Rupert pushed the door open, and they all entered, just as a young woman was bending down picking up a pile of files off the floor, and a young man, red-haired and apologetic, slipped out from behind a closet door.
“Why were you in my closet?” Rupert asked.
“I… I…” he started, his eyes going swiftly to the young woman’s. Then he bowed his head. “I was hiding in there.”
“You’d better not have messed with my mops,” Rupert said, and Kain saw him put his hand in his pocket. Reaching for the naughty list, no doubt.
“Hey. That’s not why we’re here. Leave the mops, Rupert. Marra,” Kain said, ushering Marra forward. “You’re up.”
“I am?” Marra asked. “Oh, yes, I am.” Her face said otherwise.
Rupert stalked over to the closet and noisily moved brushes, buckets, and mops, mumbling to himself as he worked. “All there.”
“Great. Now that we have that taken care of, maybe we could get on with the important stuff,” Kain said sarcastically.
“On with what important stuff?” the young woman asked warily, and broom-cupboard guy went to stand next to her.
“The filing.” Marra picked up some files, and then asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else?”
Kain was getting it now. The other woman was like the wicked stepmother, keeping this Cinders from wherever it was she was supposed to be. It was making his head ache, but he was getting the hang of the fairy-tale lingo.
“Yes, you do, Naomi,” the young man said. He reached out for the files the young woman was holding, but she dodged him.
“I’ll do it, Ron. Why don’t you go back to work? I don’t want you getting in trouble too.”
“No. You have to go now, or you’ll miss your appointment,” Ron said. “That’s why I came here to help. I heard your boss was on the warpath. She got turned down for an appointment, rumor has it Marcus Dagan is fed up of seeing her each year, so she’s gunning for everyone who has one. Which is you. But we can’t let her win, you have to get to the presentation, your idea is great.”
Naomi looked at her watch. “I need to get these all put away before I leave. I can’t risk losing my job.”
“We can help,” Marra said, shooting forward and scooping more files up off the floor.
“Noooo.” Naomi took the files off Marra. “That’s what got me in trouble in the first place. Mrs. Jervis likes the filing done a particular way.”
“But my way is better,” Ron said. “I can cross-reference the files so it’s easier to look for them.”
“But she doesn’t like it that way. And since she’s my boss, we do it her way.” Naomi began to open cabinets, and put files away in order.
Marra went to her side. “So, a presentation?”
Naomi smiled kindly. “Yes. Once a year, at Christmas, Cane and Cartwright’s CEO, Marcus Dagan, is prepared to see a presentation by any employee who thinks they have a good, sound business idea, or who has come up with a way of streamlining some aspect of the company.”
“Naomi has the best idea,” Ron said, bending down to scoop more of the files up and pass them dutifully to Naomi, with a sorry, puppy-dog expression on his face.
Marra looked extremely interested, as if scenting this was where she was supposed to make her magic happen. Kain could see why: a downtrodden secretary, a wealthy CEO, a fairy-tale match made in heaven.
“It’s not that good,” Naomi said, smiling at Ron.
“It is. It’s the best idea.”
“It sounds as if you need to get over there right now,” Kain said.
Naomi opened another filing cabinet and went to work organizing the files. “I can’t risk losing my job. My mom depends on me, and my younger sister is in college, I’m helping pay for her.”
“But this could be your big chance,” Marra said, going to stand next to Naomi. “You have to follow your dreams.”
“I’m more of a realist,” Naomi said. She looked around at all the people in the room. “OK, so I’m scared too.”
“Scared of what?” Kain asked. He understood what it was like to step out of your comfort zone. He did it every day when he was training to become a lawyer. Even now, after years of practice, there were still times that when he stepped into a courtroom, knowing a person’s life was in his hands, he felt sick to his stomach and consumed by thoughts of failure.
“I know who I am. And I’m scared to become something else,” Naomi said candidly. “I have friends here.” She looked fondly at Ron. “What if I set things in motion that I can’t stop?”
“And what if you set things in motion you don’t want to stop?” Marra asked gently. “It’s OK to feel scared. We’ll come with you.”
