by Kay Edwards
Chapter Twelve
Two weeks had passed since Labor Day weekend. Wendy was in her office at work looking at the next two projects she was responsible for. She glanced up as a knock sounded on her door.
Crystal smiled at Wendy. “I have a Mr. Blackhart here to see you.”
Wendy looked up to see an older gentleman she didn't recognize standing beside Crystal. She did, however, know his eyes. Crystal turned to leave. Panic shot through Wendy. “Don’t’ go!”
Crystal looked at Wendy surprised by her loud request. Seeing the fear in her boss’s eyes, she nodded and stood to the side. She tried not to show it, but Wendy’s reaction to this man’s presence worried her. She paid close attention to what was being said.
Wendy watched the man enter. She had never met him, but she knew who he was related to. His sons’ eyes had the same distinct gray color as his. When he walked closer to her desk, she stood and backed away. Her voice reeked of fear. “Please stop.”
Adrian Blackhart regarded the young woman in front of him. His sons had told him their side of the story. The evidence they had lied to him again was right in front of him. What he saw in this young woman’s eyes could not be faked. He spoke to her gently. “I wanted to come and personally apologize for my sons’ behavior two weeks ago. I assure you I will not harm you.”
Crystal looked at Wendy surprised. She walked over to her boss and stood beside her. She had no idea what happened, but her message was clear. He would have to go through her to get to Wendy.
Sabrina had been walking by and overheard the man speak. The man’s words alarmed her. Glancing at Wendy, she decided to join Crystal. She would not let this man touch her boss.
Adrian’s eyebrows rose. Her staff’s loyalty was evident. Only a fair boss could get the kind of respect this woman seemed to have.
Wendy looked at the man in front of her. He had not hurt her. She was still afraid of him even though she knew it was not a justified fear. Her voice was soft. “Their sin is not yours. You have nothing to apologize for. There is nothing you have done that needs to be forgiven, Sir.”
Adrian nodded. Her gracious words touched him. He couldn't help but envy the Felix brothers this employee. Her show of respect toward him was evident even though she was afraid. “I will leave you. I just wanted you to be aware that what my sons tried to do has not been ignored by me. There are going to be consequences for their actions. I will be speaking to my friend Mr. Stine as well. Have a good day Ms. Collins.” When he turned, he stopped and nodded to the Felix brothers who were all standing behind him. He wanted to chuckle at the looks on their faces but didn't.
Wendy watched the man leave. As soon as he was gone, she bolted for the garbage can.
Crystal knelt beside Wendy and pulled her hair back. She looked up at the men for an explanation. “What happened?”
Stefan spoke as he walked over and knelt on Wendy’s other side. “She will tell you when she is ready.”
Liam handed Stefan a paper towel. “He should have checked with us before he did this to her.”
Trevor agreed. “He wanted to see her response to him. I hope he is satisfied.”
Wendy took the paper towel from Stefan. When he pulled her onto his lap, she cuddled into him and closed her eyes. Taking a few deep breaths, she started to calm. “I’m ok now.”
Stefan smiled as she eased out of his lap. He touched her cheek. “Are you sure?”
Wendy nodded. “I’m sure.”
The men left. The two women did not. Crystal sat on the chair in front of Wendy’s desk. She had no intentions of leaving Wendy’s office until she found out what was going on. That her boss was afraid of Mr. Blackhart was more than evident. “What happened?”
Sabrina was concerned as well. She stood beside Crystal. “You can trust us.”
Wendy looked down at her papers. Tears were in her eyes when she looked back up. “A woman was jealous of Stefan and me. She pretended to be kind to me. When she asked me to walk with her in the Felix’s estate garden on Labor Day weekend, I did. She left me alone.” Wendy swallowed the lump in her throat. “She wanted three of her male friends to…” Wendy looked back down at her papers unable to finish as the tears spilled down her cheeks.
Sabrina was livid. “This Jesus thing you have me hooked on is not working right now. I want to cuss and kill. How dare she do something so foul. As a woman, I don’t understand why she would want you to be violated like that.”
Wendy looked up at her surprised. “You are a Christian?”
Sabrina glanced at her. “I’m trying to be angry here but yes. I had to know why you were so sweet. Crystal explained it to me.”
Crystal had to ask Wendy how far it went. “Did they?”
Wendy shook her head. “Malcolm Stratherd stopped them. I was so scared. I was in the back of the garden. No one would have heard me until it was too late.”
Sabrina looked at Wendy. She glanced at Crystal before she asked her next question. “Who was the woman?”
Wendy had no intentions of answering that. “It is over now. What’s done is done. My job is to forgive.”
Sabrina shrugged her shoulders knowing Wendy would not give her the name. It was worth a try, though.
Crystal watched housekeeping come in and take out the garbage. She smiled as Wendy thanked them and apologized. Every person was equal in this woman's eyes. “I honestly think you are a neat person.”
Wendy looked at her surprised. “Thank you.”
Sabrina chuckled and glanced at Crystal. “It is the fact she is clueless that makes her so neat. She is kind to everyone. I’m not sure I could forgive such a horrible act.”
