Hurricane Watch

Chapter

Twelve

KERRY FELT LIKE she had a huge, red, white and black target painted right on her chest as she walked into the building. She already had a stomach ache, and she hadn’t even hit the elevator yet. She nodded nervously at the guard as she moved past him.

”Ms. Stuart?” The man said, leaning towards her a little.

”Yes?” She paused, wondering if he had orders to stop her or something.

He walked around the desk and came closer. ”Is Ms. Roberts doing okay?” He shuffled his feet nervously, and looked around. ”I know you guys usually come in together, so... ”

Kerry smiled warmly at him. ”She’s fine, thanks for asking,” she reassured him. ”Did anyone else from fourteen come through here yet?”

He knew what she was asking. ”No, ma’am. You’re the very first. ”

Kerry nodded. ”Okay, thanks. I’ll tell Dar you were asking for her.”

Her green eyes twinkled. ”Wish me luck today.”

He licked his lips. ”Are you...” He left the statement unfinished.

”Oh no.” Kerry shook her head firmly. ”But someone has to hold the paper bag up while everyone else jumps through it, you know?”

She knew the word would spread within minutes. ”Dar asked me to.”

He nodded. ”Gotcha.” He sketched a salute at her. ”Good luck, ma’am.”

Kerry continued on, riding in solitary splendor up to her floor, and exiting into a very empty corridor. Her steps took her to Dar’s office first, and she used her key for the first time, letting herself in to where Maria would usually already be working. The outer office was somberly silent. The secretary’s desk was neat as a pin, but missing the usual personal items Maria had kept there. Her cube of pictures, for instance, and the intriguing prism that scattered light over the room, a gift from Dar.Kerry felt irrationally sad at the sight and she ran a hand over the wood of the desk, swallowing down a surge of frustration. ”This is so senseless.” She picked up the contents of the in box, then she moved into the inner office, feeling her lover’s absence like a physical blow.

She noticed that Dar had left everything the way it was. Even the fish were sitting forlornly on the clean surface of the desk, the light from the window catching them in flashes of blue and crimson. The only thing Hurricane Watch

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she’d taken, Kerry realized, were the dolphins she’d given her.

”Oh, Dar,” Kerry exhaled, feeling sick. The laptop sat on her desk in silence, giving mute testimony of its owner’s abandonment. She wondered what had gone through Dar’s mind as she’d given that up. It was the tangible badge of her office, really, giving her access into the heart of the company. Giving her the authority, which now, albeit briefly, rested in Kerry’s hands. With a sigh, she collected what was in Dar’s inbox as well, and then stepped around the desk, and headed for the back entrance to her own office.

She could, she knew, boot up the computer in Dar’s office and work from there, but she had no intention of sending that particular message.

She even had Dar’s passwords, the ultimate expression of her lover’s trust in her, and if she’d wanted to, she could have brought down mainframes all across the world with Dar’s top clearance and access.

But she had no intention of sending that message either.

She entered her office and put the papers down, reaching over and booting up her computer, then grabbing her coffee cup and trudging across the hallway to get some coffee.

Her back was to the door, and she didn’t see who entered, but it also gave her a moment to decide on her response when the newcomer greeted her.

”Kerry.” Mariana’s voice sounded very tired.

The blonde woman turned, and took a breath. ”Hi.”

”I didn’t expect to see you here,” the Personnel VP told her honestly. ”How’s Dar?”

Kerry took a sip of her coffee. ”She’s all right, taking it easy at home.” She paused. ”She tried to call you last night.”

The other woman sighed, and leaned back against the wall. ”I went out and got drunk,” Mariana admitted. ”I saw her number on the caller ID. I was going to call her back today.” She looked at Kerry. ”You know Alastair has put a hold on her resignation.”

”Yes, I know,” Kerry answered quietly. ”I spoke to him,” she exhaled, ”Let’s go into my office a minute.” She followed Mari into the room and closed the door. ”Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen...” she began.

”He’s on his way here, Kerry,” Mariana told her wearily. ”And he’s very upset.”

”I know,” Kerry responded. ”I talked to him for about an hour yesterday. I told him everything, about José, about Eleanor, and about that pig bastard.” She sat on the edge of her desk. ”And I told him it was all my fault.”

”Your fault?” Mariana started forward. ”Kerry, what in blazes are you talking about? What do you mean it’s your fault?”

”I lost it.” Kerry gazed at her. ”I...lost...it. Dar went all that time without giving in to his harassment, not a word from her, and she could have wiped the camp with him,” she told Mari, ”and I blew it. I blew it 144

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because I couldn’t keep the lid on when he needled me.” She put her coffee down and got up to pace. ”Without that, he’s got nothing...nothing, Mari. Even with those stupid pictures, he still has nothing, but with that, he had enough to...” she stopped, and leaned on the window’s cool glass. ”He hit Dar in her one weak spot,” she concluded softly. ”Me.”

Mariana slowly sat down in one of the visitor’s chairs. ”No,” she disagreed quietly. ”Oh, yes, I mean sure, you’re right, but he never should have gotten that far, Kerry.” She leaned on her elbows. ”Dar was right. I should have stopped it.”

The woman looked like a truck had driven over her. Kerry sighed.

”Well, no sense crying over spilled milk, they always say.” She turned and regarded her mail, wincing at the pages and pages of urgent marked messages. ”Let’s see what happens when Alastair gets here. I know he considers Dar a very valuable employee.”

”That he does,” Mariana agreed. ”She’s really come through for him on a number of occasions. She’s really come through for all of us, and that’s why this whole thing is so stupid.”

Kerry regarded her hands, folded on the desk. ”You said you should have stopped it. Why didn’t you?”

The older woman glanced at the carpet. ”I spent half the night thinking about that,” she admitted. ”And the conclusion I came to was that we’re all so used to Dar doing the dirty work, taking the hits and drawing the fire to herself that we’ve all gotten to be...” she paused. ”It was easier just to stand back and let her go at him. I never thought for a minute he’d ever get even a step up on her. He’s so out of her league.”

Kerry nodded, accepting that. ”I was hoping that was the case.” she said softly. ”I was hoping it wasn’t just that everyone was standing back and letting her take a fall.” She glanced up at Mariana’s startled expression. ”She once told me that everyone she’d ever trusted in business had turned on her, and last night, before we went to sleep, she told me if I...if it turned out that I saw everyone here celebrating her leaving, that I shouldn’t feel bad about it.”

A soft exhale. ”Kerry, I think you know that’s not true.” Mari spread her hand out. ”You’ve got a dozen empty offices to prove it,” she stated. ”You’ve got a division in pieces, the CEO headed out on the first flight. Duks wouldn’t even come in today. Hell, I only came in because I can’t avoid it. All the stuff that’s going to hit the fan is going to hit my fan. For god’s sake, most people don’t hate her.”

”I know,” Kerry acknowledged softly. ”But, I guess the few that do are so much more vocal, it seems that way sometimes.” She turned a pencil over in her hands. ”When I started all I heard for the first few weeks was what a horrible bitch she was.”

Mariana sucked on her lower lip.

”I had to find out for myself how wrong they were,” Kerry sighed.

”But most people don’t get that chance.”

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”She doesn’t make it easy,” Mari stated quietly. ”She keeps everyone at arm’s length, Kerry, even Duks and I, and we’ve been friends for years,” she sighed. ”Even Mark, who everyone knows is hopelessly in love with her.”

Kerry’s lips tensed into a faint smile. ”You know, I never saw her like that. I mean I knew she had a tough side, because I saw that right off, but there was always something else. I don’t know. I could always just see there was more to her than the alpha bitch.”

”Well.” Mariana gave her a wry look. ”You had a mitigating circumstance, as the lawyers like to say.” She pondered that. ”But I see your point. If this does work out all right, I think we need to change the way some things are handled, do some workgroup things to try and reduce some of the stress and the infighting.”

“Too bad we can’t do some of that today.” Kerry rubbed her temples. “I think I’ve got a migraine coming on already.”

Mari stood. ”I’ll go talk to them,” she stated quietly. ”I think they’ll be so glad to see you, they won’t say peep one, but I’ll make sure of that.”Kerry’s phone rang, and she watched the keypad indicating it was a forwarded call from Dar’s office. ”Here we go.” She punched the button. ”Operations, Stuart.”

”This is John Adams in Providence. We’ve had an order pending for a new circuit for a week. What the hell’s going on down there?”

Kerry sighed inwardly, giving Mariana a look. ”Just a moment.

What’s your account ID?” She typed in a number and started to work.

THEY WERE BOTH a little nervous, and a little tongue tied, Dar realized, as they sat quietly, her stretched out on the couch with Chino on her stomach, and him on the love seat, his back to the window and his face thrown into shadows by his sweatsuit hood. Well, neither of them were real conversationalists, but someone had to start things.

”You have a place to stay?” she asked, quietly, nursing a tall glass of chocolate milk.

”Couple of ‘em,” her father answered. ”This place, that place, you know.” He regarded her in silence for a moment. ”I do a few little things here and there. They give me this card.” He pulled a small folder from his waist pocket and displayed an innocuous looking silver plate that looked like a credit card. ”I just put everything on that and they take care of it.”

Dar nodded slowly. ”Because of Mom?” She hazarded a guess, remembering the sometimes obscure, sometimes unfathomable ways of the government.

”Yeap.” He tucked the folder away. ”She’s got my pension, the benefits, that’s how I want it. They take care of me.” His voice seemed to end that line of questioning.

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All right, round two. Ding ding. Dar nodded again, playing with one of Chino’s soft ears. Then she looked up and studied his face, regarding the scars that twisted the flesh into an almost unrecognizable mask. ”What happened?” she paused, ”if you can say.” Then she just waited.

He thought for a long time. ”Just a gig that went bad,” he finally said, almost emotionlessly. ”We went in to check out some stuff we’d heard about, a chemical weapon. It was a setup. Three guys died, and I ended up wishing I’d been one of ‘em.”

Dar considered that. Talking about emotions and feelings was something they were both just plain bad at, and she knew it, but, ”I’m only going to say this one time,” she stated, softly. ”Mom wouldn’t give a damn about what you look like.”

He studied his hands in the silence. ”I know that,” he admitted, falling silent for a bit. ”She didn’t want me to go this time,” he finally added quietly.

”I remember,” Dar quietly exhaled. ”But I thought...” They’d worked things out, at least, that was how it had appeared to Dar, her mother upset, yes, but supportive as always.

”Yeap, well, she done told me if I went she wouldn’t be there when I got back,” Andrew replied, flatly. ”Said that was my choice.” He blinked a few times, his eyes moving restlessly in his scarred face.

Dar was truly shocked. ”She wouldn’t have left you.”

Pained blue orbs lifted to hers. ”Wasn’t her leaving; it was me, the way she looked at it.” He swallowed. ”She was right, rugrat. It was my choice, and I chose to go.” He took a breath. ”Thought I could work things out when I got back.”

Dar absorbed it. ”She was just trying to get you to stay,” she finally said. ”She was afraid for you. She was afraid of losing you,” she protested. ”She would have been there when you got back, and you know it.”

His eyes closed. ”I like to think that.” His voice was quiet and sad.

”It’s this little game I play with my head, keeps me from going nuts and just taking a dive off a bridge somewhere.” His voice was lightly ragged.

”Dad, why don’t you call her?” Dar leaned forward, willing him to listen. ”You can go home. She’d understand, I know it.”

A very tired sigh. ”I can’t,” he answered softly. ”Cause then I’d know y’see? And if she didn’t, if she meant that, or if she—” An agonizing pause. ”I can’t face it, Dar. I can’t live with that, you understand me?” he pleaded softly. ”I can’t face knowing that she doesn’t—” He just stopped, his throat working audibly.

Dar let out her held breath in a pained trickle. ”Oh, Daddy,” she murmured.

He sighed. ”Doesn’t make much sense to you, I reckon.” He rubbed an impatient hand over his eyes. ”Damn.”

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She gazed at him in bleak understanding. ”Yes, it does.”

Andrew absorbed this for a long, pensive moment, then he looked up at his daughter. ”Somebody hurt my little girl?” A hint of cool danger entered his voice. He waited a beat, watching her jaw clench and relax.Dar shook her head in long remembered pain. ”Water under the bridge, Daddy. Let’s just say I went after what you and Mom had, and I thought I’d found it,” she told him quietly. ”And I was wrong.” Her first time, all bright eyed, and bushy tailed, and so sure she’d put her heart in the right place.

Her senior year in college, and everything had looked wonderful, good grades, good prospects in the company she’d been working for then for four years, and a delirious, exciting dive into love that had left her giddy and sure she’d found her one and only.

Yeah.

Four months of happiness, followed by two of hell as it all unraveled, and her nightmares were filled with a mocking voice which told her just how inadequate she was. She had no real recollection of even graduating, though brute, raw talent and intelligence had allowed her to maintain an honors grade level. ”You’re an uncultured, crude, mediocre person who’ll spend their whole life as a middle manager dreaming about would have beens.”

And a raw, newly exposed part of her had almost believed that.

A nightmare of depression and alcohol and hopelessness had followed that, leading to a night under a bridge and a gun, and a moment of self-hatred so intense she could still feel it.

She still didn’t know what had stopped her. Only that she’d woken up under the bridge the next morning, and looked out onto a new day, and decided she wasn’t quite finished with living yet.

There was revenge to be had.

It had taken a few years, but she’d felt oh, so very satisfied when all the pieces had fallen into place, and the company had acquired a prestigious consulting firm. And newly made regional manager Dar Roberts had wielded the decision knife and neatly sliced off the design and research wing, calling it…

Mediocre.

Headed up by her former lover.

Dar had signed the termination papers personally, and she'd enjoyed it immensely. Just like she had enjoyed the expression on Shari's face when she handed them over.

Along with her card.

Have a nice day.

”I kinda gave up on it after that.” Dar dismissed her memories.

”Um,” her father grunted. ”Till now.” He glanced up shrewdly at 148

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her. ”Cause I don’t know how you feel about her, but that little green eyed gal’s done lost her mind for you, rugrat.”

Dar smiled, wistfully. ”Until now,” she acknowledged. ”When I met Kerry, I realized I finally really had found the real thing.” Her eyes found her father’s. ”So I do understand, Daddy.”

He walked over and sat down next to her, and they regarded each other in comfortable silence.

THE PHONE BUZZED, for the thousandth time it seemed, and Kerry looked up at it, as she rested her head on one hand. ”No, no, I don’t know, no, it’s not ready yet, I have no idea, no, she didn’t tell me, no, and no,” she muttered, then pressed it. ”Operations, Stuart.”

”Hi.”

It was like a tongue full of ambrosia. Kerry found a smile working its way onto her face before the syllables even faded and she let out a soft sigh. ”You have no idea how good it feels to hear a friendly voice.”

”Mm, rough, huh?” Dar rumbled softly through the speaker.

”How’s it going?”

”Sucks.” Kerry rubbed her eyes. ”I feel like I’ve been dragged behind a dump truck hauling chicken poop all day,” she replied.

