He walked with her all the way to the elevator. Even through the sweater she wore, she felt the warmth of his fingers on her back. For a fleeting moment she wondered what it would be like to lean on this man for support. He was strong, independent, two qualities she admired in a person. And beneath his tough exterior there beat a soft heart, a quality that endeared him to her.
“Mom, he’s gonna be here any minute. Help! What does casual mean to you?” Sadie held up a pair of jeans and some black pants. “Do I wear this or this?” She thrust each selection out in front of Abby.
Her mother leaned against the doorjamb. “Honey, there are many degrees of casual. What did he say?”
“Informal. That’s all. Why didn’t I quiz him more about what he meant?” Sadie tossed the jeans onto the discarded clothes stacked haphazardly on her bed. “I probably should go with the black pants. You can dress black up or down. Now, what kind of top should I wear?” She turned to her closet and began rummaging through her clothes.
“I’ve never seen you this nervous. Is something going on with you and Andrew that I should know about?”
Sadie whirled. “No!”
Her mother quirked a brow.
“Honestly, Mom, we’re just friends. That’s all.”
“And you obsess on what to wear with your friends?”
“This reception is important to Andrew. I wouldn’t want to be the cause of any problems for him.”
“I see.” Her mother folded her arms across her chest, the smug expression on her face saying more than her words.
“What do you think?” Sadie held up a white silk blouse then a leopard print shirt. “Which one?”
“The white.”
“Yeah, the other makes too bold a statement. I need to play it low-key. This is Andrew’s show. I certainly don’t want to draw attention to myself.”
“You should never do that.”
Sadie paused in tossing the leopard print blouse on the growing pile of clothes and eyed her mother. “You’re enjoying this.”
“Yep. I rarely get to see you falling apart over something as minor as two friends going to a reception. Now if this had been a date, I could understand.”
Sadie put her hands on her hips, the leopard print blouse bunched up in her fist. “This is not a date.”
Her mother straightened from the doorjamb. “No, dear.”
Sadie started to protest some more when the doorbell sounded.
She gasped. “I’m gonna be late.”
“I’ll entertain Mr. Knight while you finish getting dressed.”
“Mom, don’t say—” Sadie didn’t complete her sentence because her mother had disappeared down the hall.
Sadie listened while her mother let Andrew into the house with a cheerful greeting. Sadie leaned her head into the hallway, conscious of the fact she wasn’t completely dressed, and tried to hear his reply. They had obviously walked into the living room, and the sound of their voices was too muffled for her to understand what was being said. That prompted Sadie to hurry and throw on her clothes.
No telling what her mother would say to Andrew. There were times she could have an impish streak. Sadie remembered once in high school her mother regaling her date about some of her antics while she was growing up. She had come into the room just in time to stop her mother from pulling out the albums and showing him pictures of her as a baby in less than appealing snapshots.
Ten minutes later Sadie appeared in the living room, ready to yank any albums out of her mother’s grasp. She hoped her French braid didn’t have too many hairs sticking out and that her lipstick was on straight. Glancing at her clothes, she was pleased to see that at least she looked all right even if inside she felt less than together.
Sadie rushed forward. “Sorry I’m late.”
Andrew lifted his head and snared her gaze with his assessing one. “The wait was worth it.”
She noted his tan slacks and black polo shirt and breathed a sigh of relief. His idea of casual was the same as hers. “Ready?”
Andrew rose, saying to her mother, “Thank you for the invitation to Thanksgiving dinner, but I’d hate to intrude on your family time.”
“Nonsense. It will be a small gathering this year so you’re more than welcome. I hate to hear of anyone spending Thanksgiving alone. It’s meant to be spent with family—and friends.” Her mother winked at Sadie.
She nearly choked.
“Don’t you think so, Sadie?”
Her mother looked at her with such innocence in her eyes that Sadie could only nod her agreement.
“You see. Even Sadie feels you shouldn’t spend Thanksgiving alone.”
“Then it’s a date. Thank you for inviting me.”
Behind Andrew her mother smirked. “Yes, it’s a date.”
Sadie stifled her moan, but she knew she would have to talk with her mother tomorrow about trying to match-make, because that was what she was doing. She was clearly going to have to define friendship for her mother.
“We’d better get going. I wouldn’t want you to be late for the reception.” Sadie grasped Andrew’s hand and practically hauled him toward the front door.
When they stepped outside, the autumn air caressed her cheeks, cooling the heat that suffused her. She was thankful beads of sweat hadn’t popped out on her forehead and run down her face to ruin what little makeup she had on.
“If you don’t want to come to Thanksgiving dinner, Andrew, you don’t have to.”
At the car he opened her door, his gaze trapping her. “Do you want me to?”
The intensity in his regard wiped any rational thought from her mind.
“I meant it when I said I didn’t want to intrude, Sadie.”
The vulnerability she occasionally glimpsed in him surfaced for a brief second. She covered his hand on the door and said, “You could never intrude. I would love to have you spend Thanksgiving with my mother and me.”
“Not your father?”
