“Tell me about. So I’m here at our Paris office, with our auditor trying to find out something on this end.”
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. “Hello?”
“Is it that lady auditor that you said was the finest thing you ever seen on the planet?”
“Uh…yeah. So, when are you going to start looking in on this?” Adam asked quickly.
“Ahh, she’s in the room isn’t she?”
“Yes.” He wished Noah would move on to another subject, cause he knew his face was bright red now. He could feel the heat.
“Okay, okay. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Good. I might have you get in touch with someone. It’s Jeanette’s cousin, she’s a P.I.”
“Wow, this is serious.”
“It just so happens that she’s a P.I.. Jeanette is nice enough to ask her for her services. But this is what we need to do.”
Adam went over what he and Jeanette discussed earlier.
“Okay. Cool. I’ll wait for her call and we’ll take it from there.”
“Thanks, bye.”
Adam put away his cell and went over to Jeanette who was now looking over some paperwork.
“I’m going to call Renee now and let her know what’s going on. You sure I can give her your brother’s number?”
“No prob, he’s waiting for her call.”
“Great. Wow, little did I know this job would get this deep.”
***
Jeanette was so relieved that this was moving forward now. They were getting heavily involved with no mention of romance or any physical contact.
Well, there was some physical contact earlier this morning, and that was all she could handle at the moment.
The way Adam massaged her hands with that lotion too was short of pornographic.
Who ever heard of getting wet just by a hand massage? And he was only massaging her hands, no other body parts! Damn!
Jeanette speed dialed Renee’s number. She picked up on the third ring.
“Hello there!”
“Wow you sound perky for it to be so early,” Jeanette said.
“Details, details.”
“Huh?”
“You are with that fine-ass man in the city of romance.”
Jeanette sighed. It figures. Renee the hopeless romantic. “Girl, listen I got a job for you.”
“You want me to investigate homeboy for you?”
“No!” Jeanette looked over at Adam. Luckily he had his head buried in some paperwork. She took the phone to the bathroom. “Look, this is about work.”
She explained everything to her as Adam did to Noah.
“Oooh. Girl, sounds like embezzlement all away around. Okay, I’ll get on it. Now, this Noah person is Adam’s brother, you said he worked there before.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. That’s good, we can figure out someway for him to contact these people again. Alright, give up the number and let me call him. Then I’ll get back with you.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate this.”
“Hey, gives me something more interesting to do.”
“Your job is already interesting,” Jeanette said.
“It’s the same ole’ same ole. Chasing down cheating spouses, investigating potential mates. Nothing really that exciting anymore.”
“Wow. Didn’t know business was that repetitive.”
Renee chuckled. “It pays the rent.”
“Here’s Noah’s number, he’s expecting your call. You both have the lowdown on what’s going on. I guess you two can get a plan together. Call us back as soon as you figure out something.”
“Okay, and don’t you two do anything tomorrow until we call you. What time do you go in?”
Jeanette turned to Adam. “What time do we have to be in the office tomorrow.”
“Eight sharp.”
“I heard him,” Renee said. “Damn! That means eleven at night my time. Let me set my alarm.”
Jeanette chuckled. Poor Renee. She worked crazy hours already and she knew on her days off she hibernated to make up for lost sleep. “I really appreciate this.”
“If you really appreciated it, you would do me a favor and get busy with that hunk of a man you have with you.”
Before Jeanette could say something, she heard a dial tone. That part of the conversation she would keep from Adam, but she relayed the rest.
“So we just sit and wait for instructions. Like a real sting.” Adam said looking up from his work.
“Yeah, something like that,” Jeanette said. She walked over to window. It was still coming down in sheets. “If it keeps raining like this all day and night, we’ll have to get to the office by boat.”
Adam came behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Lets not talk shop today. I want to continue knowing each other.” He bent down and kissed her on top of the head.
“Do you want me to start from my childhood?”
“Not that far back. I want to know the more intimate side of Jeanette Foster.”
“Uh-oh.”
“I’ll share with you, so it will be a fair deal.”
Jeanette wiggled out of his grip and went to sit down by the fireplace. “What do you want to know?”
“Have you ever been married?”
“Wow, right off the bat with a very personal question.”
“Not really. If we plan to pursue a relationship, these are things I need to know anyway.”
Jeanette thought a moment. Yeah, that was fair. And actually she wanted to know about his past relationships—and current ones. This man could not be sleeping alone.
She wanted to definitely find out about any past office romances he had. She’s sure he had a few. She didn’t want to be the next subject of office gossip.
“Well, if you must know, I was married once. Divorced after five years.
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Actually it was a mutual agreement. In fact, we’re great friends, we just made lousy spouses.” She giggled. You now, it was one of those ‘I married my best friend’. But I think we really needed to remain best friends.”
“Ahh. Well that’s good to hear. Tells me a lot about you right there.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. You’re not bitter or still mourning over a relationship.”
