Texas Hellcat

by Shelley Stringer

  I opened my folder and picked up my main file checklist. I was sure everyone in the room could see the paper shaking as I gathered the courage to speak.

  “Since the fundraiser came together on such short notice, and Mrs. Leighton is on the board there, we booked the entrance to the Texas State History Museum, and then rented our usual outdoor ballroom tents. The night will be sort of ‘Gatsby-esque,’ with the flowing white tents and millions of pearls and twinkle lights, champagne, and period dress. The celebrity cast from the new “roaring twenties” period movie who are in town for publicity caused the suddenness of the fundraiser, and since the theme fit their reason for being here, it seemed a natural. We’re partnering with local Austin artists, giving them some free publicity in return for their donating several pieces of artwork to be auctioned off as well as some fabulous antique cars from the roaring twenties.”

  “Um, Miss Sanger, we didn’t discuss any free publicity for the Austin artists,” Dan the Dick Carter broke in. “She didn’t run that part by me, Stuart.”

  All the eyes in the room were on me, waiting on my response.

  I looked Carter squarely in the eye when I spoke. “The art donated is estimated to auction in the neighborhood of one million dollars, placing our firm in a very high profile position. We will score points with local artists, Mrs. Leighton, and the members of the three charity boards she spearheads,” I countered, passing copies of the lists around the room. “Mrs. Leighton has indicated her husband’s company is very interested in partnering with Management, Inc. on some other projects. Mr. and Mrs. Leighton are also large donors to UT Austin, so I contacted an old professor in their school of marketing, and he has assigned the concept artwork and taglines to some of his senior students for a project grade.”

  “You what?” Carter asked under his breath. “That’s what I pay you for,” he added snidely, loud enough for several of the other VP’s to hear him.

  My voice waivered for a second. Looking around the room, I could tell the other male VP’s in the room were waiting for an explanation. I just prayed they would see the investment beyond the fundraiser, and the brownie points it would bring to the firm. I cleared my throat and then continued.

  “All three girls here in the office have been overwhelmed with details on such short notice, and dealing with caterers, lighting, logistics, and entertainment have kept us up here long past seven every night. The students at UT have already come up with some knock-out artwork, and even have some student volunteers to help with greeting and crowd control. They’ve procured period costumes from the UT drama department, and have a team of students who have worked the power lunches all over town, and every high society event in Austin last weekend. There isn’t a company or Texas millionaire who won’t be at the gala,” I finished.

  “I like it. Where did you come up with the idea to utilize college students?” Mr. Drake asked me pointedly, ignoring Carter totally. I could feel the tension rolling off of him beside me.

  “I just graduated last year, sir, having worked on a project similar to this my last semester there. Mrs. Leighton seemed very keen on involving them, so it just seemed to be a good move.”

  “Well done. I’ll expect to see every one of you there, and as many staffers as you can twist the arms of. This is a chance for us to make some strong business ties, so let’s put our best foot forward. Miss Sanger, I’d like to see your projections on the final costs as soon as you have them,” he finished, before he moved on to other business.

  I felt relief flood over me. I’d jumped right in, and didn’t hesitate with presenting my ideas and decisions. I let out a deep cleansing breath and then caught sight of Carter beside me. He jerked his head, indicating I should leave the meeting. I was being dismissed. I stood shakily, wondering if I would make it out of the conference room without crumpling to the floor. My adrenalin rush was over. As I pulled the door open to slip out, there was suddenly a warm hand at my elbow, supporting me as I walked into the outer office. As the door closed, I looked up into Liam’s eyes.

  “You did well, Kelly. I’m impressed.” He winked at me, just when my knees began to buckle. His eyes widened as he caught me around the waist.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, appearing genuinely concerned. “You’re as white as a sheet. Here, sit down a minute,” he pushed me toward a plush, leather sofa just outside the foyer to the outer offices. After he eased me down on the cushions, he hurried over to the mini-bar and filled a glass with ice and water.

