Bourbon & Branch Water

by Patricia Green

  The sneer on his face negated the soft gesture of a moment before. “You care?”

  She cared about Mr. Holyfield and knew he’d be quite upset if anything happened to his only son. “Sure.” She squeezed around him, and he made a point of rubbing against her breasts. Stormy wanted to sock him one. “Geez, Cary. Let me by.”

  He stepped back. “So sorry.” Sarcasm dripped off his tongue like drool. “You’ll come around, Stormy. You might not realize it yet, but you will.”

  Not in a million years. “Bye, Cary.”

  He smiled but she hurried away before he could say anything more.

  * * *

  The next day dawned bright, without a hint of rain, and Stormy was in a glorious afterglow mood. Jeff had called her the evening after their lunch date and they had a wonderful conversation. If they were in a situation where they had to communicate without falling in bed together, it was reassuring for Stormy to find that she and Jeff had many things to talk about. He liked Ted Nugent music and so did she. They had favorite science-fiction books in common, like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Macroscope. Even their abilities were compatible. He liked to cook and so did she. Neither of them liked to garden, but they both liked indoor plants. There were a hundred things to discuss when they made the time for chat.

  She was standing at the copy machine near the reception area the next afternoon, as Ella and Russell Porterman came in. Stormy’s first notion was that they had the meeting date confused as it wasn’t until the following morning, but they told the receptionist that they had an appointment with Mr. Holyfield, and were shown to his office.

  If Russell and Ella Porterman were meeting with Mr. Holyfield, that couldn’t be good. Stormy wondered what was up. Russell hadn’t suggested that there was any problem with their meeting schedule or that they had any issues with her case management when they’d talked that morning. But maybe they did. Maybe Ella was exerting her control over Russell and making a complaint about Stormy.

  Stormy’s questions were answered about an hour later. Mr. Holyfield called her into his office.

  “Please sit down, Stormy. I want to talk about something.” His salt and pepper bushy eyebrows were drawn together for a moment, but relaxed as if he was putting on his poker face. That made Stormy even more apprehensive, but she took the seat he indicated across the desk from him. He gazed at her steadily, blue eyes bright with intelligence. After a moment, he straightened his tie and started their conversation.

  “I just met with the Portermans, Stormy. They are not happy with the case as it’s currently being handled. Ella Porterman, in particular, felt you were not representing their interests to the highest degree.”

  Stormy’s heart sank. “I’m sorry, Mr. Holyfield. I don’t know what the problem is. I spent time on the phone with Russell Porterman this morning and everything seemed fine.”

  “Hmm, well something changed and now things are not fine.”

  “I’m sorry. What would you like me to do?”

  “I’m going to take you off the case. I can’t have clients unhappy. I think you’d be better off back at your law clerk duties for a while longer.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t, sir. I have a plan for the case.” She didn’t have a plan. It was a terrible lie, but she desperately needed to retain her new position. If she was fully demoted back to law clerk status, she wouldn’t be able to afford her new apartment and she’d be in that boring, thankless job for the foreseeable future.

  “You have a plan?” Holyfield considered this for a moment. “Did Russell Porterman agree to this?”

  She avoided the question.“I don’t know why they came to you today, sir. The case is as good as won.”

  “Settlement?”

  “You could say that.” Oh my God, she was digging herself a dangerously deep hole. Mr. Holyfield would fire her for sure if she couldn’t come up with a plausible solution before tomorrow’s meeting.

  “Hmm. Well, I don’t understand it either. Although…Russell didn’t say much during our meeting. Perhaps Ella was unaware of the current situation.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Don’t you let me down, young lady. I assure you, the consequences would be unpleasant.”

  “Yes, sir. You can count on me, sir.”

  He nodded toward the door. “Get busy.” His voice got softer. “And, Stormy, I know you can do this. Go get ‘em.”

  Another false smile played on her lips. Appear confident. Be mature. Don’t completely fall apart and blubber your incompetence and beg for forgiveness. “Thank you, Mr. Holyfield.” With that, she exited, hurrying to her cubicle where she put her head down on her desk and tried hard not to burst into tears. She had to come up with something and it had to be good.

