Her Best Match: A Romantic Comedy (The Best Girls Book 1)

by Tamie Dearen

  After lunch, Anne cornered Katie to get advice on entertaining her girls when they came to town. She told her about their plans to go climbing. Katie suggested the Museum of Modern Arts, and explained how they could get discount tickets to a play. Anne planned to take a tour on a double-decker bus to get an overview and history of the city. She also wanted to see the Empire State Building and the 9/11 Memorial.

  “You know, you don’t have to see everything on this first trip. Surely they’ll come more than once,” said Katie.

  “But I’m only here on a trial basis. What if this is the only chance we have?”

  “Well, he’d better not fire you, because I’m leaving for good when I get married, even if he doesn’t have a secretary.” Katie glanced at his office door to make sure he was still safe inside. “That is, if he doesn’t fire me first when he catches me talking trash about him.”

  “I think he’s gonna fire me for not getting this presentation ready for the Switzerland trip. It’s so frustrating knowing I have so much work to do on it, but I can’t do any more ‘til they get me the information I need. Why do they wait ‘til the last minute?”

  “They always do that, and Mr. Gherring is the worst one.”

  “Yes, I’m hoping I’ve scared Jared and Jeff into turning in their stuff earlier. But I don’t think my ‘scary mad mom voice’ will work on Mr. Gherring.”

  The office door opened and Gherring looked at the two conspirators with suspicion. Both sent him innocent smiles. “Did you need something, Mr. Gherring?” asked Katie.

  “Yes, I need Ms. Best for a moment.”

  Anne followed him into his private office, wondering whether he’d caught on to her matchmaking efforts already. “Yes sir?”

  “You don’t need to call me sir.” He tossed his pen on his desk with more force than necessary. “I have some things ready for the Switzerland group.”

  “Oh great—I’ve been stressing about getting that presentation ready.”

  “Okay, grab your laptop and we’ll get started.”

  “You mean, together? I thought you’d just give me the information, and I’d kind of work on my own.”

  “Well, the information is in here.” He pointed to his head. “So unless I give you my head on a platter, we’ll just have to work together.”

  “Uhmm, okay but it’ll take a long time.”

  “Do you have something else to do?”

  Anne thought about her daily talk with Henri. She would just have to miss this one. “No, I just figured you had more important things to do.”

  “Not today.”

  “Okay…”

  “Okay.” He smiled at her and lifted his eyebrows while crossing his arms.

  Anne swiftly gathered her laptop from her desk. She sent a text to Henri telling him she was tied up that afternoon and then returned to Gherring’s office.

  Gherring fired off information at a rapid rate, with Anne working furiously to take notes. After an hour of non-stop input, Anne stopped the pacing man. “Wait. I need a break. My brain is fried.”

  “Let me see what it looks like.” Gherring came around to stand behind her.

  “Oh, I haven’t even begun to put it in the PowerPoint format yet. That takes forever. I need to get it organized first.”

  “Then show me what you’ve done from before.”

  Anne pulled up the saved presentation on her laptop and started going through the slides. Gherring leaned in close, reaching over her shoulder to indicate a bullet point. “There should be more information on this point.”

  Anne felt that familiar warming that happened whenever Gherring touched her. She shifted a little to the side. “There’s a lot more information down below, in the notes section. But we don’t want too much writing on the slide. Just summary information.”

  “Oh, I see,” he leaned down further and pressed a few keys. “And this is how we access the notes?” She could swear he purposely leaned against her. She felt her heart rate accelerate and her breathing was shallow.

  “Don’t you already know how to use PowerPoint? You must’ve done this a hundred times before.” She leaned as far to the side as she could go, but she couldn’t escape his presence.

  He shrugged, but didn’t answer. He was so close, she could sense his intense stare, but she kept her eyes closed, praying for self-control. She couldn’t let him know how he affected her. It had been easier to ignore the attraction when she thought he was snobby and obnoxious. But now she knew him better, she found herself wishing for something she knew would never be possible.

