So the hellish nature of her morning stemmed more from her own heartache than Tish’s column. Yes, the damage control was taking its toll on her nerves and patience, but it was the constant discussion of Will that had her stomach in knots.
“How are you holding up, Gwennie?”
“Better than you, it seems.”
“I can’t help but worry.”
Sarah sounded close to tears, and Gwen instantly regretted her snappish tone. “I know. And I appreciate it. But nothing has changed since last week other than the public nature and level of my humiliation.”
“Call him. Call Will and explain.”
Gwen sighed. “At first, I wanted to, you know, but I couldn’t pull myself together to do it. But now I’m angry. He jumps to conclusions and berates me. He acts like a jerk and embarrasses me in public, yet I’m the one catching the flack. Even if he deserved an explanation, I’m not inclined to provide one anymore. I’m not sure I ever want to speak to him again.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.”
“Start trying.” When yet another e-mail pinged into her box, she saw the president of the Junior League’s name in the sender line and cringed. She closed her e-mail program and headed for the kitchen for coffee.
“So you’re willing to walk away from what could be the one guy you’ve been waiting for your whole life because of this?”
Gwen didn’t have a ready answer. Letitia twined around her ankles and purred loudly as she refilled her cup for the umpteenth time this morning.
“At least when David hung me out to dry he had reason to—even if it was a purely selfish one. Plus, I brought a lot of it on myself with my naiveté. But this…There’s just no excuse. Will doesn’t trust me. He believed the worst about me and condemned me on the flimsiest of evidence, then compounded it by humiliating me in public.” She’d followed her heart and her hormones and been so swept up by Will, the realization that crashed down on her was killing her. Her heart cracked and her voice broke.
“He’s not the guy I’ve been waiting for.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“MR. HARRISON, I’m afraid there’s a small problem.”
Will looked up from the quarterly reports and saw Nancy hovering in the doorway between his office and hers with a worried look on her face.
“Just tell me it has nothing to do with Kiesuke Hiramine, the meeting, or anything Japanese in nature,” he joked. Hiramine’s flight was already in the air, and he and his team would be arriving tomorrow. Everything was in place for Friday’s meeting, all the way down to the high-gloss shine on the conference room table.
“I’m afraid it does.”
Damn. “What happened?”
“You asked me two weeks ago to find you an expert on Asian business and culture to assist with the meeting. When you hired Miss Sawyer as a consultant, I assumed she would be present and no one else would be necessary.” Nancy took a deep breath. “I realized Monday that would no longer be the case, but I’m having a very hard time finding a replacement on such short notice. I’ve found a translator who’s available Friday, but he has no other qualifications.”
Nancy wouldn’t be standing in his doorway if she thought a translator would be good enough, and she wouldn’t be giving him the entire spiel unless she had a solution in mind. He waved her into the room and leaned back in his chair. “So what do you suggest?”
“Bringing Miss Sawyer back on board is the simple and obvious solution. She is already familiar with the situation and she certainly has the expertise necessary. Unless, of course, your, um, personal relationship with her makes that a completely unacceptable choice.”
“I see.” Gwen was the obvious choice. The question was would she do it?
“I need to call the caterer back, so I’ll leave you to decide. Let me know if you’d like me to call Miss Sawyer or book Mr. Michko simply as a translator.”
Will tapped his pen on the desk. Hiring Gwen back would certainly solve his immediate business problem. And there were other benefits, too. It might not completely thaw Evie’s cold shoulder, but she might lighten up. It would also help Gwen counterbalance the gossip about her and her business. Going back to work for HarCorp would make what happened at the Med Ball seem like a minor disagreement taken out of context—no one would believe the worst if he and HarCorp felt she was still the right person for the job.
Most importantly, it would give him the excuse to contact her.
He might not be able to fix the mess of his personal life, but he could solve both their business problems by simply extending an olive branch. Business he understood, and contacting Gwen would be a sound business choice with benefits to both parties.