  Chapter 9

  Although the sun shone brightly again the next day, Stormy was in a dismal mood. She was supposed to meet with the Portermans at ten-thirty before their negotiation meeting with the Randolphs. She’d wracked her brain trying to come up with a solution to the problem and had come up dry as a scavenged desert bone. She was tired from staying up much of the night searching through legal books at the office and the dark circles under her eyes attested to her lack of sleep and gut-tightening worries. But she put on a confident smile upon greeting the Portermans in the reception room.

  “Please follow me. The conference room is this way.”

  Ella Porterman frowned deeply and didn’t budge. “I thought Mr. Holyfield was handling this.”

  “Mr. Holyfield wasn’t aware that I have a plan for attack, Mrs. Porterman. Once he knew that, he was more amenable to keeping me on the case.”

  “Ah,” Russell said. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  Ella’s response was immediate. “Russell!” She poked him in the chest. “I told you I want her off the case. Off!”

  He bristled but turned to Stormy with an apologetic gaze. “You do your best, Miss Stillwater. I’m sure it’ll be okay. Ella, come along. No more arguments.”

  “Well, I never! What’s gotten into you?” She looked at her husband with surprise, but turned back to Stormy with a sneer. “This is a total waste of our time and money.” She looked back to Russell, turning her back on Stormy rudely. “Come along, Russell.”

  Russell Porterman straightened up and his chin stuck out stubbornly. He looked more aware and masculine than Stormy had ever seen him. “Ella, we have to talk. Now.”

  Stormy stood there, watching them bicker and wondering exactly how she was going to pull this potato out of the fire.

  Russell took Ella’s arm and looked at Stormy. “Where is the conference room? I’d like to talk to my wife in private for a few minutes.”

  “It’s…uh…this way, sir.” Stormy led the way to the small room with the long, wood conference table and leather covered chairs. It was a room with masculine virtues, even though the appointments were a bit dated. “I’ll leave you two alone. Please call for me when you’re ready to have our meeting. I’ll be right here in the hallway.”

  He nodded and dragged Ella into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

  Stormy could hear them clearly through the door transom. She’d forgotten it was open, which was stupid of her because client-attorney meetings were supposed to be held in confidence and the transom was supposed to be closed for those meetings. Nonetheless, it was open because they’d had Mr. Fyne’s birthday office party there the day before and the ventilation was a problem in this old building when you got too many people in one room. Trying to appear nonchalant, Stormy listened.

  “Ella, I’ve had about enough of your rudeness.”

  “You’re being foolish.” Her voice was petulant.

  “You know, I had a long conversation with Leland Randolph this morning and he said-”

  “Randolph! Russell, what are you doing?”

  “You know, he and I used to be friends before all of this distillery nonsense. I’ve had enough of this squabbling between us and the Randolphs. I called him to try to wor
k it out. I got other ideas from him instead. It’s about time I took things in hand, took you in hand, Ella. I don’t like being treated like a doormat and I won’t stand for it any longer.”

  “But, Russell, I don’t understand. You aren’t asking for a divorce, are you?” There was panic in her tone.

  His voice softened. “No, Ella. I want to have peace between us. I want less bickering and less of you ordering me about like a trained seal. I love you, Ella, but this can’t go on.”

  There was soft sobbing. “Russell...Russell, I love you, too. What do you want from me?”

  “There, there, honey. Here’s my hankie.” Stormy heard Ella blowing her nose, but Russell went on talking. “First of all, I think you deserve a reprimand for behaving so deplorably to Miss Stillwater.”

  Reprimand? Stormy truly didn’t like Ella, but she also didn’t want to be the cause for more marital discord.

  “What do you mean, Russell?”

  His voice was confident, a little brave sounding. “I’m going to spank you.”

  “You must be joking. That’s not funny, Russ.”

  “It’s not a joke. Leland told me it was a traditional way to settle things. You can find it in the Bible, even. It works for them and for others. Why wouldn’t it work for us?”

  “I don’t think it’s necessary.”

