When Love's at Work Read online

  “I’m glad to hear you say that,” Bobby said sincerely. “I’ll admit, I came over here thinking I may just need to kick your ass, but I can see that I was on target about you from the beginning.” Bobby stood up and prepared to leave. “I think you’re good for Purity, and she’s good for you. I wish you all the best.”

  “Thanks, Bob,” Alex commented. The two men shook hands again and then Bobby headed for the door.

  “Oh, one more thing,” Bobby said, turning around to face Alex. “Are you still planning to give Pure the house?”

  “I’m not sure now. I’m actually hoping, if all goes well, that she’ll want to come and live with me here, in my home. Why do you ask?”

  “I was just thinking that it might be a great wedding present for me to give Meg,” Bobby stated.

  Now it was Alex’s turn to be wordless. “You two are serious, huh?” Alex finally asked.

  “I am,” Bobby replied. “I’m not exactly sure about Meg.”

  “Women are hard to read,” Alex commented.

  “They sure as hell are,” Bob replied.

  “The house would make a great wedding present,” Alex said, contemplating the best deal he could make that would be fair to all parties. “Tell ya what, I’ll sell it to you for the same price I paid for it. It’ll be a wash for me.”

  “That sounds good to me,” Bob stated, already planning how he would present his proposal and gift to Meggie.

  Bobby walked back to his car with visions of creating a home with Meg filling his mind. He hadn’t noticed the pale white line on Alex’s finger where his wedding band used to reside.

  Monday at work, Purity received many accolades for the Garden Party’s success. It had certainly been a busy week, what with her mom having surgery, Bobby staying at her home temporarily, and Derek Worthington showing up. Not to mention her disagreement with Alex. Now it was time to focus on the next event, the Back-To-School Carnival over Labor Day weekend.

  Sheila pulled the file and placed it dead center in the middle of Purity’s desk. It was the first thing she saw when she came into the office.

  The two co-workers fleshed out a game plan based on last year’s activity and notes Sheila made regarding the event. The Kids’ Place used the same traveling amusement park company, Sammy’s Entertainment, Inc., each year and Sheila secured the dates the previous year. They would provide a couple of thrill rides like the Octopus and the Scrambler and then slower rides for younger children. They would also have a ring toss and other games where toys and stuffed animals could be won.

  Sheila suggested calling the Crescent City Clown College to see if their students would be willing to perform for a reduced cost, or even free, to gain experience. Pure thought it was a fabulous idea.

  Hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn and other assorted foods would be provided by Sammy’s, as well.

  Invitations and flyers were next on the to-do list, which seemed to be manageable at this point in time. Purity quipped that something must be wrong, as they didn’t feel swamped and anxious. Sheila responded with a hearty, “Not yet any way.”

  Throughout the day, Purity found her eyes wandering to her office doorway. She tried to convince herself that she wasn’t looking for Alex’s frame filling the space.

  “He’s not here,” Sheila said.

  “What?” Pure asked.

  “Alex. He’s not here. He’s in Austin. Judd got a call last week asking if a representative could come give them an overview of our program. They didn’t want a PR person. Alex volunteered and then asked if he could bring one of the teenagers who frequents the facility. They said yes, so he asked Charlie Mankins if he wanted to go with him. Charlie jumped at the opportunity. They won’t be back until Thursday because Alex decided to tack on a few extra days and show Charlie a bit of Texas.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “I keep my ears open.”

  “Or could it be that Judd Broadstreet’s pillow talk includes discussing work?” Purity asked slyly, watching the pink hue rise high on Sheila’s cheeks.

  “Why would you say something like that?”

  “I’ve seen the way you look at him. And, the way he looks at you. Neither of you are married. You’re both consenting adults. I think you’d make a great couple.”

  “Well…” Sheila stammered uncharacteristically. “I mean… oh heck.” Sheila sighed and decided to come clean. “Yes, Judd and I are dating.” Her eyes lit with a fire that burned within. “And, it’s fabulous,” she practically squealed.