“No sense in doing that. I feel I can always find someone else, so I moved on.”
“You can teach a lot of younger women your attitude. And I bet you can find someone else. You got me hooked.”
Jeanette turned a looked at Adam. “Honestly.”
“No, I mean it. Look, I know we started out fast and furious, but now is the time to go at a leisurely pace and get reacquainted. And I don’t mind saying that you’re the type of woman that can hook any man quickly.”
“How so? I don’t play games.”
“Exactly!”
“Please. Elaborate.” Jeanette scooted up on her bed and placed the huge fluffy pillows behind her back. She got comfortable waiting to hear this new line.
“To start, you’re a very intelligent woman. You’re efficient, no-nonsense and speak your mind. You don’t hint or beat around the bush for something you want, you come right out and say it.”
“This is true. But doesn’t that usually intimidate a man?”
“Not the right man nor a man that knows himself.”
Jeanette cocked her head and nodded. She could understand that. “What else?”
Adam come to the bed and sat next to her on the edge. “You’re the whole package, a real woman. A man that’s ready for a true honest relationship wouldn’t be intimidated by you.”
Jeanette sat there looking at him. Either he really believed in what he was saying or he truly believed in what he was saying. Either way, it sounded good. Whether that was going to make her jump into a full blown office romance with him was another story.
“I’m sure you have some questions for me,” Adam smiled.
“Oh you bet I
do.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Adam was prepared for anything. He’s been asked so many questions by other women in the past, he could recite them by memory. Not that he made up any of the answers, but it was always the same questions.
Why did you break up with your last girlfriend? Who broke up with who? How did you treat her? Blah, blah, blah. Well he guessed that was important information for a potential date to know. And he had no problem in being honest.
“Okay, fire away.”
“How many office relationships have you had and how did they end?”
Boom! He wasn’t ready for that question right out the box. He hoped for a few warm up inquiries.
He so didn’t want to go into the ugly incident of a few years ago. If she were on the fence about dating now, she would jump off if he told her the whole story. And she wouldn’t be jumping off in his favor.
He didn’t want to lie to her either. He already pushed his luck and was called on the carpet by her for setting this deal up with the hotel room.
“Wow, you get to the point don’t you?” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
“You said that’s what you like about me.” She smiled sweetly at him.
“This is true.” Adam got up from the bed. He looked out the patio windows. It was still coming down like cats and dogs, but the thunder and lightning had subsided. “Well, before you, I only had one office infatuation.”
He turned around and saw the skepticism on Jeanette’s face. “No really. I never had an office romance. In fact, the infatuation never took off the ground due to some unforeseen circumstances.”
“Like what?”
Adam returned to the bed. “I was attracted to one lady in the copy department, she was the art director. I stared talking to her. Just talking to her at work. Didn’t even exchange numbers for the first few weeks. Apparently she told some other co-workers that I liked her.”
“How do you know?”
“The other women started getting catty.” He raised his hands up. “I know, I know that’s stereotypical, but it’s true. First they started in on her, making her life miserable at work. Then for some reason they started attracting each other.”
He noticed Jeanette nodding.
“I take it this is nothing new to you.”
“Let’s just say, it’s the same ole, same ole when it comes to women competing for the same man.”
“But that’s just it, Jeanette. I didn’t have my eye on any other woman, never made a pass to any other woman. I’m not like that. I was focused on her and wanted to get to know her.”
“It doesn’t matter. Women, especially insecure ones, and unfortunately that’s most of them, feel they are always in competition with each other for any man’s attention no matter what.”
That explained a lot. Men always joke that they will never understand women. That couldn’t have been a more true statement. “I can’t get involved in other women’s pettiness and it’s unfortunate that caused some serious problems at the office.”
“Oh?” Jeanette sat up straighter on the bed.
Adam sighed. “Yeah. Human Resources found out.”
“What? How did they find out? Someone actually went to them saying, “He’s not paying attention to me, he likes her instead,” Jeanette said, making mocking crying sounds.
“Not exactly, but they might as well have. Work production was getting messy. People weren’t doing their job, no one was getting along. If you haven’t noticed, it’s like one big happy family at the agency. So it was noticeable.”
“Did you and the lady break up.”
“That’s just it, there was nothing to break up; we never even slept together yet!”
Jeanette shrugged. “You picked a winner there. You didn’t see it coming?”
“Not from this group. These are intelligent, attractive, successful women. They could get anyone.”
“Doesn’t matter. There is a handsome man right there, they don’t have to go looking outside the office, you picked someone else, they got jealous and it got ugly.”
“Got that right.”
“So what finally happened?”
“Some people were transferred to other offices. In fact, the lady in question was transferred to the Alaska office.”
Jeanette eyes bugged out. “Are you kidding me? That’s like being sent to the Western Front like on that old TV show, Hogan’s Heroes.” Jeanette actually snickered.