  “Yes, it is. And you need to be punished for the hurt you’ve caused thus far. And I’m going to make sure you never do it again, to anyone.”

  Ella sobbed again. “Please, Russell.”

  There was a pause. “I want us to get along, Ella. If we’re constantly at loggerheads, there’s no future for us. Come here and lie across my lap.”

  “Really, Russell. We don’t have to do this.”

  “Do you want a divorce?”

  “No! You know I love you. I…I just need…want…oh, I don’t know.”

  There was silence for a few seconds before Russell spoke up.”I think you do know what you need. You’ve been asking me for what you need for some time and I’ve been too stupid to realize it. But we’ll deal with that now and from now on. Come here. Skirt up.”

  “Russell, what if someone should come in. This is so humiliating. I can’t believe you’d do this to me.”

  “No one will come in. Miss Stillwater is in the hall and the door is locked. Come on, Ella!”

  “Is this what you want?”

  “Yes. I think so. Leland described it this way.”

  “Please, Russell. This is a nightmare.”

  “Don’t be melodramatic, Ella. It’s a spanking, nothing more.”

  “You’ve never spanked me before.”

  “Hush.” There was a sharp crack of flesh on flesh and Ella cried out.

  “Ouch!”

  Several more cracks could be heard and Stormy blushed to imagine Ella bent over Russell’s lap getting her rear tanned. Actually, it was rather a pleasant idea, even though it wasn’t a charitable one.

  “No more snotty behavior, Ella.” Smack, smack, smack. “No more sniping at me and ordering me around.”

  “Okay! Ouch! Russell, you’re hurting me!”

  More spanking noises. “Are you going to be better and be pleasant to me and everyone around you?”

  “Yes! Oh, Russell, that hurts! I’ll do better, I promise.”

  There was a pause in the spanking. “You’d better, Ella. I won’t tolerate it anymore and will spank you again if you get uppity.”

  “Yes, Russell. I’ll be nicer.”

  Three more smacks and then quiet for a moment before Russell spoke up, his voice softer and nearly inaudible. “You can get up now, Ella. I’m sorry it had to go like that, but you have to admit the behavior was getting worse and worse.”

  “Yes, yes, I suppose so.”

  “I only want you to be happy, Ella, and if you put more effort into being pleasant to people, they’ll be more pleasant to you, too. It’s a win-win situation.”

  “I guess you’re right.” She blew her nose again. “I’m sorry.”

  “Apology accepted. Here, have a glass of water and get yourself ready for this meeting. I’m sure Miss Stillwater will have some news for us.”

  “I hope she can force the Randolphs to see reason. People will fall into sin and depravity if this bourbon distillery goes forward.”

  Russell Porterman came to the door and opened it. “Miss Stillwater, I know our time is short, but let’s talk. I want to hear what you have in mind.”

  Miss Stillwater, Stormy thought, was completely taken aback and still foundering on the rocky shores of the lie she’d told. But an idea was forming, one that might settle the case and be acceptable to Ella. Hope blossomed in her heart.

  * * *

  Jeff arrived a few minutes before the meeting time and was shown the way toward the conference room. The receptionist was swamped with phone calls and the postman was there, so she couldn’t lead the way. Instead she pointed and gave him an apologetic smile.

  As he walked down the corridor, he passed by several cubicles and recognized Stormy’s voice coming from one of them. He approached, hoping to surprise her in a pleasant way, but stopped in his tracks, hearing the tension in her voice.

  “I can’t have this conversation with you now, Cary. It was underhanded of you to say that it was an emergency. I have clients waiting in the conference room.”

  Stormy had never mentioned a “Cary” but Jeff knew Cary Holyfield from some dealings in Las Vegas. It was only logical to assume this was the same Cary. Anything else would be too much of a coincidence. There was a strident note in Stormy’s voice so he stood there and listened for another moment.

  “What do you mean? I told you I won’t go out with you. I’m going to hang up now, Cary. Please don’t interrupt me like this again.”

  Jeff took a step closer, but Stormy was still on the phone.

