She smiled at his gently teasing tone. Im underappreciated, but, yes, Im Sheryl, patron saint of elevators and caffeine addicts. And since you gave me such good advice down in the lobby and kept me from getting stuck in a faulty elevator, Ill put in a good word for you with The Guy Upstairs.
He chuckled. I should introduce myself formally, then, so you get the name right when you make the recommendation. He stuck out his left hand. No wedding ring. Nathan Zachary Hall, which I know sounds horribly like a dormitory.
Sheryls smile froze. The elevator stopped and the doors parted, but it took great effort to force her feet forward, onto a busy fifth floor alongsideNathan?
Youre Nathan Hall? Even the dimmest bulb would be able to deduce he was, since hed just said so, but he bore no resemblance to any of her beady-eyed, furry green imaginings.
Thats me. His once teasing tone was now puzzled.
Hea guy with a sense of humor who could wear jeans like thatwas her nemesis?
As Meka would say, yikes.
2
NATHAN FELT A LITTLE SILLY standing there in front of so many desks and cubicles where his co-workers could witness this odd exchange. But the cacophony of buzzing phones, chirping computers and occasional cursing of the frustrated reporter assured him that people had better things to do than watch him. Besides, even if theyd all been staring, Nathan found he couldnt do much more than stand and wait for the brunette with the striking green eyes to say something.
Hoping to prompt a response, he picked up where the conversation had inexplicably derailed. Im Nathan Hall, he reiterated, in case there was any lingering confusion on that point. And you are?
Sheryl. She addressed the floor more than him. But her seeming shyness was incongruous with the woman who had been joking with him just moments ago.
A smile touched his lips. Right, Sheryl, the patron saint of elevators.
She looked up then, and if eyes were the window to the soul, then Sheryl had pulled the drapes tightly down over her exotic, slightly tilted cats eyes. Hed had some experience reading people, but he couldnt get a handle on her current thoughts or mood. Nervous? Maybe even a little guilty about something? But resolved, too, a woman who knew what she had to do even if she didnt particularly want to do it.
Sheryl Dayton, she elaborated. I, um, Brad Hammond sent me.
Nathans stomach turned over. Good Lord. Twice in his career, when hed been working on investigative pieces, hed been offered hush money from different corporations without soul or scruples, and a lower-level Mafia member had once made the much less tempting offer of breaking Nathans legs if he pursued a story. Surely Hammond hadnt sent Nathan a woman?
She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling under her sweater in a way he wished he hadnt noticed. Im in charge of Hammonds public relations depart
Youre HGSs PR man? She couldnt be further from a man, but for once Nathan didnt care about semantics.
Well, hed certainly been a pompous idiot to think even for a second that she might be awhat? Hooker? As though anything about the straight, sophisticated cut of her hair, her china-delicate skin, or the classy clothes that clung just softly enough to her slim curves to be sexy, suggested an illicit lifestyle. Apparently, his years of reporting about the worst in people were taking their toll on his judgment.
The only reason he could possibly have had for instantly linking Sheryl with sex was the attraction he felt to her. His immediate and appreciative masculine response to her physical appearance had only been heightened by their teasing in the elevator, the single potent touch theyd shared, and the way her interested gaze had brushed over his skin. He firmly ignored that attraction now to follow what she was saying.
to discuss those columns youve been writing. Her expression, if not actually frosty, was cool, her tone all business.
He matched her demeanor, folding his arms across his chest. I have no intention of retracting a single word Ive written so far, and if any new information surfaces, you can be sure there will be more columns. Im sorry you wasted a trip across town.
Maybe if we could just go in your office and talk
If you wanted to talk, you should have made an appointment, he interrupted, pointing out the polite, professional course of action. Im a busy man, and Im afraid I have a schedule to keep.
He wasnt born yesterday, and he had no intentions of letting her ambush him, as so clearly had been her plan. Manipulative. Shed arrived, scheming to surprise him, catching him off guard, but hed turned the tables on her before shed even stepped off the elevator. Nice irony, even if it had been unintentional.