“It got real Bizzaro world that’s for sure.”
“And yet you wonder why I don’t want to jump into any kind of relationship with you, while I’m employed with your company.”
Adam sat back for a moment. He knew that, and he’s been kicking himself since. After recounting the whole story to Jeanette, her hesitation made sense.
He was thinking with his dick and not with his brain—again.
Now it was really going to be uphill for him. She wasn’t going to get involved as long as she was employed with this company.
Damn! He would be glad when they solved this.
Just then the room phone rang.
“Did you have a service call?” Jeanette asked.
“Nope.” Adam answered. “Hello?”
“Hello Adam, it’s Sam.”
Uh-oh. “Hey, why didn’t you call my cell?”
“Well one, I didn’t know if you had it charged and two, I wanted to see who answered the phone, you or Jeanette.”
He was toast. “Oh, that.”
“Yes, that. Adam really….”
“Wait Sam, let me explain.” Adam looked over and Jeanette was coming towards him looking worried.
“I’m listening.”
Adam had to think fast. He had to make up some story to at least appease her until they got back. “I wanted to change the hotel, and I kept going back and forth. So I think they got it mixed up and put us in the same room.”
“Really? Travel is usually on top of that.”
“It was last minute. “Umm…did you just call about that?”
She sighed. “No. I need to have you two stay there until Friday.”
“Friday? Why? You found out something?”
“I’m not sure, but it seems ordering have come to a stand still since you arrived there. At least in this office.”
“What?”
Jeanette pulled on Adam’s shirt and mouthed, “What is it?”
Adam held up his hand to let her know to be quiet for a moment. “Okay Sam, will do. Let me know if anything else out of the ordinary happens.”
“I will. I’m going into the office early tomorrow to make some calls to the Paris office, so stand by.”
Adam disconnected and took Jeanette by the hand.
“What’s going on? Jeanette asked, her eyes wide with worry.
“Well, first Sam wants us to stay here until Friday.”
“Wow, a few more days?”
Adam coked his brow. “Don’t make it sound like such a hardship.”
“I didn’t mean to react that way, but why, what did she find?”
Adam paced the floor rubbing his chin. This was very interesting. They leave for Paris where most of the orders were coming from, then all of a sudden ordering stops in L.A. with their arrival.
Was the theft forwarded accidentally? It’s a coincidence that’s for sure. “It seems our arrival here stop the crook from putting in more orders. At least from the L.A. office.”
“Are you serious? So it is from here! Why else would it stop all of a sudden?”
“Let’s not jump the gun. They could be laying low for a bit. Sam is going in the office early tomorrow and will be calling this office. She told us to stand by.”
“So that’s three calls we’re waiting for. Renee, Noah and now Sam’s.” Jeanette shook her head. “This is more complicated than I thought it would be.”
“Yeah. I was hoping against hope that it was a computer glitch and that the supplies being ordered on paper was a mistake. But now it seems someon
e is deliberately and maliciously stealing from the company.”
“I think when we find out why, we’ll find out who,” Jeanette said.
“I think you’re right.”
“Was there anything else? I heard you mention travel.”
“Oh, yeah. Sam got hold of our itinerary and wondered how we ended up in the same room.”
“See! I told you!”
“Now calm down.” Adam took Jeanette by the arm and walked her back over to the bed. “She bought the story I gave her.”
“Which was?”
“Travel did a typo and they didn’t have time to fix it.”
“Did she buy that?”
“Well…no.”
Jeanette sighed heavily.
“Look, whether she bought it or not, she didn’t say anything more. She let it go—for now.”
“For now.”
It seemed to Adam with every two steps forward there were three steps back.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The phone rang and Adam reached over without getting out from under the covers. “Hello.”
“Bonjour, this is your wake up call.”
“Oh yeah, thanks.” He put the phone on the receiver then sat up and stretched. He looked over at Jeanette who was still sleeping soundly.
The rest of Sunday was nothing but going over old purchase orders and eating French cuisine. Would have been nice if there were some physical activities involved. But after Jeanette got wind of Sam knowing about the hotel arrangement, she pretty much put a stop to that.
Damn! This was frustrating. But Adam never gave up on difficult situations. He was an IT guy after all. He had tougher foes.
Adam got out of bed and went to wake the sleeping beauty. “Jeanette, time to get up. Rise and shine.” Speaking of which, it was still raining, but not the torrential pour like yesterday.
“Hmm…huh…oh.” She turned underneath her sheets and stretched out that beautiful body of hers.
Adam looked down at her. There were so many things he could think of doing with her, rather than getting ready for work.
He walked over to the closet and got his clothes out for the day.
“Could you get my beige dress and those tan heels out for me?” Jeanette asked sleepily.
Sure, why not? Adam couldn’t help but notice the irony of the situation.
Office Play: Freaky Geek Series Page 16