  Pure put her tablet, pen and file folders aside. “Tell me,” she said encouragingly. “I want to know everything.”

  Sheila and Purity spent the next forty-five minutes discussing Judd and Sheila’s two-month relationship. Purity swore she wouldn’t tell a soul and Sheila knew Pure’s word was good as gold. It felt so wonderful to share her news. She had kept it bottled up inside for what seemed like forever.

  “What does Danny think of him?” Pure asked.

  “Danny adores Judd,” Sheila commented. “At first he wasn’t quite sure what to think of him, but it only took a game of baseball to make him put down his guard and relax.”

  Judd Broadstreet appeared at Purity’s office door.

  “Speak of the devil,” Pure commented, then smiled to soften the words. “Were your ears burning?”

  “No, should they be?” Judd inquired, making sure not to make anything more than casual eye contact with Sheila. Damn she looked good in her black skirt and pink sweater. She looked good in anything, even better without clothes all together. Refocusing, Judd said to Pure, “Can I see you in my office?”

  “Sure, I’ll be right there.” Pure gathered up a pad of paper, a pen and her calendar. She whispered to Sheila on her way out, “Do you know what’s up?”

  Sheila shook her head no. As Pure made her way to Judd’s office, Sheila Martin’s smile stretched broadly across her face. She was getting good at this whole sneaking around and lying thing.

  When Purity made herself comfortable in one of the chairs opposite Judd’s mammoth desk, he began, “Purity, you know I think you are an amazing employee and you have had some stellar ideas so far.”

  Purity wasn’t sure where the conversation was heading, but she didn’t like the sound of Judd’s words so far.

  “However,” Judd continued, “it has come to my attention that there is an issue we need to discuss.” Judd’s eyes were fixed on hers and the serious tone could not be mistaken. Purity knew what Judd wanted to discuss, her relationship with a member of the board. She knew it had been a mistake to get involved with someone she worked with. She’d just tell Judd the truth and let the chips fall where they may.

  “I think I know what you’re going to say,” Purity said.

  “I don’t think you do,” Judd countered, “We don’t take this kind of thing lightly, Purity.”

  Pure felt a headache coming on and rubbed her forehead lightly with the fingers on her left hand. She really didn’t have much of a defense.

  “You’ve been working extremely long hours and have taken your position to the highest level it has ever been at. I just don’t feel that you are being properly compensated.”

  Purity saw the glint of pleasure in his eyes and became aware that Judd wasn’t chastising her, he was talking about rewarding her for a job well done.

  “The board members have authorized the accounting department to give you a 6% increase on your salary, beginning with the next pay period. Hiring you was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”

  Pure was pleasantly surprised to drink in Judd’s words and the message they conveyed. “I’m surprised and thrilled and surprised some more,” Pure said. “It feels so good to work for an agency that acknowledges their employees’ contributions. Thank you, Judd, and please, thank the board members for me.”

  “I will.”

  Purity walked back to her office in a bit of a daze. As she approached Sheila’s desk, she took the pad of paper in her han
d and gently hit Sheila’s arm with it. “You little sneak,” Pure said. “You knew exactly what Judd was going to tell me.”

  “Yes I did. There was no way I was going to ruin your surprise.”

  “I appreciate that. I can’t imagine what this job would be like without you here. We make a great team.”

  “I think so, too,” Sheila concurred.

  Bobby met Purity after work and they headed over to the hospital to check on their mother. When they entered her room, someone else was sitting in the bed she had occupied. Bobby apologized for the intrusion and they headed to the nurse’s station down the hall. The woman behind the desk said Mary Zyetta had been discharged the previous night. As they made their way back to Bobby’s vehicle, Purity fumed, “So nice of Angela to let us know mom was discharged. Damn her!”

  “I guess it’s par for the course,” Bob remarked, then pulled out his cell phone and called their mother’s home number. Angela answered, completely unapologetic that she hadn’t called to let anyone know their mother had been discharged.

  When Bobby hung up his phone, he turned to Pure. “Mom is doing really well. Ang is taking her to see her regular doctor tomorrow morning.”