”Alastair is here. He’s been in meetings with Mari, and the others for a couple of hours,” she paused. ”How are you feeling?”

”Eh,” Dar answered. ”I slept late, felt washed out all day. Dad and I talked for a while then we had some lunch. Now we’re watching Crocodile Hunter.” She hesitated. ”Thanks, by the way, for asking him to stick around.”

Kerry smiled and tapped a pencil against her upper lip. ”Thought you might like the company,” she replied quietly, then glanced up as her phone buzzed. ”Hold on a minute.” She put Dar on hold, and picked up her other line. ”Operations.”

”Ms. Stuart.” Alastair’s voice sounded quiet, and rather grim.

”Yes, that’s me,” Kerry answered, feeling her stomach drop. ”What can I do for you?”

”We’re having a meeting in the executive conference room. Could you come over, please?”

”Sure,” Kerry replied evenly. ”Be right there.” She hung up, then took a breath before she picked up the other line. “Hi.”

”Bad news?” Dar inquired.

”Don’t know. That was Alastair. They want me up in the big conference room,” Kerry told her. ”Look, the worst they could do is fire me, Dar, and like, whoop, you know?” She shook her head a little.

”After today, I’d probably thank him.”

”Mm.” Dar considered that. ”Relax, be honest, and don’t let him rattle you,” she instructed Kerry gently. ”Keep your head up. You’ve only ever done good for the company, Kerry.”

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She felt herself calm with the words. ”All right, I think I can do that,” she answered. ”But if he or anyone else starts trashing you, they’re toast.”

A soft chuckle answered her. ”That’s my Kerry.”

The blonde woman grinned. ”You bet your boots I am.” She stood up and straightened her collar, then donned her jacket. ”Wish me luck,”

she sighed. ”I’ll call you one way or the other when I get out of there.”

”Good luck,” Dar answered, obediently. ”I’m with you.”

Green eyes twinkled gently in the afternoon sunlight. ”I know,” she replied. ”Talk to you later.” She hung up and ran a hand through her hair. ”All right, let’s go.”

It was a short walk to the conference room, and she gathered her wits, along with the knowledge of Dar’s confidence in her as she reached the door, and knocked lightly on it.

”Come,” the voice inside sounded, and she pushed the handle down, pulling the door towards her and walking inside, to a room where the hostility was so thick, it was almost like a smoke pall. José, Eleanor, and Steven were there, as was Mariana, and of course, Alastair.

Kerry lifted her chin a bit, then walked across the carpet to the end chair, directly across from the CEO, resting her hands on the back of it and regarding them coolly.

”Sit down, Ms. Stuart,” Alastair told her, courteously, his eyes regarding her with interest.

Kerry took the end chair, the one Dar usually sat in, and settled into it, folding her hands on the table and cocking her head in a listening attitude.

She waited, patiently. Make them talk first, Dar had advised her.

Let them lay their end on the line before you do.

”Well. We’ve got quite a mess here,” Alastair cleared his throat and started.

”Yes, we do,” Kerry agreed mildly. ”I’ve done pretty much all I can, considering the circumstances.”

”That’s bullshit!” Steven stood up. ”You haven’t done squat except for screw things up.”

”Shut up,” Kerry snapped at him. ”You clueless, spineless, useless piece of wannabee macho pissant.” She caught Alastair’s gray eyebrow rising across the table, and she stood up, feeling the blood pump through her. ”In fact, I haven’t seen a more useless collection of people in my life.”

”Hey, you can’t.” José stood and challenged her.

”Sure I can,” Kerry responded hotly. ”You people couldn’t find your way out of a paper bag unless Dar wrote directions on the inside of it, and you’ve got the balls to be in here criticizing a situation that’s your own damn fault.” Her voice rose to a yell, all the anger she’d been holding in for two days boiling out.

”We didn’t ask her to quit!” José responded.

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”Oh, but isn’t that what you were after?” Kerry countered, leaning forward on her hands. ”Or else why hire someone with the specific intent to go against her?” She pointed at Steven, who was seething at his side. ”Someone who had written instructions from you.” She pointed at José. ”To ’find that bitch's weak spot and put a knife into it’, wasn't that the quote?”

Silence.

”Well. You got what you wanted,” Kerry continued. ”And now the problem is everyone knows the only thing that kept the damn company running was her. You sure can’t.” A long pause. ”I can’t. After one day, I can’t imagine how in the hell she managed to put up with all this for so long.”

José stared at Mariana, who was chewing on a pencil. ”You’re going to let her get away with that?”

The Personnel VP shrugged. ”EEOC, José. I let Mr. Fabricini get away with saying worse about Dar to her face. I have no leg to stand on to stop Ms. Stuart from speaking her mind.”

”That’s just because you and she are thick as thieves.” Eleanor stated hotly. ”No wonder we can’t get anything done.”

“Yeah, you can say that again!” Steven broke in. “What a bunch of bullcrap!”

“I’ve got news for you, lady!” José stood up. “You know what I think? I think—”

”Excuse me!” Alastair barked suddenly, in a voice that was quite surprisingly angry coming from his somewhat benign appearance. “I’d really like you all to shut the hell up.”

Everyone looked at him in silence. ”Thank you.” He adjusted his tie. ”I would like everyone to excuse themselves with the exception of Ms. Stuart,” he paused, ”Now.”

In silence they filed out, avoiding Kerry’s gaze with the exception of Mariana, who patted her shoulder as she passed.

The sound of the door closing behind them sounded unbelievably loud to Kerry, but she didn’t react to it, sitting down instead and folding her hands on the table.

Alastair regarded her across the entire length of the conference table, then he stood up, and walked around to where she was, perching on the edge of the wooden surface and crossing his arms over his chest.

”That was gross insubordination, Ms. Stuart,” he remarked coolly.

”I know,” Kerry replied, looking up at him. ”I hear that runs in my department.”

Alastair McLean had grayish blue eyes, almost as striking as Dar’s.

Right now, they were regarding her with the faintest hint of, something.

”Your former boss was not known for a being a team player.”

Former. Kerry felt a little sad. ”No, it’s just that she refuses to play on a losing team,” she replied.

He nodded a little. ”I have her position to fill, Ms. Stuart. You’re Hurricane Watch

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smart, and you’re sharp. I think you’d do well in it.”

Kerry gazed at him. ”Respectfully, sir, I wouldn’t work for someone who allowed someone like her to leave without just cause.”

He cocked his head. ”I believe that’s the most politely put ‘kiss my ass’ I’ve ever heard, Ms. Stuart,” Alastair remarked. ”So you don’t want the job? It comes with a nice raise, good perks, a big advancement for someone your age and experience level.”

The green eyes glinted dangerously. ”I guess I didn’t explain myself.” Kerry cleared her throat. ”Kiss my ass,” she paused, ”Sir.”

The CEO rubbed his jaw, then got up off the desk and pulled the chair next to her out, sitting down in it so they were knee to knee. ”You know, Ms. Stuart, when you first got brought on board, I thought Dar was nuts.” He twiddled his fingers together. ”I had no idea what she was up to, but I let her go ahead with it because I trust her judgment.”

He paused reflectively. ”She’s earned that trust.”

Kerry remained quiet, merely watching his face intently.

“She’s earned that trust with fifteen years of yanking my Brooks Brothers covered ass out of some of the toughest situations you could hope to find in this bastardized business we’re in,” Alastair continued.

“I wouldn’t trade her for three billion dollar contracts and a bottle of hundred dollar scotch.”

Kerry cocked her head just slightly to one side. “Me either.”

