“No,” Mitch repeated, but more gently this time.
“Mitch…” Maria began before their mother bustled in and grabbed a clean dishrag so she could dab her wet eyes.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” she asked. “He’s so perfect for her.”
“He is,” Maria replied, giving her mom a hug.
“Mitch, now if we could only find you someone.”
His mother looked at him hopefully.
Maria shot him a pointed glance and Mitch mentally counted to ten.
“I liked that last girl you dated. What was wrong with her? Louisa, wasn’t it?” his mother asked.
“We weren’t compatible.”
“Shame,” she said. Then she brightened. “Lauri never said if they’d picked a date. Perhaps in the summer since they’re both teachers.”
With that, she made a beeline for the dining room.
“We all liked Louisa,” Maria pointed out.
“She was nice,” Mitch admitted.
“But she’s not Kristi Jensen.”
“No one is.” He thought for a minute. Louisa had been almost complacent. She’d make the perfect, dutiful, boring wife. Kristi was dramatic. Ambitious. The room came to life with her in it. He’d hated hurting Louisa, but he couldn’t lead her on. The idea of waking up next to her for the next fifty years had been terrifying.
“Until you let Kristi go, no one will reach the pedestal you’ve put her on,” Maria advised.
She was right. The idea of being with anyone else held little appeal. Making love to Kristi had ruined him.
As Mitch’s father entered the kitchen, Maria slid out. His dad reached into the refrigerator and got a beer. He offered one to Mitch, who shook his head.
“Okay then. Suit yourself.” His father leaned back against the counter. “Your mom’s already going nuts in there.”
“You knew she would.”
His dad took a long sip. “Yep.”
“You know I’ll help out financially.”
His dad nodded. “I know you will, whether I agree with it or not. But you really have done enough already.”
Mitch shrugged. “What else am I going to spend my money on? I’ve got enough saved and my house is almost paid off. Let me help make Lauri’s wedding special.”
Mitch might not be part of the elite circle the Jensens socialized with, but he was good with money. When his dad had lost his job a year earlier, Mitch had started covering some of his parents’ expenses. Eight kids meant a lot of bills, and now a lot of college tuition.
“I’ll let you know,” his dad said.
Mitch’s dad had a great deal of pride. “Families have to stick together. You know I’ve already set up a savings account for Jane.”
“You’re a good man, son,” his father said. “You still liking your new job?”
“I love it.”
“Just be sure you do everything to keep it. In this economy you never know what’ll happen.”
“I’ll do that,” Mitch promised. With his family counting on him, he had more than himself to think about.
TIME SLID BY QUICKLY, and negotiations began and immediately intensified. March had roared in like a lion, and neither side had conceded anything. As the end of March approached, very little had been accomplished, but as negotiations were still ongoing, that was considered a positive sign. The contract didn’t expire until April 30.
“Good job,” Marvin Jensen told him once the union leaders left the second-floor conference room after the day’s meeting. “You were really sharp today.”
“Thanks,” Mitch replied.
Marvin was Larry’s younger brother and third in command, and he was overseeing the new contract.
Marvin gestured toward the three other men who also comprised the negotiations team. “We’re going to Findlay’s for a round of cocktails. Care to join us?”
It was a surprising offer to hang out with the top brass, and after working with them this closely for over a month, Mitch knew better than to refuse. “I’d be honored.”
Marvin glanced at his watch. “Great. Meet us there in an hour. Tell the hostess to show you to my table.”
“Thank you.” Mitch picked up his briefcase and followed the other men out.
After returning to his office to file a report, Mitch left for the restaurant, arriving at Findlay’s promptly on the hour. Marvin and the other men were already seated, and Mitch was surprised to see that Kristi’s father had joined them.
Mitch had been invited to drinks with the inner circle.
“Mitch.” Larry Jensen shook Mitch’s hand in greeting. “Glad you could make it.”
Me, too, Mitch thought as he took the last open chair.
As the night continued, he couldn’t believe his luck, or how well he’d fit in. The evening began to wind down and Mitch made a motion to go, but Larry pressed him to stay and keep him company for dinner.
“You’re a young, single guy. Got anywhere else to be?” Larry asked.
“Uh, not tonight,” Mitch had admitted.
“Then it’s settled. Emma’s at her bridge group and the house is far too empty when she’s gone. Marvin’s got to run, so let me buy you a meal. Marvin tells me you’ve been doing a great job and have had some valuable insights. I’d like to hear more about them.”
It wasn’t until they were drinking after-dinner coffee that Larry said, “Mitch, I’ve got to tell you I’m impressed with your savvy. You should have transferred a long time ago. However, I can understand why you didn’t. Kristi’s quite the prize, isn’t she?”
Mitch waited expectantly, his fingers poised on the handle of his coffee cup. He had no idea how to answer that, and assumed the question was rhetorical as Larry leaned back and settled himself deeper into the plush wingback chair. Findlay’s had the old-world air of a private club.
“Mitch, I’ve got a small problem I’m hoping you can help me with. I trust your discretion and would like this to stay between us.” Mitch nodded.
