by Donna Every
KT finished the Caesar salad with grilled chicken that she’d picked up from the deli on her way home. She had kept the garlic bread until last, as she tended to do with her favorite foods and now she savored the moist garlic-filled bread. Bread was her weakness. She took another sip of white wine and carried the trash to the garbage in her compact kitchen. She loved her apartment. It wasn’t big but it was comfortable and homey. She’d really stretched herself to use what little creativity she had to decorate it by reading many décor magazines. It turned out very nice. At least her friends said so. Her Emma Shaplin CD filled the small room with soothing, modern opera music.
Her eyes scanned the sitting room and landed on the antique looking lady’s writing desk in the corner between two windows. She had found it at a garage sale, during her décor phase, looking scarred and rejected and had taken pride in sanding it down and staining it until it looked almost like new. Her laptop was open on it but not turned on. That made a thought pop into her head: Google ‘The Merger Mogul’.
“Thanks Connie,” she muttered out loud. “This is entirely your fault.”
‘That would be like spying’, her conscience protested. ‘Not really, it’s more like research,’ argued another voice. ‘Why do you want to know more about him if you’re not interested in him?’ queried her conscience. ‘You should know who you’re dealing with,’ reasoned the other voice.
That makes sense, thought KT turning on the computer. She drained her glass and went to wash it while her computer booted up.
Sitting at her desk, she Googled ‘The Merger Mogul’. Up popped the top three search results:
Merger Mogul – Is a free opt-in e-newsletter that provides expert commentary…
Mergers & Acquisitions – Sign up today and take advantage of member-only content…
Merger Mogul
Commenting on the collapse of Shellbury Investments after its merger with Offshore Savings and Loans, The Merger Mogul, Daniel Tennant, CEO of Tennant Consulting said: “People don’t…nytimes.com/pages/business
KT eagerly clicked on the link and read the New York Times article that had been published just a few months earlier. The Daniel Tennant quoted in that article seemed like a typical hard businessman. Not at all like the Daniel Tennant she had met today. ‘Why am I researching him anyway?’ she thought, but couldn’t seem to resist Googling Images for Daniel Tennant. That gave her more information than she cared to know. There were quite a few Daniel Tennants out there but there he was, “her” Daniel Tennant in a business suit being interviewed by reporters, at a cocktail party, at a Knicks game, leaving a Broadway show. Apart from the business photos he was with a different woman each time. All of them were beautiful and glamorous.
Connie was right, he’s definitely a womanizer. She suddenly felt depressed and as unattractive as she did when she was a teenager. She certainly wasn’t in the same league as the women in Daniel Tennant’s life. Why did I do that? she lamented. She quickly turned off her computer and went to the couch and picked up the book she’d been reading for several days but it didn’t hold her attention. She kept seeing the images of Daniel in her head. That should teach you. Not only is he not your type, he’s out of your reach so don’t get any ideas KT!
One week later
Once again the orderly pushed Daniel into the Therapy department. KT was busy at her desk but looked up when she heard the doors open.
“Hi, Daniel. How are you today?” She greeted. She smiled briefly but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“I’m much better now that I’ve seen you,” Daniel replied. KT rolled her eyes but Daniel realized that he was serious even though he’d said it to flirt with her. She radiated a sense of peace that calmed the restlessness he was feeling, the impatience to get better quickly. “And how are you? You seem a bit serious today.”
“I’m fine,” she said, “And please save your flirting for someone who will appreciate it.” She reminded herself of the images she’d seen of him on the Internet.
“Ouch! I promise to be on my best behavior,” said Daniel even as he eyed her from head to toe, pausing for microseconds at interesting points along the way. She was dressed in jeans and a long white coat like the last time so he couldn’t figure out why she looked so sexy to him. Maybe it was the enforced abstinence kicking in.
KT ignored him and said: “Let’s get you started.”
“You really love your job, don’t you?” asked Daniel stalling.
“Yes, I love it and I want to keep it so let’s get moving. I have rent to pay.”
“I know it’s more than that to you so you can drop the ‘I just work here’ façade.”
“You’re right,” said KT relaxing a bit. “It’s not just a job to me. I do love it. I love seeing the transformation of weak, barely functioning bodies into strong healthy ones when my patients reach inside themselves and find the strength and determination to overcome their challenges. It gives me a lot of pleasure to see the satisfaction on their faces when they accomplish even the smallest feat.”
I’d like to give you a lot of pleasure and see satisfaction on your face, thought Daniel. Best behavior, Tennant, he scolded himself.
“So it really upsets me when a patient is prevented from receiving all the treatments they need because they don’t have enough insurance or they can’t get equipment because their insurance doesn’t cover it. Right now I have a teenage boy who was involved in an accident where his friend was driving under the influence. He needs an electric wheelchair now to get around and another six months of therapy if he’s to recover fully, but his mom is single and barely making it as it is, so the little insurance she has doesn’t cover it!”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Daniel commiserated. He knew all about needing medical treatment and not having adequate insurance coverage. That’s what had contributed to his mother’s death. Medicaid was a help but sometimes it was the waiting period for treatment that determined the patient’s outcome. Maybe he could find out who KT’s patient was, without her knowledge, and provide whatever finance he needed to get him back on his feet. It was the least he could do and he could certainly afford it. He wished someone would have done that for his mother.
