Dave thanked the man and opened his menu.
Sherry was bursting inside. She was too excited to eat. “You were right, the view is incredible.” As the restaurant slowly turned, she took in every ounce of ambiance.
“Miss Sherry Henderson, tell me something I don’t know about you.”
She should have been nervous and there was some of that, but mostly Sherry was free. For the first night in her life, she was enjoying the finer perks without having to worry about what bill would be sacrificed next week to cover the splurge. “Thank you for inviting me to dinner. You have no idea how special this is for me.”
“I should be thanking you. Eating alone isn’t fun. I’m glad you’re here,” he said, lightly brushing the backside of her hand.
“I am too.”
Chapter 41
The next morning, Sherry felt like a princess, living out a dream. A year ago, she didn’t dare waste brain cells fantasizing about sitting in the Summit. Her path had taken a huge turn for the better, and she was pleased.
“What did you think about the restaurant?” Dave asked, headed to his office.
Her words were tripping over one another as she sputtered a response. “It was wonderful. I never knew Detroit and Windsor were so beautiful.”
“Funny, when you see just about any city from the top of a skyscraper, it’s incredible. That’s why I love the place,” he said and eased away.
Sherry was making it her new favorite restaurant too; although, she might not ever be able to eat there again if she waited for Edward. The reality of their finances tried to swoop in and erase her memory of an enjoyable evening. Sherry started typing, intending to push away the brewing unpleasantness. At about eleven o’clock, she looked up to see Edward walking toward her desk. She froze. He hustled briskly to her desk. She scanned the area to see who might be watching.
“Edward, what are you doing here?” she said, standing and whispering while rapidly scanning the area again.
“I have great news,” he said, extremely happy.
She wasn’t happy having him pop up at her place of employment. He was jeopardizing her job and that wasn’t acceptable. She had to let him know. “Edward, you can’t just show up here. I’m working here, don’t you understand that? We can’t afford for me to lose the one job we have between us,” she spoke harshly. She didn’t mean to hurt his feelings, but he had to know.
“That’s why I’m here. I got a job,” he said so loudly that Dave opened his door.
Sherry wanted to die from the embarrassment. She prayed Dave wouldn’t fire her.
“Is everything okay?” Dave said, coming toward her and Edward.
Sherry’s pulse raced to the point of throbbing. She was totally unnerved. “We’re fine, Mr. Mitchell. I mean, Dave.” She was so confused that there was no telling what words were going to come out of her mouth. “Edward was telling me some news.”
“Oh, so this is Edward,” Dave said, extending his hand.
The men shook hands as Sherry watched. The awkwardness didn’t vanish, actually it intensified. She wanted to hide, but there wasn’t an obvious spot. “I’m Dave Mitchell.”
“He’s my boss,” she stammered.
Edward said hello, and thanked Dave for giving Sherry the job. “Nice meeting you, Mr. Mitchell, and I also want to thank you for helping my fiancée when her car broke down last week.”
“It was my pleasure, and please call me Dave.” Edward gave a single nod to Dave as they shook hands.
“Edward, I have to get back to work. I’ll see you later,” Sherry said.
“This can’t wait, we need to talk. Can you go to lunch with me?”
Sherry typically went to the cafeteria between eleven-thirty and twelve. It was almost that time. She didn’t need Dave’s permission, but for some reason, having him standing there seemed as if she did. What a mess, she thought. Sherry didn’t really want to go to lunch with Edward, but she didn’t want him to get upset, either.
“Is there anything you need me to do before lunch?” she asked Dave, hoping he could rescue her with a simple yes.
“Excuse me, Dave, this is important. Please let her off so she can come to lunch with me.”
“Not a problem. I don’t need anything before lunch from you, not at all. Go, have a good lunch.”
“Thanks,” she said, mustering up a fake smile.
Dave extended courtesies, said good-bye, shook Edward’s hand again, and left the area.