”You think you can get me an audience with her?” Now the blue gray eyes took on the faintest hint of a twinkle.

Kerry glanced down at the table, hiding a smile, then looked up.

”Yes, I can do that,” she answered softly. ”She’s at home.”

Alastair smiled at her. ”Good.”

Kerry took a breath. ”That was a test, wasn’t it?” She hazarded warily. ”Offering me her job?”

The eyes twinkled visibly now.

”Did I pass?” she dared.

”Like a champ,” he replied, with a chuckle. ”You’ve proven a true disciple of Dar, Ms. Stuart, so take it easy.”

Kerry exhaled. ”Sorry, it’s been a really long day,” she admitted, as she got up and walked across to where a phone rested on a wall side credenza. ”Hang on.” She dialed a number, unsurprised when it was picked up before it even rang once. ”Hi.”

”Hey.” Dar’s voice was worried. ”Everything okay?”

”I think so,” Kerry told her, in a low voice. ”Alastair wants to come see you.”

”Ah.” Her lover mulled this over. ”Yeah, sure, why not?” she replied. ”You can bring him over then run Dad back over to the mainland; give us a few minutes to duke it out.”

”Gotcha.” Kerry felt a quiet sense of relief flood over her. ”See you in a few.” She hung up and returned to the conference table. ”I’ll give you a ride over there if you want,” she told the CEO.

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”Best offer I’ve had all day,” Alastair replied, cheerfully. ”Let’s go.”

DAR PUT THE phone down, and glanced at her father. ”Well.” She scrubbed her face. ”I guess I’d better go take a shower and put some clothes on. My boss is coming over.”

Andrew put his hands behind his head and stretched out his body, stiff from a long afternoon of crocodile watching. ”He all right?”

”More or less, yeah.” Dar hoisted herself to her feet and grabbed her crutches, moving towards her bedroom. ”Be right back.”

Her father scratched Chino’s head and crossed his ankles. ”Be careful now, Dardar. Don’t be slipping up in there.”

She stopped, unseen, at the doorway and gazed at him with quiet affection. Then she shook her head and moved into the bathroom, stripping off her pajamas and starting the water running. Dar waited for a moment as she removed the leg brace, then carefully moved into the stall shower. Her leg hurt a little, but nothing like it had the other day, and she was cautiously optimistic as she limped under the warm water.

It felt great. She gingerly scrubbed her body, avoiding the scratches from the trip, and carefully washed her hair around the still tender bump above her ear. It seemed to have gone down, though, and she stood under the force of the water for several minutes, just letting the pressure ease some of the tension out of her.

Dar reluctantly shut the water off, and stepped out of the shower, grabbing one of the long, fluffy beach towels she kept in the bathroom for drying off. She wrapped it around her, then took a second and roughly dried her hair before she exited the bathroom and moved gingerly through the bedroom without her crutches.

Hmm. She tested the leg cautiously, pleased with the response. Not bad. She considered, then shrugged and pulled on a polo shirt and a pair of jeans, tucking the shirt inside and giving herself a cursory glance in the mirror. ”Gonna have to do.” She made a wry face at herself, and ran a brush through her hair quickly.

”Hey, Dardar?” her father called from the other room.

”Yeah?” She limped to the door and went through it, finding him near the sliding glass doors. ”What’s up?”

He turned. ”Hey where’s them damn crutches?”

”In the room. It’s okay. Leg feels a lot better” Dar remarked, putting a hand against the glass.

”Uh huh.” He sounded skeptical. ”I’d believe you ‘cept that if it were me saying that, I’d be lying a blue streak.”

Dar glanced at him, then chuckled wryly, waggling her hand. ”It hurts, but my back is killing me from using those damn things. I need a break,” she admitted. ”I’m gonna go sit down anyway. Did you want to show me something?”

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Andrew seemed nervous all of a sudden. ”Naw, well.” He cleared his throat. ”You still go out there?” His head indicated the sea.

Dar nodded. ”I stopped for a while,” she admitted quietly. ”But Kerry loves it. She got certified and we go out almost every weekend.”

”Good fer her,” Andrew stated.

A soft chuckle. ”She’s got me back involved in a lot of things.” Dar sighed. ”I was...” she hesitated, ”considering getting back into competition.”

Her father’s eyes lit up. ”Were ya?” He studied her seriously.

”Looks like you could.” He poked her experimentally. ”Better’n some of the pups they sent out with me the last time, I tell ya that.”

Dar laughed, a touch embarrassed. ”Yeah, I kept that up,” she murmured. ”You’re responsible for that. I always thought you’d be disappointed if I hadn’t.”

Andrew remained silent for a moment, then he put a gentle hand on her arm. ”Rugrat, I could never be disappointed with you.” His voice was sincere. ”Doesn’t matter what you ended up doing, who you ended up being. You’re my kid, and ain’t nothing gonna ever change that.”

Dar found herself unable to answer, and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

”Nuff of that mushy stuff.” Andrew cleared his throat. ”You go back into that stuff, you let me know, hear?” He fumbled a white card from his pocket and handed it to her. ”That’ll get me.”

A pager number. Dar smiled at it, and tucked it into her shirt pocket. Then she limped over to her briefcase, resting on a chair nearby and removed one of her own cards. She scribbled the home phone at the condo on the back and handed it to him. ”Fair’s fair,” she told him.

”Give us a call sometimes.”

He stared at the card, turning it over in his fingers. Then he tucked it away carefully without a word.

They both heard the sound of a car outside. ”Guess that’s them,”

Dar stated quietly. ”Thanks for sticking around today.”

”You can thank the kumquat for that. It was her idea,” Andrew mumbled. ”Well, I’ll go round back and wait for her. You take care of yourself, you hear, rugrat?”

Dar hugged him, feeling him tense for a moment, then relax and return the hug. ”I love you, Daddy,” she whispered. ”I missed you.”

He took a shaky breath, and patted her side. ”Same here.” He broke off and cleared his throat. ”Be good.” He gave her arm another pat, then slipped out the back door and into the darkness.

Dar watched until his shadow blended into the foliage, not turning until she heard footsteps outside the front door.

KERRY PARKED THE Mustang next to Dar’s Lexus, and glanced at her passenger. Alastair had been looking around with great interest, 154

Melissa Good

and it gave her a chance to study him in return.

He looked like a kindly grandfather, she decided. Except that he was deceptively shrewd and she suspected he could make the tough decisions when he really needed to. Certainly he had Dar’s respect and she knew just how much that counted for. “Here we are.”

”Nice place,” he commented, looking around. “Wasn’t aware we’d have to take a boat trip out here. I never realized this was where Dar lived.”

Kerry nodded. ”Okay, well, that’s the condo, so.” She opened the door and got out, waiting for him to join her before she led the way down the walk and up the stairs. As she approached the door she hesitated, lifting her hand to knock, then made a quiet decision and let her fingers drop to the keypad instead, keying in her code and unlocking the door.

Alastair made no comment. His eyebrows didn’t even twitch.

Kerry suspected he knew more about them than Dar figured. ”After you.” She opened the door and held it, gesturing with the other hand.

A quick peek inside showed her Dar was leaning casually against the back of the love seat, regarding them. There was no sign of Andrew.

”Hi.”Dar’s eyes flicked to hers, and she gave her a tiny wink. ”Hi.” Then her attention turned to Alastair. ”Hello Alastair, c’mon in.”

Kerry lifted a hand and moved a step back. ”Later.”

Dar lifted a hand in response, and watched the door close behind her lover, then she turned her gaze on her boss.

They regarded each other in silence for a moment, then Dar exhaled and stood up. ”Siddown. You want a drink?”

