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
Melissa Good
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?”