by Francis Ray
Randolph loved her. He’d told her that numerous time. Once she talks to him everything will be all right. Perhaps he’ll even ask her to marry him now and she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a new job at all. She’d be too busy planning her wedding.
“Peterson.”
Hearing Randolph’s voice Brooke felt tears sting her eyes and blinked them away. Randolph didn’t like emotional women. “Randolph, thank goodness. I’ve been trying to reach you since yesterday.”
“I had a lot of work to do and I had the machine on. I was trying to finish this morning, but the phone kept disturbing me,” he grumbled.
Brooke tried to remember how Randolph hated being interrupted. “I’m sorry, but something terrible had happened.”
“You’re dumping me?”
Brooke blinked. “No, honey, you know I love you…it’s something else. Yesterday I was laid off.”
“What! What did you do?”
She was almost as shocked by his second question as she was by his first. “I didn’t do anything! It was my supervisor, Opal Seevers, she’s always had it in for me and because Middleton is going through restructuring, she probably put my name at the top of the list to go. The hag.”
“Restructuring doesn’t work that way, Brooke. Upper management has some say so in the leveling process, but consultants usually have the final say on the positions that are expendable.”
Her hand tunneled though her hair in rising irritation. Randolph could be so…so analytical and logical at times. “Randolph, we’re talking about my job. They only gave me two weeks severance pay.”
“You’ll find another position. You’re smart, savvy, and gorgeous. I can think of several companies that would snap you up.”
She perked up. “Which ones? Can you call them?”
“You don’t need me to do that, dear. One of the reasons I’m so crazy about you is your resourcefulness. You’ll find another job and be back in management before I get home. Now, I have to run. These reports are due Monday morning and I want to make sure they’re on time and correct. The bank president and the board will be there. I need to make a good impression.”
“But Randolph—”
“You’ll do fine. I really must get back to those reports. I’ll call later. Bye.”
“But ...” Her voice trailed off as she realized he’d hung up on her. How could he have done that to her? Cell phone in her hand, she swallows the growing knot in her throat. She’d thought he’d be sympathetic, offer encouragement. He’d done none of those things. She tried to hang on to his promise that’s he call later. Laying down in bed, she snapped out the light, put her arm over her eyes and wished she could call her mother.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Hearfelt Thanks and Gratitude
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue