“Fine, put it on five.”
Both looked at me. Darrell couldn’t believe I said it, and Claire looked unsure but not against the idea.
“Look, we have the stock page on five, and it’s totally useless in today’s world. I’ve been meaning to kill it when the time was right, and I think this is the right time. Put something on the front page mentioning that the stock page is finito.”
“JJ, the stock page has been on page five for decades. You can’t just kill it.” Darrell tried keeping his voice calm, like he was talking to a child who was desperate to enter the lion pit at the zoo.
“And by the time most of our readers see it, the stock market is already open, and all the prices listed are completely useless information. I’m killing it and giving the space to you, Darrell. Consider it my gift.”
“And how do you propose we fill it every day?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“Catchy local stories, of course.” I smiled sweetly. “And if we don’t have enough, we can fill the space with ads.” I turned to Claire. “I know that will kill the house ad budget for a bit, but I think it will help in the long run. Tell your reps to really push for clients to purchase more spots in the local section since we are jazzing it up. And it’s another page for black and white and spot ads for the diagrammer to work with. I’ve noticed that B2 and B4 have had some weird stacking of smaller ads on top of larger ads for the past few weeks that resemble a tottering half-pyramid or something. I don’t like it.”
Claire conceded, but remained quiet.
Darrell gave me one last glare before storming back upstairs.
“I’m starting to think he really doesn’t like you,” said Claire.
“Really? He hides it so well.” I closed Claire’s door, and she gave me a confused look before looking down to ensure she was covered, even though she had put on my sweater moments earlier. I locked her door this time.
She quirked an eyebrow.
I kissed her and was surprised that she didn’t offer any resistance. “Can you manage to have a wardrobe malfunction every day?”
“Does it turn you on?”
“Yes it does. How soundproof are these walls?”
“Not very.” She gasped slightly when I unzipped her pants and let them fall. I then lowered her panties.
“You’ll have to be very quiet,” I advised.
“You can’t be serious.” Her voice wasn’t convincing at all.
“You don’t think so.” I got on my knees. “Do you want me to stop?”
Claire was conflicted.
“The door’s locked, and Avery thinks I’m in the pressroom. Most of your staff is on sales calls.” I flicked her clit with my tongue, and Claire’s resolve disappeared. I slid my tongue between her lips, entering her. Claire let out a silent sigh.
It didn’t take long for her to become wet, and I inserted a finger. Then a second and third. Claire was doing her best to stay quiet. Leaving my fingers inside her, I stood to kiss her and keep her from moaning. I increased the intensity of moving my fingers in and out and went as far into her as possible. When she started to quiver, I held her head against my chest with my free arm to muffle the sounds. She bit through my shirt into my shoulder, and I knew it would leave a mark.
“I can’t believe we did that.” She sat on her desk motionless, with her pants still around her ankles.
I smiled. “I probably should get back to my office to prepare for the big visit next week.”
She nodded with this wonderful, naughty schoolgirl grin and pulled up her pants. Before I left I whispered, “You’re beautiful, Claire. Can I take you to dinner tonight?”
Claire softly kissed my cheek. “Yes. You can do whatever you want with me.”
Chapter Twelve
Cora stood at the podium in front of the entire staff. The room was abuzz. This was the first time any CEO of the company had visited the Denver office since Beale Media Corp purchased the paper back in the eighties. Before everything had been done via videoconference. On rare occasions, people, such as Darrell, were ordered to New York for meetings. Being summoned to New York was not a good thing, and most avoided it if at all possible.
“JJ has told me how hard all of you are working to turn this paper around.” Cora leaned on the podium. “I have to be honest. One year ago, I didn’t have high hopes for this branch. We talked about closing the doors and focusing our resources elsewhere. Then JJ, in her bold style, said, ‘Give me a year. I’ll turn it around.’” Cora looked to me as I stood bashfully on the side of the stage. She and I both knew I never asked for this post. “Well, there’s a reason we call her the Miracle Girl.” She winked at me in a way so everyone could see it.
