Telling herself to ignore his hand, she shook her head. “I thought I would, but I haven’t been here very long, you know.”
“Long enough for me to want—”
“What can I get for you folks to drink?” The black-garbed waiter stood with pad poised.
Gillian almost asked for a fan. Adam’s intent gaze had caused a rush of heat to bloom on her neck and face. “Iced tea for me.”
“I’ll take coffee.” His voice sent shivers up her spine. How could even those simple words sound sexy?
When their dinners were served, Adam reached for her hands and bowed his head. “Heavenly Father, I thank You for this day, for this food, and for bringing Gillian into my life. Amen.”
Gillian focused on her prawns. He thanked God for me. The thought made her feel like she was suspended in air, floating on a cloud of happiness. He must be feeling the same way she was, as if given a precious gift with all the time needed to open it with great care and savor every moment.
He told her about growing up in Seattle, he and his brother on swim teams and learning to sail. “Mother called us her water babies. Have you been to Seattle?”
“On business trips. I thought Mount Rainier was a myth until I saw it on one trip. Too many gray days there for me.”
“Have you ever been in love before?” he asked, totally catching her by surprise.
“I thought I was once. His name was Pierre, but when I realized he was not really the man I thought he was, I broke it off. What about you?”
“I was married when I was young, but after I was deployed, I received that ominous Dear John letter. She couldn’t handle being alone and I was in the navy. I never saw her again; everything was done through lawyers and when I retired, I chose to live in a warmer climate.”
“No children?”
“No, which made me sad and glad. So now I enjoy Jen’s two kids and take care of plants and customers all day.” He propped his elbows on the table and stared over the coffee cup into her eyes. “I’m glad you came back to Martinez.”
“Me, too.”
Leaving the restaurant, he kept his arm around her shoulders. Back home, he walked her to the door, and this time when he kissed her, he meant for her to know he cared. When he lifted his head, he gazed into her dark eyes. “Thank you.”
“I’m supposed to be the one to thank you for such a lovely day.”
He kissed her lightly again. “We’ll do lots more lovely days, okay?”
She put her key in the lock and floated into the house. Winnie whimpered from her crate. Back to the real world, she told herself. But she understood there had been a major shift in their relationship and knew he believed the same.
She worked Monday, had Tuesday off when she cleaned out the garden area, and worked at the nursery Wednesday morning. In between they walked the dogs every evening and shared their life stories. When she got home on Wednesday it was after three and the gray clouds suggested rain might be coming. She turned the heat up and took care of Winnie before bringing her laptop out to the living room. With the television on, she flipped through her messages, stopping at one with an unknown name. Was it spam? Her filter managed to dispense with most of that, so she opened it.
Dear Ms. Ormsby,
My name is Mark Hassleton and I am Senior VP of R&D for Cranston, Inc., the company that purchased Fitch, Fitch, and Folsom. I was looking through back files and came across a proposal you submitted just before the acquisition. It is marked declined but I found it very interesting. I am looking for sharp people to fill out the remainder of my team. Might you be interested in meeting with me? I’ll be available for the rest of the afternoon if you’d like to call. I’m looking forward to talking with you.
His contact information was under his signature.
Gillian read it again. Surely this wasn’t a joke. She leaned back in her chair. He thinks I am still in New York. Too late to call now with the time difference. She stared at the television screen but had no idea what the heads were talking about. A possible job again in New York. A job that would do more than pay the daily expenses. A job that might be the perfect transition for her canceled career, that might answer that question, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?
She Googled the company name and read all she could find about them online, then went to the New York Times and brought up the business section to read more. The firm definitely had good credentials. Since she’d not been able to contact him today, the earliest she could meet with him would be Friday. A frisson of excitement traveled her spine.
But how would she tell Adam?
She was on the work schedule for Friday and Saturday.
All of a sudden, she had obstacles. Big obstacles. Obstacles she did not want to face.
Adam would be here any minute to walk the dogs and she hadn’t changed yet. The doorbell rang while she was tying her shoes. Winnie ran barking to the door but stopped as soon as she realized who it was. Hobbling out, one shoe on and one off, she opened the door. “Come on in, I’ll be ready in a sec.” She sat down on the recliner to put her shoe on and watched the dogs sniff each other, the canine equivalent of a human hand shake. As she retrieved her light jacket, she made the decision. She’d not tell Adam until she’d talked with this Mark person.
Thor heeled with thinly disguised obedience, his whole body quivering in anticipation of a run. Winnie walked slightly ahead of Gillian but not pulling on her leash like she had at first. As soon as they reached the fenced school yard, Adam unsnapped the leash and Thor tore off in ever-widening circles. Winnie waited for Gillian to release her and made a straight line to intersect the circling.
“Do you mind if I run?” Adam asked.
“Not at all. I’ll just walk the driveway to the creek bed and around the perimeter.” Actually having the time to ponder was a good thing. When she got home she would start her lists, for and against.