  “Don’t you get pissed about all of this?”

  “It doesn’t do any good.”

  Pure rolled her eyes and threatened, “One of these days…”

  “She’s not worth it and you know it. It doesn’t do a damn bit of good to get angry and upset over the whole thing. Angela is Angela. She’s never going to change.”

  “I know.” Purity sighed. “It still sticks in my craw, though.”

  Bobby smiled at his sibling. Pure was the only person he knew who used the word craw.

  “Hungry?” Bobby asked.

  “Starving,” Pure replied, realizing her last meal was half a tuna fish sandwich around lunch time.

  “I was planning to meet Meg at the café on Elm St.,” Bobby explained.

  “I don’t want to butt it on your plans.” Purity wished she hadn’t already said she was hungry. She hated when people horned in on her when she wanted to be alone with someone special.

  “It’s really fine. We weren’t planning on a late night. Meg has a 7:00am breakfast meeting tomorrow.”

  “If you really don’t mind, then I’ll tag along,” Pure stated, her empty stomach making the final decision for her.

  Bob called Meg to let her know they were leaving the hospital and a time was set to meet at the café.

  “So, now that mom’s okay, when do you think you’ll be heading back to Boulder?”

  “Couple of days,” Bobby replied vaguely.

  He didn’t offer any more information, so Purity inquired, “What about Meg?”

  “What about Meg?”

  “Would you just answer my question? You are so irritating! Do I really have to spell it out for you?” Pure countered, but didn’t wait for Bobby to answer. “Is your relationship with Meg serious and what are your plans for the future? There, how’s that for specific?”

  Bobby grinned. It had always been easy to wind Pure up. She was so predictable.

  “Frankly, my dear sister…” Bobby began.

  Purity laughed at Bobby’s Rhett Butler imitation, then said, “You truly are infuriating, you know that, right?”

  “That’s why you love me,” Bob replied.

  “No, I love you in spite of how much you infuriate me, not because you infuriate me.”

  When they arrived at the café, Purity realized Bobby had never given her an answer about Meg. He could be so tight-lipped when he wanted to be. Pure knew that Meggie was head-over-heels in love with Bob, so she could only hope he felt as strongly about her. She didn’t want a broken-hearted Meg on her hands when Bobby left. She would not be put in the middle and be forced to choose a side. She decided that long ago, when Bob had dated her best friend in high school. That whole thing had ended miserably and for a while Pure lost both her best friend and her brother. She vowed back then that she would never be put in that position again and she kept those boundaries firmly in place.

  Meg was already seated when they walked through the entryway. She waved at them and her face was beaming as Bobby’s eyes caught hers. Pure watched the two of them carefully throughout their meal. Bobby was definitely more smitten than he let on. Pure thought it wouldn’t be long before Bob would be returning. He was leaving part of his heart here with Meg.

  Although the week had been busy and full, Pure couldn’t help but be very aware of the days and hours until Alex’s return. She hated that so much of her time was filled with thoughts of him. Wondering if he made his choice, and what it would be. She chastised herself for not telling him that he had a deadline. She should have told him that he had 24 hours to make up his mind. Then she wouldn’t be waiting and wondering four days later.

  Pure stared at her computer screen, absently tapping her pencil on her desk. The thwapping noise was completely unheard by her ears, but very much audible to Sheila Martin. Sheila knew Purity was on pins and needles. They had shared lunch at the Olive Garden the previous day and Pure had spilled the entire tale to her assistant. Sheila was convinced that Alex would choose Purity.

  Alex and Charlie made it back to the city by 2:00pm. He had just enough time to drop Charlie off at his home, swing by the lawyer’s office to pick up the two sets of divorce papers, and then head over to Callie’s place unannounced.

  Alex had crafted a plan that his lawyer agreed might work. He wasn’t sure how Callie would respond, but if things went the way he hoped, he would leave her home with either a signature on one set of divorce papers or a decision by Callie to drag her name into the mud. He didn’t particularly care which one at the moment. He was banking on the fact that Callie would care.

