by P J Gordon
“She’s really that good?” Josh asked, and Richard was annoyed to see surprise on his brother’s face. He frowned his disapproval. Josh might be in love with this woman, but he honestly didn’t seem to understand how unique and special she was. Once again Richard fought the growing irritation with his brother that had become too common recently. If Josh couldn’t appreciate her, he didn’t deserve her! This angry thought unsettled Richard. He liked Manda and he would hate to see Josh lose her. Jen and David obviously knew how extraordinary she was. Maybe between the three of them they could make Josh understand as well.
For the majority of the next hour, Richard kept the conversation focused on Manda, coaxing information about her from her two coworkers. David and Jen turned out to be perfect, if unwitting, accomplices in his attempt to educate Josh, as they were quite willing to talk about her. They were absolutely eager in fact, which made Richard suspect that they might have an ulterior motive of their own. If they knew that Manda was falling for Josh, they might be trying to encourage him on her behalf, not knowing that he was already in love with her. Josh had been fairly closed-mouthed about his feelings for her. Maybe Manda didn’t realize how he felt. Richard vowed to talk to Josh about opening up to Manda more. After all, there was such a thing as taking it too slowly, and there was nothing keeping Josh from enjoying a long and happy relationship with the right woman...and he wouldn’t find anyone better than Manda.
They were not quite done with their meal when David’s phone rang, interrupting his recounting of the first day he’d met Manda. Leaving the others laughing at his colorful story, David checked the caller ID on his phone and frowned before answering.
“Shouldn’t you be sleeping or something?” he greeted. Richard concentrated on the voice of the caller, and he could tell by Josh’s focused expression that his brother was doing the same. It was a futile effort, however, since Jen spoke up and drowned out the faint voice coming through David’s phone.
“It must be Manda. I wonder what’s up that couldn’t wait until tomorrow. She doesn’t usually call on her days off.”
Richard was watching David’s face, trying to read his expressions. It wasn’t too difficult when his hand tightened around his phone and he groaned.
“Naturally. I don’t know why we would expect anything different,” David said in a voice dripping with sarcasm and anger.
Their waiter arrived at that moment with their check, asking if he could bring them anything more. Assuring him that they were fine, Richard quickly turned his attention back to David.
“You don’t need to do that. I’ll take care of it,” David assured the caller hastily. Richard could hear Manda’s reply this time.
“It’s going to take both of us and Kerry to fix this mess. She’s on her way in too. I hated to call her but she’s already familiar with the project and I don’t have time to bring anyone else up to speed.”
“That bad?”
“Yes, and we only have until five. He wouldn’t budge on that. I can’t say I blame him after Andrea’s little stunt last year. So, we’ll just get it printable, that’s it. If Jerry insists on letting Andrea do this, he can live with the results.”
David sighed. “Okay. I’m on my way.” He tucked his phone back into his pocket and grimaced. “I’ve got to get back. I guess the auction catalog Andrea sent to the printer is completely unworkable. Manda’s almost to the office now.” He took one last drink and stood. “We have to be done by five, so we’re still on for the game, right?” he asked Josh.
“Sure. I’ll catch up with you later,” Josh confirmed.
“Hold on. I’ll come with you. Maybe I can help...or at least tell Curt ‘I told you so.’” Jen reached for the check with one hand and her purse with the other.
Richard laid his hand over the leather folder that the waiter had left. “I’ve got this. You guys just go on. Do we need to cancel the meeting with you and Curt this afternoon?”
“No, let’s still plan on it. I’ll call you if anything changes.” Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she hurried after David.
“And so adjourns the first meeting of the Amanda Jensen fan club,” Josh remarked wryly after the others were gone. “Any final comments, Mr. President?”
Richard was thinking with displeasure that what Manda needed was a chance to recuperate from the stress of the last two weeks, not another fire drill, and Josh’s comment caught him off guard.
“What?”
“You really do have it bad, don’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” Richard asked. He hadn’t a clue what his brother was referring to.
“Manda,” Josh answered, as if stating the obvious. “You’re absolutely crazy about her. You talked about her all through lunch.”
Richard froze in shock, his mouth open and his mind blank. Josh reached across and removed the flat leather folder from beneath Richard’s still fingers. He slid a credit card from his wallet, placed it into the folder, and laid it on the edge of the table for the waiter. Then he looked back to Richard.
“Well?” he prompted before taking a sip of water.
Richard found his voice again. “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m just interested because you’re in love with her.”
Josh choked on the drink of water he had just taken. “Are you kidding?” he spluttered through a fit of coughing. He pressed his napkin over his mouth until it passed. “Wake up, Richie! I do like her—I think we’ve gotten to be pretty good friends—but it’s been obvious from the beginning that she’s completely into you, and you’re just as into her.” He leaned across the table toward Richard with a grin. “I think she’ll make a great sister-in-law. Sarah and David will love her.”
