Coming To Reason (A Long Road to Love)

by O'Connor, Liza

  “Carrie! What a pleasant surprise.” Leaning down, he kissed both her cheeks in greeting. While Dan didn’t possess Trent’s height, he still towered over her. “Are you by chance wishing to speak to me?”

  “If you have time.”

  He glanced at his watch and the furrows in his brow returned. “Fifteen minutes, before a meeting I’ve called. If you need more time, hopefully, you can wait an hour for the meeting to be finished.”

  “More than fair since I didn’t make an appointment.”

  His head tilted as he studied her. “Which is unlike you.”

  “True, but I didn’t know I needed a job until yesterday, when Trent decided the time had come for him to grow up and run his own company.”

  Dan led her to the elevator with his hand rested on her back. “Really?” His tone turned happy upon discovering her state of unemployment, but she let it slide.

  “Evidently, he made the decision a while back, but didn’t bother to share it with me until yesterday.”

  Dan’s smile grew more pronounced, borderline celebratory.

  Once they entered the elevator and the doors closed, she wrinkled her nose at him. “Well, I’m glad my unemployment makes you happy. I expected a stern lecture after the last time I asked you to get me an interview.”

  His smile disappeared. “Good point. Is this a real job you want, or are you trying to get rid of one of Trent’s groupies?”

  She laughed. “Trent doesn’t have groupies. And this is a real job I want. We’ve decided to become a normal couple with daily time off from each other. Otherwise, Trent will continue to rely on me too much.”

  For some reason, her reply saddened him. She gripped his hand. “I’m sorry I cost you two commissions.”

  Three months ago, she’d asked Dan to send her on an interview with a competitor so she could talk up the temporary EA from hell and get him a job far away from Lancaster Chairs. Her plan worked, but Dan lost the job placement commission since Econoline wooed and hired Grant directly. Then, due to her recommendation about promoting from within for their systems manager, Trent canceled their contract with Dan on the systems manager position. So, in total, her good deeds had cost Dan $40,000.

  His eyes remained a touch sad even as he smiled. “Fixing my database more than covered my loss.”

  She had restructured his database so reports could pull useful data and taught his strange but adorable, bright daughter how to do the same. “How’s Destiny?”

  Dan’s face lost all hint of sadness. Instead, he smiled with pride. “She’s doing terrific. She’s going to Columbia, studying computer programming and finance. I believe she wants to be you.”

  Carrie smiled at the compliment. As Systems Manager, Destiny had to approve everything Carrie planned to do to their database. When Dan checked up on their progress, she had no doubt of his love for the girl. Initially, she’d thought the two were a couple because Dan looked to be in his early thirties and Destiny in her twenties. Turned out Dan had become a father when he was seventeen and Destiny was younger than she looked.

  When the elevator doors opened, Dan’s comforting hand returned to her back and he led her into his office, closing the door. “Can I get you a green tea?”

  She appreciated he remembered her favorite drink. Even after two and a half years together, Trent still couldn’t remember her preference.

  “Why don’t I get myself a tea and you a black coffee? I’m sure you need to prepare for your meeting. We can talk afterwards.”

  He smiled. “I’ll take you up on getting the drinks, because I need to make a call, but I do want to speak to you before the meeting.”

  She headed to the break room. After a quick search, she found the ground coffee and filters. Upon giving the coffee machine a filter, coffee grounds, and fresh water, she returned to Dan’s office. Otherwise, he’d never get a chance to talk to her before his meeting.

  Seeing him on the phone, she sat outside on the bench against the west wall of his outer office. A second later, Dan’s voice spoke from the secretary’s desk. “Carrie, come on in.”

  She rose and entered, surprised he remained on the phone.

  “Charles, I’m putting you on speaker phone. I need both hands.”

  He pointed to his ear and then the couch.

  She assumed he wanted her to listen to the conversation. Perplexed, she sat down.

  “If we can prove collusion, we have a case, if not, Miss Parker will walk,” the man on the phone said.

  “What do I need to prove collusion?”

  “E-mails would be nice. If the woman you fired would testify and she’s believable, a jury would find it compelling.”

  “What if I placed a person I trust on my staff and she’s approached. Would it help?”

  “Depends on the woman. It’s all about credibility of who is saying what.”

  “If she tapes the conversation, can Parker’s lawyer claim entrapment?”

  “Ah, I see where you’re going. Not if your hire does not ask for clients. To do this right, make the person a new hire and have her tape her conversations. New York only requires the consent of one party to legally tape a conversation.”

  “Thanks, Charles. I’ll get back to you.”

  He hung up and joined Carrie on the couch. “I’ve got one, maybe more, bad consultants on my staff. I’ve picked up some odd stats from those reports you made. The number of placements leaving their job one day past the date I pay the agent’s commission is very high for a few new consultants.

  “I didn’t know if they colluded with the new hire and split the commission or placed overqualified people who then quit the jobs after I paid the commission, but in either case I didn’t want them anymore.”

  Carrie nodded in understanding. Dan’s reputation depended upon his people. If they couldn’t place candidates who would stay and perform to expectation, he would lose his reputation as the best resource firm in the city.