Naomi frowned at Marra, and then looked at Kain and Rupert. “Who are you? I know everyone in the office. And although I’ve seen you before,” she pointed at Rupert, “you two, I don’t know.”
“We’re here visiting Rupert.” Marra pointed at Rupert. “Supporting him. You’re right, he’s new here, and we’re…” She looked at Kain for support.
“I’m a lawyer. And Mr. Knight here was one of my clients. This is a follow-up call.” Did that sound as awkward out loud, as it did in his head?
“A follow-up call?” Ron questioned. Then his expression changed as he looked at Rupert. “You’re an ex-con?”
“No. I am not an ex-con.” Marra turned to glare at Rupert. In return, Rupert pressed his lips together, and then said, “But I do know Mr. Nolan in a professional capacity.”
That left it open to interpretation, and Ron was interpreting it. Kain could almost see the thoughts going round and round in his head. Then he nodded. “Your secret is safe with us.” Then, before Rupert could give any kind of retort, Ron had turned his attention back to Naomi. “Go, Naomi.”
She looked at her watch again, then at the files. “OK. If I can get these put away, I’ll go.”
Kain watched her work, she moved surprisingly fast, and when he glanced at Rupert, he couldn’t be sure that the janitor hadn’t wiggled his fingers and cast some kind of magic of his own. Their eyes locked, and Kain half smiled in recognition of Rupert’s help. All he got in return was a scowl.
Nevertheless, Kain was sure he had seen magic being used firsthand. When Marra turned and smiled at Rupert in a conspiratorial way, Kain knew that his life would never be the same again, because magic was now real for him.
He shook his head in disbelief. Not in disbelief of the magic being spread around the room, but disbelief that he was willing to believe in it, one hundred percent, no argument. Willing to believe that a grumpy man, dressed as a janitor, was something more than a man who pushed a broom around an office. But when Naomi put the last file away and pushed the drawer closed with a smile of satisfaction, in less than half the time it should have taken, without breaking a sweat, he couldn’t deny it.
Neither could Ron. “What are you up to?” he accused Rupert.
Ron squared up to Rupert, who looked down at the slim, redheaded young man with an air of superiority. “Up to?” Rupert suddenly became very interested in a mop head. “I’m trying to figure out how to get you all out of here so that I can get on with my rounds.”
Rupert thrust the mop in Ron’s face. Ron jumped back. “I saw you saying something. And then there were sparkles.”
“Sparkles!” Rupert said in disgust. “Do I look like the kind of person who has anything to do with sparkles?”
Chapter Twelve – Marra
“OK, boys. This is not about you.” She took the mop out of Rupert’s hand and placed it in the closet, shutting the door. “Naomi needs to be somewhere else.”
Ron stepped away from Rupert, but didn’t take his eyes off the janitor. “I’m watching you.”
“Why, do you need to learn how to mop a floor properly?” Rupert asked.
“No. I just want to make sure you are not up to no good,” Ron said.
Rupert opened his mouth to say something clever. That was what he was good at, c
lever retorts, but something told Marra that Ron was not about to let this go. She held up her hand and said, “We are all here to support Naomi.”
Ron turned to Marra, and was about to square up to her, when Kain stepped in. “OK, Ron, we’ll take it from here. I believe you have to go back to work.”
“Yes, you do, Ron,” Naomi agreed.
“Good luck,” Ron said, and hugged Naomi. “Remember what I told you. Make him believe in you.”
“Thank you,” Naomi said. “I’ll try.”
Then Ron lowered his voice. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” He looked sideways at Marra, Rupert, and Kain. “I don’t know these people, and I don’t know if I trust them. What if they have come to steal your idea?”
Naomi looked directly at Marra and then smiled. “I don’t think that’s what they are here for.”
“How can you be sure?”
Naomi lowered her head, her lips right next to Ron’s as she said, “Because I saw sparkles too.”
“You did?” Ron asked swinging around to look at Rupert, his gaze stern.
Naomi pulled him back to face her. “I think it’s a secret.” She looked Ron straight in the eye and nodded. “I’ll be OK.”