Wendy smiled at her. “As a Christian, you have no choice but to forgive. I’m sure you will get to that lesson in church sometime.”
Crystal watched Stefan walk in with a plate of food. She laughed at the mutinous look on Wendy’s face.
Stefan winked as he put it on her desk. “Eat.”
Wendy frowned at him. “I’m not hungry.”
Stefan shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t care. You need to replace the food you lost.”
Wendy looked at the food. She glanced up at him. “What if I don’t?”
Stefan started walking out the door. “I’ll call my mom.”
Wendy shook her head. “I don’t like you right now Stefan.”
The women could hear him laugh and answer from the hallway. “I know.”
Sabrina laughed. “I take it his mom does not take no for an answer?”
Wendy chuckled. “If she had her way I would be living at the estate with my boys. She wouldn’t let me go back home until Sunday a week ago.”
Crystal laughed. “I take it her husband is the same.”
Wendy giggled. Her voice held a conspiratorial note. “I have Papa Aaron wrapped around my little finger. He does not say no to Macy or me.”
Aaron chuckled from the doorway. “You have me there.”
Wendy smiled up at him and blushed. “I see the boys called you.”
Aaron walked in. Sabrina was surprised when Wendy stood up and hugged the older man. She was even more surprised as the man gave her a fatherly kiss on the top of the head. “I only have two girls to take care of. They know I would be upset if they hadn’t.”
Wendy sat back down. “I’m fine they really didn’t need to call you.”
Aaron looked at the sandwich on her desk. “I’m thinking you won’t be fine if you don’t eat that.”
Wendy frowned. "You brought Mother Gretchen with you?"
Gretchen winked at Sabrina and Crystal as she walked in. “Of course, he did. Now eat your sandwich.”
Wendy picked up the food and started to nibble on it. She stopped frowning and smiled as Gretchen and Aaron talked to Crystal and Sabrina. When she finished her sandwich, she looked up. “Am I off the hook now?”
Gret
chen smiled. “I don’t think so. If you are not keeping food down again, I believe that you need to come back home with the boys.”
Wendy frowned. “I was upset. I’m keeping it down.”
Gretchen winked at Crystal. “I know she is not arguing with her Mama Gretchen.”
Sabrina looked at Wendy. “I think you should go. I love it when my parents take care of me.”
Wendy looked at the stack of papers in front of her. “I’ll agree to stay if you all let me get back to work before I get fired.”
Aaron snorted. “I doubt that. I happened to know your boss is a bit bias where you are concerned.”
Gretchen looked at the other two ladies. “Now you two need to make it a point to come Saturday for game night. Crystal, you just bring those kids you were telling me about with you. It will be easier if you all plan on spending the night.”
Wendy laughed as she turned the woman's words back on her. “I suggest you listen.”
Crystal agreed to show up with her little family. She took the papers Wendy was done with and got back to work.
Gretchen and Aaron gave Wendy another hug before the left.
Wendy sipped at her drink as she continued to go over the first project. She made notes on the side of the blueprints in front of her as she made her changes. She glanced up as Stefan walked in. Her heart did a flip. She looked down at her hands.
Stefan chuckled. “Me too.”
Wendy laughed. “I’m thinking we are getting beyond the yuck part.”
Stefan agreed. “I have been beyond that for some time. Are you ready for the meeting?”
Wendy stood up and walked around her desk. She handed him her notes. “What do you think? I like this a bit better than the company’s original idea. If they don’t like it, I have a second set of notes.”
Stefan stood beside her as he looked at her notes and then the blueprints. He had to agree both ideas were great. “I like both of them a lot. Put them both on your device and let the client decide. I’m thinking the only thing they will need to determine is which they like the most. I still can’t get over how your mind works.”
Wendy looked up at him and giggled. “Mr. Felix, you are going to make me blush.”
Stefan shook his head as he nudged her with his hip. “You need to learn to take a compliment. And just a heads up I plan on making you blush for the foreseeable future.”
Wendy giggled as he pulled her into his arms. “We are at work. You have to behave.”
Stefan kissed the side of her head before letting her go. He gave a long-suffering sigh. “I guess if you insist.”
Sabrina chuckled from the doorway. “You two are way too adorable for you own good.”
Wendy jumped as she shoved Stefan away from her. “He did it.”
Stefan laughed. “She is right. I did it.”
Sabrina shook her head giggled. “Your last meeting of the day in conference room two. Make sure you wipe those smirks off your faces, people. We have a business to run.”
Wendy watched Sabrina leave. She glanced at Stefan. After elbowing him, she giggled. “You heard her boss. We have a business to run. Now get your thoughts off of your brilliant assistant and back in the game.”
Stefan laughed as he followed her out of her office. "I can't believe that I thought I was in charge of this place."
Wendy giggled and winked. "I know."
The meeting went longer than expected and before everyone knew it. The day was done, and it was time to go. Stefan was happy to hear that Wendy and the boys would be spending more time at the mansion with him. He couldn't help but be thankful for the blessings God had given him as they headed toward the elevator.
