by Tamie Dearen
She set the treadmill for forty minutes and started her run. Soon she was in her zone, concentrating on the smooth repetitive motion propelling her feet forward on the belt, consciously minimizing extra movement, relaxing her shoulders. She felt the initial burn in her leg muscles and pushed through it until she no longer felt any discomfort, just warmth. Her mind relaxed along with her body, and she let her thoughts wander.
She was certainly overthinking the problem with Steven Gherring. She was not some young hormonal girl who couldn’t control herself. She was a strong, determined woman. She’d already proven herself in her education, her marriage, her motherhood, and now in this new job adventure. She was smart enough to handle any challenge put before her, and she wouldn’t let something like a little physical or emotional attraction to Steven Gherring cause her to make a misstep. She’d raised two children by herself for fifteen years. During that entire time she hadn’t let herself even look at another man. She was disciplined before, and she could be disciplined now.
Anne finished her forty-minute run and cool down. Feeling much more positive and relaxed, she picked up her bag and stopped by the water cooler for a drink. She realized she even enjoyed the feeling of being drenched in sweat with her hair plastered to her head. It was a feeling of accomplishment. She opened the door and slammed her sweaty body into someone entering the gym.
Steven Gherring had arrived at the gym with his shirt off, and now she’d smeared his chest and abdomen with sweat.
“Yikes! I’m so sorry,” said Anne.
“That’s okay. I’m gonna be sweaty in a minute anyway. You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah… but what are you doing here?” She tried to keep her eyes on his, but her gaze kept drifting downward.
“I live here. I own the building. I can use the gym, can’t I?”
“But you have equipment upstairs in your apartment. Why are you using this gym?” she asked, as once again she felt her eyes fall toward his bare chest.
“Maybe I just wanted a change of scenery or a little company.”
Anne glanced back into the gym. “It’s dark outside and there’s no one else in here.” She couldn’t stop herself from gazing at his muscled abdomen. She felt her heart racing. “And why don’t you ever wear a shirt?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned and stomped down the hall.
The next day, Anne met Ellen for lunch.
“Catch me up,” demanded Ellen after May seated them, promising to return after the rush.
“There’s not much to tell. After the girls went home, I worked like crazy, ended up going to Switzerland, rode on Mr. Gherring’s private jet, toured around Switzerland on trains, rode back in the private jet, and got a promotion—kind of.”
“Are you kidding me? That makes my life sound downright dull, and I was feeling pretty good about it.” Ellen leaned in close. “Details, I want details. What was it like to ride on Steven Gherring’s private jet?”
“It was amazing. But you know, if you were to meet Mr. Gherring and y’all hit it off, you could find out for yourself.”
Ellen choked on her water. “Are you still on that kick? And tell me again why you don’t want to date him? What’s the secret? What’s wrong with Steven Gherring? Does he have some hidden deformity? There must be something wrong with him, or you’d be going after him yourself.”
“There’s nothing wrong with him, I promise.”
“Then why has he never gotten married before? Or maybe he has been married before?”
“No, he’s never been married. He was engaged before, but they broke it off.”
“But in the magazines and newspapers, he’s always got some girl hanging on him. Every time, it’s a different girl.”
“That’s just it. He doesn’t really date. It’s like he thinks every girl out there is only after his money, so he doesn’t give them a chance.”
Ellen laughed. “Only half of them are after his money—the other half are after his body. Have you ever seen pictures of him without a shirt?”
Anne felt her face heating up. “Yes, I’ve seen him.”
“Aha! You’re red. You’ve seen him up close and personal without a shirt. When was this? On the private jet? Just how private was this jet?”
Anne scrambled to cover her blunder. “No. When we went climbing, remember? Didn’t I tell you Mr. Gherring went climbing with me and the girls the morning before we came to meet you at the bookstore?”
“Maybe… I don’t remember that. But anyway, what’s wrong with him? Why don’t you want to date him?”
Anne sighed. “It’s not like I wouldn’t date him if he asked me. But he’s known me for two months, and he hasn’t asked me out. So I don’t think that would ever happen.”
“Why do you care whether he has someone to date or not?”
“I just care about him. I want him to be happy, and I know finding the love of your life can do that for you. It worked for me. And if I’m right, then you’ll find the love of your life at the same time. And as a bonus, he can provide financial support for your plays.”
“Even if I agreed to meet him, there’s one other little complication.”
“What’s that?”
“I kind of have a crush on my leading man.”
“You do?”
“Yes, but he’s not interested in me. So I guess it doesn’t matter.”
“If things don’t work out with Mr. Gherring, I’ll figure out a way to make this guy notice you.”
Ellen laughed. “You know, I think you’d really do that. It’s a deal. When do I meet Mr. Gherring?”
“How about next Monday, after the Thanksgiving holidays? Lunch at Papa’s? I’ll do my best to get him there, but no guarantees.”
“What should I wear?”
“Wear a dress and show off those dancer legs.”
“You’ve got it. And if it flops, you have to help me catch Ben’s attention.”
“Deal.”
By the time the lunch rush was over and May came to join them, Ellen had to leave.