  He parked half a block away from Callie’s home. No sense alerting her even one minute more than necessary. He made his way up the front steps and rang the doorbell. Callie opened the door wearing a miniscule red bathing suit. She had an orange-colored drink in her right hand.

  “Alex,” Callie said, surprised to see him. “I didn’t get a message that you were coming over today.”

  “I didn’t leave you one.”

  “Well, that would explain it then,” Callie replied, eyeing the file folder in his hand.

  “May I come in?” Alex asked.

  “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me why you’re here first?”

  So, she was going to play hardball right from the start. Well, two could play that game and he had a feeling his swing was going to be much stronger than Callie’s.

  “I have two sets of divorce papers in this folder,” Alex began. “One set states that we both want a divorce, the reason cited is irreconcilable differences.”

  “And the other?” Callie asked curiously.

  “Same papers, except the reason cited for the divorce is adultery. Jack Wagner is named as the man you had sex with while you were legally married to me.”

  “Why are you dragging Jack into this? He never did anything to you!” Callie exploded, waving her hands wildly and spilling part of her drink on her off-white carpet. “This is ridiculous. I won’t sign either papers. I think you should leave.” Callie took a step back into the foyer and attempted to slam the door; however, Alex was quicker and placed his foot securely against the doorjamb.

  “Not so fast, Cal,” Alex said. “I think you misunderstood. I don’t need your signature on the adultery papers. If you don’t sign the divorce papers stating this is an amicable dissolution of marriage, I will file the paperwork stating you are at fault for our marriage breaking up because of your infidelity and Jack Wagner’s name will go on record as the man you cheated on me with. All you have to do is choose which way you want to dissolve this marriage, simply and easily or down and dirty.”

  Taking a different tack, Callie said, “Why, Alex, this is all so sudden. I can’t be expected to make a decision like this on the spur of the moment. I’ll need time to think about this and…”
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br />   “You have 24 hours to make your decision. At 4:00pm tomorrow I’ll either be filing papers stating you committed adultery or I’ll be here on your doorstep witnessing your signature on the amicable divorce paperwork. You have my number. If I don’t hear from you by 3:30pm, then I’ll know what you’ve chosen.”

  Alex turned and walked back down the stairs toward his car.

  Callie stood, mouth agape. Alex had never talked to her like that before in his life and she didn’t like it. Callie needed to talk to Jack, he’d know what to do. As she dialed his number, Callie wondered just who this woman was that could make Alex McCallister’s eyes fill with such determination and have him taking such decisive action.

  Bobby and Meg were enjoying a late afternoon stroll sans shoes along the sandy beach. The ferry was just leaving and the sun was almost kissing the waves. Meg had never felt so content. The feel of Bobby’s hand in hers, the seagulls calling to one another as they sat on the pilings by the ferry landing and the feeling of wet sand between her toes made her want to suspend time.

  When Bob turned Meg toward him for a lingering kiss, she felt the ache of promise deep in her heart. She knew that Bobby was the man of her dreams. And although she and Purity had felt like sisters practically since the day they first met, it would be nothing short of wonderful to be sisters by marriage.

  As the surf swirled around their feet, the two souls joined as one. The thought of Bobby returning to Boulder the next day was almost more than Meg could bear. Even though he assured her he’d be back soon, she didn’t want to spend one day, one hour, without knowing he was near. How would she survive a week?

  “I’m going to miss you terribly,” Meg whispered into Bobby’s ear as she nuzzled his neck and sent scorching hot flames across his collarbone with her lips and tongue.

  “Me, too,” Bobby replied, feeling the lump in his throat and the now familiar rapid-fire pulse of his blood raging in his veins. Meg was going to be the death of him if he didn’t find some sexual release soon. He’d never masturbated so much in his life and yet been so unsatisfied with the experience. He wanted Meg. No, he needed Meg -- physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually -- in every way a person could feel connected to another human being. It scared the shit out of him. How was he ever going to get by without seeing her for days on end?