She tilted her head to the side and thought about that. “You know, Mom hasn’t said anything about that. He might be there. Their counseling session with Reverend Littleton wasn’t a rousing success, but at least they’re talking.”
“That’s good.”
Sadie climbed into his silver Lexus and watched as he rounded the front and slid into his seat. “My question to you is will you mind coming to dinner if my father is there? The atmosphere may not be very relaxed.” Sadie refrained from telling Andrew it rarely was when she was with her father. She had told Andrew more about her life than she usually said to anyone, which was a surprise in itself.
“Do you know what I was going to do Thanksgiving?”
“Work?”
“You got it. I was going to go into IFI and work on some reports. There are always reports that need doing.” He peered at her through a half shuttered gaze. “My dinner that evening would have consisted of a frozen TV dinner of turkey.”
“Not very appetizing.”
“No, but that’s my idea of Thanksgiving if I don’t go to Ruth and Darrell’s.”
“Why aren’t you this year?”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a self-mocking grin. “Not enough time.”
A dull ache pierced her heart. “Is it all worth it to you?”
“Sadie, I don’t know anything else but work, so I have to say yes.”
“You don’t have to say or do anything if you don’t want to.”
“That’s a pretty naive way to look at life.” He started the car and pulled out of the driveway.
“I’ve never considered myself naive.”
“Don’t you do things that must be done?”
“Well, yes. Everyone does at some time in his life, but people do make their own choices, you included.”
“Exactly. I choose to work. I find comfort in work.”
“Because it doesn’t require an emotional commitment?”
He sucked in a deep breath. “You do know how to hit below the belt. But then maybe tha
t’s because we are alike.”
“I know how to commit emotionally. I do to my students.”
“Not the same thing as a relationship with a man. You know why I won’t commit. Why won’t you?”
“Haven’t found Mr. Right,” she quipped.
“Are you looking?”
“Do you want to be a candidate?” she asked, hoping to shut this conversation down quickly.
“Touché. I’ll be quiet. That’s what you want.”
For the next forty-five minutes silence reigned in the car while the landscape sped past. Sadie was glad for the reprieve. She felt emotionally overloaded from their brief conversation. He had a way of getting past her defenses. She was constantly finding herself having to shore them up when she was around him.
When Andrew pulled into a gated driveway that led to the lake, she noticed his demeanor change. A new tension hung in the air, as though he were preparing to do battle. She could almost see him running through a list of tasks in his head.
“Is there anything I should know, do?” she asked, wishing she could ease his burden.
“No, just be yourself.”
“Are you sure about that?” Laughter tinged her words.
He quirked a brow at her. “Should I be worried?”
“No, I’ll be on my best behavior. Promise. I would never do anything to ruin your chances of becoming president.”
“Now I am worried.”
But the expression on his face belied his statement. His features relaxed into an easy grin, and he took her hand as they approached the front door. Her impression of IFI’s cabin on Grand Lake was one of a sprawling structure of glass and rustic wood that blended with the surrounding water and woods. The only things out of place were the expensive cars that lined the circular drive, underscoring the purpose of the evening’s reception. Tension whipped down her as they waited for someone to open the front door.
When she stepped into the foyer, she felt drawn to the panoramic view from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, which overlooked the lake. The setting sun tinted the water a rosy hue while the colorful fall leaves on the trees along the shoreline danced in the light breeze. The beautiful vista reminded Sadie of the power in God’s creation, in His love. That thought brought peace to her, and she knew everything would be all right this evening. She discarded her tension like an unwanted cloak, determined to enjoy herself even if she felt out of her element.
Taking her elbow, Andrew directed her to a small group near the floor-to-ceiling windows. “I want you to meet Lawrence Wilson, the president of IFI. This is Sadie Spencer.”
She shook Mr. Wilson’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. This place is beautiful.”
“I like to entertain here. A much more relaxing environment.”
Andrew went around the group, introducing her to the other two candidates for the presidency and their wives. Charles Benson and his wife, Elizabeth, greeted her with smiles and a warmth Sadie found herself responding to. The Edgars, Stephen and Linda, were more formal but nice.
When another man and his wife entered, Lawrence Wilson said, “Now that everyone is here, I have an announcement to make.”
The room quieted, and people turned toward him, waiting for him to continue. Andrew enclosed her hand within his, his arm touching hers.
“As you probably all know, since there seem to be no secrets at IFI, I’m retiring next year. What you don’t know is that I’m retiring earlier than you think. I will be stepping down in six months instead of nine, and I’ve gathered here tonight the three men I think are capable of running IFI after I’m gone.” Lawrence gestured to each man as he introduced them.
Andrew’s hand tightened when his name was announced. She felt his tension as though it were a part of her.
“Over the next few months the board and myself will be taking a careful look at each man to determine who will be the best one to run IFI in the twenty-first century. Good luck.”
Sadie felt as though she were at a horse race, watching the colts contend for the purse. After that announcement the room buzzed with noise as everyone began to talk at the same time—except Andrew, who remained unusually quiet next to her.
He scanned the people and leaned toward her to whisper, “Let the games begin.”
She smiled. “I was thinking more along the lines of a horse race.”