Sherry couldn’t decide if she wanted to be mad or join Edward in his excitement. She’d wait to see what was so important that they had to talk right now.
As soon as Dave was gone, Edward’s energy soared again. He twirled her in the air.
“Put me down. I’m at work for goodness’ sake.” Forget about being happy. Unknowingly he was rapidly shoving her toward getting mad. Edward took her hand and tugged slightly, indicating he was ready to go. “Wait a second, let me grab my purse.” She got it and held her tongue until they were in the lobby, safely removed from her boss’s presence. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere nice.”
“Really.” She stopped and stared at him. “With what?” The thick air rushed against her face as they exited the building.
He scooped her up again. She didn’t bother resisting. There was no point.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I got a job today, a good job.”
“With another temp agency?” She couldn’t believe Edward had taken two or three buses to her building, blowing money he didn’t have and trying to impress her with lunch at a local dive. Her decision was made. He had officially made her mad. “And you couldn’t wait for me to get off work and tell me? What’s the big deal, Edward?”
“This couldn’t wait. This is a real job. A company in Texas has offered to put me in their supervisor’s training program, starting at thirty-two thousand a year, car allowance, full benefits, and an annual cost of living bonus.”
Sherry was shocked. “I didn’t realize you’d applied for jobs out of state.”
“I didn’t, but apparently they must have gotten my information from one of the applications filled out at the unemployment office. I guess they send your information everywhere. Look, I don’t care how they found me. The bottom line is that they did. This is our ticket out, Sherry. Our luck is finally changing. Now, I can take care of you like I’m supposed to. Can you believe this? I can’t.” Edward was so hyped that he kept talking, not allowing Sherry to get many words in. That was fine with her. She was speechless anyway. “We can get back on track. We can use the bonus for our wedding. After we get settled in an apartment for a while, we can buy a little house, maybe have a few babies,” he said, taunting her as they walked.
She pretended to be happy but the news was overwhelming. She’d grown accustomed to him being depressed and struggling. She didn’t recognize the man standing next to her. He was filled with too much bliss. “Sounds like a great opportunity, Edward. Are you taking it?”
“Are you kidding me? Of course I am. As a matter of fact, I already told them yes.”
“Without talking to me first?”
“I know, but, Sherry, I had to take this job. We need this. You’ve been carrying our load for almost a year. It’s time for you to get back in school and let me handle the finances. The only hesitation I had was the move to Texas, but I figure it will be a brand new start for us, a clean slate. What do you think?”
Sherry was still pretty quiet, trying to process how quickly her world was changing. One fact was certain. She had no desire to move to Texas. She had established her life in Detroit and was developing a career at DMI. She couldn’t leave, not now, not when Dave needed her most.
Chapter 42
Dave had checked Sherry’s desk several times. She hadn’t returned from lunch by the time he’d left for a one o’clock meeting with Frank. Normally, she’d be at her desk by twelve-thirty. His gut feeling was that he might have overplayed his plan. He pushed
the elevator, pondering, distracted. The primary objective for contacting Joe was to get Edward a job as far away from DMI as possible. Maybe he’d underestimated Sherry’s desire to get out of the relationship. He pushed the elevator button again, waiting. But, his sensors kept saying that Sherry no longer wanted to be engaged. He got the impression that she lacked an exit strategy. She had never told him that directly, but it’s how he felt. Maybe he hadn’t given sufficient consideration to the outside chance that Sherry could leave DMI, resulting in a disaster. He took a sigh and went to the stairwell. When it came to business decisions, he was rarely wrong. He hoped this wasn’t one of those rare instances. The loss would be significant, and there was no backup plan.
Frank was in his office when Dave arrived.
“Come on in and have a seat. Let me finish jotting a few notes here,” Dave heard, and didn’t hear. The debacle with Sherry and Edward consumed him.
“Did you hear me?” Frank said.
Dave was sucked back into the room. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if you want to be involved with that severance case. It’s petty and won’t take too much effort to squash.”