  “I-I don’t understand. What do you mean you saw me in the parking lot? I have a car there, of course I’d be in the lot!” She must have been listening to Cary because there was silence for a moment. “Oh. Jeff Hand is not someone I want to discuss with you, Cary. I don’t care what you saw. It was raining and he was in Fire Gorge…on business. He stopped by and I got into his car to have brief conversation. What business is it of yours? No, Cary, please don’t tell your father. Please. I need you to keep this between us. Please.” Jeff heard a catch in Stormy’s voice and could tell she was on the verge of tears. He walked into the cubicle, but her back was to the entrance and she didn’t notice him there. “Yes, okay, I’ll go out with you. One time, Cary. That’s all.” Jeff cleared his throat, and Stormy turned, a startled expression on her face upon seeing him. “I have to go. Good-bye.”

  “Wait, Stormy,” Jeff said. It was patently obvious that Cary had seen them together and was blackmailing Stormy to date him over the matter. Jeff wouldn’t stand for it. Stormy was his girl and he would defend her. “Give me the phone.”

  “Jeff…I…”

  He held out his hand. “The phone.”

  Slowly, she handed over the phone.

  Jeff spoke slowly and distinctly into the handset. He didn’t want any misunderstandings between himself and Cary. “Cary, it’s Jeff Hand.”

  The man sneered as he answered. “Oh. Waiting for your turn in her panties, are you, Hand? Well, you can nix that idea. I’m aware of your fraternization and I can make it very uncomfortable for both of you.”

  He could, Jeff knew it, but the look on Stormy’s face was desperate. There was no way he was going to drop this. “Here’s the thing, Cary. You think you know something. I won’t corroborate it. You can’t prove anything and I think you and I both know that harassing Stormy at work, when you’re her boss’ son, is creating a hostile workplace for her. Unless you want your father sued for gender-based sexual harassment and hostile workplace, you’ll have to forget what you think you saw.”

  “No way, Hand. I will make sure everyone knows that you’re behaving unethically.”

  “And black
mail to get a woman to date you is ethical? Don’t be a boob, Cary.”

  “I’ll get her fired.”

  Jeff was getting a little exasperated and he let it show in his voice. “Wrongful termination. Anything else?”

  “You stay out of this, Hand.”

  He looked over at Stormy who had tears forming in her eyes which she wiped away quickly. He addressed his question to her. “Do you want to go out with Cary Holyfield, Stormy?”

  “No! I knew him in high school and he’s been pestering me. I have no choice, though, Jeff. You have to see that. We’ll both be in deep trouble if—”

  “Enough, Stormy.” He couldn’t let her continue and confirm Cary’s allegation while the other man was listening. Jeff put the phone back to his ear. “That about sums it up, Holyfield. You have no evidence, you have nothing but threats and bad intentions. I suggest you stay clear of Stormy. I’ll make sure she files suit otherwise.”

  “You would, too, you bastard. I’m as good a lawyer as you are. You wouldn’t win.”

  Cary had his own practice, that was true, but it was not true that he was a better attorney. He hadn’t a leg to stand on and his voice was a lot less confident. Jeff countered. “Try me.”

  That caused a pause. “You can keep your Indian princess, Hand. I don’t want her. You can fuck her and you can go fuck yourself.”

  Jeff handed the phone back to Stormy. “Hang up.”

  “Yes, sir.” She said no more, putting the phone back in its cradle.

  Jeff wanted to hug her, to soothe her, to reassure her. He realized he was falling in love with her and it seemed natural to want to comfort her. But the fact remained that they were legal opponents.

  “Go fix your makeup, Miss Stillwater. I’ll meet you in the conference room.”

  “Jeff, I’m—”

  He held up his hand. They had taken enough chances already. He couldn’t let Stormy risk her job any further by saying something regrettable. He hoped he didn’t sound cold when he said, “It’s over. Let’s deal with the case.”

  * * *

  Stormy looked at her reflection in the ladies’ room mirror and grimaced. Her mascara was smeared and the dark circles under her eyes were even worse, if that was possible. It killed her to think Jeff had seen her looking like this. But it might not matter anyway. He’d said it was over, and he’d sounded like he meant everything was over.