“Good luck. Text me, or call me, as soon as you’ve presented your idea. I’m telling you, it’s the best idea ever.” Ron walked over to the door, and was about to leave, when he turned back to say, “Don’t forget me when you’re rich and famous.”
“I won’t get rich and famous with this idea,” Naomi said. “And even if I did, I’ll never forget you, Ron. In fact, why don’t we meet up tonight? Pizza on me.”
Ron’s face lit up. “Sure.”
Marra moved to stand next to Naomi. “Hurry, hurry. We need to go, if you are going to get there on time.” Marra’s voice was high and sing-song-y.
Naomi turned to face Marra. “Why do you say it like that?”
“Like what?” Marra asked, self-consciously.
“I don’t know. There’s something… It’s nothing. I need to get to the presentation.”
They left the office, with Rupert clattering around in his janitor’s room, before closing the door and following them out. “I’ll miss those mops.”
“How can you miss mops?” Kain asked as they headed towards the elevator.
“There’s an art to mopping a floor, and it takes a certain kind of mop to do it and not leave any smears.”
“Does this mean you are quitting?” Marra asked.
“Of course, I was here for you. To get you past Connie. My job is done, which means I can ask her on a date.”
“I never took you for the dating kind,” Marra said as they rounded the corner, and walked towards the elevator. She looked at the large clock on the wall above Connie’s desk. It was ten to four. “How far is it to Marcus Dagan’s office?”
“He’s on the thirtieth floor. Cane and Cartwright work out of a large part of the building, and Marcus likes to be above everyone.”
“Sounds like a swell guy,” Kain said.
“I’ve met him,” Rupert said, winking at Connie as they summoned the elevator. “Believe me, he is not.”
Marra looked at Kain, a worried expression crossing her face, which he read. She was becoming so familiar to him, her voice, her body language, was his to read and understand. “You are sure about this?” Kain asked.
The elevator doors opened and they all got in. “No, I’m not sure. I can only go on what feels right.”
“And Naomi meeting Marcus Dagan feels right?” Kain asked.
“I think so,” Marra said.
“Why do you say it like that? As if you are unsure?” Naomi asked, overhearing. “I thought you told me to grab hold of my dreams?”
“I did. I believe that. With all my heart.” Her hand went to her purse once more and she wished her wand was in there, that she could pull it out, sprinkle a little fairy magic around and then watch it work. Making decisions was hard.
“Then let’s follow your heart,” Kain said softly. “I believe in you.”
“But what if I’m wrong?” Marra said, holding back from getting in the elevator. “I never thought I’d have to do this with no back-up magic.”
Kain placed his hands on Marra’s arms. “This is Naomi’s choice. It’s not as if you are forcing them to be together, all she has to do is go and give her presentation, and then we see what happens.”
Marra put her face in her hands. “So far I’ve been worse than useless. Rupert was the one using his magic to get the filing done in time.”
“You work with what you have,” Kain said, and ushered her into the elevator. “Press the button, Rupert.”
“What am I, the bell boy now?” Rupert asked, but pressed the button anyway. As the doors slid shut, he lifted his hand and waved to Connie.
“You know, when I get my wand back, I am going to sprinkle you with a little magic,” Marra said softly to him.
“Don’t even think about it, Marra. I like making my own messes.”
Marra smiled at Rupert, who had a misty-eyed expression on his face. She’d never given much thought to the grumpy man, and whether he was lonely. Santa had Mrs. Claus; maybe it was time for everyone to find the love of their life. It might make Rupert less grumpy.
“Stop thinking of ways to hook me up.” Rupert spoke as if he could read her mind.
“I won’t,” she promised. “I can’t help it if I want everyone to have a happy ever after. It’s in my blood.”
Realizing Naomi might have overheard all this, she turned her attention to her Cinderella, who was too busy looking at the file she had pulled out of her purse to take notice of anything else going on. Her lips were moving as she read over her presentation, with only an occasional glance up at the numbers above their heads, which indicated what floor they were on, breaking her concentration. Although the closer they got to the thirtieth floor, the paler Naomi looked.