He clicked open a new e-mail and chose his words carefully.
What happened after this…well, that would really be up to Gwen. He’d keep an open and optimistic mind.
Gwen,
HarCorp’s meeting with Hiramine is still on for Friday at one. After all the prep work you put in on this project, I’m assuming you’d like to see it through to the end.
HarCorp could use your expertise in making this meeting a success, and I’d consider it a professional favor if you’d be able to put our differences aside and assist as originally planned.
Gwen watched Sarah’s face as she read the printout of Will’s e-mail. She drummed her fingernails on Sarah’s antique dining room table in impatience as she waited. Sarah’s plan for a non-Will, get-back-to-real-life dinner had been sidetracked when Gwen produced Will’s e-mail. Gwen needed a sounding board for this new development, but jeez, how slow did her sister read? “Well, what do you make of it?”
Sarah flipped over the paper as if more might be on the other side then looked at her in mild shock. “This is it? No explanation? No phone call?”
“That’s it. Out of nowhere into my in-box this afternoon.” She sighed and pushed at the potatoes on her plate. She appreciated Sarah’s efforts at dinner, but tonight Gwen had little appetite for even Sarah’s fool-proof comfort food.
“Do you think it’s an opening? Some kind of attempt at reconciliation?” Sarah handed the printout back across the table to Gwen.
“I don’t know what to think.” Gwen smoothed her fingers over the words in the paper as if the answers might be in Braille. “That’s why I haven’t answered yet.
“On the one hand, he all but calls me on my contractual obligations—which he’s fully within his rights to do so—but last week my contract didn’t seem to matter. On the other…”
Sarah nodded. “It’s tough to tell what he’s thinking.”
“Try ‘impossible,’” Gwen muttered, as she moved the irritating e-mail off the table and pushed at her food some more.
“I meant,” Sarah continued, “it’s so vague. Someone needs to explain to him the great invention of the emoticon. I can’t tell if it’s just business or if he’s trying to apologize.”
“Welcome to my world.” Gwen sighed.
“Are you going to do it?”
“I don’t know. I did sign a contract, but I haven’t been paid yet. I’d be in violation of the contract if I don’t follow through, but other than losing the check, there’s not much more professional harm that could be done. What’s he going to do? Not give me a reference?” She snorted before she caught herself. “It’s not like one is forthcoming at this point anyway.”
Sarah’s level look pinned Gwen to her chair. “But you want to do it. In a purely professional sense, I mean.”
Gwen felt her mouth twitch. “Yeah. Kinda. It would be nice to see it all the way through, and it would be a nice feather in my cap. Plus, it would show that regardless of anything else going on, I can still do my job.”
“Unlike before?”
“I wasn’t given the opportunity before. When everything hit the fan, I was out the door before any of the other projects I was working on came to fruition.”
“That was your own fault. You let David—”
She didn’t need Sa
rah harping on that again. “Yes, I know that now. The thing is, no one’s seen what I can really do. If I make it through the next couple of weeks with my reputation intact, my success with this meeting could open more doors for me.”
“And on a personal level?”
There was that headache again, softly throbbing behind her eyes. “I want to, but I don’t. I love him, but I can’t just put myself out there for him to hurt me again. Being in the same room with him would be a nightmare.”
Sarah nodded.
“But I know how important this is for him. I don’t hate him enough yet to want him to fail.” She sighed, the indecision eating at her.
“You’re going to do it, aren’t you, Gwennie? It’s a win-win situation. You’d be making a sound business decision—and it will be good for your bank account as well. You should do it because it’s the right thing for you, not because you’re in love with him.”
“Oh, no. I’m not considering doing it because I love him. Quite the opposite. He accused me of using him. Now it looks like he’s using me. So we’ll use each other, and we’ll both come out ahead.”
“And if this offer is more than just business?”
