Alfred was hanging on every word, the food in front him forgotten as his brain tried to take in that Ben was a lot more involved with Regina Logan than they had known. Ben certainly hadn’t told them he loved her.
Daniel was on a story telling roll and didn’t notice how quiet Alfred had become.
“One minute Ben’s standing there with his hands on his hips glaring at Dr. Logan for doubting him, and then the next he makes Stacey and me turn around so he can kiss her. I’m not talking a peck on the cheek kiss, either. I’m talking about a me-man-you-woman, drag you to the floor with my tongue down your throat type of kiss.”
“Stop,” Alfred begged, the image too clear in his brain. “I get what you’re saying. Ben’s not just dating her. He’s in love with her.”
Daniel shrugged and went back to eating his sandwich. “That’s what Stacey and I concluded. When you see them together, you can really tell. The pictures in the paper aren’t telling half the story. When I asked him about it, he said he’d felt that way pretty much since the first time he saw her.”
Alfred leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling of Daniel’s office.
“Ben probably hasn’t told us the whole truth because he doesn’t want to have to choose the company and us over her, which is what Daddy Ben would feel like he had to do. He gave his life to build Frank’s business, and then to Catherine through her illness, but he hasn’t let up since she died. Doesn’t Ben know he’s fifty? His first obligation now should be to himself, not to the damn company, which is doing fine. How do we get Ben to ease up?”
“We could vote to remove him from the position of CEO,” Daniel said jokingly, not really meaning it. “Then Ben wouldn’t have the company to worry about anymore.”
A possibility suddenly bloomed in Alfred’s mind like a flower opening to the sun. “You know, that might just work,” Alfred said. “Can we afford to keep paying Ben the same salary if he changes his position within the company?”
“Alfred, you can’t be serious,” Daniel said, his voice hardening as he began to see Alfred was serious. “Ben owns the largest voting share of the company stock. It wouldn’t be financially prudent not to keep him on the payroll.”
“Screw prudent,” Alfred said affectionately. “I’m talking about helping Ben come up with a way to beat the press at their own game. We’re going to create the illusion Ben is no longer CEO, but we’ll hire him back at the same salary as a Management Consultant.”
“Management Consultant? Interesting idea.” Daniel smiled as Alfred laid out a plan. He was starting to see the possibility also. Companies restructured all the time for the sake of convincing the public they were cleaning house.
Alfred brushed breadcrumbs from his suit jacket. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how well it could work out for everyone.
“Ben’s been the perfect man for a long time. His reputation could stand a little tarnish. We’ll make clients believe to protect the company’s overall image we demoted him from CEO because of his questionable association with Regina Logan. We’ll say straight out Ben retains a considerable interest in the company and how it runs, not to mention the fact he’s the primary stockholder now with both his and Catherine’s shares.”
Alfred got up to pace as he continued.
“Old school clients like those that called about Ben dating her will think we took the proper action. More lenient ones will forgive us because we kept Ben on in some capacity. The press will have to believe it’s true because it will look true on paper. Nothing changes for us except titles. Then it simply won’t matter what gets published. People will shake their heads, but no one is likely to close their wallets to the company over a role change.”
“Don’t you think the action of losing Ben as CEO might be a little extreme?” Daniel asked. “It’s one to thing to joke and laugh about such a solution, but another thing to put such a plan into action.”
“If Ben’s not comfortable with it as a solution, then we won’t do it,” Alfred said easily.
Daniel nodded. “I’ll need to do some math first before we draw up the paperwork. Everything I told you is off the top of my head. Once we start down this path, word is going to spread quickly among the gossipers here. We’ll need to get it in front of the board and Ben within a couple of days.”
“Agreed.” Alfred put his hands in his pockets. “We all owe Ben for the strength of this company. Personally, I’d rather Ben be happy than be our CEO. Catherine would have wanted him to be happy too I think.”
“Yes. She would have. I’m going to have to tell Stacey right away. As the second largest stockholder, she has a legal right to know about this plan,” Daniel said, already mentally scheduling to leave work early enough to see her before her yoga class this evening.
“Do whatever you think is best. I’m heading out to job sites this afternoon to check on a few of the bigger ones. Call me if you need anything,” Alfred said, heading out the door.
Daniel leaned back in his chair, contemplating what needed to be done and how Ben might react.
*** *** ***
Downstairs in Ben’s office, Casey was trying to absorb the fact he just got paid fifteen thousand dollars for being a security system consultant. It was almost half as much as his military retirement paid a year.
“If I continually pulled in this type of cash on jobs, I might not need Jim’s cash infusion,” Casey said to the men around him.
“Yes, you will,” Jim supplied easily, not offended Casey didn’t understand yet. “Just one system for your next customer is going to cost more than two times the consultant fee for the materials alone.”
“Next customer?” Casey looked at Jim, and then at Ben who was smiling.
“Jim is your next customer.” Ben watched Casey absorb the news, delighted with the confusion in his face as he tried to figure out what was going on.
