The thought filled her with a quiet satisfaction. If Jase thought he could browbeat her into going along with all his ideas, wouldn’t he be in for a surprise? The anger that flared was cathartic. It had been her task to close the Washington office, and she had accomplished the task expediently and efficiently. She had learned a lot from Alan, and Jase would find she could pull her own weight.
Shannon had spoken to Jase a couple of times on the phone since the funeral. She wondered what was going on in the San Francisco office that she should know about. It would take her a little while to come up to speed. She’d visited that office a couple of times. Usually Alan had left her in charge of the Washington office while he came west to confer with Jase. Only twice in the years they were married had Jase come to D.C.
Jase had told Shannon to take her time moving west. But she needed something to fill her days, and make her tired enough to sleep at night.
To Shannon’s surprise, Jase was waiting in the terminal when she came off the concourse. He stepped up and took her carry-on bag.
“Good flight?” he asked, turning and gesturing toward the escalators that descended to the baggage claim area.
“Yes, thank you.”
He was several inches over six feet and always seemed to tower over her, though she herself was a bit above average height. His dark hair gleamed in the artificial light, worn longer than Alan had worn his. He moved with a smoothness that always reminded her of a panther. No wasted motion, ready to pounce.
He was not an easy man to be around, given more to sardonic comments, impatient and challenging statements than genial conversation. But he did keep her on her toes. She planned to prove to him that Alan’s trust in her had been justified. She wanted Jase to one day tell her that Alan’s request had been the best thing that had happened to the company. She knew she had a lot of ground to cover before then and hoped Jase was open-minded enough to let her do what she’d come for. But if not, it was only for a year. She could stick the course for one year.
“I reserved a room at that hotel on Market Street that Alan liked,” she said as they stood with the crowd waiting for the luggage to arrive. She couldn’t help remembering that the last time she’d flown to San Francisco, Alan had been with her.
“I’ll drop you,” he said. “Since today is almost shot, you may wish to rest up tomorrow. If so, don’t worry about coming into the office.”
“I napped on the flight,” she said. “I’ll be there bright and early ready to work”
He moved impatiently. “Look, Shannon, I know Alan and you worked closely in the Washington office, but I’m used to being in charge here. I don’t need an in-my-face partner to dog my every move.”
Shannon was taken aback but determined not to show it. What else had she expected from Jase other than hostility? “I’m here to take on my new role in the company. Alan and I reviewed everything before his death. I know exactly where we stand, the vision you and he had for expansion, and the pitfalls with competitors, the market and the changing world situation. I’m not some hothouse flower needing coddling, despite what Alan thought,” Shannon insisted. “I know he could be a little old-fashioned in his views, but I’m perfectly capable of handling my share of the firm. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about the new efforts in software security. There are lots of firms out there that produce a good solid product, so why are we diverting our resources into that area? I think we need to reexamine our direction and purpose, and stick to a course for a period of months to make sure we strengthen our core product—which is personal security.”
“To stay competitive, we have to offer a full, turn-key program, suitable to all who want our services. This includes computer security,” Jase explained. “But this is not the time or place for this discussion. If you have some legitimate concerns, we’ll discuss them at the office. But if you’re just trying to throw your weight around, forget it. Check the long-range plans we devised before the expansion. This was a key feature.”
The carousel started and luggage began to appear. Shannon had to keep a close eye for her bags, as so many looked alike these days. She might have known Jase would argue with her first statement. He was right, however, her timing was bad. That discussion was for the office, not an airport terminal.
She appreciated his picking her up. It saved her the hassle of taking a taxicab into San Francisco. Soon he’d drop her at the hotel and she’d be on her own again. She just had to be cordial for a little longer.
And, from his earlier comments, ready to go to battle when she reached the office in the morning.
When her bags arrived, he grabbed the two she indicated.
“Is this it?” he asked.
“Yes. The rest of my things, including the furniture I was entitled to, are coming by moving van. I hope to find a place to live before they arrive or everything will have to go into storage.”
“Maybe you should have left everything in Washington. You’ll be going back in a year, right?”
She nodded as he led the way to the parking garage. That was the plan. In a year, she hoped the firm would be doing so well that they could reopen the D.C. office and she’d return home in a heartbeat.
In only a short time Jase reached a black sports car and opened the minuscule trunk. Depositing her two suitcases into it was an effort, but he managed to get them both in.
“You’ll have to bring the carry-on up front with us,” he said, going around to unlock the passenger door.
Seated in the comfortable, sexy car a moment later, Shannon wished she could relax and enjoy the ride. The car she and Alan had leased had been a big sedan. Turned in, of course, after his death. It had been nothing like this. Would her income allow her to get something fun to drive? That was another issue to discuss. Alan had not taken a salary from the company, plowing his earnings back into the business. His income from the trust had enabled him to live comfortably without supplement. Shannon, on the other hand, had only her salary as office manager. She would need more from Morris and Pembrooke—starting right away!
Jase quickly exited the airport, slipping into the flow of traffic heading for San Francisco.
