Wanted: Girl I Once Met

by Sonja Gunter

  Mark shifted his stance, placed his hands on the sink, and dropped his head. His body was still heated over Rane’s little stunt. He hadn’t been able to hide his erection from her.

  Man, I’m losing it!

  This was a working office. He needed to keep his and Rane’s private dealings private. But then again, her lips had been so soft, so ready to yield to his.

  Shit, this was insane. Who would’ve guessed, the guy who kept all his relationships cool and low key, had allowed a woman to get to him?

  The question was why was she affecting him in this manner? He couldn’t allow Rane to get too close to him. His date with the artist of the picture was approaching. He’d made sure over the years not to let any woman capture his heart.

  Mark pounded his hands on the rim of the sink. The damn picture again. Rane was real. Philip was right. He needed to throw the thing away.

  As the last signs of his heated desire faded, he was able to focus on what he needed to do. First thing, he’d have Mrs. Weber put out a memo about walking into an office when the door was closed. Thankfully he hadn’t been kissing Rane when Richard had barged in. It would’ve been very embarrassing for all of them.

  Splashing cold water on his face had its desired effect. It quickly cooled any leftover sexual desires. He exited the bathroom and headed to his desk in a better frame of mind than before. Without thinking, he took the twenty-year-old picture and shoved it into a desk drawer. He wasn’t quite ready to trash it, but out of sight was better now that Rane was a part of his life.

  “Mrs. Weber, will you please come in here?” he called out.

  “Yes, Mr. Christmenn?” She asked as she came in and sat down with her pad of paper and pen in hand.

  “Please take down this memo and have it distributed immediately.” He paused for a moment: “To all employees, this is a reminder that proper office etiquette is needed to be practiced at all times. It has come to my attention that boardroom doors, conference room doors, and office doors are being opened without a proper announcement. When a door is closed, it is proper etiquette to knock before entering. Please practice this in the future.” Mark cleared his throat and added.

  “Do you have any questions?”

  “No, Mr. Christmenn. I’ll have this ready within the hour. Do you want this e-mailed or a paper memo?”

  “Both.”

  “Is there anything else?” she asked suspiciously.

  He’d called her early this morning and had instructed her to pick up a necklace and a single red rose. She hadn’t asked or questioned him as usual, she just did what he requested. Sooner or later, he’d confide in her.

  “Yes, I’ll need you to come back in an hour to handle some reservations for this weekend.” Not looking at her, he got up to pour himself another cup of coffee. “That will be all,” he said, dismissing her.

  Mark half expected her to lecture him but she didn’t, she simply left. Puzzled a little since it wasn’t like her not to voice her opinion, he wondered why she hadn’t taken advantage of the opportunity.

  He concentrated on making plans for the weekend. Dinner and a play?

  No, he didn’t want to go to a play. Too public and it would be torture sitting next to her for so long without being able to touch her. Then he recalled Rane saying she’d wanted dessert first which was something that was sounding better and better by the minute.

  Maybe a cozy dinner for two at his house. They could spend as much time as they wanted in bed and then have dinner brought up to them. He’d have to call Chef Motzer to prepare dinner for two.

  He could picture it now. They’d start with oysters, as the ultimate mood setter, and then some blackened tuna steaks with fresh greens. It would be light not heavy. Perfect for the special dessert.

  The phone was in his hand when a compelling plan hit him like a slap in the face. He’d spirit her away for the weekend down to his villa on Marco Island, Florida.

  Why hadn’t he thought of it before?

  Yea, that’s what he’d set up. And he could make sure she got her dessert before dinner as a member of his mile high club.

  Instead of dialing Chef Motzer, he quickly punched in Philip’s number.

  “Philip, we need the plane for tonight. We’re going to head down to Florida and come back Sunday evening. I’ll be bringing a guest.”

  “It’s Ms. Schoen, isn’t it? I know you can’t talk freely at the office.”

  “Yes, it is. We can discuss this at lunch,” Mark said in a very curt tone.

  He didn’t want to talk about Rane in his office. His door was open and Danny, who was in charge of shipping, could show up any minute to discuss the next week’s coffee bean shipments. The first drug-free ones since the whole Massaro mess.

  “Okay, I’ll call Hal, and have him ready the flight plans. I’ll come to get you for lunch,” Philip said and hung up.

  Mark now had to figure out a way to get Rane to agree. He’d seen it done in the movies. It wasn’t his problem if she assumed they were staying in Minnesota. She had, after all, agreed to dinner and he’d never said which state they’d dine in. She couldn’t object when she found it was in Florida. Laughing to himself with his new set of plans set into motion, he finished a to-do list for Mrs. Weber, minutes before she announced Danny.

  “Come on in. I hope you have good news for me,” Mark stated as Danny took a seat and they went over the reports.

  An hour later, per his earlier instructions, Mrs. Weber interrupted the meeting. “Excuse me, Mr. Christmenn, you wanted to go over some important matters concerning this weekend. Do you want me to come back?”