Gwen shrugged. “I can’t infer that it is, and I won’t get my hopes up.”
“Smart girl.” Sarah patted her hand. “But don’t completely ignore the possibility.”
“I guess I’ve made my decision, huh?”
“Sounds like it.”
“Can I borrow your laptop for a minute?”
Sarah arched an eyebrow at her. “In the middle of dinner, Miss Behavior? Aren’t there rules about that?”
Gwen lifted her own eyebrow in response. “Did you invite Miss Behavior to dinner or your sister?”
Sarah waved her hand in the direction of her desk and the laptop. “On you go. But the next time my cell phone rings, I get to answer it—no matter where we are.”
“Hmm.” Gwen grinned and scooted her chair back. “How about I won’t mention to Mother that you offered me money to write your thank-you notes last Christmas instead?”
Sarah shrank noticeably. “You win. I’ll open another bottle of wine while you’re gone.”
But she was already mentally composing her response. It had to be just as vague and businesslike as Will’s.
Evie’s natural exuberance couldn’t be stifled forever, and Will was happy to see she was deigning to speak to him again. While she was still a bit cool, at least tonight’s dinner wasn’t the silent movie it had been recently. The tentative truce with his moody charge and the polite e-mail from Gwen waiting for him this morning informing him of her attendance at tomorrow’s meeting had improved his outlook immensely.
“Parkline’s open house is on Monday night. You’ll get to sign up for classes and meet your teachers.”
“Sounds great.” Evie cut her beef with precise movements. “I’ll need to go next week and get my uniform.”
“The entire board of trustees will be at the open house,” he added casually. “That includes Mrs. Wellford.”
Evie started to nod, then froze midchew. Her eyes widened, and she swallowed with difficulty. “The lady with the dog?”
I will not laugh. “Yes, the lady with the dog. Its name is Shu-Shu, and you should probably be prepared to make amends.”
Evie looked horrified. “It was an accident, Will, and I know better now. Surely Mrs. Wellford won’t hold a grudge.”
Evie paused, and when she winced, Will knew she was picturing Shu-Shu retching on Mrs. Wellford’s white, lace collar. Lord knew it wasn’t a visual he’d forget anytime soon.
“Oh, no, she will, won’t she? I think I hate that dog.”
“You and everyone else.” He chuckled. “Just be prepared.”
“Gwen says it’s not polite to remind someone of past errors, so Mrs. Wellford would be rude to bring it up. But I’ll apologize again anyway. Gwen said it couldn’t hurt.”
The mention of Gwen had him wondering if he should tell Evie about tomorrow. She’d be pleased, of course, and his making peace with Gwen would go a long way in warming her attitude, but he didn’t want her jumping to any assumptions about Gwen being a part of his—or their—future.
“Just so you know, Gwen has agreed to help with my meeting tomorrow.”
Evie’s facade cracked, bringing the ear-to-ear grin he’d missed recently. “Really? So you two made up? Did you apologize? Is she—?”
“Evie, don’t jump ahead. This is strictly business. Gwen has an expertise I need for this meeting, and we’re simply sticking to the terms of her contract.”
Evie’s face fell. “Will, don’t be a butthead about this.”
“Evangeline, if you call me a butthead one more time, you’ll be an old woman before you see the inside of a dressing room at Neiman Marcus again.”
Evie closed her mouth with an audible snap. Finally a threat with enough teeth. He’d have to remember that one.
“Sorry. I just mean it’s great that you’ve decided to work with Gwen on this. I know her pretty well, and I know she’s going to do a great job for you. But—” she paused to lay her fork and knife down carefully before she leveled a look at him that was mature beyond her years “—I also know you pretty well now, too. If you keep acting like a butt—I mean, acting like this, you’ll drive her away and she’ll never come back.”
“I know you miss Gwen and you were hoping she might be a permanent addition to the family, but this isn’t about you, Evie.”