Jim finished off his sandwich and leaned back to see Casey staring at him. “Last time Ben and I had lunch, it turned into a dual bitch session for the break-ins both our businesses have had. Ben told me about his disappointment in the DC security company and his interest in you. He suggested I come meet you and then help with the install in the warehouse to see what I thought. I agreed to help. I also discovered I like your work.”
“How many systems are we talking about?” Casey asked, still unsure what to make of the situation.
“Five to start, two more later this year or next, and I may have a more sensitive one after those.” Jim figured he would soon know if Casey could be trusted to keep a secret.
“Some are larger than others,” Jim continued, “so obviously your consultant fee would be a little larger on those as well. You’re going to have to hire a crew to do the work though. I’m not as tight in the wallet as Ben. I don’t plan on climbing another thirty foot extension ladder just to save a few bucks.”
Casey smiled at that, but inside he was churning like he’d never churned before. He needed to get away so he could think all this through. He also wondered how rich Jim Gallagher was.
“I’m getting married in two months. We’re taking a couple weeks after for a trip. When did you want to start?” Casey asked.
“I’ll show you the first business I think needs it, and then when you have your crew, you can tell me when you’ll be ready and when it can be done. By that time, Ben’s warehouse system should have been tested by a few bad guys and we’ll see what modifications might be needed.”
Jim smiled at Casey’s continued shock, thinking Ben Kaiser was a good judge of character. The former Marine was going to be an excellent investment for Jim. He might even consider running the business for Casey if he didn’t hire him outright.
Jim nodded his chin in Ben’s direction.
“Maybe Kaiser here might pitch in some manual labor if he needs to make a few extra dollars now and again. He’s apparently the adventurous type who likes that hanging from the ceiling shit.”
Jim laughed at the finger Ben discre
etly raised across the table.
“Okay. I guess I’ll get back to you soon then.” Casey stood and reached a hand to Jim to shake.
Jim found his grip solid, strong, and dependable. “No doubt,” Jim replied easily.
“Ben, let me know if you need anything else.” Casey walked to the door with only a slight limp. He was heading to therapy this afternoon and looking forward to it.
After the door shut behind him, Jim turned to Ben. “You were right about Casey. He’s solid, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is. I liked Casey immediately when I met him. His injury took him out of the service early, and then his wife died of cancer the year after. Regina said he and his wife also raised his younger cousin when the kid’s parents died. He put the kid through Harvard on military pay.”
“Well, the rest of his life is going to be a lot better. I might even make him wealthy,” Jim said, considering. “He won’t be in Alexa’s league, but he’ll bring his own to the table.”
“Thanks, Jim.” Ben said, once again feeling sure Jim Gallagher was a great guy. He intended to get to know him better. He could use more friends outside of family members.
“I imagine soon I’ll be the grateful one.” Jim tapped a pen on the table and looked at Ben. “If you have a bit of time this afternoon, why don’t you help me buy a set of weights? I wouldn’t know where to start.”
Ben stood and grinned, happy as a kid with all the spontaneous events of the day. “Let’s go now. I couldn’t do normal work without a shower anyway. There’s a place in Sanderson Mall where I got my set. This will be fun. You’ll probably need to hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to get you started. You can hurt yourself if you over do it and strain something.”
They headed out the door together with Ben listing the various pieces of equipment that he used.
Chapter 19
Regina walked into the office smiling the next morning, only to be met by the worried stares of her office staff.
“What?” she asked.
“We put some newspapers in your office,” Ann said simply.
“Okay.” Regina sighed, wondering what could possibly be in them that had them all so worried.
She stopped to make a cup of tea, and then took it to the office with her. She dropped her bags and walked to sit at the desk. The story hadn’t made the cover, but it had made page two: CEO Caught Cheating On Sex Therapist.
Along with a blistering article questioning Regina’s skills in bed was a picture of her in the brunette disguise. Ben had walked her to the elevator in his building and had ended up kissing her against the wall as they both liked to do. She could all but taste the passion again just looking at the picture. She did feel herself start to get turned on and laughed at her reaction.
Then she got really mad at the article for calling Ben a cheater, which she knew would hurt him terribly. The man was loyal to a fault.
Regina threw down the paper in disgust.
Ben had once told her he wished she was a normal woman. But what was normal? She no longer had any idea. This—the picture of her love life in the paper—is what her life had become over the years. The press stalked her because she was scandalous news, and now they stalked Ben because of her.
This specific picture also confirmed her worst fears. Despite all their precautions, they had been caught sneaking to see each other. Regina swore richly, venting her frustration on unseen photographers and lying writers. Then she got out the scissors and cut the picture out. She put it on the bulletin board with the ones of their first real date.
The elevator photo made her hot every time she looked at Ben pressed up against her. She was so twisted, she even wished she could have a real picture of it. What she felt for Ben Kaiser was like every fantasy from high school to her current age all rolled into the one intense male reality. With Ben, Regina somehow magically got back the level of desire she’d wasted on her sorry husband in her thirties.