“Are you all right?” Adam asked as they strode back up the hill to home.
“Just tired, I guess.”
“Dad will have dinner ready. Do you want to join us?”
“Thanks but I think not. My chicken soup really sounds good.” What a pathetic excuse, she thought. Why not be up front and just tell him? Because—because he might get mad, be disappointed, not say anything, say too much, check one of the above. How would he feel about a long-distance courtship? If that was what was going on between them. A rather old-fashioned word, but it sounded more important than dating.
She made sure she smiled as she and Winnie peeled off for their house. “See you in the morning.”
“You want to ride with me?”
“No, thanks, I’m only there half a day again.”
When she turned off the light, she was no closer to a decision of whether to go or not to go. But how could she decide when she didn’t have any of the particulars yet? As she lay in bed, her mind wandered back to church on Sunday. One thing she did remember the pastor saying. “When in doubt, ask God.” You used to pray, to ask Him things. You also know He answered. That job you had at Three F was a case in point.
Gillian heaved a sigh that stirred Winnie. “God, You know I’ve been remiss in all things pertaining to You. But it looks like I am being pulled back, or at least surrounded by people who really do live Your way. Adam and I haven’t talked about a lot of spiritual things yet, but I’m sure we will. He talks to You as if You are sitting right next to him. I want that.” Saying that stopped her. Did she really mean it because she knew God could read her heart and mind and see what she really believed? “I do mean it. I do. Right now I need wisdom to know how to handle this new situation. Am I to go back to New York to work?” She stared out the window, recognizing a sadness that clung to that idea. “Perhaps there are ways to work that out. I trust that You are going to show me what to do. Thanks in advance. Amen.” She rolled on her side to stroke Winnie’s silky fur. As Shakespeare had said, “The die is cast.”
She called Mark at seven a.m. and introduced h
erself. After they talked for a couple of minutes, he said, “Can you come in this afternoon?”
“Not really. I am in California.”
“California? I thought you lived here in the city.”
“I did, I do. But we had some family problems and I came out to help.”
“When can you be here?”
“If I can catch the red-eye, I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“Ten?”
“All right.” She forced herself to remain calm, to sound professional.
“I even have your old office so you know the way. See you then.”
Gillian clicked off her phone and sat staring out the kitchen door. The hummingbirds flashed past. She got up and poured herself another cup of coffee, then started her list to get everything done in time. As soon as the kennel opened, she’d call to see if they had room for Winnie. She jotted the number down so she could call from the car.
Getting ready for work, she chewed on how to talk to Adam. He’d ask her all kinds of questions that she had no answers for.
She called Allie as she backed the car out of the garage. She decided it must be a miracle day when her sister answered. Gillian explained what had happened.
“But I don’t want you to leave again. I like having you here. We all do.”
“I know, I like being here, but I at least need to check this out.”
“I guess. What are you going to do with Winnie?”
“Put her in the kennel. I’m calling them next.”
“I’ll pick her up after I get the kids at school. Will you be home by then?”
“Yes, thanks. This is a big help.” She hung up; that saved one phone call.
Once at the nursery, she tied her apron on and looked around to see where Adam was. If she weren’t on the schedule for Friday and Saturday, this wouldn’t be such a big deal. She would be back by Monday. Since putting it off was making her stomach queasy, she found him and asked if he had time to talk for a minute.
“Of course.” He stared into her eyes. “What’s wrong? Let’s go in the office.”
Gillian forced herself to take several deep breaths on the way.
He shut the door behind her and motioned to a chair. She shook her head. “I’ll stand.”
“That bad?” The joke didn’t quite make it to his eyes.
“Bad or good, all depends.” She took another deep breath and dropped her shoulders. “I had an e-mail last night from a man in New York City. He is senior VP at Cranston, Inc. That’s the company that bought us out.”
Adam leaned his haunches against his desk, ankles crossed to match his arms. “And?”
“And he read that proposal of mine that was turned down and wants to talk to me about a position there.”
“I see. That’s quite a compliment.”
“I talked with him this morning. He was surprised to learn I was in California, so I said I could meet with him tomorrow morning instead of today. I’ll take the red-eye tonight.” She wished she could see into his eyes, but he was staring at his arms. “But I am on the schedule for the next two days and I don’t want to cause you any more trouble either.” Adam, talk to me.
He heaved a sigh and looked up at her. “Of course you must go. This could be a big break. I’ll take you to the airport tonight. Did you get a flight?”
She nodded. “Right after I talked with him.”
“What about Winnie?”
“When I called Allie, she volunteered to dog-sit.”
“I see you’ve made all the arrangements. But I shouldn’t be surprised. You are most efficient.”
She knew he was paying her a compliment, but it didn’t feel like one, more like a dagger slash. “I—I better get to work.”
“I’ll have John change the schedule.”
“Okay.” She waited another moment, hoping he would say more, but what more, she had no idea. When she turned and left, she would not have been surprised to see that a giant chasm had opened across the room.