“Don’t even joke about that!” Richard growled too loudly. He looked around quickly, but no one was close enough to hear them. They had the upper floor mostly to themselves.
“Who’s joking?” Josh replied with a small shrug. “You love her. Just admit it.”
“I don’t love her,” Richard stated flatly. Josh should know better. “I can’t.”
Josh shook his head in exasperation. “All the people who say you’re afraid of love don’t know the half of it, do you know that? Pure terror is a better description!”
Richard pushed his hand through his hair in distress. He fought back the shadow of bleakness that threatened. He hated to talk about this and Josh knew it. “You know as well as I do that for me to love anyone is an invitation to disaster.”
“I know you think so, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” Josh said sympathetically.
“For me to love someone is like handing them a death sentence and I won’t do that.” Richard looked blindly out the window, haunted by a past he wished he could escape.
“You’re not in this alone, Richie. Mikey and I can help you—and there’s Kastl too.”
“Is he in town?” Richard sighed.
“Yes. Mikey called him a couple of weeks ago, when it was obvious to everyone that you’d fallen for her. We’ve been watching her around the clock. We just assumed you were keeping a low profile about the whole thing, trying to delay the reckoning, so to speak. I didn’t realize you were in complete denial.”
Richard had a sudden revelation. All the times Josh had “shirked” his responsibilities to stay with Manda, he’d actually been watching over her, protecting her. That he, Mikey, and Kastl thought this was necessary alarmed Richard, because even though he couldn’t love her, the fact that they thought she needed protecting meant that she probably did.
“I’m not in denial. I don’t love her. I can’t. I wouldn’t do that to her. I would never put her in danger like that.” Richard heard the waiter approaching and he and Josh waited in silence until the young man took the folder with Josh’s credit card and left.
Josh studied his older brother. “And there’s the catch 22. You want to keep her safe because you love her, and because you want to keep her safe, you can’t love her.” He shrugged. “You overthink things. Be
sides, she loves you.”
“No!” Richard denied vehemently. “She cares for you. I’ve seen it. And I’ve watched you. You can’t tell me you aren’t interested in her.”
“We’re friends, like I said, and I’ve been trying to act as a decoy, but I don’t feel that way about her and she doesn’t love me like she loves you. Even David and Jen see it. Come on! That’s why they were giving you the pro-Amanda Jensen sales pitch during lunch. They know as well as I do that she’s in love with you.”
Richard shook his head again, desperately needing his brother to be wrong about this. “Well, she picked the wrong brother then.”
“I don’t think so. You two were made for each other. You’re a perfect match.”
The waiter’s return ended their conversation, but as they left the restaurant and made their way back to the hotel in silence, each was engrossed in his own thoughts. Richard’s mind was spinning. How could he have been so wrong about Josh’s feelings for Manda? More importantly, how could he have given Josh and Mikey the impression that he was in love with her? He was always careful to avoid even the impression of romantic involvement. It had been years since he’d done anything to warrant Kastl’s intervention.
He turned the situation over and over in his head during the hours until he and Josh returned to the Aronson offices for their meeting with Curt and Jen. As they rode up in the elevator he still hadn’t decided how such a misunderstanding could have occurred. He liked Manda of course, but he didn’t love her. He was always very careful about his relationships with women. He couldn’t afford not to be.
Curt and Jen were waiting for them in one of the smaller conference rooms, and as they settled in for their meeting Richard deliberately refrained from asking about Manda. He couldn’t help but wonder how she was holding up though. He hoped Josh would ask, but his brother didn’t mention her either. He just cast expectant glances at Richard periodically, as if testing him to see how long he could last before he gave in and inquired about her. Richard ignored Josh’s silent challenge.
Their meeting lasted until almost five o’clock, and as they wrapped up, Jen gave Richard his first bit of information about Manda.
“I’m going to go up and check the progress on Fieldings. They seemed to think they could have it ready to print by five and then get out of here. Poor Manda looks about ready to drop. You have plans with David, right? You can walk up with me if you’d like. They’re probably wrapping up.”
Richard and Josh followed her up to the creative area. She knocked on the door and then punched in the access code without waiting for a response. David was in Manda’s office and both of them were leaning over Manda’s computer screen. They looked up when Jen called out a greeting.
“How’s it going, guys?”
“Manda’s just getting it ready to send. Then we’re done—for better or worse,” David replied, standing straight and stretching. A fleeting smile of greeting passed across Manda’s face before she turned back to her computer. Richard studied her. She was uncharacteristically subdued. Maybe it was fatigue. She did look ready to fall over, just as Jen had warned.
“So, was it better or was it worse?” Jen prompted with a grimace.
“Oh, this was the worst by far,” David told her disdainfully. “How can Andrea possibly be getting worse instead of better? It still looks like a train wreck, but at least now it’s a printable train wreck.”
“There,” Manda breathed, leaning back limply in her chair and rubbing her eyes.
“All done?” Josh asked sympathetically.
