Chapter 3
“I have to go away for a few days and I am asking you to hold down the fort for me,” he said as he came in late that afternoon from his meetings. The staff was just leaving when he came in and some of them were still lingering around no doubt waiting to hear from him. He had not held an official meeting with them as he had done with the management team and they were all wondering where they stood, if they should be sending out resumes.
“Doing what exactly?” asked as she looked at him. He had pushed the door to her office open and had stepped inside, closing it behind him. would have preferred that he kept it open and not given the people there more things to talk about.
“”I have some investors who are ready to come on board but I have an emergency in Europe that I need to take care of. It is going to take me a few days to sort things out.” He unbuttoned his dark blue jacket and eased into the chair. “I will give you the names and their phone numbers to liaise with them. We are going to have to put it out there that Communications Link is still up and running.”
“You need to talk to the support staff. They keep coming to me.”
“I have yet to review their files,” he told her. “I want to be fair to everyone so it is going to take some time.”
“They are scared, Jason. You are going to have to say something.” She had used his first name without realizing it.
“And I will,” he said softly. “As soon as I get back I will address them and let them know what is going on. If they have been doing their jobs then they have no need to fear.”
“They think I am sleeping with you,” she told him lightly.
“I see,” he said slowly. “Why?”
“Because you seem to favor me above all of them. I am the one always in your office and the one you are putting a lot of responsibilities on,” told him bluntly.
“Do you have a problem with that?” he asked her softly.
“No. But I have a problem with people thinking that I sleep my way to the top.”
“You know that you don’t and I certainly know that as well. If you were that kind of employee I would have fired you on the spot.” His blue eyes held hers steadily. “That said I am asking you to hold things down. I will be in touch. I promise that I am not leaving you to face the music.”
“Thank you,” said dryly as he got to his feet.
“You are welcome,” he said with a smile. “I am asking you another favor.”
“You want me to pack for you?”
He laughed at that. “Go home and get some rest.”
She stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “I will.”
*****
He was away for a week! The handing over of the company had not taken place yet so the directors were still there and still functional. They had been given a month to put their affairs in order and make sure the accounts were up to date. They had been stripped of their authorities to write checks and handle the company’s finances and that did not sit well with them. could feel the iciness whenever she came near them so she had started to stay in her office only going out when necessary. Lucinda had not approached her again and neither had Lincoln. She had heard rumors that he would be going to another telecommunications company as soon as he left her but as for the others she had no idea what they were going to do. Jason called her several times with instructions and had prolonged the conversation somewhat. “How are you dealing with things?”
“You mean if I am still in one piece?” she asked him dryly. He had called her when she had reached home and was about to step into the shower.
“Are you?”
“For the moment. I thought you would have been back by now.”
“Miss me?” he asked her suddenly.
felt her heart skid and ignored it. “I am being given looks, Jason, and I am not sure how much I am going to be able to endure.”
“You are a strong woman and I know you will cope.”
“You know more than I do.
“I will be back on Saturday,” he told her. “I have something to discuss with you when I get back.”
“So first thing Monday then?”