Chapter Thirty-four
He’d been more friendly the day he thought she was breaking into the house. The ride to the airport seemed like forever. Gone was the warm laughter, the glances that made her heart thump. It was like he’d gone behind an opaque screen that allowed only necessary conversation.
“I’ll call you,” she said as she stood on the sidewalk in front of the terminal.
“Right.”
“Move along,” the traffic officer ordered.
Adam raised a finger to touch her cheek. “Take care.” He walked around his SUV and drove off without a backward glance.
Fighting tears, Gillian pulled her over-nighter along to the ticket counter. How would she sleep after this? She almost dialed his cell to ask him to come back for her.
Staring out the window into the ebony night, with only the light flashing on the wing, she let her mind wander. Not that she could have controlled it at this point, but she did need to sleep. Morning would come far before she was prepared. From the sounds of it, she could step right back into her former life as if her new life in California was really just a vacation. But I loved New York. She closed her eyes. Loved. Past tense. What did she love about it? Memories scrolled through her mind. She had loved her job, moving up through the ranks, usually seen as a bright, rising star. But a vision that cost her a life apart from the job and the company. How many real friends did she have? People around her at work. All right. How many of them had called her or even e-mailed her after the buyout? Two: Scot and Shannon. How many had she called or e-mailed? Two: Scot and Shannon. She did love the thrill of the challenges, making money for the company and thusly for herself. She liked her lifestyle. Had liked. Was it because she didn’t know any better? She leaned her forehead against the cold window. Now compare that life to her new one in California. Adam. Her heart ached that he’d not even looked back when he drove off at the terminal. Her sister and her family. She’d just begun to get close again, did she want to lose that? Could it grow long distance? Her mother and Enzio. Would they come to visit her? Even Winnie. Having a dog in a high-rise apartment building with a seventy-hour-a-week job didn’t compute. The garden, her new job at Bentley’s. New friends in Bill and Jennifer. A life. A real life. She’d just fallen asleep when they announced the descent into La Guardia International Airport.
When she walked into her New York condo after what seemed an eternity of travel, she stared around as if wondering if she was in a new land. That houses, condos, flats, all needed to be lived in, or they started to decay was most assuredly a true statement. She’d only been gone, was it a month now? No, less. After hanging up her coat, she dragged herself into the bedroom, set her alarm to ring at eight, and collapsed in the bed. It was far too early to call Adam.
* * *
Walking into the building where she used to spend most of her waking hours, she punched the elevator button for the twenty-second floor. She stepped off to see that the new company had not changed a thing other than the signage. Same gray-blue carpets, same light gray walls, although the arrangement in the reception area now showcased fresh flowers rather than silk.
The same receptionist.
After their greetings, Gillian leaned forward and dropped her voice. “So they kept everyone but management?”
Cicely nodded, her smile as bright as ever. “They’re a great company to work for. We even all got raises when we decided to stay.”
Shannon had told her the same thing on one of their phone calls. “Glad to hear that. I’m here to speak with Mark Hassleton.”
“I’ll see if he is ready.” She pushed the requisite buttons and nodded. “Good to see you.”
“Thanks.”
He was standing at the door to her old office and reached out to shake her hand. “Welcome. Hope you had a good flight. Come in.” He looked every inch the rising young executive, even to the horn-rimmed glasses.
Gillian shook his hand and entered the office. She’d wondered if this would bother her, but she never felt a twi
nge. As if she’d gone through a door and closed it on her former life.
“Please, have a seat. Can we get you anything? Coffee, water?”
“No, thank you.” Was her assistant now working for Mark, too?
“Thank you for coming. I was surprised, to say the least, when you said you were in California. What part?”
Gillian responded to the chitchat and kept her hands from smoothing her skirt or showing any other sign of nervousness. She’d not done this since that first interview those many years ago. Usually she was the one on the other side of the desk, interviewing possible employees.
“Like I said, I was impressed with your proposal.” He leaned back in his chair and studied her over templed fingers. “From everything I’ve read about you, I knew I needed to call. You had a long history with Fitch et cetera, working your way up the ladder. I’m sure the buyout was a shock.”
She nodded.
“The way I see it, I would like you to step back into the same position you had before, with the same responsibilities only probably a few different management styles. I can offer you a rather generous signing bonus, an increase in salary of fifteen percent, and profit sharing. You’ll find our performance-based bonus program one of the best in the city for a company of our size.”
“How many other women are in the upper echelon of management?”
“None.”
“So, I’ll be your token female in the boardroom?”
“I wouldn’t put it quite that way.”
“But yes?”
He nodded and leaned forward. “You have always been a team player from what I have ascertained, and while I cannot tell you the specifics, Cranston, Inc. is on the verge of a huge explosion. Being part of this period of growth will be exciting and a real challenge for us all.” He leaned forward again, looking right into her eyes. “Are you interested?”
Gillian waited before answering. “When would I need to start?”
On Hummingbird Wings Page 28