“What about you? Do you love your job?” She asked changing the subject.
Daniel thought for a while. Did he love his job or did he love what it gave him?
“I don’t honestly know anymore,” he confessed.
“What do you mean?” asked KT.
“I’m a merger consultant so my job is to find the right companies for my clients to merge with or acquire at the best possible price. I used to love the challenge of finding the right partner for a client and bringing them together. To be brutally honest, I really didn’t care if they stayed together as long as I got my money, but now I don’t know. So many mergers are failing. It’s kind of like a marriage. Everything starts out looking good but after a while cracks begin to show up and soon a collapse happens and it can be messy as marriage without a prenupt. There are just no guarantees.”
“Caveat Emptor!” said KT quietly. It still bothered her how cold and hard he had sounded in that article. She didn’t want to be attracted to a man like that.
Daniel didn’t hear what she said but it looked like she said Caveat Emptor. He couldn’t imagine how she would have known about that quote and for some reason he hoped she hadn’t seen the article in the New York Times.
“I don’t believe in prenuptial agreements and in any case they’re for people who have lots of money,” said KT louder. “They may deal with the financial issues but they can’t take away the emotional damage that divorce causes.”
“As I’ve said before ‘People don’t go into marriage expecting to get divorced, but divorce happens.’ So it’s best to protect your interests.”
“I know that divorce sometimes happens, but I believe in marriage. I see it as a lifetime commitment not some business transaction where I have to protect my interests, few as they are, so when I
get married there will be no prenupt and divorce will not be an option.” She picked up his notes, looked him straight in the eyes and said: “Caveat Emptor!”
Let the buyer beware. Daniel didn’t even need to know Latin to recognize that he’d just been warned. KT was not into casual relationships. She was a marriage or nothing kind of girl.
“Come on Daniel, you’re not focusing today!” scolded KT. “You did these weights easily last week. Try again!”
“Are you by any chance a descendant of the Marquis de Sade?” snapped Daniel. He was tired and yes he was distracted but it was because of her. All he could hear echoing in his ears were the words: “I believe in marriage. I believe in marriage.” Well that was certainly clear enough! She may as well have said: You don’t have a chance Daniel Tennant. Anyway did he really want a chance with Miss Prude? She seemed like too much effort.
“Are you suggesting that I’m sadistic?” asked KT in a mock offended tone. “I’ll have you know that I’m a professional and I would never intentionally hurt a patient. You’re just not focused at all. What’s on your mind, Daniel? Thinking about all those dates you’re missing out on?” Even as the words left her mouth she was mortified. She’d never spoken to a patient in that way and certainly not about their personal life.
“I’m sorry Daniel. I shouldn’t have said that.” She apologized.
“I want you to say what’s on your mind,” Daniel encouraged. “I want to know what you’re thinking.” He was surprised to realize that it was true; he wanted to get inside her mind, not just her pants. That was a first.
“You don’t want to know what I’m thinking,” mumbled KT under her breath. “What I’m thinking is that you can do at least five more of these leg lifts,” she said louder.
“You’re all business, aren’t you?”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
“And what if I want more than what you’re here for?” Whatever happened to ‘She seems like too much effort?’
“That’s not an option.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know what you have in mind, but I don’t get involved with patients beyond helping them to get better.”
“What about when they’re not patients anymore?”
“I’ve never had a situation like that so I don’t know.”
“At least I have a bit of hope then,” smiled Daniel.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” quoted KT.
“Then don’t make my heart sick,” said Daniel.
“That’s assuming you have a heart in the first place,” retorted KT.
“Touché,” said Daniel. “This round goes to the lovely Kathryn Taylor.”
KT laughed. She had enjoyed their verbal sparring. So did Daniel. He felt more alive than he had in a long time. If he felt this good just sparring with her, what would it be like making love with her? What was wrong with him? He had a one-track mind when it came to KT or maybe it had been too long since Angela.
“And no, I’m not thinking about the dates I’m missing out on,” he said with a satisfied smile, resuming his exercises.
She’d hoped he hadn’t heard that! That left ear compensation was beginning to kick in!
Daniel wanted to do something for KT. Just to please her. He couldn’t remember the last time he had wanted to do something to please someone without an ulterior motive. He remembered how upset she was that she was unable to help the teenager who needed treatments that he couldn’t afford. He could certainly help there.
He picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts and selected the number for Luke Wellington. The connection was made after two rings.
“Luke Wellington’s office, may I help you?” said the receptionist.
“This is Daniel Tennant. Is Mr. Wellington available?”
“You’re in luck, Mr. Tennant, he just came back from surgery. Hold the line please.”