Besides, though he did technically have his own office, the tiny room was actually smaller than some cubicles hed seen. He wasnt prepared to be alone in that tight space with Sheryl and the light, teasing tang of her perfume.
Determined to sound in control of the situation, he invited casually, Feel free to call the receptionist, though, and see if theres a way to squeeze you in next week. Maybe well talk then. Have a nice day, Ms. Dayton.
Her eyes sparked green flame, but shed yet to form a reply when he spun on his heel and walked off, cheerfully whistling a Christmas carol.
SO WELL TRY AGAIN, Brad said from behind the metallic-looking monstrosity that was his desk. Meka had almost had a stroke when hed insisted on it, and Sheryl personally thought that it looked like a reject from the Star Trek prop room. But Brad seemed to feel the sci-fi aura of the piece was in keeping with running a company known for technological successes in the new millennium.
Try again? Sheryl banged a fist on the desk, too angry to care that shed probably just broken a couple of fingers. May I remind you, I was against this the first time. The man wouldnt even let me into his office, and you want me to go back for more abuse?
Her ego was still smarting from the earlier encounter. All the polished words shed practiced in the car on her way to the Sojourner building had been reduced to her gaping outside an elevator when she came face-to-face with the man. But, considering the face in question, who could blame her?
Not a fan of conflict, Brad fidgeted, his pale blue eyes nervous. Now that she thought about it, even though his looks were classically handsome, his coloring, from his eyes to his platinum-blond hair, was all pale, not at all warm and vibrant like
She snapped the thought in half like a dry twig.
UhSheryl, sweetie, did you just growl?
She winced, but blasting Brad for the unprofessional endearment probably wasnt the best way to reassure him she wasnt rabid. Course not. Cleared my throat. She did so now for emphasis. Ahem, ahem, hack, hack, hack. See? Sick, not psychotic. I may be coming down with a cold or something.
I could have Iris order you some chicken soup from the deli for lunch, he volunteered, concern in his gaze.
With a shake of her head, Sheryl reflected that he really was a nice guy. Thats all right. Sensing an opportunity to escape before he ordered her into a second round with Nathan Hall, she stood. I have some cough drops in my desk and
Ive got some right here. He pulled open the slanted top drawer of his hybrid architecture/science-fair project and passed her a handful of honey-eucalyptus drops. You just help yourself, and we can finish discussing this.
It had been worth a try.
She sat with a thud. Brad, you hired me because you said you needed me, needed the advice that I and others have to give you. Youre a brilliant man, but everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and you pay us to balance yours out. So, please consider my advice when I tell you
I considered your advice yesterday, Sheryl, when we had this same conversation. But we need this man to be our friend.
It doesnt work that way! He doesnt want to befriend us, and we dont need him, hes just one guy. Lets focus on
Just one guy! I cant believe my public relations person just blew off a journalist with a direct pipeline to the publics opinion. Youre a helluva lot smarter than that, so why are you being so stubborn about this, Sheryl?
Because about two minutes before he introduced himself and subsequently kicked me out of the office, I was thinking I wouldnt kick him out of bed?
Hardly a professional answer, and she had other objections, too, dammit, she just couldnt remember them all right now. The entire time she and Brad were dating, shed wished hed develop a bit more of a backbone. She was proud of him for doing so, but did he have to pick now to do it?
Well. You are the boss, she finally conceded.
Im so glad somebody remembered, he said. I think you all see me as a little boy playing executive, but this is my company, you know?
I know. She glanced down guiltily, remembering the virtual shack in which hed started his business four years ago and how far hed already comehow far hed taken all of themwith his ideas. There had been a time when the tiny company was so informal, it had been more like a club, and while that briefly had been fun, an enjoyable work atmosphere, she was proud of all theyd done to make Hammond Gaming Software the real business it was now.
Though she wasnt yet being paid a third of the salary Brad had said he envisioned for her future, no one else would have hired a woman with her limited experience for a position at this level. With a few notable exceptions, most of Brads employees were young, well-trained, eager executives who wouldnt be able to find their current levels of autonomy elsewhere. The trade-off was that Brad had only recently begun to afford anything close to equitable salariesluckily, the majority of his young execs didnt have families to support.