Many people started to clap. I winced when Cora said it, even though I had been mentally preparing for it all day. I locked eyes on Claire. She shook her head before staring at Cora. I chuckled at the intensity of Claire’s gaze. Luckily the lights on the stage shielded Cora from seeing the audience, safeguarding Claire from unwanted attention. Staring at the CEO like she wanted to use Cora’s head as a bowling ball wasn’t the best way of being noticed.
“The war isn’t over,” Cora continued once the clapping subsided. “But the first major battle is a resounding victory.” She flipped on the PowerPoint presentation that Avery and I had slaved over for the past week, showing the increase in Twitter followers, the increase in blog visits, and a slight increase in circulation numbers. The bump in online advertising was the biggest change.
“The biggest increases are due to Avery’s blogger competition.” Cora motioned to Kung Fu Avery and encouraged people to applaud. “And Darrell’s new Daily Dose of Junk News.” Cora gestured to Darrell.
Darrell looked uncomfortable with the recognition, and I enjoyed seeing him squirm in his seat, accepting the approbation with as much decorum as he was willing to show. The Junk News reports went against his moral fiber, yet he wasn’t fool enough to clear the air and say it was my idea. Darrell, like most newspapermen, yearned for attention.
* * *
After Cora’s talk, Bill whisked her into the crowd for the usual meet and greet. Unlike me, Cora loathed this part of these meetings. She was not a people person. While we managed to stay friends after Cora became CEO, most of Cora’s coworkers who were also her friends couldn’t get over the change in Cora. She became no-holds-barred when it came to business. I admired that about her. Others thought their friendship should come first. One friend was floored when Cora let her go right after coming back from maternity leave. The woman’s temp had proven her merit, and Cora didn’t hesitate one bit when making the decision. If she knew why I hadn’t fired Darrell yet, she would have my head on a platter. Personal feelings should never be a factor.
I stepped in to help ease Cora’s burden. “Cora, allow me to introduce you to some of the staff.” Only a handful of eager beavers lunged forward to meet the CEO. The other workers who really didn’t care about working their asses off and getting promotions headed straight for the food, beer, and wine.
When I introduced Claire, Cora smiled genuinely. “Ah, Claire, I’ve heard so much about you—all the changes you’ve implemented.”
“JJ has been such an inspiration and has lit a fire under us.” Claire’s eyes beamed when she turned toward me and then back to my boss.
Cora looked to me, and then back to Claire. I could see her making connections that I wasn’t all that comfortable with.
“JJ does have a way with some people.”
Claire missed her meaning. “Oh, that she does.”
Cora’s lips thinned, and Bill saw a chance to whisk her out of the room. He knew better than most that Cora’s niceness was short-lived and not to push his luck. As he guided Cora by me, he nudged my shoulder with his, which was Bill’s way of saying way to go. I was fairly certain what the nudge meant, but I was hoping both Cora and Bill didn’t see the look in Claire’s eyes and mine for that matter.
&nb
sp; Everyone who had surrounded Cora in hopes of making an impression scurried off to the food tables.
Claire turned to me and whispered, “That’s the mysterious Cora, then.”
“Yep. Meet and greets aren’t really her thing.”
“I gathered. Does she know about us?” Claire leaned in so no one could hear.
I shook my head, unsure of who I was trying to convince: her or me. “I better get upstairs for the ‘real’ meeting.” I made quote marks in the air and shrugged.
The real meeting wasn’t as positive as the show earlier. The numbers confirmed that the battle was much harder than anticipated. After Bill left when we finished our powwow, Cora insisted that I join her for a late dinner. Bill was already on the way to the airport for a San Francisco visit to do some damage control at one of our largest papers, but Cora’s husband and kid were meeting her for a week in Vail the following day. Her husband loved hiking and mountain biking. That was the real reason why she’d come to Colorado. Not to rally the troops, but to have a much-needed holiday.