“Can you handle it without me?”
“You know I can. Consider it done.” Dave stroked his hand across his forehead, causing Frank to say, “You all right? You seem troubled or something.” “It’s nothing, just tired.”
“Everything okay at home with Madeline and the kids?”
Dave wasn’t in the habit of lying and wasn’t going to start now. “Maybe, maybe not, depending on whom you ask.”
“I’m asking you.”
“We’re going through a tough period, Madeline and me. She won’t let go of this notion of wanting me home every night before the kids go to bed.”
“What, you have troubles in paradise? Say it isn’t so, not the anointed Dave Mitchell, the one who God assigns angels to hang out with daily. You’re the one who walks into court expecting to win and always does.”
“You’re laying it on pretty thick, aren’t you?”
“Not really. There’s no doubt that you’re a winner. What you touch turns to gold, always has. Remember when we were kids? You fell out of a three-story tree and didn’t have a single broken bone. Mom and Pop checked you over for two solid hours, refusing to believe that you weren’t hurt. Do you remember that?” Frank asked. Dave grinned a little. “I fell out of the same tree a month later and broke both legs and my arm.” Frank extended his arms and limped around the room like Frankenstein.
“You’re crazy,” Dave said, letting his disposition lighten.
“I might be, but you’re the one looking pitiful. I’m not used to seeing you like this. So, I have to take note when I do.” Dave waved him off. “Seriously, you and Madeline have something special. Hang on to her, man.”
“I plan to.”
“You’re not going to do better than her. Don’t get me wrong. I love my wife, but she doesn’t have the tenacity that Madeline has. If you had to step out of DMI for a minute, I think Madeline could run the company without help from anybody. She’s a tough woman. Partners like her don’t show up every day. Like I said, you’re blessed, or anointed, or awfully darn lucky. I don’t know which, but I could use some of what you have.”
Normally Dave agreed that peace was abundantly flowing in his life, regardless of what challenges were in progress. The key had consistently been prayer and faith that his Father would work out situations. Oddly, he didn’t feel right asking God to remove the stumbling block between Sherry and Edward. Selfishly, he welcomed the divide, hoping it was wide enough to send Edward to Texas and keep Sherry at her desk in DMI. “Don’t pay any attention to me. I’m feeling sorry for myself because my family is out of town. I miss them, that’s all.” That wasn’t all, but it was what Frank needed to hear. Sharing more would be dangerous.
“Since you’re single tonight, why don’t you come home with me for dinner? The wife would be glad to see you. It might take your mind off your problems.”
“Thanks but I’m going to pass. I’m not going to be very good company tonight.” His mind continued wandering back and forth between the void Sherry would create if she left and what he could do to keep her. Seeking God’s wisdom never crossed his mind. His spirit didn’t dare. When he was in the will of God, peace and that unexplainable sense of confidence saturated him to the point where he literally felt invincible. Dave didn’t have that feeling as he reflected on sending Sherry’s fiancé to Texas and trying to keep her on board at DMI.
“You look like a little lost puppy dog with your family gone. You might as well come to dinner. What else are you going to do but keep looking pitiful or somehow manage to get yourself in trouble?”
“There’s no concern there. If all else fails, my relationship with God is solid and my spirit is strong.”
“So you say, but what I know is that no matter how religious you are, you’re still a man living on earth. As they say, the spirit might be strong, but the flesh is weak.” Dave discounted Frank’s appeal. “Be careful, that’s all I’m saying. Madeline and the kids will be home soon, and you’ll iron out your differences,” Frank said, patting Dave on the back.
Perhaps Frank was correct, but Dave couldn’t think that far ahead. He had to deal with a more immediate issue and left his brother’s office anxiously.
Chapter 43
Dave didn’t wait for the elevator. He hustled up two flights of stairs, stopping to gain composure before stepping into the open area. He hadn’t lost his awareness of being CEO. Exhibiting leadership and strength weren’t going to be compromised, even in his mild state of confusion about what was going to happen with his secretary. He intentionally slowed his pace approaching his office. Once he saw Sherry at her desk, it was easier to take controlled steps. His anxiety withered.