  “No, we’ve just finished. Thanks for the updates, Danny. It’ll be nice to have our shipments coming in on a regular basis again. Let me know when you have the estimated time of arrival,” Mark replied, dismissing him.

  “Yes, Mr. Christmenn, I should have their expected arrival date by Tuesday. The numbers are improving,” Danny said as he stood and took his leave.

  He waited for Danny to get out of earshot before addressing Mrs. Weber.

  “Please shut the door and sit down, Mrs. Weber.”

  He waited for her to take a seat before handing her the list.

  “I’m going to Florida for the weekend.”

  He watched as Mrs. Weber raised her eyebrow in that arched way again.

  “Don’t act like you know nothing. Yes, I am and as you’ve probably guessed, Ms. Schoen will be accompanying me,” Mark said in a tone that meant you’d better not say anything.

  “Mark, is this a good idea? I don’t want to see her get hurt. She is a very sweet person.”

  “I know what I’m doing,” he admitted then confessed, “I kissed her. Here, at the office.”

  He strode to the window and looked out. Instead of the scolding he’d expected, he heard Mrs. Weber laugh. He turned and glared angrily at her. He was about to go into his private apartment when her words stopped him.

  “You’re so much like your father.” The laughter in her voice disappeared as she added, “I think it’s time you know something that I’ve been hiding for a very long time.”

  His chest suddenly tightened. Mark met Mrs. Weber’s watery gaze.

  He swallowed and inclined his head. “Yes?”

  “Your father was my lover up until the day he got sick and passed away.”

  Mark shook his head. “No surprise. I’ve known that for years.”

  “I’m sure you did. Now let me finish. You see, your father, was very taken aback the first time he kissed me in this very office, which was over forty-five years ago.” Mrs. Weber paused and took a breath. “That’s the reason he was so hard on you about not getting involved with any of the employees.”

  “Are you my mother?” The words were out before he could stop them.
/>   Tears brimming in her eyes, she stood and went to him.

  “Yes, he wouldn’t allow me to recognize you as my son. Even after he died, it was stated in his will that no one could know the truth. I hated him for that.”

  She raised her hand and gently smoothed back his hair in a motherly gesture. ”I knew you struggled with the idea but I-I couldn’t tell you. Damn it! It’s time you knew. I love you so much. I’m so proud of you, too. You’re all a mother could wish for in a son.”

  Mark stood frozen, unable to think of a thing to say. Out of the blue, his suspicions had been confirmed.

  “Mark?”

  “Oh, Mother.”

  He engulfed her in a hug that was long overdue.

  “Why did you wait so long to tell me?” he asked. “Why didn’t father just divorce Helen?”

  “He couldn’t. It was very complicated. You see, your granddaddy promised her parents he’d take care of their daughter. He made your dad marry Helen.”

  “I never heard that story. Why would father ever agree to anything like that?” he asked in disbelief. His father had been so strong he couldn’t see him taking orders from anyone.

  “Your father should’ve told you before he died, and then he made me promise not to ever tell you when he became ill. You see, your granddaddy and Helen’s father were in the Korean War together. They’d made a pact, if anything happened to either of them the other would watch over their families.”

  The pieces started to slide together and he waited for Mrs. Weber, no, his true mother, to continue.

  “Well, Helen’s father was killed in the war. Your father and I had been dating for a period of time but your granddaddy stepped in to stop us. He couldn’t have his grandson dating a secretary. He ordered your daddy to marry Helen,” his mother said, and wiped the tears from her eyes.

  Mark helped her over to the couch and they sat down. He didn’t know what to say. He’d never heard this story.

  “If it’s too painful to tell me you should stop.”

  “Thank you, sweetie, but I’ve been holding this in for a very long time. I need to tell you.”

  “Okay.”

  “Your daddy put up a huge fight but gave in when your granddaddy threatened to disown him, take him out of the will, and fire him from the company. We attempted to stay away from each other and did for a while. But we were in love, and you were created.”

  Mark patted her shoulder and handed her another tissue.

  “Your granddaddy never knew you were my son. Helen wanted your family’s wealth and power so she agreed to pretend to be pregnant and raised you as her own. But I could never be a part of your life.”

  “But you stayed his mistress?”

  “Yes, that was also part of the deal. I’m sorry for the deceit. You were never very far from me yet you were out of reach. Do you forgive me?”

  “What is there to forgive? I’m happy the truth is finally out in the open.”

  Chapter 34

  Reports. Spreadsheets. Who needed them? Mark paced the room. Damn, he couldn’t concentrate. The board would have to be happy with what he’d gotten done so far. As long as the annual reports showed they were making money, lots of money, and the drug problem taken was care of, they’d be happy.

  The fact that Mrs. Weber was indeed his mother and the story she’d revealed was astounding. All these years, wasted.

  What if he had able to see his father before he’d died? Would he have told him? Damn it! His life was a mess.

  None of this changed the fact he both hated and respected his father for sticking to his guns. He’d never left the woman he’d loved.