“You worked with Kristi for two years. During that time, did she ever strike you as depressed or anxious?”
He’d been correct. Something had been off with Kristi when he’d last seen her. “No. She was upset over Bill, but no more so than with any other breakup I saw her go through. Is something wrong?”
Larry Jensen exhaled. “That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
Mitch balled his hands into fists, trying to stay calm. “I ran into her a few weeks ago. She looked pale. Has she been ill?”
“Yes. Every morning for the last several months. She’s pregnant.”
Chapter Seven
Mitch sat back against his chair with a thump. His napkin drifted to the floor. “Pregnant?”
“Yes. It came as quite a shock to Emma and me, as well. She’s due in September. She says the father is out of the picture and won’t confirm that it’s Bill’s, but I suspect it is. The timing would be about right.”
Mitch’s mouth dried and he swallowed. The baby couldn’t be his. The night they’d been together Kristi had said she was on birth control. Had she already been pregnant and not known it?
“While I agree with not telling Bill and bringing him back into our lives, I don’t like the idea of my daughter being a single mother. Yet she’s determined to have this baby and raise it by herself.”
“I can understand your concern.” Mitch had seen how much his parents relied on each other and couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to raise a child alone.
“I wish she would at least consider resigning from her position to stay home with the baby. She certainly doesn’t need the income. I’ve already moved her cousin Brett into her department. With some training he should be able to run things.”
Mitch’s mouth dropped open. “You’re already planning to replace her?”
Larry had the decency to look sheepish. “I only want what’s best for her. She has no idea how difficult things can be.”
“It certainly won’t be easy,” Mitch agreed.
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“She obviously likes and trusts you, or you wouldn’t have lasted as long as you did as her PA. I need your help. I want you to convince her to resign, or to at least take a leave of absence.”
“Sir, I hardly see her. Haven’t for months.”
“I’ve taken care of that. As of Monday I’m bringing Kristi into the contract negotiations team. She’ll be there to watch Jensen’s back. During the last go-round a few years ago, the union went on strike. They made us out to be the Big Bad Wolf. The only thing that saved us was Kristi’s quick thinking. Well, that and the bars ran out of beer and the public got mad. Public sentiment is fickle.”
“True.” Without Jensen Distributors putting delivery trucks on the streets, no alcohol would be arriving at bars, restaurants and stores. It was a fact both sides were well aware of.
“There is another reason for her to step aside. This is not L.A. People of Kristi’s stature in our social circle don’t have babies without the benefit of first being married. She’ll be a source of gossip the moment she starts to show.”
Mitch highly doubted that. St. Louis wasn’t without its share of scandals. Kristi’s pregnancy might be big news for a day or two before something juicier came along.
“But my main concern,” Larry continued, “is that her mother had several miscarriages and one stillbirth. Emma wasn’t under half the stress Kristi is. I don’t want anything happening to my daughter or her baby. Her job is too intense. The risk is too great.”
Mitch didn’t want anything to happen, either.
“May I think about this?” Mitch asked.
“That’s fine. But say yes and there’s a huge bonus in it for you. I’ll also move you back to the Communications Department. You can be second to Brett. That’s a pretty big step up for you.”
It was. “Thank you, sir.”
“Whatever your decision, Kristi can never learn of our discussion. How about we meet for lunch tomorrow? You can tell me then. Eleven-thirty, my office.”
Mitch reached for his phone and entered the appointment into the device’s calendar.
“This is a great opportunity for you, Mitch. A win-win for both of us. Heck, if you can find her a husband I’ll triple the bonus.”
Although it sounded as if Larry was joking, his statement made Mitch pause. “You don’t think she should marry for love?”
Larry froze, his arm midair as he motioned for the check. “Kristi’s had twenty years to find true love. She hasn’t succeeded or even come close. Her mother and I aren’t getting any younger. We don’t want her alone. A nice guy with the right connections might be the best she can expect at this point.”
The waiter arrived with the bill, and Mitch used the diversion as an opportunity to go to the men’s room. The situation was ludicrous. He should be saying no way in hell. Kristi was independent, her own woman. Now her father wanted her out of the company because she was pregnant. She’d always claimed he was old-fashioned. Mitch had finally seen Larry Jensen’s chauvinism up close.
He walked out with Larry and they parted in the parking lot.
Mitch started the engine. Then he reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. Kristi deserved better than being sideswiped. The phone rang once before it connected. “Hello?”
“Hi, Kristi, it’s Mitch. We need to talk.”
KRISTI STARED out her living-room window, watching for headlights. Her condo had a great view of the street.
When a man said the words “We need to talk,” the conversation never contained good news. Her nerves heightened as another set of headlights rounded the curve, and then she exhaled as the SUV shot past. Not Mitch.
But he was on his way. He hadn’t given her any details, just told her he’d had dinner with her father.
Had he found out about the baby?
Another pair of headlights lit up the night, but this set slowed as the four-door sedan rounded the bend and drew to a stop in front of her minuscule yard. A car door slammed and within seconds, her doorbell buzzed.