  Desperate for a reprieve, she stiffened and exclaimed, “Oh no!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I… uhmm… I need to go to the ladies’ room.” She slid away from him and disappeared from his office.

  In the restroom, she took a moment to calm herself. She had to go back and work with Gherring, but she needed to be in control, in more ways than one. She walked back into his office, and picked up her laptop.

  “Okay, let’s get back to work. We’ve got a lot to do,” she said in her best mom voice. Gherring obeyed, spouting out so many details, she wondered how he could possibly remember that much. When he started to come closer to her, she stopped him.

  “No, no—I need my space to work. Don’t crowd me now, I’m on a roll.” Gherring kept his distance, though he seemed a bit agitated. Anne was thrilled at the progress, although she knew how much work lay ahead in creating the actual presentation.

  She was engrossed in her editing, when Gherring voice pierced her consciousness. “Ms. Best… Anne… it’s after five. I think we should call it a day.”

  Anne stretched, realizing how tired and stiff she felt. “Ughh—I’m not used to staying still for this long. But we got a lot done, and tomorrow I’ll be able to put all this into the presentation.” She closed her laptop and stood up to leave.

  “Anne, you know I’ve been thinking—”

  “Yes, Mr. Gherring?”

  He frowned at her. “You know, you could call me Steven.”

  She felt the heat rising to her face again and quickly turned her face away from him. “Oh no, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be proper. Katie still calls you Mr. Gherring and she’s been here for five years.” Anne knew she needed to keep her perspective with her boss. Calling him by his first name would only make it harder to control her growing attraction. This was all Henri’s fault. That man and his kisses had awakened something in her. Now Henri was across the ocean, and she couldn’t get that something to go back to sleep.

  “Yes… well… she’s younger than I am.”

  “And I’m younger than you as well.”

  “Not that much younger.”

  “Still, it wouldn’t be proper.”

  Gherring followed her out to her desk. “Would you like a lift home? It wouldn’t be any problem.”

  “No thanks, Mr. Gherring,” She escaped into the elevator. She saw him watching her as the doors closed, and she let out a breath she must have been holding. Her shoulders were sore and tight. She couldn’t handle many more days like this one.

  Anne tumbled into her apartment and collapsed on the couch. Her cell rang with the familiar sound of Charlie’s theme song. “Hey sweetie.”

  “Hey Mom. Are you getting excited?”

  “Of course I am—I can’t wait to see you. Oh, y’all need to pack some workout clothes, too.”

  “Why? Don’t tell me you’re gonna make us run on treadmills—”

  “No, I’ve arranged a climbing date for y’all.”

  “Climbing date? What are you talking about?”

  “So, last night, I went climbing in this gym Katie’s fiancé owns. And I’ve arranged for us to go while you’re here. With a couple of good-looking guys.”

  “I’m not worried about the climbing, ‘cause I’ve done plenty in Colorado. But tell me about these guys.”

  “The one I think you will hit it off with is named Spencer. He’s super cute, twenty-five, very outdoorsy an
d adventurous. I actually haven’t met the other one—Spencer’s bringing a friend.”

  “Hopefully we can talk Emily into climbing. Have you told her yet?”

  “Not yet, but I thought you could talk her into it. You know you have better luck with her than I do. You just look at her with those puppy dog eyes, and she always gives in.”

  “Yeah, I usually manage to get my way.”

  “And bring some casual clothes and at least one nice outfit. Hopefully we’ll go see a play, if we can get some discount tickets. And we’ve been invited to eat dinner with Mr. Gherring’s grandma. She’s a hoot—you’ll love her. And I’ve got to show you this wood carving shop, and you need to see Ellen’s bookstore. It’s so cool.”

  “Mom, we’re only gonna be there two days.”

  “I know, I know. I’m just really excited. And I’m really tired, too. I’ve got to get to bed early tonight.”

  “So did you talk to Henri?”

  “Not since yesterday, but hopefully I’ll talk to him tomorrow. It’s too late tonight.”