“I’ve called a staff meeting at eleven tomorrow morning, pending your decision to come in or not. You know most of the people in the office at least by phone,” he said. “That way you can meet everyone, and we can establish our parameters.”
“Meaning?”
“I’m not your adversary, Shannon,” he said. “You and I are equal partners in Morris and Pembrooke. We need to establish a united front for the staff and clients. Any differences we have must be worked out behind closed doors.”
“You’re right. Do we have differences?” Beside the software development, and the fact she hadn’t wanted to close the Washington office, she thought.
He glanced at her, his dark eyes narrowed slightly. She felt a catch in her breath. Darn it, she didn’t need this. Every time she was around him, she felt breathless, like she was mesmerized by his dynamic personality. She was used to being around men—after all, the operatives in the Washington office had been mostly male.
Why hadn’t Jase married, she wondered. He was in his mid-thirties, but to her knowledge he had never even come close to marriage. Why not?
“I don’t know, you tell me,” he said in that low deep voice.
“No differences that I know of, except the software. I plan to continue with Alan’s directions. If you have a different agenda, then we may have a problem,” she said. She had copious notes in her briefcase. Alan had gone over everything with her prior to his death, coaching her to be all she could as a partner. To make sure Jase found no room for complaint.
He gave a shrug and drove without speaking until they reached Market Street. She studied the tall buildings that whizzed by as he navigated through the city traffic. In only a moment, he stopped in front of the hotel. A bellman came to open her door.
“This is the right hotel?” Jase checked as he looked up at the hotel Alan ha
d favored.
“Yes.” Alan had loved the location. A short walk would take her to Union Square, the Embarcadero, or to Chinatown. She got out of the car.
With her luggage taken care of a few moments later, Jase said, “I’ll see you in the morning, then. Unless you want to go to dinner tonight?”
“Is that part of your promise to Alan to take care of me?” she asked lightly. She would find a way to let Jase know he needn’t take that promise too seriously. Smiling as politely as she was able, she shook her head. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Thank you for the offer, but I want an early night. Maybe some other time.”
He inclined his head slightly. “As you like. See you in the morning, then. You know how to find the office?”
She nodded then watched as he got into the car and quickly melded into the traffic, and was soon lost from view. Turning she entered the hotel, wishing once more with all her heart that Alan was with her—if only to help her deal with Jase.
She was already exhausted from being with him for the length of their trip into the city and he had hardly said a single word out of place. It was her own keyed-up emotions, her own rising defense against her attraction to him that came unwanted. She was mourning her husband. How could she be the slightest bit interested in even looking at another man, especially one she knew so well? It was jet lag. Or fatigue playing tricks on her psyche, or the reaffirmation of life despite her husband’s death a couple of months ago.
Whatever, she thought, as she entered the large hotel. She was not going to allow herself to be swayed by a good-looking man. She had the rest of her life before her, she would do what she could to make sure Alan would have been proud of her. But the fluttering feeling that started when Jase met her at the airport hadn’t diminished. She realized she was physically aware of him on all levels. And she hated it.
Maybe being around him full-time for days on end would end that. She certainly hoped so!
Jase pulled into the underground garage of his apartment building on Nob Hill, parking in his reserved space. He got out of the car and stalked to the elevator, still fuming. Shannon rubbed him the wrong way, no doubt about it. He’d tried do the right thing, offering to have her rest up before starting into work, but from her reaction, someone would think he was trying for a palace coup.
Not that he wanted her involved with the business. He would always miss Alan and his wise counsel, but the company had been Jase’s baby from the get-go. He’d gotten out of Special Forces with a strong awareness of the growing problem with safety of Americans on foreign soils. He’d planned the direction of his security firm, solicited venture capital—and fallen in with Alan Morris. But it was Jase’s direction and vision leading the company. He knew how to keep the accounts in the black and the firm growing at the same time.
Alan had been the cautionary note in the partnership. Always deliberating over decisions, looking into all aspects before agreeing. Jase used a gut instinct approach and so far it had served him well.
Miss Jumped-Up-Secretary-Turned-Co-owner would soon see she was in over her head.
He knew he’d promised Alan to take care of her, not that he thought Shannon needed any help. But that didn’t mean abdicating his own plans to keep her happy. She fell in with his ideas, or she could draw a salary for sitting as far from the office as he could find a place.
Which reminded him, he needed to make sure she was on the payroll at a salary befitting a partner, not the Washington office manager.
When Jase reached the nineteenth floor, he stepped out and went to his apartment. Entering, he glanced around, for the first time wondering what Shannon would think if she ever saw it. The few times she’d accompanied Alan to San Francisco, they’d stayed in a hotel—the same one she was staying in tonight. When Alan came alone, he always bunked in with Jase, using the second bedroom.
The place was modern with clean lines and furnishings to match. Jase hadn’t done much to dress up the place. It was a place to eat and sleep. He spent most of his waking hours at the office or on the road. Or at the apartment of his girlfriend du jour, as Alan used to tease.