Ben was more than just a second chance at love and life. He was simply everything she’d dreamed of in a man, and for an added bonus, he even made her laugh.
In Regina’s line of work, she saw proof every day that relationships like theirs didn’t happen often or to many people. She’d be damned if she gave Ben up because of the press.
Since the brunette disguise was now busted, she’d just have to find another and better one.
Damn reporters anyway.
Not even the office staff had recognized her. The brunette disguise had been golden.
*** *** ***
Across town, Ben was beginning his bi-weekly meeting with the board members of his company.
As they were taking their seats, Janet came in and handed Ben a newspaper. He looked at the picture of him kissing Regina against the wall by the elevator in his building. He swore viciously, which had Janet backing away.
Then he saw the headline accusing him of cheating and swore again.
He looked up to find eleven faces staring at him.
“Sorry,” Ben said, face flushing with embarrassment.
He rarely swore at the company and rarely in front of anyone other than Daniel or Alfred. Sighing, Ben threw the paper out in the middle of the table, disgusted with it all.
Regina’s disguise had been perfect. No one recognized her, not the press, not his staff or family. He bet Regina had gotten a similar reaction from her office people this morning.
This shit was getting old, Ben thought, his face darkening. He made a mental note to talk to the guards in his building about cameras. He’d love to get his hands on the person who sold the elevator shot to the press.
Daniel picked up the paper. “Damn, Dr. Logan sure looks hot in a short leather skirt,” he said laughing.
Stacey snatched the paper out her husband’s hand, rolled it in a tight roll, and smacked Daniel hard on the shoulder several times while he laughed and cringed.
Alfred noticed all the other people at the table seemed to have seen the picture. Many looked relieved. Some finally laughed. No one, Alfred thought, wanted to believe Ben was a womanizing bad guy making out with a pizza delivery girl, but the picture had been very convincing.
Since the woman was Dr. Logan, the picture only supported what Daniel and Alfred had already explained to them.
One thing for certain, everyone sitting at the table now knew for sure Ben was in love with Regina Logan. The elevator picture hid nothing.
Alfred walked by and took the paper from Stacey in mid-strike. “Well, I think this moves agenda item nine up to item one this morning.”
“What’s item nine?” Ben said, still struggling to calm his voice, his tone, and the tightness in his entire body. “I don’t remember there being a number nine on the list.”
“Item nine is an idea Daniel and I have to fix the problem you and Dr. Logan have with the press.”
Ben snorted. “Sure. Why shouldn’t my relationship with Regina be on the company board meeting agenda list? Maybe we should make my love life a standard point of discussion every time we meet.”
Everybody laughed, but they all continued to look at Ben in sympathy.
Alfred paced while he talked. “Benjamin, you are the company. Lots of men in power get slammed because of their love life. You’re too nice, Ben, and you aren’t seeing this the way the rest of the world does. Or the way our conservative town does at least.”
Daniel stood and took the paper from Alfred only to toss it picture-up in front of Ben again. “Falling in love with a notorious woman is probably the worst sin you’ve ever committed in your life, Ben. It’s also the best thing you’ve done for yourself personally in long damn time.”
Daniel tapped the picture with a finger. “The story is bullshit, but the picture of you kissing Dr. Logan isn’t, is it?”
Ben sighed, not willing to lie about it, but also hesitant to admit it. “No. It’s not bullshit.”
“How are you going to deal with being in Dr. Logan’s life if you struggle to be honest with us? Telling us
how you really feel about her ought to be easy for you. We all love you, Ben. Tell him,” Daniel ordered, turning to the table and motioning for others to talk.
There were smiles, nods, and low laughs as they made kissing sounds and told Ben they loved him.
Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and laughed. He was embarrassed, but also feeling slightly better. “Great. I love you all, too. Can we move on to some real business now?”
“Not quite,” Alfred said. “What are your intentions toward Dr. Logan?”
“My intentions? What are you, her father?” Ben looked at Alfred like he had gone temporarily mad.
Alfred smiled back smugly. “Answer the damn question, Ben. Do you love the woman or not?”
Ben shook his head, “I don’t see how that applies to anything or that it’s any of your business.”
“Ben,” Daniel said. “Answer Alfred’s question. How do you feel about Dr. Logan?”
Ben had had enough of the cross-examination. “Yes. I love her. I intend to marry her when I can figure out a way to do it that doesn’t cause the company to lose half its tight-ass clients who have no idea what she is really like.”
“Well, we’ve got an idea how to fix that little problem.” Alfred nodded to Daniel who walked back to his seat and picked up a half-inch stack of papers clipped together.
Daniel brought the papers to Ben and set them in front of him on top of the photo.
“We want you to resign as CEO.” Alfred said, smiling.
“Resign as CEO?” Ben looked at Alfred, Daniel, and all the other faces at the table. His absolute shock was impossible to hide. Everyone was smiling which was too bizarre to believe.
Dating Dr Notorious Page 18
