes-in-the-wall had been exciting and new with Tanner.
There had been certain topics tacitly off-limits. She rarely talked about her work, nor did he talk about his. She’d been too caught up in the dizzying feelings around him, the physical attraction as well as the stimulation of their conversation. He’d been someone special.
He glanced up and caught her eye. She froze. He couldn’t read minds, could he?
Closing the folder he put it to the left side of the desk where a stack of folders rested.
“I’ll review this in greater detail tonight. If I have further questions, I’ll call.”
Taking that as a sign the interview was