CHAPTER SIX
When they returned to the office, Maria handed Fern several message slips and spoke to Pen. "The new desk is here, and I stocked it with some basics-pens, pencils, a stapler, tape, that kind of thing. Let me know what else you need."
"Thanks, Maria." He walked into the inner office to examine the desk and the supplies stacked on it. "Looks fine. I can't think of anything else right now."
Fern stepped into the room and sat at her desk. She reached for the phone to return calls. Was Pen going to listen to every phone conversation she had? Listening was bad enough, but it was worse that he'd make some insulting comment.
She'd solve that problem-she'd use the phone in the conference room. She flipped through the messages. She needed her appointment book for one call, a file from the credenza for another, notes from her desk for another .
Okay, she'd just stay here and make the calls. Who cared what the high and mighty Mr. Morgenthal thought? Only someone who cared about her job, that's who. She took a deep breath, assembled the records she needed, and reached for the phone.
Pen opened desk drawers and put away the items Maria had gathered for him, everything from phone books to pencils to scissors. Without conscious thought, he organized his desk exactly like the one at the corporate office. Phone books in the top drawer on the left, tablets and notepads in the middle drawer, scissors and pencils in the lap drawer.
He glanced at Fern's desk and noticed she kept the surface as clear as he did. She was as methodical in preparing to return phone calls as he was. She read each slip and then put them in order, apparently by either time of call or importance. Then she pulled files from the drawer and notes from a tray on the desk and clipped a message to each one. Only after everything was organized did she make the first call.
He listened to her side of the conversations as he continued to arrange his desk. He hadn't expected her to be so systematic in her work habits. The image of the professional manager just didn't fit with that alluring body and seductive voice more suited ?
What was wrong with him? He hadn't reacted like this to any woman since puberty. Maybe he'd avoided dating too long. His social life had been less important than his fast track in the corporate world for the last few years.
But why just this woman? He worked with lots of gorgeous women. If he was just waking up to women again, why didn't he have the same reaction to any of them? If his dumb body had to react to only one female, why this one? He could find plenty of women who didn't work for him.
He slammed the drawer closed and frowned at Fern's back. She was still on the phone. He had to get away from her tantalizing voice if he expected to get any work done.
He stood and crossed to the door. Speaking so that both Fern and Maria could hear him, he said, "I'll be in the warehouse."
A few minutes later, Maria announced over the intercom that the sign had finally arrived. Both Fern and Pen went outside to watch the installation. The old sign came down first.
Pen felt a tightness in his chest when he saw tears in Fern's eyes. He hadn't realized how traumatic this would be for her. He'd gone through the same process with dozens of other business owners. Had they been less bothered by the name change or was he simply more aware of Fern's reactions?
His company had been one of the first Ultimate bought when they entered the plantscape business. He'd never thought about the name change, but then he'd only been in business a couple of years and had no intention of making it permanent.
"You want us to haul this old sign to the dump?" one of the installers asked.
Seeing the stricken look on Fern's face, Pen said, "No, we'd like to keep it. In fact, can I pay you guys something extra to hang it on the wall inside the building?"
The men agreed. Pen led them into the warehouse and pointed to a blank wall. He pretended to watch the sign being hung, but he was actually observing Fern. She bit her lower lip and wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. He had to admire her valiant efforts to feign nonchalance.
"Fern's Fancies is a catchy name-much more interesting than my old company's name."
Fern looked at him in surprise. "I didn't know you had a company."
"It wasn't much of a company. Actually it was made up of three people-me, myself, and I." He chuckled. "I put myself through two years of college watering plants. I called myself Plant Care Company. Exciting name, huh?"
"What happened to your company?"
"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Ultimate moved next door to one of my clients and the whole building was buzzing with talk about them. My client told me he heard a rumor Ultimate was going into the interior landscape business. I went to the office to find out, and the rest, as they say, is history."
"They bought your company?"
"All twenty-seven accounts. They also hired me as the maintenance supervisor." The left side of his mouth curved into a grin. "I thought I was going to sit in an office and boss. Instead, I had to water plants and clean dirty leaves for six months."
Fern's sign soon hung from the wall and the installers took down the ladder. They all traipsed back outside to watch the new sign going up. The tightness in Pen's chest eased when he saw Fern's eyes were dry and those little lines in her forehead were less pronounced.
The employees came out of the building at five o'clock, just as the installers finished the sign. They stood in the parking lot and commented on the change. Pen listened closely for their reactions. The favorable response pleased him.
Fern called out goodbyes to the workers in the parking lot and started back to the building. Did Pen expect her to work late again tonight? Even though he had been surprisingly sensitive about the sign, she needed a break. She had to guard her tongue all the time she was with him.