”I think I need one,” Alastair replied wryly, as he took the invitation and settled on the couch, leaning back and glancing around.

”Nice place, Dar.”

The dark haired woman nodded. ”Thanks.” She limped over to the cabinet against the wall and took out a bottle, pulling the top off and pouring a portion of honey golden liquor into two glasses. Then she put the top back on and made her way back, handing Alastair his, and settling in the easy chair across from him.

”So.” He took a sip, eyebrows rising at the taste. ”Very nice,” he added approvingly.

”Thought I remembered you liked scotch,” Dar commented, taking a sip of her own glass. The smooth twenty year old alcohol burned warmly on the way down.

”That I do,” Alastair agreed. ”That I do.” He looked around. ”You know Dar, not that I spent a whole lot of time thinking about it, but I never pictured you in a place like this.” His eyes fell on the space scape.

”High tech apartment in a high rise off Brickell, sure, but...”

Dar smiled briefly. ”An aunt of mine willed it to me.”

An awkward silence fell.

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”So,” Alastair said again. ”Where do we go from here, Dar?” He sipped his scotch and watched her over the rim of his glass. ”I think you probably realize I’ve got someone real hefty sitting on that resignation request of yours.”

Dar considered that. ”Flattering,” she commented briefly.

”Let’s not bullshit each other,” Alastair advised her. ”We both know I consider you an essential part of my management team, and it would kill me to lose you.” He paused. ”Especially over something as ridiculous as this.”

He waited, but she didn’t comment. ”So, what really happened here, Dar? I’ve heard Mari’s side, and José’s side, and I just don’t get it.

What made you up and decide to throw up your hands and walk out?”

Dar regarded him in silence for a moment, then she exhaled. ”Good question.” She paused, and gave a little shake of her head. ”It’s gotten to the point in the last month where I’ve been attacked more by my own company than any of our competitors, and maybe I started to wonder what in the hell I was doing here.”’

Alastair thought about that, sipping his drink slowly ”You're a high profile kinda gal, Dar. You’ve always attracted slings and arrows, you know that,” he ventured. ”Was this guy really that much of a needle in your shorts?”

A shrug. ”Maybe.” Dar regarded the table. ”Maybe because it was personal, not professional, maybe because I knew a colleague had brought him in deliberately to attack me.” She shifted the glass in her hands. ”But I think I could have dealt with that.”

Alastair nodded twice. ”But?”

”But he went after my people,” Dar concluded. ”And I’d just had enough.” She looked up at Alastair. ”I’d had enough of being the whore bitch from hell until someone needed something.”

Alastair leaned forward. ”Dar, the fact that most of the operation is at a complete standstill, and I have over fifty empty desks should tell you not everyone feels that way,” he replied, seriously. ”And I think you know that I don’t feel that way either, or I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. I’d be home in Houston, watching a ball game, considering who I was going to promote to VP Ops.”

Dar cleared her throat a little. ”I should have called you first,” she admitted. ”I owed you that.” She hesitated. “I’m sorry, Alastair.”

A tiny smile crossed Alastair’s face. “An apology from Dar Roberts.

Thank God I’m sitting down.” He kidded her gently. “I think that’s a first.”She studied her clasped hands. “Probably,” she agreed, in a mild tone.Alastair watched her for a minute. “For that matter, I think I owe you an apology,” he said. “Next time I’ll eat the cost and save myself a boatload of heartache.”

Dar leaned back and relaxed a trifle. “You know what the worst 156

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part was, Alastair?”

He shook his head.

“I’ve worked for you for fifteen years,” Dar said. “And I didn’t even get a phone call asking me what the hell was going on before I was carted off to the boondocks like I was a bad kid.”

Alastair considered that in silence for a while, his bushy brows contracting. “Well,” he finally said. “Y’know, I just didn’t think it was that big a deal, to be honest with you.” His eyes searched her face.

“Knee jerk, actually. If I’d really put two cents into what he was pitching, I think I would have called.”

“Mm.”

“It would have saved me a flight,” he added. “I think.”

Dar hesitated, then she half shrugged and nodded. “Probably.”

”But I’m glad I came anyway, just to see things first hand.” He leaned back. ”You have problems here, I’ll grant you. And I wanted to meet this mysterious assistant of yours who seems to be causing problems far out of proportion to her size.”

”She doesn’t cause problems,” Dar snapped. ”She solves them.”

Alastair chuckled softly. ”I realize that. It’s why I offered her your job.”It took all of Dar’s self-control to keep a look of mild interest on her face, and to not tense up. ”And?” she asked, forcing a lazy smile onto her face. ”She’d be good at it.”

The CEO watched her intently, then he nodded a little. ”That’s what I told her, and I got told to kiss her ass.” He remarked dryly.

”Which seems to be a departmental tradition of yours.”

The sense of relief almost choked her. Dar had to take a few breaths, masking it by sipping her drink, before she could answer. ”Part of the orientation,” she drawled. ”She picked it up faster than most.”

Bless you, Kerry. I followed my heart when it came to you, and you’re the first person who didn’t stab me in it. ”So who’s your second choice?”

Alastair exhaled, regarding his hands thoughtfully. ”I have none. I was hoping I could convince you to stay.” He paused. ”I just wanted to see what Ms. Stuart would say, and she basically said exactly what I expected her to.” He paused again, and looked up at her. ”I knew you trusted her, and I wanted to see why.”

Dar's expression softened a little. ”And did you?”

He nodded. ”Yes, I did.” He waited for her to go on, but she remained silent. ”So, how about it, Dar? I’d offer you more money, but I don’t think that’s really of interest to you.”

Dar cleared her throat. ”No, you’re right.” She lifted a hand and let it fall. ”I need two things.”

Alastair leaned forward expectantly. His eyes sharpened, and he waited.

”My organizational structure stays intact,” Dar enunciated Hurricane Watch

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carefully. ”Completely intact.”

The CEO pursed his lips. ”Policy wise, that’s murder,” he advised her. “The board’s going to roast me if it gets known.”

”I know,” Dar responded. ”But I need it that way.” She paused.

“It’s my price, Alastair. I found something I’m not going to let go of, no matter what it costs me professionally.”

He drummed his fingers. ”We’re going to have to line out the reviews and all that,” he murmured. ”All right, it’s a personnel nightmare, but I’ll do it.” He paused. ”What else?”

”José gets a new assistant.”

Alastair laughed. ”Saw that coming.” He leaned back, obviously relieved. ”My problem is, I need a way to bounce him legitimately.” he told Dar. ”Otherwise, the little bastard is going to sue for wrongful dismissal, and I don’t want the publicity.”

Dar leaned forward. “I’ll find a way,” she said. “Leave it in my hands.”

Alastair gazed at her, then let out a breath. ”Does that mean you’ll stay?” he countered. ”I had a long talk with Mariana. She feels a lot of this is her fault that things went on she should have put a stop to.”

Dar let him wait a minute, then she nodded. ”All right, but I’ll tell you right now, I’m not putting up with any more bullshit from them,”

she warned softly. ”Not on my behalf or on anyone in my staff’s.”

Alastair nibbled his lip. ”It’s going to be a rocky few weeks. There’s a lot of hard feelings in there,” he replied. ”But I have a lot of confidence in you. I’m not worried.” He finished off his scotch. ”You free for dinner?

I never get to see you anymore, Dar. It’s been, what, two years?”

Dar’s lips twitched. ”Actually, I had plans, but you’re welcome to join us,” she stated blandly. ”There’s a great little Italian place over on the other side of the island, and it’s casual.”

