Lunch and Developments

Knock-knock.

I looked up from the expense report from Marketing and saw Miss Wade striding into my office carrying two bags in her hands and wearing a sunny smile.

“Thank you, Miss Wade,” I said as she set one bag down on my desk. I reached in and pulled out a salad, heavy on the dark greens, plenty of carrot, cucumber and tomato and fragrant with a balsamic vinaigrette.

“You’re welcome, sir,” she beamed, lifting the second bag. “I saw how good it looked and I decided to get the same. Most of my lunches aren’t so – healthy.”

“I think I understand,” I nodded, spearing the dark leaves with the accompanying plastic fork. “It’s part of the life of parenting a young child, more so when you are single.”

“Yes, sir.” The red-haired secretary paused for a moment, her emerald green eyes blinking at me. “May I – may I ask you a question, sir?”

“Certainly,” I nodded, swallowing a bite of the salad. Did Miss Wade want to join me for lunch? I wouldn’t say no to that, but I did worry about the appearance it might cause throughout the office. Would others think she was receiving special treatment? That our relationship – such as it was – was becoming – inappropriate?

“Mr. Wilson – George,” the single mother said slowly, “I – don’t understand your behavior to me over the last day. It’s so – different – from what I’ve been told and overheard. You’ve been – a gentleman.”

“I try to be,” I said, gears beginning to whir in my mind. Something was going to come out – something hidden, something I had been – ignoring.

“Unless your pattern has changed,” she continued. I arched an eyebrow. My pattern? “I can’t say for certain. This is the most we have ever interacted. I never seemed to draw your eye before. You’ve always been so – focused – from what I have seen.”

“Miss Wade,” I said slowly, “Just what are you implying? For as long as I have been a part of this company – from day one – I have been all about the job. My relationships here have always been professional, though a few have grown acrimonious.” No need to bring up Ken right now. “I have never – not once – crossed that line.”

“And earlier? When you held me in your arms?” Her eyes met mine challengingly.

“I –” I blinked, understanding sparking in my mind. “Yes, I have crossed that line, Miss Wade. That – I think that was a first. I hope it was. But – it seemed to me – you needed a friend, not a boss or coworker.”

“A friend?” her thin eyebrows rose. “And if you had wanted more? What would have happened? Would I have had any say in the matter?”

Where was this coming from? One moment the red-haired secretary had been sweet and smiling and now she was – well, she was scaring me! That steel backbone I had encountered last night was back in full ****. Perhaps it would be best to be blunt rather than tiptoe around the subject it seemed we were discussing.

“Miss Wade,” I began, my voice firm, “I have never slept with a woman who worked at this company. Never! I have no intention of seducing, forcing or blackmailing any woman – employee or not – into sex. I know better than that. My grandmother taught me well, raising me as her own after my mother passed. A perfect person I am not, but I try and try I do.”

“And if you wanted to?” the single mother asked, slightly taken aback at my vehemence.

“My thoughts are mine,” I said, scowling. “And so they remain. I have no intention to make another like me.”

“And what’s that?” she asked quickly.

“A bastard,” I spat. The redhead paled, her fingers tightening their grasp on the bag containing the lunch I paid for.

“You should go,” I said coldly. She nodded jerkily and turned around, striding out my office in a hurry, the door closing quickly behind her. I shook my head. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. I was being slandered. Someone – I had a good idea who – was turning me into a pariah. I couldn’t say I didn’t bear some responsibility for that – I kept most people around me at arm’s length, having my own reasons not to open up, grow friendly.

Damn. I shook my head again, turning my chair away from my desk and looking out the window of my office at the surrounding city. It wasn’t fair. Something had happened to Miss Wade. I thought – I had hoped – there had been a spark. I hadn’t lied to her. My thoughts were mine, but they weren’t – not all of them – about sex. I wanted to be a partner, a husband, that special someone… Perhaps even a father someday, whether my own or not. At the least… I had to get out of here. I had made too much of this job, let it take too much of my life. I had to get out there. I had to live.

But I wanted the money. Was I being greedy, wanting the value of all I had done, all I had given to the company? I didn’t think so. I wondered… I spun back towards my desk, grabbing the phone and punching at the dialer. It rang once, twice… Was he in? Had he taken the day off?

“George?” Derek answered. “Something going on? Did Ken pull something he shouldn’t have?”

“No, this is…” I sighed. “How long were you planning on staying with the company?”

“I don’t have many options,” he said. “I was hoping to ride it out long enough to retire on what I had. Vice President – even of this – doesn’t look good when interviewing for lower paying employment and I know I’m no good in the courts at this point. I keep up with the law, but…” His voice trailed off.

“Here’s the question for you then, Derek. Can you put together a group to buy me out?”

“Are you serious? George – that’s – you’re really tied up in the company. That’ll take a lot of money. Even a takeover, hostile or not – will cost.”

“I need out, Derek. I need to live what life I have left and this place – I don’t want it to take me. If you can keep it quiet – and Ken out of the equation – I’ll give you a discount.”

“I guess… Maybe. It’ll take some time, putting feelers out, especially since I’d have to keep Ken out of the loop. I know you don’t like it, but he would be the better bet. I knows a lot more people who would be interested than I do.”

“And he’d piss it all away. I may not leave much when I go, but I would like the company to keep climbing.”

“I understand. I’ll start making calls tonight, see who I can find to form a group.”

“Thanks, Derek,” I said, closing my eyes, feeling a little peace enter me. “How does dinner sound for tomorrow night to hash out some details? Goldman’s maybe?”

“That – might work out,” he said. “It’d have to be over drinks, though. I’m taking Melissa there for dinner.”

“Melissa?” My eyebrows rose. “I thought you had given up after the breakup with Roxanne.”

“I had,” my friend admitted. “But – I can’t let that define me. I just – have to keep trying. This will be my third date with Melissa – you’d like her – but I need to see where this leads. Who knows what could happen?”

“Who knows indeed?” I smiled, happy to hear that Derek was stepping back into the water. “Let’s make it the next night then. No reason to upset her, is there?”

“Thanks. Thursday it is then.”

“Talk to you then, barring anything popping up.”

“Take care, bro.” The phone clicked and I set down the receiver. It was good to know one of us was trying, putting himself out there. As for me… I looked over the reports spread across my desk. Things had to change, especially if I left. Derek would need someone who knew what they were doing. I’d have to train that someone up in the meantime, but who? I considered the various managers who were qualified – which immediately dismissed Stacy. Who would be best? Hard to tell. There were several I liked and showed promise. Perhaps… A test. I grabbed a notepad, started writing down names, thinking of a good date and time for a meeting. I would need to keep it on the down low, try to keep Ken from getting any ideas… Was that wise? He had harped on me pretty consistently over the years about the stress I put myself through preparing the Annual Reports. Yeah – better to be open about it, admit that the stress was getting to me. I picked up the phone, thumbing the button for the first available secretary.

“Y-yes, Mr. Wilson?” Damn, Miss Wade answered. She – sounds upset.

“I need to schedule a meeting for tomorrow morning with –” I read off the list of names. “Once that is complete, I will have a number of items to be copied for each person for the meeting.”

“That – could take some time, s-sir,” she responded. “Especially on such short notice. Their schedules –”

“Don’t concern me,” I cut her off. “Their offices can make what adjustments they need to.”

“But –”

“You are a capable person, Miss Wade,” I said, perhaps a bit too sharply. “I know you can get this done by the end of the day.”

“I – yes, sir.” The red-haired woman sounded resigned.

“Good.” I hung up the phone and began gathering the materials spread out across my desk in preparation for the morning, notes and all. They would need the information to complete what I expected of them.