  “So just to get this straight, about the climbing date. I’m getting the best-looking guy right? I just want to know so I can tell Emily about it.”

  “Don’t you dare get me in trouble with Em.”

  “Hmmm… I can be bribed.”

  “I’ll remember this when your birthday comes.”

  “You win—I surrender. By the way I have some things picked out on my wish list already.”

  “I know, but everything on that list is about three or four hundred dollars. Don’t you want anything small and inexpensive?”

  “What can I say? I have expensive taste.”

  “Good night, sweetie.”

  “Night Mom. Love you.”

  “You too.”

  With her teeth brushed and her mascara scrubbed off, she collapsed on the bed in exhaustion. But the sleep she sought eluded her. She tossed and turned for an hour. Finally she surrendered to her insomnia and got out of bed. She took one Benadryl, considered for a moment, and downed another. She really needed a good night’s sleep. She decided to pull on sweatpants and grab a blanket and go for some fresh air on the rooftop patio while waiting for the antihistamines to kick in.

  With her feet clad in furry house shoes and a cup of chamomile tea in hand, she wrapped the blanket over her shoulders and headed up the elevator. She’d only discovered the peaceful haven the previous weekend, and had been itching to sit outside ever since. Her home in Weatherford had a big back porch with comfy chairs where she often sat to have tea in the early morning or at night before bed.

  She opened the exterior door and peeked outside, assuring herself the retreat was deserted. She settled in on a comfy cushioned couch and sipped on her tea in solitude, enjoying the feeling of being outside with a clear view of the sky. Gradually she became drowsy and slunk down on the couch, snuggled warmly in her blanket and breathing the cool air. She could almost imagine she was camping.

  “Anne… Anne…” The voice broke into her consciousness. Woozy from the residual Benadryl, she ignored the voice, refusing to give up her sleep. “Anne!” This time the voice was more urgent, and she felt a gentle shake on her shoulder. “Anne, it’s morning. You need to wake up.”

  Whose voice was that? Was it Tom? She felt someone brush her hair gently off of her face. She peeled open her groggy eyes and tried to decipher her surroundings. Steven Gherring was peering at her, only a few inches away.

  He smiled. “Sorry to disturb you, but you were still out like a light. I was afraid to let you sleep past six. That’s what time it is now.”

  She sat up abruptly. “Oymygosh! I fell asleep outside! How did you find me?”

  “I sometimes come out here when I can’t sleep.” He chuckled. “But this time, Goldilocks was asleep on my couch.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me up last night?”

  “Believe me, I tried. Are you on something? You would not wake up.” He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “So I decided I had two choices: carry you down to your room or stay out here with you. I was afraid to do the first one. I thought you might be offended.”

  “You stayed out here with me all night? Where did you sleep? You must have been freezing.”

  “Well, I left you alone long enough to bring both of us extra blankets. And I slept on that lounge chair. It was comfortable enough.”

  Anne surveyed her surroundings, taking in the fluffy down comforter that surrounded her and the pillow she’d slept on.

  “I’m so sorry you had to do all this and sleep outside. I couldn’t sleep so I took a couple of Benadryl. But I’m so glad you happened to find me. I would have been frozen solid, and I probably wouldn’t have woken up ‘til nine or ten o’clock. Unless I froze to death.”

  She stood up, stretching her stiff muscles, and gathering her things. They walked inside to the elevator. Gherring tried to hide his discomfort from the long night on a lounger, but she could tell his movements were stiff. She felt so guilty.

  “I didn’t actually say it, but thank you. I really mean it,” said Anne.

  Gherring smiled, his gaze intense over the pile of pillows and blankets he held. He took a slow breath, as if searching for words. “Anne, I’ve only known you for a few weeks—”

  “Yes, but I hope you won’t judge me yet. I know I’ve been clumsy and sensitive and disrespectful, and I’ve mixed up the time by an hour. And now I’ve fallen asleep outside alone on the roof and almost missed work. But I’m usually very responsible. I really can do this job. And I haven’t actually screwed up anything at the office, have I?”