His eyes twinkled a little. ”Well, I did enjoy my conversation with the enigmatic Ms. Stuart. Sure she won’t mind?”

Dar was outraged to find herself blushing, and she was glad the fading twilight hid it. ”I’m sure she’ll be fine.” She got up and limped towards the kitchen. ”In fact, let me page her.”

“She could have stayed.” Alastair relaxed, extending his legs and crossing them at the ankles. “After all, she lives here, doesn’t she?”

“Really want me to answer that?” Dar answered from the kitchen.

“Ever hear of don’t ask don’t tell?”

“Give me a break, Dar.” Alastair studied the ceiling. “I’ve known you as long as my children. Did you really think I didn’t catch on something was up after I got those pictures from whatshername, the redhead?”

“We were just on a goddamn rollercoaster.”

Alastair chuckled wryly. “If you looked at me like you were looking at her on that damn rollercoaster there’d actually be something to those hoary old rumors José used to spread about us.”

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Dar peered around the edge of the kitchen entrance. “You bucking for Dr. Ruth’s job?”

“I just call ‘em as I see ‘em.” Her boss said. “Y’know Bea didn’t know what the hell those pictures were and she asked me if that was your new girlfriend.”

Dar pulled her head back behind the edge of the door as she felt a blush warm her skin. “Glad to know what the company time and attendance dollars are paying for over there in Houston.”

”What’d you do to your leg?” He called after her, ignoring the jibe.

”Popped the joint out when we fell into that damn sinkhole,” Dar replied, coming back with the portable phone and dialing it. ”You owe me big time for that little trip, Alastair.”

He laughed. ”I heard about you and the snake, after I had Beatrice call up the president of that half assed company and threw the words negligent and lawsuit around.”

Dar chuckled as she put the phone to her ear, listening to it ring.

”Hey,” she called softly, as it was answered. ”Where are you?”

Kerry’s voice sounded relieved. ”Down by Southpoint, just about to get out and go walking on the beach, why?” she asked. ”I just got here. I figured you guys would be a while.”

”Nope,” Dar informed her. ”We’re waiting on you for dinner, so c’mon back over here.”

”Really?” Kerry asked.

”Really,” Dar assured her.

A faint pause. ”You going back?”

”Yep.”

”You still my boss?”

”Yep.”

”Awesome.” Kerry’s voice lightened immensely. ”You are just awesome, Dar. You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.” Sounds of scuffing. ”I was sitting here in my car trying to think of who I wanted to apply to, see if I could get any decent offers from around here.”

”Well, they can’t have you.” Dar half turned and lowered her voice.

”You’re mine.”

”Oo.” Kerry laughed in utter delight. ”You just gave me chills.”

Dar smiled, feeling her upset world start to settle back down around her. ”Besides, I hear you turned down a good offer.” She watched Alastair as he got up and roamed around the living room, stopping to examine the pictures on the shelves.

”What of... oh,” Kerry snorted. ”That. Yeah right. As if.” She cleared her throat a little, changing the subject. ”Your father is such a sweetheart. He gave me a present for you. Said he was too embarrassed to give it to you directly.”

”A present? For what?” Dar queried curiously.

”Um, your birthday?” Kerry reminded her. ”You remember that party we had?”

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”Oh,” Dar muttered, ”that.” She paused, glancing at Alastair.

”What is it?”

Kerry giggled softly. ”A box.” She teased.

”Kerrryyyyy,” Dar growled softly.

”Well, it is!” Her lover retorted. ”I don’t have x-ray vision, you know.”

Dar sighed, ”Just hurry up and get back here.”

”Jesus, Dar. I’m getting to the ferry. You want me to get out and paddle?” Kerry protested. ”I will, but the deckhands are going to have a fit. You know how they get.” She paused, hearing the gentle sound of Dar’s breathing against the receiver. ”I love you,” she murmured. ”You don’t have to answer that, I know Alastair is right there,” she added.

”I love you too,” Dar replied, not missing a beat. ”See you in a few minutes.” She put the phone on the hook and set it on the table, then she sat back down on the couch. “So.”

“So.” Alastair repeated. “Aside from all that, Mrs. Lincoln how was the play?” He watched Dar’s face. “Long day?”

“Long week,” Dar admitted. “Crappy weekend.” She propped her head up on her fist, leaning her elbow against the couch arm.

Her boss grunted. “Want to take a few days off?” he asked, eyeing her shrewdly. “Might be a good idea—give everyone a chance to cool down.”

Dar nibbled the inside of her lip, then she shook her head with true regret. “I’d love to, but I can’t do that to Kerry,” she said. “Those idiots are driving her crazy.”

Alastair snorted. “Are you kidding me? She told every damn one of them where to get off the bus right in front of me. That’s no hothouse flower you picked there, lady,” he said. “Didn’t Bea tell me she hauled off and slugged Fabracini? That’s what caused the whole damn thing to come to a head?”

“She did,” Dar admitted. “She’s got guts.”

“She took you on. She has to have.” Her boss chuckled wryly. “But y’know, I thought you weren’t going to go down that road again, Dar.

Tough situation, the last time.”

Dar felt another blush warm her skin, even though she knew Alastair had known about Elana. “I wasn’t,” she muttered. “Road came to me.”

“And knocked you on your ass,” Alastair said, bluntly. “Take a few days off, Dar. I won’t order it, but please, just this once take my advice, huh?”

“I’ll see,” Dar replied stubbornly. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

Alastair chuckled and shook his head.

DAR LOOKED AT her watch as they entered the condo. ”Jesus, it’s past midnight,” she commented in surprise. ”Didn’t think it was that late.”

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”Uh huh.” Kerry yawned, trudging inside and collapsing on the couch. ”That was a nice dinner, though. He’s sort of an interesting person.” She picked up Chino, who had bolted out of the utility room when Dar opened the door. ”Hey honey, whoa, whoa, don’t chew up mommy’s fingers, okay?”

Dar limped back in with two tall glasses of chocolate milk, one of which she set down on the table. ”Here.” She eased down on the couch next to her lover, and slid back, extending her legs out and groaning.

”Ouch.”

”I told you to use those crutches,” Kerry scolded, patting Dar’s leg.

”I saw you trying not to limp in front of Alastair.”

”It’s not that.” Dar took a swallow of milk. ”It’s the rest of my body trying to compensate for it. My back’s killing me,” she complained.

”Ah, I get it.” Kerry slid a hand behind Dar’s back and probed gently. ”Wow, you are all tensed up.” She rested her cheek against Dar’s upper arm. ”How about a few minutes in the hot tub?”

Blue eyes turned to her and brightened. ”Now that’s a great idea,”

Dar complimented her. ”It’s a beautiful night out, c’mon.” She allowed Kerry to support her as they wandered into the bedroom, and exchanged jeans for bathing suits.

”I like that one on you.” Dar had snuck up behind Kerry, and slid both arms around her middle, hugging her gently. ”It’s the color of your eyes.”

Kerry’s suit, a shimmering, almost translucent green blue glittered in the low light, accenting her toned body.

Kerry leaned back against her and folded her arms over Dar’s.

”Thanks.” She turned, picking up a small box. ”We almost forgot this from your dad.” She handed it over.

”Oh.” Dar took it, examining it carefully as though she were afraid it would spring open. She slowly unwrapped the plain paper and revealed a closed, clamshell container, which she opened gently.

”Whoa.”

Inside, on the dark gray crushed velvet, nestled two black pearls, opalescence winking at her. They were the size of dried chickpeas, and were a well matched pair.

”Wow,” Kerry breathed, peering at them. ”Those are gorgeous.”