“Are you OK, Naomi?” Marra said, feeling responsible for the young woman. This was her moment. If only Naomi knew there was more to this than a boost in her career. When she met Marcus Dagan, they would fall in love and then live happily ever after. Marra just hoped there were no other obstacles in the way. This had seemed a little too easy.
Helping a Cinderella usually needed more than a speed-me-up-spell and a confidence-boosting pep talk. The traditional telling of this fairy tale was closer to what was usually involved. Pumpkins turned into a coach, mice turned into horses, that was the type of magic she would normally expect to use.
“I’m a little nervous.” Naomi was talking, and Marra snapped her attention back to the present. There would be other Cinderellas, who would need more powerful magic. Marra should be grateful this was going to be easy.
But as the elevator doors pinged open, and they stepped out onto the thirtieth floor, she realized she had been right. The whole thing had been too straightforward.
“What are you doing here?” A woman in her early thirties came up to Naomi, her body language intimidating, as she planted her feet, hip width apart, hands on hips. In another time and place, this would be a battle stance, meant to make enemies quake in their shoes.
“Not my Cinderella,” Marra said under her breath. “Naomi has come to make her presentation to Marcus Dagan.”
“She can’t.”
“Why?” Marra asked, her anger rising. She might not have a wand, but she did have an amazing right hook. Not very becoming for a fairy godmother, but needs must.
“Because we said so.” Another woman, a little younger, and a little prettier, came to stand next to the first woman.
“Margo, Vera, I have an appointment.” Naomi approached the two women who were doing a good impression of Amazonian warriors, minus the cool leather skirts and bodices. Instead they wore well-cut business suits, making them look like mean girls, with their immaculate hair, makeup, and painted nails, like talons, tapping on their lower arms.
“Too bad.” The first woman used a sickl
y sweet voice, that dripped feigned sympathy.
“Ladies,” Kain said, stepping forward. Marra felt a stab of white-hot jealousy when the two women relaxed a little, fluttering their eyelashes and smiling at her man.
Her man, Marra wanted to scream at them. Her fist clenched, the right hook was still a good back-up plan.
“Well, aren’t you the cute one. I’m Margo, and if you have an appointment, I would sure like to take you to Mr. Dagan’s office.” She simpered up to Kain.
“But I thought you said Marcus Dagan was too busy to see any presentations?” Marra asked hotly, her cheeks aflame.
“I didn’t say anything about seeing Marcus. I’d just like to get you alone in his office.” Margo grinned, not exactly an attractive sight, more like a cat about to pounce on a small unsuspecting mouse. Well, she’d better keep her hands off, Kain was her mouse, and she’d protect him from this predatory feline.
“Wait. Alone in his office?” Kain asked, leaving Marra to ease herself back down off the balls of her feet. She’d been ready to spring at Margo, or Vera…
“Yes. Alone,” Margo purred.
“So Mr. Dagan isn’t here? Or is he in a conference room?” Kain asked, his voice calm, full of authority.
“He left early. There’s a party here, tonight.” Vera stepped forward, and touched the lapels of Kain’s suit and then tugged on his tie. “I have a plus one invitation, if you’re interested.”
“I saw him first,” Margo complained and shoved Vera out of the way.
“So, let me get this straight,” Naomi said, suddenly finding her voice, and an annoyed voice at that. “I have an appointment with Marcus Dagan, at four o’clock. But he’s left already, because there is a party tonight?”
“Wow, aren’t you the quick one? Maybe you could give your presentation to him tonight.” Margo said, her voice teasing. “Oh, wait, you aren’t invited.”
They laughed. Marra glared. Naomi hiccuped. Kain took charge.
“OK, ladies.” He put his arms around Marra and Naomi, and guided them back towards the elevator.
Marra almost fought him, but she didn’t, because he was right, there was nothing to gain here. Their fight wasn’t with Margo and Vera. No, it was with Marcus Dagan, who had gone home to get ready for the party, not caring if he ruined Naomi’s dreams.
Claused: BBW Holiday Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Christmas Bears Book 2) Page 6