“So, JJ, how are you liking the West? Is there enough to keep your interest?” Cora’s penetrating green eyes unnerved me. She knew something.
I had a feeling Cora was hinting about my personal life. “I’m liking it just fine.” I motioned to the waiter for another tea. I was battling a sore throat, and all I wanted was to take a hot bath and curl up in bed with Claire, which wasn’t going to happen since Ian was home.
“Is that because of Claire?” Cora sipped her wine and peered at me over the rim of her glass.
I smiled. Cora always had a way of knowing things without being told. “Maybe.” My cold made my voice sound like the jazz singer, Louis Armstrong.
“She’s your best friend from your college days, right? I knew there was a reason you didn’t fight me too much when I wanted to send you here. You put up a fight, but not the rational fight you’re capable of when you really don’t want to do something.”
I didn’t confirm or deny it.
Cora’s smile indicated the jig was up. “Well, is she the reason you’re liking it here?”
“I wasn’t aware that Claire worked for the paper until my first day.”
“I bet that was a shock for you.” Cora tittered. The wine was going to her head, or maybe it was Denver’s thin air that made her more susceptible to getting tipsy. “But you still had an inkling she was in Colorado. Am I right?”
I ignored the comment. I had never told her that I was in love with Claire, and I had no plan to tell her now.
“Come now. You can’t possibly think you can stay here. In this town.” Cora waved dramatically. “Not you. You love excitement. Adventure. Culture. God, what do Coloradoans do for fun? Cow pie tossing contests?”
“I did grow up here,” I said through gritted teeth. “It’s not the middle of nowhere. We even have an art museum that’s one of the largest between Chicago and the West Coast.”
“Yes, I saw that article in your paper this morning. Nice piece. I especially loved that the initials of the Denver Art Museum spell: DAM. As in DAM, how did I end up here?”
I hated it when Cora was in a combative mood about trifling matters that were of no concern to her. I suspected it had more to do with Cora’s job. Rumors were she wouldn’t be CEO much longer and she needed a whipping girl to boost her ego. While the Denver paper was improving somewhat, three others folded in the past six months. It looked like mine would be next.
There was an awkward silence. My tea arrived, and I blew into it immediately to stay busy.
“She has a kid, doesn’t she? Claire, I mean.”
“How many spies do you have?”
“You of all people know the answer to that.” Cora flashed a knowing smile. “Do you think you can play family? Don’t get me wrong.” She set her glass down and looked like the old Cora I loved. “I want to see you settled down and not—well, we don’t need to rehash that. But settle down here? I can count the skyscrapers on one hand.”
She must have sensed my ire that I was desperately trying to tame.
“Don’t get mad. I just want to make sure you’re happy. I still care about you. I always will.”
I nodded.
“You know this move was meant to be a stepping stone, right? Does Claire know that? Yes, you may be here for a couple of years if the paper doesn’t close, but eventually you’ll be back in New York. They’re grooming you for CEO.”
I started to speak.
Cora waved me off. “It’s no secret I’m on my way out. And I’m okay with that. I’m ten years older than you, and to be honest, I’m exhausted. This business sucks the life out of you. But it also gets into your blood. Do you really want to throw away the chance of running the whole shebang and live here in Denver?”
Before I could stop myself I said, “I ran away from Claire once before. It was a horrible mistake that haunts me to this day. I don’t plan on doing it again.”
Cora sat back, with her wineglass pressed against her chest. “So she’s the one, then? The one that broke your heart?”
I bristled.
“You don’t have to answer. I can see it in your face. Before you get in over your head, don’t get too involved until you know you can do it for the long haul. It’s not fair to Claire or to her child.”
Before moving back home, I wouldn’t have considered giving up my ambition to be the top dog of Beale Media Corp. But now, with Claire in the picture, I wasn’t so sure that was what I wanted.
Cora raised her hand to get the waiter’s attention and then ordered two slices of cheesecake and another hot tea with honey for me, since I had sucked down half of my most recent cup.