  What difference would it make now if the world knew their secret? Would his mother, no, his . . . He didn’t even know what to call the woman he’d thought was his mother all these years. Should he tell Helen he knew everything? The secret. Would she even care? Torn, Mark ran his hand through his hair. She had been a mother to him, and the only one he’d known.

  He’d ask Mrs. Weber if he should tell Helen. And what should he call Mrs. Weber?

  It was all so complicated it hurt his head to think of all the possibilities but he did know things were going to be different from now on. Pushing his chair back, he gave up on the papers and called Philip to move up their lunch.

  “Well, man, what is so important that you had to move our lunch. What if I’m not hungry yet?” Philip asked from the doorway.

  “If you want the low down on our bird in flight, we’d better get going now,” Mark said. He cruised past a stunned Philip and left him staring open-mouthed.

  Philip caught up to him and together they proceeded to the Café Loon, which was around the corner from the MAC building. Upon entering the restaurant, the hostess sat them immediately.

  “Spill your guts, man. What is going on? First, you have me follow the woman to her car. Next, you ask for an investigation on her background. Then you invite her over to your house and she spends the night! And now you are talking about taking her to Florida,” Philip demanded.

  “I think I’m in love with her.”

  “What!”

  “That’s right. You can make fun of me but all I know is that she isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met. She makes me laugh. She fascinates me as no other woman has been able to do. It’s odd. Sometimes it seems she can read my thoughts.”

  He paused, took a sip of water, and waited for Philip to say something. When he didn’t, he finished pouring out his dilemma in almost a panic tone. “You know I don’t rush into anything. I’ll bet you didn’t know I’ve been going to lunch with her for the last couple of days.”

  Philip’s mouth opened but he quickly closed it into a tight smile as Mark continued.

  “The more we’ve talked, the more I wanted to get to know her better. I almost feel as if I’ve met her before. As if I’ve always known her.”

  “How could that be?” Philip asked.

  “It can’t. Nevertheless, I’ve gone over and over your report and I can’t find anywhere that our paths might have crossed. I’m sure you’ve read the report yourself and know she doesn’t need money. Therefore, she can’t be a fortune hunter. I’m not sure why she’s working but she’s good at what she does. What do you think? Am I losing it?” Mark stopped and anxiously waited for Philip’s input.

  “Yes, I know what the report says. Did you want me to dig deeper? I can if you want.”

  Mark shook his head.

  “Awesome. After all these years, you’re finally showing interest in someone. Does this mean we don’t have to go to Florida in the spring?” Philip asked.

  “I look at the picture every day. Every now and then, I wonder why I’ve kept it all these years. Why would a woman remember she asked me to meet her when she was just thirteen? Who would wait twenty years to see someone again? Why have I waited all these years, Philip?”

  “Sometimes people see things in other people that others don’t. Mark, you’re one of those people. That’s why you’ve been so successful. You can smell a rat a mile away. You know when someone is lying. That young girl was a glimmer of something that would be simple.”

  Philip put up his hand. “When you met her, your life was just beginning to become complicated. You were trying to finish college, your father was dying, and then the Board of Directors didn’t want to hand over the companies to you. She and the picture have gotten you through the tough times.”

  “I know, since Massaro, the drugs, and the attempts on my life I’ve become aware that there is something missing from my life. There has to be more than my work, the companies, and my wealth. What good is it all if I have no one to share it with? But there is still something about the promise on the picture . . .”

  “I’m telling you one last time, let her go. She isn’t real! You’ve created an
image of what you want her to be and it is not real. Since Agent Nelson put Massaro in jail and you’ve been taken off the drug cartel hit list, you’re free to begin to live again. It’s time you searched for someone who IS real. Rane is as real as you can get,” Philip said and took a sip of water and waited for his words to sink into his friend.

  “I guess you’re right. I have something else to tell you.”

  Their food arrived and Mark waited until the waiter was out of earshot. “Mrs. Weber just came clean and told me she is my biological mother.”

  “No, way!”

  “I was shocked and then relieved. I guess there is a whole other side of my father that I need to discover.”

  “Is there anything you want me to do? Anything you want me to confirm?”

  “No. I’ll figure it all out and let you know. Let’s finish our lunch. We have a lot to do this afternoon before flying out.”

  “I’m glad you’re going away with Rane. You need and deserve this happiness. The contracts on your life are no longer a threat and the coffee bean shipments are now drug free, it’s time for you to relax. And to start enjoying life,” Philip said.

  “Are we sure all the hit men have been found and they’ve stopped any future ones from showing up?”

  “Agent Nelson can’t say one hundred percent but he feels they’ve plugged the holes. The last one they found was trying to enter into the United States. He was deported to Columbia and the government there has to deal with him,” Philip said in a matter of fact tone.

  “Thanks for being there for me all these years. You are the best friend anyone could have,” Mark said.

  “Yea, I’m your only friend,” Philip replied.

  Mark stared deep into his glass of water and prayed his life would be normal again, but could it ever be. Was he destined to live his life without his true love like his father?