God, he missed the man. Even his nagging to find a woman to settle down with and build a family would be missed. Jase wondered why Alan and Shannon hadn’t started a family. Was there anything to the long-ago thought that she’d married him for his money, and so didn’t want to bother with children?
He didn’t think so. He flung himself down on the sofa, stretched out his legs. Alan had been happy with Shannon. And Shannon had not played the part of gold digger. She’d stayed working in the business, moving up through the ranks through her own ability, not as a favor to the boss’s wife. Alan had said more than once over the last year how much he depended on Shannon and her judgment. Was it a prelude to the change he had to know was coming? Or had he meant it? How much of the recent decisions had been Alan’s and how many Shannon’s?
Could her business sense be counted on? Well, only time would tell.
Shannon took a quick shower which helped rejuvenate her. She unpacked one bag, hoping she’d be able to find a place of her own before long. She’d asked one of the secretaries in the office to find her some possible apartments that she could look at during the coming week. Maryellen had faxed the listings to her last Friday and she’d studied the listing on the flight out. Maybe she’d take an afternoon or two off this week to look at a couple that had caught her eye.
There was so much to do. She didn’t want to slack off from work and give Jase any reason to think she wasn’t able to handle the job. But she did need to get settled.
When the phone rang, she hesitated answering. Who would be calling her? Jase, of course. He was the only one who knew she was here. Not sure she was up to sparring with him again, she reluctantly lifted the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Shannon, this is Dean Morris. I had the worst time tracking you down. I finally called Jase yesterday and he told me you’d be at this hotel today. There are some discrepancies in the books I’ve had audited. You and I need to have a talk about some of the expenditures Alan made over the last year.”
Alan had warned her Dean would do all he could to make her life miserable with him not there. Was this just an opening salvo? What else would he come up with?
“I rarely had anything to do with Alan’s finances. I had my own salary from the company. He took care of our household expenses.” Alan had coached her on what to say if Dean questioned anything. In his opinion, Dean felt every dime of the Morris Trust deserved to stay in the accounts. Alan’s philosophy was to use what he could to enjoy life; it had also been his grandfather’s premise. The old man hadn’t wanted to limit his descendants, just make sure the money didn’t end up being wasted. She wasn’t sure where the balance lay, but it had nothing to do with her. Alan had kept most of that from her.
Of course she knew he’d taken more out the last year than he’d actually needed in order to build her a small savings. But she didn’t plan to tell Dean that. It had been Alan’s decision, and she’d abide by it.
“There are a lot of things not normally part of his spending pattern. Like a diamond necklace he bought you for your birthday just days before he died. Don’t you think that was a little extravagant? Especially given the circumstances?” Dean continued.
She remembered Alan’s delight with the gift, only a few weeks after he’d told her about his illness. He had said he wished he could give her a new necklace every birthday for the rest of her life. But he couldn’t, so this was to last her forever.
“He chose that gift, I didn’t ask for it,” she said, gripping the receiver. “Dean, Alan never once abused his privileges with the trust. He didn’t try to break the terms or rail against the restrictions. If his lifestyle didn’t meet your approval, that’s too bad. But he was entitled to do as he wished with his portion. The time to question things was when he was alive, not now.” She hung up the phone, feeling shaky.
It rang again a mome
nt later. She snatched it up, still annoyed Dean was harassing her. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. If you have a problem, formalize it and send it to my attorneys.” Not that she had any attorneys, but she guessed she could use the ones the company used.
“Whoa, pretty big guns for any situation, much less an invitation to dinner,” Jase said.
“Jase?”
“Who did you think was calling?”
“I thought it was Dean again.”
“He was looking for you yesterday,” Jase said.
“He reached me just a few minutes ago. And had the gall to challenge me on how Alan spent his money.”
“Ever the philanthropist, our Dean. Alan always had plenty to say about his tight-fisted brother. What did Dean say that has you so riled up? No, wait, don’t tell me yet. I called to see if you’d changed your mind about dinner. I know you said no before, but I was thinking just burgers and fries or something like that. Nothing fancy. It’s your first night in San Francisco, please come out with me.”
Shannon knew he was trying to fulfill Alan’s request “to take care of Shannon,” but after Dean’s call, she could use something to divert her. Who better than Jase?
“All right. But I really do want to make an early night,” she said, anxious to leave the hotel room and its confining space. “Shall I meet you someplace?”
“Want to eat at a restaurant on the Wharf?”
“Yes.” She loved the seafood selection available on Fisherman’s Wharf.
“It won’t be too crowded on a Sunday evening. I’ll swing by in about forty minutes. You can then tell me all about Dean, and we’ll figure out what to do about him,” Jase said.
“I’ll be waiting out front.”
Dean was on the trail, as Alan had predicted. And her unlikely ally was Jase! Amazing.
“Alan, I wish you were here,” she whispered as she went to brush her hair. Would she ever stop missing him with an ache so deep it seemed to go to her very soul?
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