”Yeah,” Dar breathed. ”They sure are.” She gently closed the box and held it, giving her head a little shake. ”His presents were always like that. You never knew when one was coming, but when it did, it was always...” She glanced at the box. ”Always something special.”

”You could have them made into earrings.” Kerry suggested.

”They’d look awesome on you.”

Dar put the box down on the dresser, and tapped it with one long finger. ”Maybe,” she agreed. ”C’mon, let’s go soak for a little while.”

They went outside, taking their glasses with them, and Kerry held them both as Dar eased into the water.

”Ungh.” Dar stretched her arms out, and took the milk. ”This feels Hurricane Watch

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great.”

She watched as Kerry joined her, nestling up against her immediately. ”I’ll put these down.” Dar advised her, setting them on the coping, then putting an arm around Kerry’s shoulders.

For a few minutes they just sat there, absorbing the sensation of the water, a mist of warm, chlorinated water drifting across their faces. The ocean was at high tide, and beating against the seawall, and off in the distance they could hear the buoy bells ringing.

”It’s beautiful out here,” Kerry murmured, tipping her head back and regarding the starry sky, scattered with the odd, occasionally puffy cloud.

Dar turned her head and regarded the moonlit profile next to her.

”It sure is.”

Kerry caught the glance and smiled a little, blushing slightly. ”So.”

She cleared her throat. ”Now tell me how all this worked out.”

”Mmm.” Dar wiggled her toes contentedly. ”Alastair asked me to reconsider, I told him I had two conditions, he met them, presto. That was it.” She stifled a yawn. ”You were one condition, Steven was the other.”

Kerry mulled that over. ”So, did he know about us, or...” She left the thought hanging.

”He knew.” Dar chuckled softly. ”He said he knew when he saw those first sets of pictures from Orlando, but I guess he decided to ignore it.”

”Isn’t that a problem?” Kerry queried. ”I mean, we’ve been doing this cat and mouse thing for months, because it was this big rule. So?”

Dar shrugged. ”It comes down to what’s more important?

Company rules or profits?” She advised her lover. ”He can make exceptions, and yes, it’s a problem, but it’s not like it’s never happened before, Kerry, and what the rule is for is mostly to protect the junior of the two employees.”

”Protect?” Kerry cocked her head. ”Oh, from harassment, that kind of thing?”

A nod. ”Exactly. It’s so bosses don’t take advantage of their subordinates, and it’s a good rule.” She reached over and brushed a droplet of water off Kerry's cheek. ”But I told him I needed you, and he’s satisfied you’re not being pressured, or coerced in any way, so he’s going to just work around it.”

”Oh.” Kerry thought about that. “That’s going to be strange after all this time.”

“Mm.”

“I guess I can bring you lunch up now though, huh?”

Pale blue eyes shifted her way. ”And I can wander down the back corridor a couple times a day and not feel conspicuous,” Dar replied dryly. ”I mean, it’s just like anything else.

We treat each other

professionally at the office. We just don’t have to worry about people finding out what we do outside of it.”

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”Hmm.” Kerry nodded a little. ”So, can I call the rest of the staff and tell them to come back in tomorrow?” she asked, wistfully.

”Because I don’t think I can handle a few more days like today.”

Dar hesitated. ”I, um, I could call them in the morning,” she ventured.

One sea green eyeball rotated and fixed on her. ”You could if you were going into work.” Kerry blinked at her. ”Are you? I thought Alastair said for you to take a couple days off.”

Dar drummed her fingers on the coping. “I thought about it. But it’d be a lot more relaxing for me to get started on stuff than sit around here and worry about you.” She pushed the damp hair off Kerry’s forehead.

Kerry sighed. ”I wish you’d stay home.” She ran her fingers along Dar’s scalp, and brushed lightly over the bump. It was, she was forced to admit, almost gone. “But I won’t lie and say I want to go through another day like I did today. My god, Dar. How in the hell do you deal with that place?”

“Practice.”

Kerry sighed again. “Can we leave early?”

A slow smile. ”I promise you dinner at sunset out on the water,”

Dar offered, one eyebrow lifting in invitation. ”You, me, the boat, a few seagulls. How about it?” She leaned over and stole a kiss. ”Hmm?”

Kerry nibbled her way up Dar's neck. ”All right,” she agreed, breathing the words right into Dar’s ear. ”You’re on.”

”Good.” Dar ducked her head again and found Kerry’s wandering lips, and she pulled her over onto her lap, sliding an arm around her waist securely. She felt Kerry’s hands glide down her shoulders, and her eyes closed in reflex as their bodies pressed against each other in knowing familiarity.

They’d deal with all that trouble tomorrow. That was another day.

Right now, all that mattered was the rich, night breeze, and the stars, and each other.

KERRY STIFLED A yawn as she trudged across the kitchen, headed for the coffee machine. She mechanically portioned the Irish crème flavored grounds into the basket, and started the coffee going, blinking a little as she leaned against the counter.

She could hear Dar’s voice as a low murmur coming from her office, and she guessed her lover was making the promised phone calls to their stubbornly missing staff. ”Any luck?” she called in, as she heard the phone disconnect.

”Oh yeah.” Dar moved to the doorway of the office, stretching and catching the edges of the sill with her fingers as she rocked her head back and forth to loosen her neck muscles. ”I got Mark. He cursed me out because he was planning on working over one of his bikes, but he Hurricane Watch

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said he’d be in, and that he’d call the rest of his staff in so I didn’t have to do it.” The tall, dark haired woman released the door, and walked across to where Kerry was standing. ”Now I have to do the tough one, Maria.”

”Ouch.” Kerry slid a hand up Dar’s belly, feeling the warmth of her skin under the fabric. ”You’re hardly limping,” she commented.

”Mm, yeah, it feels a lot better,” Dar agreed, with a smile. ”I think I’ll use the crutches to get away with dressing down again today, though.”

Kerry snorted. ”Dar, after having the CEO come and beg you to reconsider last night, you think anyone would say a word if you came dressed in shorts and a t-shirt?” she paused. ”Wait a minute, forget I suggested that. They’d say words, all right, and I’d have to slap them all silly.”

Dar laughed. ”Thank you for flattering my ego.” She gently kissed Kerry’s head. ”Excuse me.” She moved into the kitchen, retrieving a bowl and her Frosted Flakes from the cabinet. ”Want some?”

A sigh. ”Dar, do you think you could make me feel better by at least putting a little banana in that?” Kerry asked, mournfully. ”And no thanks, they crunch too loud and hurt my ears this early in the morning.” She bumped Dar out of the way and opened the refrigerator, snagging a fruit and cheese Danish from a neatly packed box. ”I prefer a quieter, gentler breakfast.”

Dar grinned, munching away noisily, and pressed a key on the kitchen console.

”Dar Roberts, 656 new messages, 234 Urgent,” the computer responded promptly.

”Oh, Jesus.” Dar almost inhaled a flake. ”Delete all unmarked,” she told the computer. ”Forget it. They can resend the damn things.”

”Deleted. Dar Roberts. 234 new messages, 234 Urgent.”

”Delete all messages, duplicate subjects,” Dar instructed. ”That also have same sender.” She glanced at Kerry who was chewing her Danish and had padded over to pull out two large mugs. ”That should get rid of half of those.”

”Deleted. Dar Roberts 155 new messages, 155 Urgent.”

Dar sighed. ”Well, that's better than 600 plus, I guess.” She examined the list. ”Let's see, oh, read 143.”

Sookis, Mariana

Sent 7:32am

Dar -

I just got this cryptic note from Alastair, which basically states:

”She's

back,

leave

her

alone.