The call was transferred and Luke Wellington came on the line.
“Hi Daniel, is everything OK?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I was just wondering if you could help me out with something.” Daniel went on to explain the situation.
“I discovered that there’s a teenager who needs therapy treatment and an electric wheelchair but can’t afford either. I’d like to make an anonymous donation to the patient but I don’t know his name or who to contact to arrange it.”
“That’s very generous of you Daniel. Call Mark Hubert. He’s the head of Physiotherapy. He’ll know who the patient is and he’ll be able to arrange to get the chair and organize the therapy sessions.”
“Thanks a lot,” Daniel replied, ending the conversation.
Luke Wellington hung up the phone and looked thoughtful. He’d figured Daniel Tennant for a somewhat arrogant, self-centered type. He never would have imagined that he would care about another patient, far less pull his pocket to help them. Maybe his brush with death had changed him.
KT was restless. She’d been home for over an hour and she couldn’t seem to settle at anything. Daniel Tennant was occupying her mind. She kept replaying their conversation in her head. ‘And what if I want more than what you’re here for?’ he’d asked. Was he seriously interested in her or was he just flirting to pass the time until he was well enough to get back into his circle? What should she do? What she always did in a crisis. She went to the phone and dialed her friend and confidante Desiree Rodriguez. She’d known Des since high school and in fact it was Des who had invited her to the Youth Group meeting that had changed her life and given it new meaning.
“Hel-lo!” greeted Des in her upbeat voice. KT rarely heard Des sounding down.
“Hi Des, are you busy or can I pop by for a chat?”
“Sure, come on over KT. What’s up?”
“I’ll unload on you when I get there.”
“Sounds serious,” said Des.
KT made the short drive to Des’ apartment, thankful to see a car pulling away from the curb and leaving a space for her to park. She knocked at the door and Des opened after just two knocks.
“Hi, darling,” said Des and they hugged each other.
“Hi, Des.”
Desiree was shorter than KT by about three inches but her effervescent personality made her hard to overlook. That and her black hair that was currently cut in a bob to her neck with the front bleached white blond. Her look and personality were perfectly suited to her job at an advertising agency. However, in spite of her punk look and her somewhat zany personality, Des was actually a great listener and had a lot of compassion.
“Shall we retire to the therapy room?” she asked leading the way to the kitchen. “I have some chocolate chip cookies and milk with our names on them.”
“Sounds great!” said KT. She pulled out a chair and sank into it with a sigh.
“Des, I’m in trouble!” she burst out.
“Whatever it is can’t be that bad and more importantly I’m sure it’s not unforgiveable.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence Des. It’s about one of my patients! His name is Daniel Tennant. He’s recovering from brain surgery and has been assigned to me for therapy. Connie Haskins, one of the other therapists, said that they call him the Merger Mogul in the business world and she warned me to beware of him,” shared KT.
“That sounds intriguing! Why is he called the Merger Mogul?”
“He’s a merger consultant and the CEO of Tennant Consulting which apparently is very successful. I’ve also heard that he has a lot of women in his life but none seem to stay there for more than a few months.”
“Oh, now I see. Did he hit on you?”
“Not really, although he has made suggestive comments.”
“Well why don’t you ask the hospital to transfer him to another therapist?”
“That’s just it! I don’t want him transferred. Des, this is the awful part, I’ve only just seen him twice but I’m very attracted to him. And he did come onto me a bit today and wanted to know if I ever get involved with m
y patients. He’s probably just bored because he’s still recuperating and not seeing anyone at the moment, as far as I know. I’m not even his type, if the photos on the Internet are anything to go by, and our lifestyles and values are poles apart so I don’t even know why I can’t get him out of my mind. Without sounding vain, lots of guys have come on to me but I’ve never been attracted to any of them like this before. What makes it worse is he’s very cynical about marriage and has made it clear that he’s just about making money.”
“Let’s Google ‘The Merger Mogul’ so that I can see what all the fuss is about for myself,” said Des eagerly heading for her laptop in the sitting room.
“Don’t you think this is like snooping?” asked KT guiltily.
“Well it sounds like you’ve already snooped my dear. But I don’t see it as snooping, I prefer to call it research,” said Des. KT smiled. That was Des for you. She felt much better after that confirmation.
A few minutes later Des whistled.
“So that is the Merger Mogul. I’m sure I’ve seen him before. He’s hot KT!” she exclaimed as they looked at the images displayed for Daniel Tennant.
“I’m sure all the women in the pictures think so too!” KT commented drily.
“So now I understand your predicament. What do you want to do about this? More importantly what do you think God wants you to do? Maybe you’ve been brought into his life for a reason.”
“Maybe. I hadn’t thought about that,” admitted KT.
“Well pray about it.”
“Thanks Des. I’ll do that. You’re a woman of wisdom and a great friend as well. Pray for me too, especially that I’ll be able to resist his charms!” said KT heading for the front door.
“You bet!” said Des giving her a hug.
Chapter 13