  “Here, drink,” he commanded, handing me the glass. I took several large gulps and then handed it back.

  “I’m okay. I guess the nervousness got to me, that’s all. Glad that’s over,” I whispered as I started to stand up.

  “It’s the adrenalin. Stay there,” he admonished sternly. “I’m betting after our run and all of the activity last night, you had absolutely nothing for breakfast this morning, and then filled yourself with too much caffeine.”

  I squeezed my eyes together and cringed. He was right. I opened one eye and peered at him.

  “I had no idea I was going to pitch at the meeting this morning.”

  “Still, you should eat. And you should eat lunch with me. I’m leaving for another meeting now, but I’ll be back to pick you up around noon. Do you like Creole?”

  I blinked, breaking my empty stare. In the time span between taking a sip of water and blinking, Liam asked me out again, set the time, and asked me about food preference.

  I silently cursed, urging myself to pull it together. “I…I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Carter is pissed I upstaged him in the meeting, and he doesn’t like it if I’m not here when he is. He goes to lunch at one o’clock,” I finished as I watched his eyes harden. He reached down and clasped my hands in his, drawing me up to stand in front of him. He was close enough I could feel his breath in my hair.

  “Baby, what Carter likes or doesn’t like doesn’t concern me in the least. He’d better watch his temper, and we’ll see about being back before 1:00. He can take care of himself for an hour. “

  I looked directly into his eyes and squared my shoulders. “I like Creole,” I said with resolve, giving in to him without any more resistance. He’d called me baby again and I liked it. I liked it more than I should.

  “Good. Then I’ll look forward to noon, Kelly-cat,” he said, his eyes twinkling. I nodded as he turned and left down the corridor to the outer foyer and reception desk. I turned just as Tana and two of her co-workers crossed their arms and stared.

  “Upper management can be a bit demanding at times,” I muttered. She raised an eyebrow at me.

  “I certainly hope so, for your sake, Kelly-cat,” she joked, all of them giggling.

  Back at my desk, I got to work. Lists for all of the artwork had to be organized. Seating arrangements for the VIP guests needed to be finalized. As I looked over the tentative large donor list, an idea struck.

  “Kim, can you take a copy of this large donor list, and match the names up with their respective companies? I have an idea for the seating charts.”

  “Sure, already on it. Great idea,” she spoke back into the phone as I grinned.

  I hung up, rather pleased with my small stroke of genius. I giggled, and wrapped my arms around my ribcage as I contemplated which companies I would align with each creative department head from Management, Inc.

  “Must be all the sex,” I mumbled, grinning smugly.

  “Keep it to yourself, Sanger. I pay you to work, not giggle over the phone call you just got,” Carter threw out snidely, coming around the corner from the meeting. “I’ll be back around noon, I have a meeting out of the office,” he said as the elevator doors closed.

  I shot him my own special wave.

  The rest of the morning flew by, fueled by hard work. The phone grew to my ear as I waited on hold for a celebrity auctioneer, some professional dance instructors for a Charleston dance-off which Mrs. Leighton insisted we include, and a pianist who refused to donat
e his services until I arranged a conference call with Mrs. Leighton. He was immediately on board. As I chewed on a pencil and tapped away on my keyboard, the scent of roses wafted around me, causing me to turn around. A crystal vase with at least two dozen roses sat on my desk. I’d never heard the delivery boy. I shook my head. So much for keeping our relationship a secret at work. I opened the card and couldn’t help grinning.

  Austin roses for an Austin Lady.

  And I do mean “Lady.”

  The roses are almost as beautiful as you.

  Yours,

  L

  He’d printed the card himself. I sighed, my heart clenching in my chest. I was falling for him, hard. So much for keeping him at arm’s length.

  “Cat, what’s this?” Tana came through the double doors from her part of the building. Tana worked in accounting with the management team. No one could push numbers like Tana.

  “Holy crap, Sanger! One date and he’s sending you roses? You must have had some fight last night.”