He tipped his head back and laughed. “I’ve been called many things but never a horse.” His gaze was riveted to hers. “Thanks, Sadie, for making me laugh. I needed that.” His stance relaxed, his grip on her hand a loose connection. “I guess I’d better start making my rounds.”
“I think I’ll escape outside to the deck.”
“Already? The evening’s only begun.”
“But the sun is setting, and the sky is beautiful. Later I won’t be able to see a thing from the deck.”
“True. Want me to come with you?”
“That would amount to stumbling at the starting gate. No, you need to woo some board members.”
Sadie watched Andrew weave his way through the small crowd, stopping to converse with several people. Mostly she noticed he listened intently to what the others were saying, interjecting a comment when necessary. Any tension he felt wasn’t evident, and Sadie thought he was in his element, much as she was teaching her students.
She slipped outside, smiling at several people who were also taking time to absorb the beauty of the sunset slanting across the waters below. The scent of meat roasting on a grill and the sound of water lapping against the shore drifted to Sadie. She wished she could bottle this moment. The breeze rustled the leaves of the maple and oak trees. She shivered in the darkening light, hugging herself.
“Cold?”
She whirled, surprised that Andrew was standing behind her holding a sweater for her.
“I borrowed Mrs. Wilson’s sweater. I thought you might be getting cold.”
“But you’re supposed to be in there wooing the powers that be.”
He moved close and draped the sweater over her shoulders. “I have plenty of time to woo. Besides, if my hard work and record don’t get me the presidency, then I don’t deserve it. I didn’t want you to enjoy the sunset by yourself.”
She laid her hand on his forehead. “What did you do with Andrew Knight?”
He chuckled. “Nothing. He’s in here somewhere.”
She turned and noticed that the sun had sunk below the trees. “Oh, it’s gone. You missed it.”
“That’s okay.” Andrew gripped the railing, leaning into it and slanting a look at her. “Tell me about it. I’d rather see it through your eyes, anyway.”
“I—” She couldn’t think of a thing to say to that statement.
“Sadie Spencer, don’t tell me you’re speechless. That’s got to be a first.”
“You’re getting awfully good at teasing me.”
The smile that touched his mouth went to her heart. “Yes, you have a gift of bringing that out in a person.”
“I think that was a compliment. Thank you.”
“It was. You were perfect to bring tonight.”
Perfect. There was that word again. She hated it. What would happen when Andrew discovered all her flaws?
The urge to pace Andrew’s outer office was strong, but Sadie remained seated next to Chris, her hands gripping her purse as though any second someone was going to dash into the room and snatch it away. Thankfully Chris was flipping through a magazine, oblivious to the turmoil churning in her stomach.
She heard footsteps approaching and glanced up to see Andrew hurrying into the office. He threw her a grin before turning to his secretary and giving her a stack of papers.
“I need these to go out immediately.” He snagged Sadie’s gaze and nodded toward his office. “Give me a few minutes. I have to make a quick phone call.”
After Andrew disappeared into his office, Sadie took the magazine from Chris and replaced it on the coffee table. “I want you to do this by yourself. I know
you think Mr. Knight is a friend, but Chris, when you are at work, remember you greet him with a handshake, not a hug.”
“I remember, Miss Spencer.”
“Speak slowly and clearly. Don’t mumble.”
“Why aren’t you coming?”
“Because this is something you need to do by yourself. I’ll be right out here when you’re through.”
Andrew opened his door and motioned for them to come inside. Chris stood and walked toward him. “You aren’t joining us?”
Sadie shook her head and watched her student enter Andrew’s office. For a second her heart stopped beating. This was so important to Chris and to her. She closed her eyes and turned to the One who gave her strength. Heavenly Father, watch over Chris and be with him. Help him through the interview and the first days on the job. Please help Mrs. Lawson to understand the worthiness of an employee like Chris.
Fifteen minutes later Sadie had scanned the three magazines on the coffee table and was trying to decide how to occupy her time until Chris was finished. She pushed to her feet and started to walk down the hall to the water fountain when the door to Andrew’s office opened and Chris came out with Andrew behind him. Chris grinned from ear to ear.
“You should see how high up we are,” Chris exclaimed. “I can see the river from his window.”
Sadie suppressed a moan, realizing Chris would never lose his enthusiasm for the small things. “How did everything go?” Her gaze skipped from Chris to Andrew.
“I’m taking him downstairs to meet Mrs. Lawson right now. Would you like to come along?”
Sadie agreed. She followed the pair to the elevator. She wanted to pull Andrew to the side and find out how well Chris did, but she didn’t.
“This goes fast,” Chris said as the elevator came to a halt on the ground floor.
When they entered the mail room, Sadie noticed everyone was at work. The only sounds were the shuffling of paper and the copy machine running. Chris paused for a moment to survey his new work area. A young man looked up, and Chris grinned and waved at him.
“Come on. Mrs. Lawson’s office is this way.” Andrew motioned to a closed door with a large window next to it that afforded Mrs. Lawson a view of the mail room.
Family for Keeps & Sadie's Hero Page 28