“How was your lunch?” he asked.
“It was okay,” she responded, lacking enthusiasm. For a woman who’d just received great news about the betterment of her fiancé, Sherry didn’t appear thrilled. Dave didn’t want to presumptuously read any more into her reaction than was there. He’d have to wait and see.
The afternoon passed as Dave feverishly fine-tuned the presentation for Tri-State and a proposal for the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Churches, an account Madeline had begun courting before stepping down. Dave set the pen down and let the moment bring satisfaction. The vision God had given him was coming to fruition as he sat in his seat. Spreading wisdom across the land was happening in the Midwest, South, on the East Coast, and soon the West Coast. There was no stopping the move of God. He lifted the pen and began writing again, although frequent glances in the direction of his door created a distraction not easily suppressed. Around four o’clock, Dave couldn’t take the suspense anymore. He went to Sherry’s desk, grabbing a couple of folders en route.
“Sherry, do you have a minute?”
She lifted her gaze slowly and said, “Yes, of course.”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I am,” she said, offering no more.
Dave was fully aware of the reason for her somberness. She couldn’t ever know he had a role in getting Edward the job. He set the folder in the center of her desk. “Can you copy this for me today?”
Her eyelids widened. “Sure, the documents on top?”
“The entire folder, everything in both?” The stack was guaranteed to take at least two hours. That was the best time to talk, when most of the staff was gone. The phone would stop ringing, and interruptions were few. He’d wait for the right moment to find out what was going on with Sherry. He had to know.
Her eyelids widened again as she thumbed through the top folder. “But I’ve copied most of this one in the past for legal.”
“A backup won’t hurt, but if you’re too busy,” he said, reaching for the folders, “don’t worry about it. I’ll have you do it tomorrow.”
She reached for the folders, grazing his hand. Both she and Dave pulled away i
nstantly and said no more. Her phone rang. “Excuse me, Dave, let me get the phone.”
“Sure,” he said and went to his office. On the way, he heard Sherry’s muffled voice and knew it was Edward. Dave took tiny steps, acting as if he wasn’t listening.
“I’m happy for you, honestly I am, but I’m not going to jeopardize my job. I told you that already.” She rattled off a series of no, no, no, and then said, “Fine, I’ll get off as soon as I can.” She said good-bye and gently set the phone on its base.
Dave turned toward Sherry’s desk, pretending to have forgotten to tell her something. “Sherry, one more request, can you make two copies of both the Eastern Lutheran Group and the Georgia Evangelical contracts. You might as well throw in the COGIC too.” It was one of their thickest files in the office. “I’ll give Frank an extra copy of each for his records. With the multitude of lawsuits that we’ve handled, an extra copy comes in handy.” Those contracts had settled months ago. Dave knew they didn’t need the bogus copies, but he had to get Sherry to stick around long enough to get a gauge on her commitment to staying. Dave had dug a hole for Edward without realizing he too would be wading through the aftermath. Sherry appeared puzzled. Dave read her unrest and didn’t feel right letting her stew in awkwardness. “If you can’t stay late, I understand. We can do this tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Dave. I really appreciate you letting me off. I just made plans with Edward and wouldn’t feel right cancelling on him. He’s very pleased with his new job and wants us to celebrate. This is a big day for him.”
From Dave’s perspective, Sherry didn’t exude a celebratory mood. Edward’s glee didn’t automatically equate to a moment of joy for her, as Dave had hoped.
Chapter 44
Sherry didn’t want to go to Edward’s. There was no choice. She knocked on the door and braced for his reaction, not sure what to expect or what she wanted to happen. Sometimes she’d have to wait for him to open the door. Not tonight. He flung it open and beckoned for her to enter. Her gaze honed in on the suitcase sitting on his sofa bed. “You’re packing already?”
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