  “No, but—”

  “You really can’t blame me for going up there at night, since you admitted you do the same thing. Although I guess it is a little different since I’m a woman and you’re a man.”

  “I don’t—”

  “I know you probably think it was stupid that I took two Benadryl instead of one, but I was afraid one wouldn’t be enough.”

  “Actually, I—”

  “I refuse to take sleeping pills, because I heard they’re addictive, so that’s why I use Benadryl. Please, give me another chance. You promised me a three-month trial. You wouldn’t fire me before the three months is over would you?”

  “Anne, I would never—”

  “Oh, thank you, Mr. Gherring—you won’t regret it!”

  She gave him a hug with her arms full of blanket and her tea mug in hand, and rushed off the elevator to her apartment.

  Gherring’s posture was still rigid when he arrived at the office. Anne felt so responsible for his state she resolved to make it up to him. Somehow. She threw herself into her work, plowing through the PowerPoint Presentation. She added creative graphics and animation, but not so much as to be distracting. Photographs of Bern, Switzerland proved the presentation was personalized for their company. She was working so hard she didn’t notice Sam at her desk until she said her name for the third time. “Anne!”

  “Oh hey. Sorry, I was just on a roll, and when I’m absorbed in something I’m in another world.”

  “Impressive powers of concentration. Hey, Tanner and I wanted to take you to lunch today.”

  “Well, I’d love to if I make enough progress on this presentation. I can’t get this one slide to look right. I’m fixin’ to pull out my hair. It’s got to be really good this time.”

  “It’ll be great, I’m sure. But you’re the one who always says you shouldn’t skip meals. Right?”

  Anne grimaced. “I did say that didn’t I? Okay, I’ll go. Twelve o’clock? Next door?”

  “We’d be glad to take you some place new, but I know you’re devoted to Papa’s Place.” Sam smiled.

  “Do y’all have something to tell me?” Anne waggled her eyebrows.

  “No, it’s only been a few weeks. Don’t be silly.”

  “Hmmm, I notice you didn’t deny it was a future possibility.”

  “You’re impossible. Did you know that?”

>   “So I’ve been told,” Anne laughed. “See ya later.”

  She went back to work, but shortly after got a call from Gram.

  “Hello, dear. I just wanted to ask about this date you’ve planned for Steven. Who did you say this girl is?”

  “She’s a news reporter. She hasn’t made it big yet, but she’s getting a lot of attention. I think she’s very intelligent and well informed. She’ll be able to carry on a decent conversation.”

  “But is she the kind of girl who knows the importance of family? She may be totally self-centered. Steven doesn’t need a girl like that.”

  “I have no way of knowing, but it’s worth a shot. Mr. Gherring is a wonderful, caring man. Any girl would be lucky to have him. Surely she’ll recognize that and be sensitive to his needs.”

  “But that’s just it. These women decide they want Steven, but what they really want is to be ‘Mrs. Steven Gherring’. It has nothing to do with caring about him and putting him first.”

  “Well if she tries to take advantage of him like that, I might just beat her up.”

  “That’s more like it,” laughed Gram.

  “But we should at least give her a chance, don’t you think?”

  “I’ll reserve my judgment, but do you have a backup plan?”

  “I’m evaluating everyone I meet as possible wife candidates. Well, every smart, pretty, sophisticated female between the age of thirty and forty.”

  “Humph! How did you come up with that age range?”

  “First off, Mr. Gherring always goes out with younger women, so that must be what he likes. But personally, I think girls under age thirty just don’t have enough life experience to go with Steven. And over forty, they’re not pretty enough and too set in their ways to change. You know how it is. Marriage is all about compromise. It’ll be hard enough for Mr. Gherring, having been single for so long, without saddling him with a bossy woman who’s inflexible.”

  “It does seem like you’ve given this a lot of thought, but we may have to re-evaluate along the way. I’m having dinner with Steven tonight. He somehow discovered I’m staying in town, and he’s a little suspicious.”