But hed offered them a piece of his vision, combining their collective business acumen with his software smarts and wide-eyed optimism. He wanted to give them all a shot at the big time, and until a fantasy writer from Colorado with an obscure Web site had filed a lawsuit, Brads master plan had seemed to be running smoothly.
She sighed. What do you want me to do? Just say the word.
Make sure Nathan comes to our office Christmas party a week from tomorrow, he insisted, sitting back in his ergonomic chair. I want him to get to know us, see were good people.
If only life were that simple. I can ask him, but I cant guarantee hell attend.
Unless he already has plans he cant or wont get out of, why wouldnt he? He writes for a paper, and Im essentially offering him an opportunity to spend time with HGS personnel and investigate. Why turn that down?
And if one of their personnel inadvertently said something that got taken out of context on the front page? Will you at least run the idea by Mark for his legal opinion and She trailed off since Brad was already shaking his head.
I respect your opinion, Sheryl, you know that, and Marks, too, but Ive made up my mind on this.
All right. If she wasnt going to win this, she might as well lose gracefully. Ill go see Nathan again.
Make an appointment this time, Brad advised, blue eyes twinkling. Youll probably get further.
Her cheeks flooded with stinging warmth, and she felt compelled to defend herself. I had a strategy
We dont want to look like calculating people with a strategy. We want to look like exactly what we areopen and honest with nothing to hide. Once he realizes that, Nathan Hall is bound to see things from our point of view.
She recalled Nathans vehemence when hed informed her he wouldnt retract a word and would continue to write about Hammond for the foreseeable future. See things from their point of view? Well, Christmas was the season of miracles, so she supposed shed just have to make one.
SHERYL PAUSED in her conversation to Meka just long enough to sip the criminally overpriced movie-concession cola shed bought. She wouldve ordered popcorn, too, but that would probably require a cosigned loan. Above, the theater lights were still lit, and various pre-movie advertisements flashed across the screen. Tyler was meeting them here, and he still had a few minutes before showtime.
Replacing her cup in its plastic holder, she leaned back in her padded chair, concluding her rundown of todays meeting with Brad and his newest plan of action for handling Nathan Hall. I know Ive said dozens of times that if Brad is going to run his own company, he needs to be more assertive
But you didnt really mean more assertive with you. Mekas smile was knowing.
Exactly. So am I a big hypocrite?
Not so much hypocritical as frustrated by the whole situation, her friend said, absolving her. But I have just the thing to take your mind off the so-called Boyfriend of Christmas Past.
Whats that?
The Boyfriend of Christmas Present.
What? There was no present boyfriend, and Sheryl currently preferred it that way.
Youve known me a few years, Meka said. Have you ever seen me as happy as I am with Ty?
No. The two lovebirds were cute together, even if their evident love for each other was occasionally nauseating. But that has nothing to do with me.
Youre unhappy. Youve been so stressed
Brad is paying lawyers money he should be spending on other things. Darting a quick glance around the theater, she lowered her voice. Do you realize what could happen to us if, heaven forbid, the case actually goes to court and we lose? Of course Ive been stressed!
But even before that Mathers woman claimed Hammond stole her story, you seemed unhappy. I want to see you happy, Sheryl, and I think the right guy would help with that.
Maybe, but the right guy is going to have to wait until a better time. And Sheryl didnt just mean the work stuff.
Other people, such as her family, her co-workers and roommates, had often taken center stage in her life. Boyfriends who, though not all as emotionally draining as Brad had been, cut into what little time she might have had for herself.
I figured youd say that, Meka said. Which is why Ive decided not to take no for an answer.
Sheryl laughed. What, youve decided to find me the right guy against my will? When her roommate bit her lower lip and said nothing, Sheryl scowled. What arent you telling me?
Not making eye contact, Meka sipped her own five-dollar soda and stalled.
Warning, warning. Red alert. Tameka!