“Do you need to go too, Anne? I’m sorry I was tied up so long,” May said.
“No, I’d love to stay and chat,” said Anne.
“Tell me all about your trip.”
“Do you mean Switzerland? Did you know about that?”
“Yes. Although I think I found out through the grapevine. I’m pretty sure Spencer told me about it.”
“Spencer knew?”
“Sure. He found out from talking to Emily.”
“He was talking to Emily? She just told me they texted. She didn’t say anything about talking to him.”
“Spencer’s been talking to her alright. He’s talked to her every day since she left. He’s saving up his money to fly to Texas.”
“Does she know that?”
“I don’t know. I only hear about it from Spencer. He’s crazy about her, I think. I’ve never seen him act like this before.”
Anne stared at May. “I’ve got to talk to her and see what’s going on. Either she’s hiding something from me or she’s leading him on. I don’t want Spencer to be hurt.”
“Or it could just be Spencer’s moving a little faster than she is. When he makes a decision, that’s it. He jumps in with both feet.”
“Not Emily. She thinks about everything and then thinks some more and then maybe she’ll try it. Just tests the water with her toes.”
“I don’t know, they don’t sound too compatible, do they?”
“I disagree—I think they could be really good for each other. Strike a great balance. Hmmm…” Anne drummed her fingers on the table. “I need to find a way to get her back out here.”
“If this works out, we’d be aunt and mom-in-laws together.”
“I’d love to be related to you and George.”
Anne made sure she was five minutes late to dinner with Mr. Gherring. She didn’t need to catch him in any state of undress. She wanted to compose herself and reestablish their professional relationship. A
s soon as the door opened, her senses were assaulted with the aroma of food cooking. He let her inside and hurried back to the kitchen.
“Make yourself comfortable. Dinner’s almost ready.”
She followed him into the kitchen, noting he was fully dressed in khaki pants and a dark blue sweater. Still, she remembered exactly what his chest looked like under that sweater. She could see his muscles flexing through the fabric, even when he was just cooking dinner. She was hopeless.
“That’s smells wonderful. What is it?”
“It’s a stir fry with shrimp, steak, chicken, and veggies. Hope you like it.”
Her stomach rumbled noisily. “If it tastes as good as it smells, I’ll love it.”
“Could you set the table? You’ll have to look around for placemats and such. I don’t ordinarily use the dining table.”
She went into the dining area and searched through the buffet and found two linen placemats, napkins and silverware. There was a china cabinet with glassware and plates. Gherring had already set out a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. He came in with the steaming food just as she finished.
“Wow, I haven’t seen this china in a long time.”
“Is it okay? I found it in the bottom of your china cabinet. You have another set, but I really liked this one.” The plates were a simple design, white in the center with cream-colored rims and gold-encrusted edges.
“These belonged to my parents. It’s a Minton pattern. I think it’s called Buckingham. And it’s great to use them tonight. I dislike owning things I don’t use.”
“My folks were too practical to own china. And I don’t even remember my mom. She died when I was three.” She took a bite. “Wow—this is so good. I’d be fat if I could cook like this. I’d just eat all the time.”
He chuckled. “I doubt that seriously. You and your girls look like you’ve got metabolisms that work overtime. You’re fortunate.”
“That’s true. I’m so lucky, because I love eating.”
“Good. When I cook, I want people to enjoy the meal.”
“So… about the job. I’ve been thinking. Are you having regrets about this? I mean, we’re talking about creating a whole different position that doesn’t fit into your current framework. I can be a bit impulsive at times. I want you to be honest with me.”
His dimples flashed. “Why don’t you hold that thought until after dinner? I think I know you pretty well. If you start thinking too much, you won’t be able to eat.”
Her mouth hung open. He was right—her stomach often refused food when she was upset about something. “Okay. We’ll wait. So what shall we talk about? Should we go with… qualities you would like in a wife?”
He laughed. “Not again—that one upsets my stomach.”
“Tell me about growing up with Gram.”
His expression grew contemplative. “That‘s a good one. Good memories. Gram took me out of boarding school when my parents died. I grew up in Gram’s house—the one where you had dinner.”
“And Michelle?”
He frowned. “What about Michelle?”
“She told me you were family friends.”
“That’s true. I used to change her diapers. She was born when I was ten years old.”
“I see—so you’ve always liked younger women.”
His mouth twitched up on one corner. “We didn’t date until long after we were grown.”
“Mmmm. Okay, where did you go to college?”
“Columbia and Harvard Law.”
“Really? I didn’t know you went to law school.”
“That was my rebellious stage.”
“You rebelled by going to law school?”
“I thought about going into politics instead of running the family business that had been waiting for me. It felt like I didn’t have a choice. But in the end, it was in my blood. I had a knack for it, even more than my father.”
“And then, you absorbed yourself in your business and forgot to get married and have a life.”
“That’s what Gram would say. But the magazines reported my life was too wild, and that’s why I never got married. It just depends on who you believe.”
“And are you happy?”
“I’ve spent my life building an empire. Our charitable foundations have done a lot of good things. And you’re the only person I know who looks at me with pity, even though I’m a billionaire.”