  “I called a staff meeting this morning to explain why I fired three seemingly good consultants and reiterated the need for the candidates to stay and work for the company. However, Destiny attended a party somewhere last night and overheard the fired girl bitching about losing her job. She didn’t understand why I let her go. She’d struggled at first to make her quotas, but I didn’t fire her until one of the well-connected consultants started giving her great candidates to send for interviews.

  He massaged his neck. “I suspect these candidates are the same ones who quit the day after the commission is paid.”

  “But wouldn’t the commission go to the new girl?” Carrie challenged.

  “Half of it. The originating consultant gets fifty percent.

  He ran his hands through his hair. “I’m pretty sure my true problems remain on my staff. If you’re willing to help me out, I’d like to hire you as a consultant. You fit the profile of the three I fired: Bright, charismatic, and enthusiastic, but with no prior experience.”

  Carrie frowned remembering the consultant who’d practically raped Trent when they first came to Dan’s firm wishing to hire a new staff. “I won’t be expected to seduce clients, will I?”

  He smiled as he shook his head. “No. After you brought the situation to my attention, I made it clear to all my consultants sexual persuasion should be limited to the mildest of flirtations.”

  Carrie frowned, feeling he should have forbidden it in all forms. He seemed to read her mind.

  “If I flat out forbid it, some of my high performers, such as Miss Parker, who depends upon the particular skill, would quit and work for someone else.”

  In her opinion, Miss Parker quitting would improve his company. “But I would not be expected to flirt, would I?” Trent wouldn’t stand for it. While she’d caught him flirting with the pretty girls on his new sales force, he went ballistic if she even smiled at the male staff members.

  “Be yourself, Carrie. Your genuine interest in placing the best people for the job will win clients faster than flirting any
day.”

  She nodded in agreement. Maybe she could make the rest of his staff see the same.

  “So you’ll do it?” he asked.

  “Yes. Do I get to wear a wire?”

  He chuckled and handed her a small digital recorder. “Learn to turn this on by touch and keep it in your pocket.”

  He glanced at his watch and stood. “Everyone should be in the conference room by now. Come with me, and I’ll introduce you as my new hire.”

  She followed him out the door. “Your coffee and my tea should be ready as well.”

  His hand touched her back as they headed to the break room.

  Carrie couldn’t believe it. Not even eight in the morning and she had two jobs: one to catch a cheat and another to find clients the best workers for their companies. She couldn’t wait to tell Trent. Of course, she could only tell him about the official job. Otherwise, he’d become worried for her safety and demand she quit.

  She wondered if his new EA had stormed off yet. The EA’s training had taken more time than expected yesterday, so Trent had never come home last night. Instead, he stayed at the penthouse. She gathered Jon and Patty, whom he’d invited to live in his city home about four months ago, didn’t welcome him with open arms, but he refused to discuss the matter. Instead, he’d wanted to have phone sex.

  About twenty minutes into their phone sex he said, “I’m driving myself deep inside you.” A second later, she heard a woman groan from his side of the phone. Instead of freaking out, she wracked her brain for a logical explanation, and asked if he had a porn film playing.

  He laughed and admitted he did. After discovering the truth, she ignored the echoes to her groans and let her substitute Trent, aka her purple rabbit vibrator, bring her to an amazing orgasm.

  Thank God, she hadn’t jumped to the worst assumption upon hearing the woman’s groans. Had the situation been in reverse, Trent would have. Trusting him a hundred percent, she’d remained calm and searched for a logical reason.

  And found it.

  She wondered if Trent appreciated her absolute trust. He should, because most women didn’t possess her degree of confidence.

  Chapter 3

  Dan opened the door for Carrie and they entered the crowded conference room. People filled all the seats but the one at the head of the table, and more employees stood against three of the walls.

  He leaned over and whispered to a young man. A second later, the fellow popped from his chair and offered it to Carrie. She thanked him and sat, wishing Dan had let her stand. Now everyone in the room stared at her.

  Taking his seat, Dan leaned back. “Thank you for coming in early today. I wanted to keep you abreast of staffing issues. On Friday, I had to fire all three of our new consultants. I have hired one replacement, but I want everyone to look out for candidates you think would work.”

  A hand rose in the back. He nodded to a balding man in his mid-fifties.

  “Can we know why you fired them? Because from my perspective, their placement numbers looked good.”

  He nodded. “Clients had issues with them. Which prompts me to give a lecture.”

  Low groans emitted around the room and one of the guys punched the bald guy’s arm.

  “Your two key objectives are to make the client happy and to place appropriate candidates as soon as possible. Pay attention to both objectives. They are the long term and short term success of this company.”

  Carrie thought his dual perspectives excellent. She understood why everyone thought him the best. He didn’t just focus on the short-term collection of commission, but also on the long-term partnership with clients.

  “Now I would like to introduce Carrie Hanson. She’s new to recruiting, so I’m sure she’ll appreciate all the advice and assistance she can get.”

  Nodding in agreement, she grinned at her co-workers. All the men smiled, as did a few of the women. Miss Parker was not among the shiny teeth brigade.