“Oh, I know that. But I know Gwen cares about you—I think she might even love you. This is your chance to show Gwen how much you care about her. You do care about her, right?”
Evie’s insight shocked him. As much as he wanted to steer her to a different, less uncomfortable, subject, he felt this conversation might be an important turning point in his relationship with Evie.
“I do care about her. And I know you’ll be happy to hear I’ve realized that I may have been a bit hasty in my judgment of her. My only defense for my actions is wanting to protect you—and me, too. There are plenty of people out there who are only looking out for themselves.”
Evie grinned at his revelation. “I know. But Gwen isn’t one of them.”
He returned the grin. “Hopefully not.”
“So you’ll apologize?”
“Yep.” As soon as the meeting is over and only if she seems to be open to it.
“And you’ll ask her to move back in with us?”
“Whoa, slow down there.”
“But, Will—”
“We’ll see how it goes.”
Gwen dressed carefully Friday morning. Knee-length navy-blue skirt, light blue silk shirt, closed-toe pumps and understated jewelry. She started to twist her hair up into a French knot, but with the overly conservative outfit, it only made her look like a spinster librarian.
Normally that look would be considered fine for a meeting, but Will’s presence at this meeting changed everything. She shook her hair out and let it fall in loose waves around her shoulders. Will liked her hair better this way, but the Japanese guests would find it odd. She compromised by clipping it at the base of her neck.
Gwen packed her briefcase and glanced at her watch. She’d meet with Nancy first to go over all the small details one last time. Then she’d meet with Will and his VPs for one last briefing before Mr. Hiramine and his group arrived.
She took a deep breath and checked her lipstick one last time. An eerie sense of déjà vu settled on her shoulders. The last time she darkened HarCorp’s doors, she’d been so excited and positive her meeting with Will would change her life.
How right she’d been. It had almost destroyed her.
She should have the same feeling today—and she did. Sort of. The feeling this meeting could change everything was there, only this time she lacked the excitement and hopeful expectations.
Unlike last time, at least she knew—somewhat—what she was getting into.
This time, she knew to guard her heart.<
br />
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“WHERE the hell is Gwen?” Will paced his office and glanced at the clock again. Twenty minutes until show time, and Gwen was nowhere to be found.
Nancy bustled in carrying his suit jacket. “She’s in the boardroom, briefing the others. You’re late.”
Will shrugged into the jacket and adjusted his tie. “Then let’s go.”
HarCorp’s executive conference room took up the entire top corner of the building, and through the glass walls, Will could see his VPs lined up like school kids as Gwen lectured animatedly in front of them. Nancy opened the main door and he could hear her going over last-minute reminders.
“Remember—no big hand gestures while you talk. They won’t call you by your first name, so don’t ask. And remember to use ‘Mr.’—this isn’t the time to create false familiarity by just calling them by just their last names. All right?”
Silent nods answered her. Will could relate. When Gwen was in Miss Behavior mode, a man couldn’t do much more. She simply projected an aura that made people want to be on their very best behavior. As several men noticed him and nodded, Gwen turned to see who was behind her.
One brief flicker in those hazel eyes of hers gave him a flash of hope that this meeting might be good for something other than HarCorp’s profits. A split-second later, the look was gone, and her mouth curved into a noncommittal smile. “Good afternoon, Mr. Harrison. We’re just going over a few last-minute things.”
Her cool greeting irritated him, but he shook it off with a sharp mental reminder: This is business. What did you expect? A big kiss?
He inclined his head slightly. “Miss Sawyer.”
Gwen indicated a chair at the table. “You’ll sit here, Mr. Harrison. Mr. Hiramine and Mr. Takeshi will be over here.”
He watched as she arranged people and water glasses to her satisfaction. He could tell she was tense as she looked everything over with a critical eye, but the rest of the occupants of the room would never be able to tell. Matthews from Marketing tried to pull him into conversation, and he answered absently.
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