“You still having issues with your neck?”
I rubbed it. “Sometimes.”
She shook her head. “You work too hard, but I know you won’t stop. Besides, I need you to.” Her sweet smile put me at ease. And then she pounced. “Why haven’t you fired Darrell yet?”
I choked on the remnants of my lukewarm tea. “Why?” I tried playing stupid.
“Why? Because the guy sucks at his job.” She flipped her hand in the air to emphasize the truth. “And I don’t believe for one second that he thought of the Daily Dose of Junk News. I have to admit, though, that was a nice touch sticking him with it to shut him up. I heard you threatened to fire him in front of everyone and, if I remember correctly, that was the plan.” She tapped her manicured fingernails on the table.
“You’re little spy has been busy. Is it Avery?” I finished the tea to make room for the next cup.
Cora pasted on her poker face, and I knew I’d never get the truth out of her.
“I don’t think firing Darrell will help morale much,” I defended, knowing it was a pathetic attempt. Getting rid of Mr. Negativity would greatly help morale.
“Uh-huh. If you have one more run-in with him, you have to fire him. Or that won’t be good for your authority. Come on. I trained you better than this. Colorado is making you soft.”
“Is that an order?” I grimaced.
“Yes. It is.” Cora fixed me with a stare. “Are we clear?”
“Crystal.”
She placed a hand on mine, and I was surprised by its warmth. “You’re doing a great job here, and I’m proud of you. Just don’t go soft on me. People are saying good things about you back home. Don’t blow it.”
Chapter Thirteen
The last Sunday in May was beautiful at eighty degrees and not a cloud in sight. My parents invited me over for a barbeque, and I brought Claire and Ian.
I think my parents always suspected my feelings for Claire in the past, but they never asked. It was like all of us went to great lengths to avoid the subject. The subject was too painful for me, and they probably understood. Whenever they’d filled me in about people I knew, they never mentioned Claire. Pops hadn’t even told me she worked at the paper.
“It’s good to have a child running around in t
he yard again, isn’t it dear?” My mother turned to my father, smiling wistfully.
Pops nodded enthusiastically. “Maybe Claire will let him come over, and we can pretend he’s our grandchild.” My father nudged my arm, letting me know he was giving me a hard time.
Claire and I hadn’t told anyone that we were a couple, but I was happy to hear that they liked having Ian around. I planned on having him over a lot in the future. A child couldn’t have enough grandparents in my opinion.
“It’s not too late for JJ to have a child,” said Claire.
“You’ve got to be kidding. I’m forty-four.”
“Forty-five, dear,” corrected my mother. The barbeque was part of my birthday celebrations. I had already warned Ian and Claire that there wouldn’t be a cake since my family always went to the local diner for pie after most meals. Ian was taken with the idea.
“Good point, Mom. I’m forty-five.”
Claire looked at me with an expression I couldn’t decipher. “I’ve always wanted to adopt a child,” said Claire as she watched her son buzz around the yard chasing a soccer ball that he kicked wildly about in some type of game only he understood. “You could adopt.”
“You’ve always wanted to adopt a child?” I couldn’t hide the shock in my tone or keep it off my face.
“Jesus, JJ, you could have tried to disguise your surprise,” said Claire as she bit into her hot dog, smearing ketchup and mustard on her chin. After chewing she added, “I thought you were a crack newspaper woman.” I handed her a napkin and motioned to her chin.
My father chuckled. “Newspapers are in her blood, and trust me when I say JJ can keep a secret.”
Claire’s eyebrows shot up.
“I can see by your expression, Claire, that I’m right. Must be a good one.” He looked to me. “Will the story break soon?” He sipped his Coke.
Relief flooded through me. He thought I had breaking news.
I smiled and took a much larger bite than I intended out of my burger.
But my mom wasn’t ready to ignore the thread Claire introduced. “Would you ever adopt a child, JJ?”
The Miracle Girl Page 13