“Let me ask you this. If you had to choose between being rich and having Gram in your life, which would you pick?”
He answered with a shake of his head. “You know the answer.”
“Exactly. I know you know what’s most important in life. I’m glad you have Gram. I’m just sad you never got married. But I’m just as sad for people who’ve only had bad marriages. There’s nothing like finding the love of your life, who loves you back the same way.” She sighed. “Even if you lose them after ten years.”
“I don’t disagree with you. You and Gram both—you act like I’ve never tried to find a wife. I’ve looked but—” He stopped abruptly. “Why am I discussing this with you? This topic is officially off limits. And I’d better not catch you trying to set me up with a potential wife.”
Anne’s mouth went dry. This hadn’t gone well at all. She’d have to proceed very carefully and be extremely subtle. Subtle—fat chance. She would just be sneaky instead. The wheels began to turn…
After dinner, Steven settled Anne in front of the fireplace with a cup of cocoa. “Dinner was incredible and now, hot cocoa and a fire. I’m in paradise.”
A pleased expression on his face, Steven lounged next to Anne on the buttery-soft leather couch. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I like to be appreciated, and it’s fun to make you smile.”
“So, about the job…. Mr. Gherring, I feel like I may have forced you into this.”
“Ms. Best, I’ve never been forced into a business decision by anyone in my entire life. Rest assured your influence, while formidable, does not equal compulsion.”
Anne’s spine stiffened. “Mr. Gherring, I certainly feel chastised for my presumptive assertion. Please accept my sincerest apologies. I was not suggesting your manhood had been detached. I was merely offering you an opportunity to withdraw the proposed job alteration with aplomb and promising not to take unwarranted offense.”
Gherring held up his hands. “I surrender! I bet you always win when you play Scrabble, don’t you?”
“As you said, I’m formidable.”
“So, about the job. If you went to CMA, you’d start at eighty thousand, since you don’t have a degree or job experience. I’m willing to give the assistant position a try for three months. It’s an intriguing idea. If it works, you’ll get at least a ten-thousand-dollar raise, plus bonuses. If it works really well, you could make as much as you would in CMA.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” Anne asked in a small voice.
“Then you’d be terminated.”
Anne felt a rock in her stomach. “I’m a pretty confident person, but I’m not that confident. I don’t think I want to take the risk—”
“Seriously? You think I would fire you? I was only kidding. If it doesn’t work, we’ll renegotiate.” He chuckled at the relief on her face. “How did you ever live this long when you’re this gullible?”
“I’m not really sure.”
“But there is one caveat.” His expression grew serious. “This deal we’ve made with Bern… You and Jared will need to work with those two companies, just as if you’re in the CMA department with him. I have yet to think what title to give you, but we’ll come up with something.”
“I feel better. And the secretary work?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to cover that as well until we get some help.”
“Katie’s gonna flip out. She’s already been through heck trying to get you to agree on a PA the first time. She’s not going to want to do it again.
“You and Ms. Carson can pick someone for me, and I’ll give the final approval
.” He caught her hand and narrowed his eyes. “And you’d better be looking for a PA and not a potential wife.”
She blushed furiously. Especially since her thoughts had indeed been heading in that direction. He released her hand and leaned back on the couch, stretching out his arms along the back. She was acutely aware of the slight contact of his arm against her shoulder. That familiar zing began where she felt his touch and spread downward, causing her heart to flutter. Her breathing became shallow with anticipation. What was wrong with her? What was she anticipating? Nothing was going to happen.
Gherring leaned across her to set his wine glass down on the end table, sending thousands of alarms throughout her body.
“Anne.” His voice seemed deeper, slightly raspy. Or maybe it was her imagination. “Anne, you know, we’ve spent—”
A loud rapping sound on the door interrupted his speech. He looked puzzled. “Excuse me. Let me see who’s at the door.” Anne watched from the sofa, but couldn’t see the person.
“Steven!” said a soft feminine voice. “I hope I didn’t come at a bad time. I really needed to see you. We really need to talk. You see, I’ve been thinking a lot about my feelings.”
“Wait, Michelle. Actually, this is kind of—”
“You’ve always been the one that understood me,” she continued. “The only one. And I know I can talk to you about anything. And your idea—the one about trying again, giving it another shot. I think I’m ready. I just need to be more selfless and understanding—”
Anne didn’t wait to hear the rest of the conversation.
“Hi, Michelle. Mr. Gherring and I had just finished our meeting.” Anne slipped through the doorway. “Thank you, Mr. Gherring. I’ll see you at the office. Michelle—it was good to see you again.”
Monday morning, Anne left early for the office. She wanted to get a head start on the administrative work so she’d have time to begin training for her new workload, whatever that might be. Meanwhile, she wrestled with her feelings about Michelle’s appearance at Gherring’s apartment the previous night. On one hand, this could be an answer to her problems. Her arrival had certainly put a damper on Gherring’s escalating lure. But she worried Michelle was too fickle for him. Hadn’t she been crying about Henri just the week before? In Anne’s experience, you couldn’t love one person one week and another the next. She didn’t want Gherring to be caught in a bad marriage. Especially one based on Michelle’s chameleon emotions.
