"You'd better come into my office for a moment." Natasha gestured her through the door.
This might be nothing. She shouldn't start worrying yet. But even as she told herself to stay calm, her heart thudded in her chest.
Rachel followed Natasha into the small room and she shut the door behind her. The older woman turned, a sympathetic smile on her face. "I was told to remove you from the schedule. I'm sorry, love."
"For today?"
"For the foreseeable future."
Rachel swallowed around the tight lump in her throat. Were they firing her? What for? Surely they wouldn't be mean enough to penalize her for taking two days off after her house was nearly crushed. "Do you mind if I use your computer to check my e-mail? I need to find out what's going on."
"Of course, love. You sit here." Natasha patted the back of the chair, then moved away from her desk to make room. Rachel opened her e-mail account and located the message from Personnel. It had arrived four days ago, on the day of the storm. The day before she was absent. Frowning, she opened the document and read what it said.
Captain Gregory Barrett had accused her of harassing him at work and she was required to attend a disciplinary meeting at nine that morning. Rachel pressed a hand to her throat, nausea burning inside.
After she left Greg, he started making complaints about her—false complaints. But he always managed to come up with a witness who'd say exactly what he wanted them to say. He was such a manipulator.
Why couldn't other people see through the surface charm to the conniving bastard he was underneath? He wasn't the one being victimized here. She was!
Her hand shook as she clicked the mouse to shut down the page. She already had two warnings on her record over Greg. This time they would fire her for sure. She considered walking away now, forgoing the unpleasant interview. Why go through the ordeal when she would lose her job anyway? But she could not leave without trying to defend herself.
"Trouble with your ex again?" Natasha was one of the few people who didn't think the sun shone out of Greg's backside. Her daughter had married a man who behaved just like him.
Rachel nodded, her thoughts too scattered to answer. She had to pull herself together before this interview. She pressed a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. Just when she thought the problems were being handled, something else hit her.
Now she had to find another job or she couldn't afford her mortgage. Why did this have to happen when everyone was winding down for the holidays? The chance of getting another job before Christmas was slim.
"You'd best make your way over to Personnel if you need to be there by nine." Natasha patted Rachel's arm. "Good luck, love."
Still reeling, she gathered her handbag and coat and threaded her way through the crush of vacationers and businesspeople trailing luggage behind them. The airline's main office was about fifteen minutes' drive away. She climbed in her car and concentrated extra hard as she drove the few miles in heavy traffic. A traffic accident would be the final straw and it seemed fate had it in for her. She arrived just in time, parked outside the square gray building, and headed in through the glass doors.
She reported to Reception and sat nervously perched on the edge of the leather sofa in the waiting area. At nine thirty, she was called into a conference room where a man and a woman sat on the other side of the huge light wood table. She'd gone through this twice before and knew the routine.
"Good morning, Miss Carne. Please take a seat." The manager in charge of ground staff spoke first. The woman at his side was unfamiliar, probably from Personnel.
Rachel sat facing them, her chest so tight she could hardly draw breath. Cold sweat broke out under her arms. She clenched her hands together in her lap to stop their shaking.
"As was stated in the letter inviting you to this disciplinary meeting, we've had a further complaint from Captain Barrett about your behavior. He claims you've been harassing him, repeatedly calling him about personal matters while he's at work." The man whose name Rachel had forgotten leafed through some papers in front of him and frowned. "This has been an ongoing issue, hasn't it?"
"I've never harassed him." Rachel swallowed and steeled herself. "He's making it up."
Her two inquisitors stared at her in stark disbelief, then looked back at their notes. "You've already received two warnings for similar offenses," the woman said.
"In error," Rachel replied firmly. "All I've done is contact Captain Barrett to discuss his visitation rights to our son, Toby."
"You shouldn't be doing that on company time," the man said. He reeled off her mobile phone number. "Can you confirm this is your number?"
"Yes."
"Captain Barrett has a log going back six weeks listing all the calls from that number to his own mobile phone. On some days you called him in excess of twenty times."
"Yes, because he kept hanging up on me. He's supposed to have Toby every fourth weekend but he never shows up. What the hell am I supposed to do, contact him telepathically?"
Rachel's face grew hot with anger. She'd had enough of the way they closed ranks around their precious pilots. Greg Barrett was a jerk. She couldn't believe he'd really gone to the trouble of listing every call she made to him for six weeks. He'd probably hung up on her on purpose to ramp up the number. How sad was that?
She had been so careful, avoided Greg at work, yet he went out of his way to make life difficult for her. He'd turned as many people as he could against her, telling them his sob story about how she left him and took his son away from him. The truth was he couldn't care less about her or Toby. He simply didn't like the fact she was the one who had walked out on him.
Personnel was supposed to deal impartially with all staff, not side with Greg. Something inside her snapped and she jumped to her feet. "I've had enough of being intimidated by Captain Barrett and your unfair system. I will be filing a claim for unfair dismissal."
She expected that to shake them up. It didn't. They stared at her blankly as if they couldn't care less.
To hell with them and Greg. Rachel grabbed her handbag and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She would find another job, one where she was treated fairly.