He came in a few minutes behind her. "What's your schedule for tomorrow? We need to finish last night's discussion."
"I was planning to work on the proposal for that attorney's office in the morning, and I have a luncheon meeting at the Chamber." She put away the papers she had been working on when the sign had arrived. "I should be back between one-thirty and two, and I don't have anything scheduled after that."
"Okay. Let's plan to meet at two-thirty. We'll probably need several hours. Are you ready to go now?" he asked as he picked up his briefcase.
She nodded and picked up her purse. They walked to the car together after Fern set the alarm.
"Thank goodness for air conditioning." He adjusted the vents as they drove to the hotel. "I can't believe it's still so hot at this time of day. I was sweltering just watching those guys install the sign."
"Yeah, they were probably glad to hang the old sign in the warehouse. The working conditions were a lot better out of the hot sun. You wasted your money-they would probably have paid you." Her smile was feeble, and she sobered quickly. "Thank you for keeping the sign."
"No thanks needed." He looked embarrassed. "I don't believe in throwing away anything that's still good."
Business was not mentioned the rest of the trip. Conversation was limited to casual comments about the sights they passed.
As they approached Pen's hotel, Fern asked, "What about tomorrow morning? Same time?"
"Same time. Same place." He looked toward her with that cocky grin on his face. "Same breakfast, too. Okay?"
After she dropped him at the hotel, she decided to stop at the health club. All she wanted to do was soak in the hot tub, but she needed to work out too. She'd stop at the deli to pick up dinner and then spend the evening curled up with a good book.
Kevin. She'd promised him an explanation today, and he'd probably decided to postpone last night's burgers. She wanted to be alone tonight, but she wouldn't hurt Kevin's feelings. He'd been a good friend to her ever since she moved in next door to him. Although he wanted to deepen their relationship, he respected her wishes to keep the friendship casual. Since Fern had no intention of becoming romantically involved with anyone, Kevin had become a convenient habit
. He grilled burgers for them on Tuesdays, she cooked a full meal on Saturdays, and they went out on Friday nights.
She called him from the pay phone at the club. As she expected, he insisted she come over. She had promised an explanation, after all, and he needed to cook the meat so it wouldn't spoil. After her exercises and a session in the hot tub, Fern showered, changed into clothes she had in her locker, and drove to the duplex.
She stayed in the back yard with Kevin for several hours. She felt no magnetic pull, no stress, with Kevin. She enjoyed a relaxed chat, but she wondered why she hadn't realized that he didn't have a sense of humor. He didn't even smile at her story about Pen and the jalapeno. Of course, she didn't mention that Pen was hotter than the pepper, but she thought the story was hilarious even without that little tidbit.
"Kev, I've got to go in. It's after ten and I have to get up at five-thirty in the morning."
"Why should you have to chauffeur the boss around?"
"It's just part of the job. I can't pull anybody else off their assigned jobs to do it. Besides, I have to be available to meet with him anyway."
"Well, I think it's disgraceful the way he's treating you. I know how important your independence is to you. Are you going to let this so-called regional manager destroy all you've worked for?"
Fern was surprised to find herself defending Pen to Kevin. Hadn't she been worrying about losing her independence, maybe even her job? Why would she defend him now?
"There's nothing so-called about him. As much as I hate to admit it, he's a good manager. You know all the reasons I decided to sell out. They're all just as valid now as they were when I made the decision."
"I just hope you don't regret it."
"I won't. But thanks for worrying about me. Now I really have to go. Goodnight."
She heard the phone ringing before she reached the back door. She ran to answer it. At this time of night, it must be important.
"Where have you been? I've been calling you for hours." Pen's irritation was as unmistakable as his voice.
She ignored his question. "What do you want, Pen? It's after ten o'clock at night."
"Well, it was only seven o'clock at night when I started calling."
She bit her lip as she replied. "What is so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow morning?"
"I've decided we need to start a little earlier in the morning. Pick me up at six fifteen. Okay?"
Pen could tell she was angry even though she tried to control it. He knew she had good reason, too. How stupid to spend all night calling her on the phone. They didn't need to leave fifteen minutes earlier. They could probably leave thirty minutes later and still be there with time to spare.
He had to come up with some reason to call her just to hear that voice. He couldn't think of anything except changing the time. Then when she hadn't answered for hours, he knew she was with the boyfriend. Had they gone out? Or had they been too busy to bother with the phone?
He'd never known jealousy before, but he had a sudden urge to sock some guy he didn't even know. And all because he wanted to be the one with Fern, something that was impossible anyway. The woman was driving him crazy. She was already the best branch manager in the company. It just wasn't fair that she was also the sexiest woman he'd ever seen.