Kristi turned the dead bolt and opened the door. A cold gust of air blew in despite the fact that the official start of spring had been a week ago. She shut the door behind Mitch as he began to shed his wool overcoat. He was still dressed in the suit he’d worn to work, although he’d loosened the tie. “Hey. Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.”
“You said it was important. Come on in. Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’d love a glass of water.”
“Of course. This way.”
Mitch followed, the ceramic tile creating a three-foot-wide path as it led past the dining area to the open kitchen. She opened a cabinet and removed a tall tumbler. “So what’s so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
“You’re joining the negotiations team Monday and your father’s training Brett to run your department.”
Kristi’s hand slipped a little as she pressed the glass to the ice-machine dispenser lever. “No. He wouldn’t do that to me.”
“He is. He told me tonight.”
“Oh.” Kristi contemplated this as she filled the glass. This clinched it. Her dad was committed to forcing her out.
Mitch took the water and drained about a third, giving her a fascinating display of how his lips wrapped around the edge of the glass. Her body remembered his kisses as if they’d occurred yesterday.
“What else does my father want you to do?”
“He wants me to pressure you to resign.”
Kristi pressed a second glass against the dispenser and the water shot forth. Her hand shook. “Tell me this is just a bad dream and I’m about to wake up.”
When she turned around he was leaning against the counter. “I wish it was.”
She drank the water, trying to calm her shaky nerves. “Great. I have handled myself for all these years, but my archaic father can’t seem to get it through his head that I’m a big girl. Why does he meddle in my life?”
“Because he cares? Because he went through your mother’s miscarriages and that makes him worry about you?”
“He told you I’m pregnant.” Her anger boiled as her stress increased.
Mitch had the decency to look her in the face. “Yes.”
“Lovely. So much for privacy.”
“Hey, I’m on your side here,” Mitch said. He sighed. “Look, I’m finding myself in the middle of a place I don’t want to be. Your dad thinks I have some sort of influence over you. He thinks I can convince you to resign.”
The irony of the situation had Kristi bubbling with hysterical laughter. “And you couldn’t say no to the bonus he offered you.”
Mitch frowned. “I haven’t agreed to anything. We’re meeting tomorrow for lunch. If he finds out I’m here I’ll probably get fired. I promised him I wouldn’t say anything to you.”
She resisted the urge to pace. “He’s outdone himself this time. He couldn’t sit by and do nothing. He couldn’t trust me to take care of my health or my life.”
“That’s why I’m here. I thought you should know what he was up to.”
She took a deep, calming breath. Mitch had strong moral fiber, which was one of the things she’d always liked about him. “And I appreciate that.”
“So what do we do?”
She thought a moment. “Nothing.”
“That’s not possible.”
“It is. Go to him tomorrow and tell him that you’ll do it.”
Mitch’s forehead creased. “What?”
“You have to buy me some time. I love my job. I need time to prove to him I can cope. If nothing else, I’ll convince him that you’re looking after me. He’ll buy that. He won’t fire you if he figures you’re acting in my best interests.”
“What happens when you don’t resign?”
“My dad reconsiders things all the time. If I show him I can manage both my job and the pregnancy, he’ll back down. You won’t get fired. You might not get a bonus, but you’ll have your job.”
She refill
ed his water glass and their fingers touched briefly, sending a tingle up her arm. She noticed Mitch’s eyes darken, but he shook his head and took a sip of his water before saying, “So there was something wrong in the stairwell. You’re having a bad first trimester, aren’t you? That’s why you’re so pale.”
“Yes. My pregnancy hasn’t been very pleasant up to this point.”
“My sister Maria had a rough one. And as the second oldest I watched my mom go through six pregnancies.
It does get better.”
“That’s hard to believe when I feel like crap and my Dark Ages father wants me to resign. I know he thinks he’s protecting me, but there’s no reason to worry. I discussed the situation with my doctor and she says everything is normal.”
“Well, I’m here now. I’ll help you through this.”
“Thanks.” Mitch always had understood her. Maybe having him around wouldn’t be such a bad thing. She wished she could tell him he was the baby’s father, but her dad was already being impossible and she didn’t want Mitch to lose his job.
Plus, if Mitch learned he was the father, he would insist on doing the right thing. He would want to marry her out of a sense of responsibility, not because he couldn’t live without her. And that girl he’d claimed to love? Kristi would be denying him his chance to win her. Mitch deserved to marry for love, not obligation.
“My father is a meddler,” she declared, “but I’m not going to let him run my life. Tomorrow tell him yes.
It’ll buy me a few months to change his mind. I’ll make sure he doesn’t fire you. If I have to, I’ll threaten never to speak with him again.”
“He’s just worried.”
“He’s trying to control me. He wants me to stay home and play house like this is the 1950s. Well, it’s not.”
She saw hesitation in his eyes. “Do this for me. Please.”
It was the plea that got him—he nodded. Kristi sighed with relief and impulsively gave Mitch a hug.
As his arms closed around her, Kristi’s breath caught in her throat. She’d heard pregnancy hormones heightened your senses, and now she was experiencing it firsthand.
Baby in the Boardroom Page 6