She’s

got

my

authority

to

take

care

of

whatever

business

needs

taking care of.”

What

is

he

talking

about?

I'm

assuming

he's

referring

to

you,

because

he

left

your

resignation

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Melissa Good

letter

marked

”Rescinded'”

on

my

desk.

I

tried

calling you last night, but there wasn't any answer.

I'd like to talk to you. I know we've got some issues to discuss.”

Mari

”He’s such a pain in my ass sometimes.” Dar rolled her eyes, and picked up the phone, dialing a number. She waited. ”Good morning, Mari,” she remarked into the receiver, keeping her voice more or less neutral.

A pause. ”Oh, Dar. God, yes, good morning,” the Personnel VP

answered, somewhat hesitantly. ”I just sent you that email, I didn’t know if you were picking up or...”

”I didn’t until this morning,” Dar replied. ”Alastair was here last night.”

Longer pause. ”Oh.” Mariana thought about that. ”So, you’re back with us, I take it?” she asked hopefully. ”I kind of assumed from his note.”

”Looks like it,” Dar responded. ”I had a few conditions, and he met them, so...” She shrugged, then smiled at Kerry as she handed her a cup.

”I just called Mark. He’s calling his staff, and I’ll see if I can get the rest of operations back in.” She sipped her coffee contentedly. ”I’m going to have them put their time in as worked.”

Mari hesitated. ”Okay,” she murmured. ”What about the whole situation with Fabricini. I inferred from Alastair that you’re handling it?” she asked, cautiously.

”Yep,” Dar informed her. “I told him I’d take care of it.”

”Okay,” Mariana said again. ”So, you’re coming in? I thought Kerry told me the doctor sent you home to rest?” she gingerly asked. ”I mean, Dar, this can wait a day or two. I really don’t want to see you hurt yourself.”

Dar smiled wryly. ”It’s okay. I promised Kerry I’d make it a half day, and take her out sailing for dinner,” she told her. ”And I don’t break promises like that.” She ran a hand through Kerry’s disheveled hair and scratched the back of her neck gently, causing the smaller woman to close her eyes and hum blissfully.

A soft sigh. ”All right. I guess I’ll see you in a little while...and, Dar?””Mm?” Dar took a swallow of coffee.

”I’m sorry.”

”For what?” Dar asked quietly.

”You were right. We did all stand back and let you get hit,” Mari replied, just as quietly. ”I don’t feel very good about that.”

Dar let her eyes flick to Kerry’s face, as Kerry regarded her, the sun coming in the window dusting her face with golden light. ”It’s all right,” she finally answered, lifting her hand to gently stroke the soft skin. ”It wouldn’t have mattered before. I wouldn’t have cared, but I Hurricane Watch

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think I’ve been just a little off balance lately, and you had no way of knowing that,” she told Mariana. ”You assumed I’d just react like I always did before.”

”Mm,” Mari murmured. ”Well, it’s not going to happen again,” she vowed. ”I’ve set up meetings with both José and Eleanor today, and we’re going to have some straight talk here.”

Kerry turned her head, and kissed the palm brushing her cheek.

”I’m going to go take a shower,” she mouthed, rubbing Dar’s belly.

Dar smiled and nodded. ”All right, let me finish making my calls, Mari, and I’ll see you in a little while.” She paused. ”How’s Duks?”

”Grumpy,” Mari chucked ruefully. ”I woke him up and told him you were coming back, and now he has to get out of his bathing suit and actually come to work.” She paused. ”That was quite a tribute to you, by the way,” she added. ”It’s the first day he called in sick in five years.” She sighed. ”All right. Let’s get this place back to normal. Drive safely, my friend.”

”I’m not driving, but I’ll pass that on,” Dar told her dryly. ”See you, Mari. Listen, we’ll have dinner, talk things out, all right?”

”All right.” Mariana sounded relieved. ”See you, Dar.”

Dar put the phone down and wandered over to the sliding glass door, pushing it back and moving out onto the stone balcony, letting the early morning sun warm her skin after the cool of the air conditioning inside. The sea was at low tide and very green to her eyes, and she leaned on the railing, gazing out as the breeze blew her hair back.

She had, she realized, mixed feelings about going back to work.

Part of her was glad, needing the excitement and the challenge. There was another part, though, a guilty, hidden part that had been secretly hoping the resignation would stick, hoping that she and Kerry could then take a few weeks off and just...

Dar’s eyes found the horizon. She’d found herself wanting very much to take time out of life and spend it getting to know her lover better, taking her places Dar liked, maybe even out skiing, down to Key West, all the things they didn’t have time to do now.

She sighed, and nibbled her lip. Well, one thing, if Alastair knew about them, and they decided to take off the same week, it would be all right. In fact, she decided, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. She straightened and went back inside. Pick a week, and take off. To hell with the company. She exhaled and headed for her own shower.

Hearing the sound of water running as she entered her bedroom and spotting the naked, patiently waiting figure leaning against the door, arms crossed, darkened green eyes watching her with seductive intent.

Oh yeah. Dar sucked in a breath as a sensual jolt hit her right in the groin. To hell with the company. ”Well, well, what do we have here?”

she inquired, moving closer and sweeping across the lithe body in front of her. Kerry’s appearance had changed quite a bit since she’d met her 166

Melissa Good

three months prior.

Her indoor pallor had deepened into a golden tan, and the painful thinness had disappeared. Dar had always found her attractive, but the changes had also brought Kerry a new self-confidence that seemed to glow inside her, rendering her almost mesmerizing to Dar’s appreciative eyes.

”Gotta make sure you don’t slip and fall in the shower, Dar,” Kerry informed her cheerfully, reaching up and unbuttoning the top button on her shirt. ”I just got my boss back. I don’t want to lose her again.” She unbuttoned the second button. ”Do you mind sharing a shower?”

”Heh.” Dar slid both hands down her sides and traced the now barely visible ribs with gentle thumbs. ”Oh, I think I could suffer through that all right.” She ducked her head and kissed her.

”Somehow.”

”Mm.” Kerry unbuttoned the third and fourth buttons, sliding the shirt up and over Dar’s shoulders and letting it fall to the ground. Then she traced a gentle pattern down the tall body and got to the shorts, sliding those down as well. ”I bet you could” She nibbled the soft skin over Dar’s jugular and stepped forward, brushing their bodies together.

”You taste so good,” she murmured.

Dar felt her heart jerk and start pounding. ”Do I?” She moved closer and slipped her arms around Kerry, feeling her shoulder blades move as she reciprocated and the warmth of the contact between them surged. She ducked her head and captured an ear, tracing its curve with the tip of her tongue. ”So do you,” she purred softly, hearing the gentle intake of air as Kerry’s breathing caught.

Slowly they moved into the shower, trading the chill air for warm mist, and the spicy scent of the soap Dar preferred flowed around them.

Dar squeezed a little of the gel onto her hands and began to lather Kerry’s back, moving her fingers over the strong shoulders and down across her hips.

A soft sound escaped Kerry, who had started spreading soap down Dar’s sides. She pushed away a little, allowing the taller woman’s hands to continue their motion up her belly as she let her fingers trail down along Dar’s thighs. ”My pastor always taught me,” she murmured, moving back against Dar’s soapy body. ”That cleanliness is next to godliness.”

”Oh yeah?” Dar inclined her head and nipped the skin on Kerry’s shoulder.

”Mm. I gotta send him a card sometime and let him know how right he was,” Kerry uttered, starting a slow, tantalizing progression right down the center of Dar’s body, with a few east and west detours.

Dar just chuckled.