Chapter Five
At the sound of an engine, Ian rolled his office chair back to see out the window. Rachel's small red car pulled up outside. She stepped out of the vehicle, one slender nylon-clad leg after the other like an actress in a car advertisement.
He blew out a breath, heat streaking along his nerves. He'd never fantasized about women in uniform, but the tight pencil skirt and fitted blue jacket hugged every one of her sexy curves, filling his head with thoughts he'd been trying to ignore all morning. When she came into the kitchen at breakfast time, he'd nearly choked on his toast. Even the cute little pillbox hat perched on top of her head turned him on.
He watched her sashay towards the back door, taking small steps in her high-heeled shoes, until she was out of sight. Only then, when his brain started processing again, did it occur to him she shouldn't be home yet. Hadn't she mentioned her shift lasted eight hours? She'd only been gone three hours, max.
Concern wiped away his lustful thoughts as he wondered why she was back early. He tried to continue typing the estimate he was preparing for a local farmer, but he couldn't concentrate until he knew Rachel was all right.
Toby sat on a mat on the floor along with Paula's son, Ryan, Lego bricks scattered around them. Ian crouched at Toby's side and ran a hand over the boy's silky dark hair. "That looks interesting. What're you making?"
Toby held up something made of green bricks. "A dragon, silly. Can't you tell?"
"Oh, yes. I see it better now. Very good, Toby." Ian glanced at Paula, where she sat at another desk, doing accounts. "All right if I run out for a moment," he mouthed softly.
She nodded.
"I'll be back soon, Toby. You stay here with Ryan and Paula for a few minutes. All right?"
The boy nodded absently, his gaze glued to the
creation in his hands.
Ian strode out of the office, around the corner, and in through his back door. Rachel sat at the kitchen table, her handbag slung on a chair, a newspaper spread out in front of her. She held Toby's red crayon and had circled a couple of job advertisements.
She glanced up as he entered. Her skin was pale, bright pink patches on her cheeks, her eyes almost glassy. Ian's initial sense of unease grew.
"You're home early. What's wrong, love?"
"I lost my job."
"Oh, Rach, I'm sorry." Ian cursed silently and rested a comforting arm over her shoulders. After all she'd been through, she could do without more hassle. He had no patience with big companies that treated their employees like dirt. Didn't they realize their staff was their most important resource? Jeff Carne had taught him early on that if you treated your employees well, they were loyal and worked hard for you. "Don't tell me the airline fired you because you took the last couple of days off?"
"No. Greg Barrett's to blame."
At Ian's blank look, she elaborated. "He's Toby's father."
Ian's protective instincts flared. He shouldn't interfere. Her personal life was none of his business, and he had enough hassle to deal with in his own private life. But he wanted to know exactly what was going on with Rachel.
"How did he manage to lose you your job?"
"The lying, cheating, unscrupulous jerk keeps complaining I'm harassing him."
An unexpected laugh burst from Ian. A grown man complaining about something like that was ridiculous. The guy was obviously a wimp. Unfortunately, he seemed to be a wimp who got his way.
Ian moved to the range, filled the kettle, and put it on the heat. "So, what are you supposed to have done?"
Rachel closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples. "I just want him to be a father to Toby. He told me he'd see him every four weeks but he never turns up. I know Greg's playing games to upset me. He's so charming to everyone else, making them think I'm the evil witch who won't let him see his son. Greg Barrett is a selfish user. I don't know what I ever saw in him."
A muddle of conflicting emotions raged through Ian. On one hand, he hated the way Greg Barrett was letting Toby down. He couldn't understand the mentality of a man who didn't want to see his own child. He'd love to see Ella every four weeks rather than once in a blue moon. But a small part of Ian was pleased Rachel hated her ex—a selfish part of him he wasn't especially proud of.
He swallowed hard as Rachel turned her stunning blue eyes on him. She was so beautiful, a woman any man would want, a woman who had once told him she loved him. If there were any way he could earn a second chance, Ian would grab it with both hands.
Crushing down the urge to pull Rachel into his arms and make sure she forgot Greg for good, Ian poured the tea and set a mug in front of her before he sat down at her side.
He would have to earn her trust, earn his second chance. She was unlikely to fall into his arms after all these years, especially when they had parted on such a sour note. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Rachel flapped an impatient hand. "Not unless you can find me a new job."
"Yep. No problem. You can assist Paula in the office. I've been planning to take on another person."
Rachel turned wide, incredulous eyes on him. "Really?"
"Yes. I'm serious. If you can answer the phone and take inquiries, use a spreadsheet and a word processor, and put up with the muddle I make, you'll fit in fine."
"You're not just creating a job for me, are you?"
He would have done exactly that if that had been the only way to help her, but he really did need another person in the office.
"Ask Paula. She's been complaining for months she has too much to do."
"I don't know how to thank you, Ian." She rested a hand on his arm, leaned close, and kissed his cheek.
Ian's eyelids fell at the warm brush of her lips against his skin. He'd been too noble for his own good when he was younger, warning her off because he thought he was too old for her.
He lifted her hand off the table and held it between his own. "Tell me about Greg Barrett."