  “Greg will disperse the open accounts, so if you want one, let him know.” He rose, which signaled a mass exodus. Carrie stood to get out of the way. Dan’s hand rested on her back. “Greg, let’s give Carrie the top three of the open client requests.”

  The balding man tilted his head. “No more?”

  “No. The other clients have issues. I need seasoned people on them.”

  “Wow, you got a lot of complaints.” He glanced at Carrie and then spoke softly to Dan. “Maybe we shouldn’t be hiring inexperienced consultants.”

  “I didn’t become the best by taking other firm’s leftovers. I’m not changing my methodology now.”

  The man nodded as he glanced down at Carrie. She smiled, hoping to assure him she’d be worth the trouble to train.

  Dan nudged her closer to Greg. “Will you see Carrie settled?”

  The guy’s face tensed. He looked like he’d rather settle a case of the plague. Dan noticed as well. “If you’re swamped, tell me.”

  Greg grimaced. “Up to my eyeballs.”

  “Well, I’ve a few hours open. I’ll do it myself.”

  “I can do it,” Greg said with a heavy sigh.

  Dan squeezed his shoulder. “I appreciate your offer, but if you’re too busy—”

  “No, it’s a time issue. Dispersing clients is more trouble than you’d think. You wouldn’t believe how fast feathers get ruffled.”

  Dan grinned. “I can remember way back when I did it. Tell you what. You practice détente and I’ll give Carrie the general lecture and then ask someone to show her about. Now get on with the hard job.”

  Greg smiled at him and hurried out of the conference room. A flinch of concern crossed Dan’s face as he left.

  He’s worried Greg’s involved.

  “Do you two go way back?” she asked.

  Dan’s eyes settled on her. “Yes. Greg’s been with me since I opened my firm. We had no layers back then. He’s now my manager.”

  “Does he get the improved reports?”

  “Yes.” The sadness in Dan’s voice tugged at her heart.

  “Is it possible he doesn’t have time to read them?”

  A glimmer of hope brought forth a faint smile. “I hope so”

  He led her back to his office, pulled a notebook from his credenza, and sat at his desk with her on the other side, turning the book so it faced her. He then explained each page as he turned them.

  Half way through, Carrie interrupted him. “This is a great tool!”

  “Thank you.”

  “Did you think of it?”

  “Yes. Now can we continue?”

  The humor in his voice assured her he hadn’t lost patience with her. “Sorry, continue please.”

  Once done, she wanted to jump in and fill some jobs. “Do I get a copy of the notebook?”

  “No. But if you wish to review anything, you can refer to mine, or ask Greg for his.”

  “Why don’t you give these to your employees?”

  “Because no one has ever asked to borrow one. If they had their own—”

  “They would never refer to it but might take it with them when they left.” She grimaced. “It’d be like giving out chair schematics to the workers at the factory. Sorry, for asking a stupid question.”

  “No.” His hand covered hers for a fleeting moment. “I want you to challenge my procedures. When we get the current problem resolved, I intend to promote you to change specialist.”

  Her happy spirits did flips, until a dark cloud rained on them. “Wait…do you think I’ll make a terrible consultant? Is it why you only gave me three clients?”

  “Not at all. I think you’re going to be one of the best consultants in my firm, but you have a true gift in spotting what needs to be changed and getting people to accept doing things in a more productive manner. I can find consultants as good as you’ll become, but I’ll never find another change specialist even close to you.”

  “I have a track record of one success.”

  “You transformed a business in complete chaos and lo
w morale into a high performance, team-spirited company. Ian intends to use it as a business case for his students.”

  “Oh God!” Carrie remembered all too well how real-to-life his actors played their roles as unhappy employees. “I hope his actors don’t drop cabinets on the students, because Trent won’t be around to rescue them as he did for me.”

  “Saving your life is the single decent action Trent has ever done in his whole life.”

  His words shocked her. Not the part about Trent saving her life when a fired employee tossed a file cabinet from the window. No, her astonishment centered on Dan’s claim it was the only act of goodness.

  “I don’t think you’ve spoken to Trent for a while. He’s improved a lot. He no longer channels his father or tries to motivate by threatening to fire people. He’s left his petulant childhood behind and has become a very fine adult.”

  Dan massaged his left temple as if he had a headache.

  “Sorry, I’m sure you have better things to do than listen to me wax on about Trent.”

  “Without question,” he muttered.

  Carrie made a note to herself. Never talk about Trent with my new boss.

  He stood and led her down the hall of consultants. He stopped at the first door and focused on the guy inside. “Scott, any chance you’d be willing to let Carrie sit and watch you work today?”

  A cheery male voice replied, “Yes, sir!”

  God, he sounded like a puppy being offered a treat.

  Dan tugged her to the door and she smiled at the blond guy who had given up his chair for her.

  “If you could show her around and introduce her to everyone when your schedule allows, I’d appreciate it.”

  With a nod, Dan abandoned her and continued down the hall. Scott tripped while offering her a chair. “Are you thirsty? Can I get you anything?”

  “No, I’m fine,” she assured her anxious pup. She’d never call him handsome, but his large round head and blue, owlish eyes gave a first impression of cuteness.