“Just about,” Manda answered. Manda’s words turned into a yawn that she hid with one hand before continuing. “I’m uploading the files now. Then I’ll PDF the final and upload that as well.”
“How long will that take?” Jen asked, glancing at her watch. “It’s five ‘til five now.”
Manda looked at her computer and leaned forward again. “It just finished uploading.” She clicked her mouse several times and then sat back again. “They have the printable files, so we’ve met the deadline. I just have to create the PDF and send that along as a reference. That’ll take a little while. There are several files and they’re huge. I don’t know what Andrea was thinking.”
“She wasn’t,” David commented acidly.
“No, she wasn’t,” Manda agreed tiredly. “They’ll take ten minutes or so to PDF—each—then I’ll assemble them into a single file and forward that along.”
“Let me do that,” David offered. “You should go home.”
“No, I’ve got it. You have plans with Josh. Besides, all the files are on my computer and it would take longer to transfer them all to you than to just do it myself. Why don’t you go ahead and take off. There’s nothing to do for now but wait. There’s no need for all of us to sit here twiddling our thumbs. I’ll be out the door as soon as this is done.” She was leaning back in her chair rubbing her eyes again and she missed the disapproving and speculative looks that David, Jen, and Josh shared among themselves.
“That’s okay. We can hang out and keep you company until it’s done. If we’re a little late it’s no big deal,” Josh insisted, leaning against the doorframe of Manda’s office. Richard noticed the annoyance that painted Manda’s features, and guessed Jen did as well when she excused herself.
“Well, looks like you guys don’t need me around. Shall we cancel our ten o’clock meeting tomorrow? I imagine you’ll try again for that day off?”
“No. Let’s still do it. I’d like to discuss a few things with Curt,” Manda growled, and Richard suspected that her employer was going to see a side of Manda that would surprise most people. He wished he could be there to see the angry tirade her tone promised. Curt Aronson deserved it for misusing such a valuable employee.
“We can do that another day, M,” David suggested. “Take tomorrow off.”
“No. I want to talk to him while it’s still fresh in my mind. I’ll go home afterward and unwind. Now, no offense, but go away. I don’t need you here babysitting me.” Manda glared at her coworkers, and Jen raised her hands defensively and left without another word. David opened his mouth to protest, but Manda didn’t give him a chance.
“You heard me. Don’t go away mad, just go away! Have fun at the game.”
Josh and David both looked ready to refuse, so Richard decided it was time to intervene. “You heard the lady. Come on, guys. Leave her alone and let’s go.”
Josh looked at him in disbelief and even David was surprised, but the two men reluctantly complied.
“Don’t be too long,” David admonished her as he followed Richard and Josh out.
“Have fun,” Manda called after them with a perfunctory wave. Richard felt a pang of...he didn’t quite know what. Concern? Sympathy? Protectiveness? She just looked so forlorn sitting tired and alone at her desk as the door closed behind him.
As they followed David toward the elevators, Josh gave Richard an alarmed and questioning look. Richard raised one hand in a reassuring gesture. If Josh and Kastl had been keeping an eye on her, his brother wouldn’t like leaving her alone and unguarded, and none of them trusted her to leave as she said she would...not after her deception the previous week. He needn’t be concerned though. Richard didn’t intend to be fooled again.
“You guys go ahead and go to the game. Don’t worry about Manda. I’ll make sure she gets home safely.” Richard knew Josh had picked up on the extra layer of meaning in his reassurance because he visibly relaxed. David looked decidedly pleased himself. Richard tried not to think about what that might mean.
“Thanks,” David said gratefully. ”Don’t let her stay too long.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Josh said as he and David headed for the elevators.
Richard turned and made his way back to the creative area. Manda had given him the access code while David was sick. She hadn’t had the time to keep opening the door for them. He punched it in and entered without knocking. He didn’t want to interrupt her if she wa
s busy.
Manda was on the phone and didn’t notice him come in. She was focused on her computer, with one hand on the keyboard, one on the mouse, and the phone on speaker.
“I know, I know. Believe me, I’m not asking this for Andrea or Jerry. Go ahead and print what you have and deliver that to them. That’s what they asked for and that’s what they’ll get. I’m asking you to do this for me, as a personal favor.”
“Manda, you know I’d do anything for you, but you’re asking me to fit in another huge last minute job. We’d have to work around the clock to get it done,” a man’s voice argued from the phone’s speaker.
“If you started printing the original now you could fit in my version afterward. It’s for a good cause. Besides, it’ll be worth your time and effort. You can charge Fieldings whatever you want—in fact, the more the better as far as I’m concerned. He’ll pay it because he needs them. If he has to pay enough, maybe it’ll teach him a lesson. You can charge him enough to pay for your next vacation and give your crew all big bonuses. I don’t care,” Manda wheedled. “Please? I’ll owe you a huge favor. Come on, how often do I ask you for something like this?”