"He's a pilot. We met because Dad played golf with his father. We were together for five years."
"Did he treat you well?" Ian suspected the answer was no. Already anger was building inside him.
"Things were okay at first, but as soon as I moved in with him he started behaving differently. He made me quit art college. He said he didn't like the people there. Then he stopped me from seeing my friends. He even wanted me to give up work. That's when I walked out."
For Greg Barrett's sake, Ian hoped he never met the controlling jerk.
"I admire you for standing up for yourself." Ian rubbed Rachel's hand gently.
What Rachel said was sickeningly familiar. Ian's problems with seeing his daughter were all because Jane's new husband was so possessive and jealous that he didn't want Ian in her life.
"You won't mention anything about this to Dad, will you?" Rachel said. "I don't want him to worry. You know about his heart attack, don't you?"
"I won't tell your dad." Jeff would certainly be upset. This Greg character sounded like a professional with prospects, exactly the sort of man Jeff had wanted Rachel to hook up with. One of the reasons Ian had turned Rachel down and hurt her feelings was because he respected Jeff too much to go against what his boss wanted.
He'd tried to do the right thing and it hadn't worked out for either of them. What was that proverb? The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
He would have to make it up to her.
***
Rachel hit print and then gathered up the five pages of the construction estimate she had typed and laid them on the desk. She read through to check for errors, smiling as Toby held a toy plane aloft and scooted around the office, making airplane noises in his throat.
She had only been working for Harper Construction for a week, but already she felt she knew the ropes and had settled in. Paula was a lovely person, so easy to get along with, and Ian was kind and patient when she made mistakes.
Paula had Friday afternoon off to take her son to the dentist and to buy Christmas presents, so Rachel was in charge of the office. The phone rang and she answered, taking down details of a possible job so Ian could call the people back to arrange a site visit.
As she placed the estimate she'd typed on Ian's desk for his signature, the office door opened and he came in. He wiped his dirty boots on the heavy-duty mat inside the door and unbuttoned his coat.
"Chilly out there today." He pulled off his wool hat and stuffed it in his coat pocket. "I wouldn't be surprised if we don't get some snow soon."
Rachel had always moaned about snow in the past; it played havoc with the flight schedule and the airline staff didn't know if they were coming or going. But now she didn't have to drive anywhere to get to work, and Toby was out of school for the holiday, so a few inches of snow to build a snowman would be fun.
Ian placed a bag on the desk in front of her with a smile. "An early Christmas present for you."
"For me?" It was a bag from a stationery shop. Rachel put a hand inside, expecting it to be something she needed to use in the office. She pulled out a large hardback book covered in photos of horses and a packet of drawing pens. She flipped open the cover and realized it was a sketch pad.
"Like it?"
"Oh, Ian. It's lovely. Thank you." Rachel pressed a hand over her heart as it swooped and fluttered. All she seemed to do these days was thank him. She'd have suspected he had feelings for her if he hadn't already made it clear he wasn't interested. His kindness was only because she was Jeff's daughter. Ian had always idolized her dad.
Toby skipped over and ran his hand across the shiny cover. "It's got horses on it, Mummy."
Ian pulled another bag from behind his back and handed it to Toby. "I thought our budding artist would like one as well."
Toby squealed with excitement as he upended the bag over the desk.
A sketch pad with cartoon characters on the cover fell out, along with a pack of coloring pens. He hugged his presents to his chest and leaned against Ian's legs, suddenly coy.
Ian stroked a hand over Toby's head. "You like it, pal?"
Toby nodded. "I wish you were my daddy."
An awkward silence filled the room. Oblivious to the bombshell he'd dropped, Toby ran to the play mat in front of the desk and sat down to open his new pack of colored pens.
Rachel gave an embarrassed laugh, wondering if Ian were also remembering the time she'd thrown herself at him. If he hadn't been such a gentleman back then, Toby might have been his son.
"That's a wonderful compliment," Ian said softly, his wistful gaze on Toby. He glanced at Rachel. Obviously noticing her discomfort, he changed the subject. "I think we can pack up here for the day. Let's take a walk and cut ourselves a Christmas tree."
Toby jumped up with a whoop. They locked the office, went next door to the house, and all dressed up in warm coats, hats, and scarves.
Toby skipped ahead, singing Christmas songs at the top of his voice as they crossed the yard. Ian stopped at a shed to collect a bag, some rope, and a saw. He led them to a five-bar gate in the fence and pointed across a grassy field full of sheep. "We're heading to that bunch of trees in the corner over there."
Toby ran on with Max loping along at his side. The dog paused when he got ahead to wait for the boy, as if he were watching out for him.
Ian fastened the gate behind them, then held out his elbow for Rachel to slip her hand through. She did, hugging up to his side with a smile, remembering walks they'd taken years ago with her parents, when she was a teen with a huge crush on him. He'd seemed so much older than her then, so grown-up and sensible while she had still been a kid. No wonder he'd given her the brush-off.
He'd told her she was too young for him, that it wasn't right for him to date her when he worked for her father. At the time she'd thought he was just making excuses, but those reasons made far more sense now she was older.
A Christmas Family Wish Page 4