  “It was…a misunderstanding,” I retorted as I took the card back from her.

  “Well, I’ve never heard “misunderstanding” sex like that before. I think I’ll go home and pick a “misunderstanding” with Tom,” she said devilishly, using her index fingers making the little quote sign in the air.

  Oh, no! They’d heard us in the loft. I should have known! My face grew uncomfortably hot.

  Tana walked around the desk and nudged me with her shoulder. “I’m kidding! We didn’t hear a thing…although from your reaction I’m not far off!”

  “He just stayed with me to make sure I was all right.” I looked down at the card again, and smiled.

  “So you’re okay? I wish you would talk to me when you’re upset,” she admonished as she picked up the list for the gala.

  “You are coming?” I asked, hoping she would. She was one more person I could relax with.

  “Of course. I even snagged a couple tickets for Jen and Sunni. Daddy will write a check for anything if he can write it off. We’ll all be there. We’re going dress shopping this afternoon--can you come with us?”

  Oh, no. The dress! I’d almost forgotten. I needed to wire the money to Dana today. I still hadn’t figured out what I was going to wear. Tana noticed my hesitation, reached out and touched my shoulder.

  “I’m just putting my dress on Daddy’s credit card. He’ll never even question two,” she offered as I shook my head.

  “No way. Besides, I already have something,” I lied.

  “Okay, well…if you change your mind, call me. Oh, some of us are going to Katz’s for lunch. You want to come with?”

  “She’ll have to catch you next time, Tana. She’s got a date,” Liam’s voice preceded him off the elevator.

  “Lucky her,” she grinned at me and then turned and joined the group of girls who’d just stopped outside the elevators.

  He strolled to my desk and leaned a hip on the corner as I put everything away in my desk. I grabbed my laptop and purse.

  “You left a pretty big calling card this morning, Mr. Covington.” I straightened and caught him fingering one of the slightly open rosebuds.

  “Brightening your day and staking a claim all at the same time,” he murmured, leaning in to me.

  “Not here,” I whispered. I glanced up and down the hallway.

  He laughed and grabbed my hand, pulling me against him as he kissed my forehead.

  “Appearances mean nothing to me, baby. Your opinion is the only one that matters. You have too much sadness in your life. I want you happy. And naked. Naked would be good,” he nuzzled my neck as I giggled.

  He lead me into the lobby and through to the parking garage. He stopped at the third space…one of the three reserved for the CEO and main department heads. Clicking the remote toward the Lincoln, he unlocked the doors and started the engine at the same time.

  He stopped and frowned at my hesitation.

  “Your parking spot?”

  He shrugged. “They treat their guests well at your company. Don’t you have a level-one parking spot?”

  I laughed as he helped me in the passenger side.

  “Well, maybe they will give you mine when I’m finished here.”

  I played with the bracelet on my arm, avoiding his gaze. “And when will that be?” I asked off-handedly.

  He checked both directions at the exit to the parking garage, and then pulled out into the busy noonday traffic. After checking both mirrors, he answered.

  “Not anytime soon.”

  He was exasperating. I knew absolutely nothing about him, except he worked for a demanding father, had a brother, and had been involved in some relationships with women his family didn’t approve of very much. I decided I’d try to get him to open up.

  “Why does your brother automatically assume I’m a tramp? Have they ever liked any of the girls you’ve brought home?”

  Liam paused, and as a streetlight caught us he turned to me.

  “I never took any of them home. They never met any of them to my knowledge. There was one incident where I picked a girl up in a bar, and when I woke up with her, turns out she was seventeen, I was twenty-six. That didn’t set well with anyone, especially me. When I found out how old she was, I went to her family immediately. She went with me willingly… actually she was the one who instigated the night. They threatened to press charges, and my dad bought them off to stay silent.

  “Oh.” Embarrassed, I looked down at my hands.

  “Contrary to gossip, I don’t do a lot of one night stands,” he continued. He finally placed his index finger under my chin and brought my eyes up to his. “I mean it, Kelly. Don’t get it in your head you’re just another in a long list.”

  I nodded and smiled. He’d read my mind. My low self-esteem was bound to sabotage this relationship before it even began. The reaction came naturally to me. I must be just a distraction, because I was not girlfriend material. I was damaged goods, wasn’t I?

  We had a pleasant lunch, talking about Austin, football, dancing, hiking…any subject that came up, we seemed to have a great deal in common. We sat in a tiny booth in the back corner of a little hole-in-the-wall Creole café off 6th Street. It was intimate and extremely romantic.

  “So, we’ve been running buddies for weeks, I’ve rescued you when you were injured, we’ve had sex, we spent the night together, and we’re about to have our official first date. Aside from your outburst when you were mad at me yesterday, I know nothing about your background. Where did you grow up?” He asked as he grasped my hand and closed his over mine. There seemed to be an invisible pull between us whenever we touched.

  I took a deep breath. I couldn’t remember telling anyone about my childhood, even Tana. My stomach turned over at the thought of letting anyone in.

  “All over. We lived in Houston, mostly when I was little. After my mom…well, after the addictions started, she left us alone a lot. Family services got involved, and my Aunt Debbie took me and Dana Rae. We lived with her for quite a while.”

  “And where was that?” he asked as he swirled another shrimp in the sauce and then popped it in his mouth.

  “Fredericksburg. She lived in our grandmother’s farm house.”

  “Was she good to you?” he asked casually, his glance sweeping the room.

  “My Aunt Debbie was a mother to us. We loved her. That was the only time in our lives we’d ever had a mother figure. We were not little girls by the time we went to live with her. But she did things with us, like reading us bedtime stories, playing with us…just spending time with us. She told us stories, about when she and mom were little.”

  “Sounds like she was making up for your crappy childhood,” he said.

  “Yeah, I guess you could say that. She did.” My eyes misted at all the memories flooding back.

  “You miss her,” he stated.

  “With all my heart. It was the only time in my life I’d felt like I was a part of a family.”

  “What happen
ed to her?” His voice was soft and heavy with concern. As I gazed up at him his eyes seemed to bore straight into my soul. I immediately fell back into defense mode, throwing all sorts of walls up.

  I glanced at my watch. “We barely have time to make it back. We’d better go,” I muttered as I grabbed my purse.

  He watched me silently as I rose. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled two twenty dollar bills out and tossed them on the table with the check. As I started for the front door, he placed his hand at the small of my back and walked closely behind me to his vehicle.

  “We still have a little time,” he breathed into my hair, unlocking the passenger door.

  “I need to stop at a Western Union and wire money to my sister,” I whispered, still feeling him close to me.

  “Okay, I’ll take you,” he replied, kissing the top of my head. I closed my eyes. I could so easily get lost in this little fantasy and I knew I had to be careful.

  As we pulled up to the curb by the Western Union office, he turned to me. “Kel, you know I could help you. I could loan you the money you need for your sister,” he said cautiously.

  “Oh, no. This is my problem. I don’t want to be in debt to you.”

  “It wouldn’t be like that. Let me help her,” he insisted as he pulled his wallet out.

  “Liam, I said no. I don’t want to go down that road. I’ll handle it,” I argued sternly. He paused, and then replaced his wallet in the breast pocket of his jacket. After I’d been inside long enough for me to wire what was left of my last paycheck to my sister, we drove silently back to the parking garage next to our building.

  “Can I see you tonight?” he asked as he pulled into his parking space. I noticed my boss’s car was still parked in his spot. Great! He was probably waiting for me.

  “We’ll see. I may have to work late tonight, there are a lot of loose ends I have to tie up,” I replied. He frowned, and reached out to touch my face. I instinctively pulled away.

  “I don’t understand you. You were so warm and inviting in my arms last night, and then again at your apartment. Now it seems you want to keep me at arm’s length. Which is it, Kel? Is it your sister?” he began.