„Thanks to you.“ Her smile broadened as she absorbed the manner in which he was hiding his personal satisfaction. „I just got word from David, himself.“ She gestured at the telephone.
Rand lifted one chestnut brow inquiringly. „So soon?“
„He’s withdrawing the offer.“ She decided there was no point mentioning what David had said prior to calling off the hostile merger attempt. „He wasn’t particularly pleased, but you managed to leave him with very little option. He can’t afford us. Not with the kind of credit we can command at the banks.“
„He was counting on Brady’s traditional dislike of using credit,“ Rand nodded as if to himself. „And sheer panic.“
„Which didn’t develop because we knew we had the best player on our team,“ Kalinda inserted warmly. There was something more than satisfaction in Rand’s expression. A hint of anxiety? Perhaps even wariness? She didn’t understand it, but if it was simply a matter of his ego needing a little stroking she had no objections. He deserved it.
„It’s over, Rand, and you’re the reason Brady is still an independent concern.“ Kalinda depressed the intercom button and leaned forward slightly. „George, would you please round everyone up in the main conference room as soon as possible?“
„Everyone, Miss Brady, or just management?“ George asked carefully. He knew she’d just taken a call from David Hutton.
„Everyone, George. Including you.“
There was a fractional hesitation and then George’s curiosity got the better of him. „Good news, Miss Brady? Or bad?“
„The best, George. And as soon as you notify everyone about the meeting would you mind taking a minute to find us a place that can accommodate a celebration this afternoon?“
„A place that will accommodate everyone?“ he stressed cautiously.
„The entire staff, George.“
„Yes, Miss Brady.“
She released the intercom button and stood up, meeting Rand’s dryly amused gaze.
„What’s the matter?“ she grinned. „Not used to being on the side of the underdog?“
He winced, as if she’d stung him. „Frankly, I’ve never seen it from this side,“ he admitted.
„Well, I’ll have to confess this is the first time we at Brady have had this particular excuse for celebrating. But we’ve had practice at the annual Christmas party!“ She spoke lightly, trying to erase whatever it was she’d just said that had made him look so rueful.
„You’ll be picking up the tab personally?“ Rand asked.
„We don’t run to office slush funds here at Brady,“ she affirmed with a grimace. „I’ll be paying the bill. But it will be worth it“
Two hours later the jubilant Brady staff adjourned from work early to take an extended lunch hour which, Kalinda guessed with amusement, would last all afternoon.
George had succeeded in finding a colorful beer and pizza tavern that was willing to welcome so many people on such short notice. Foaming mugs of beer and pizzas with „everything“ were being ordered unstintingly. Kalinda decided not to concern herself with the inevitable price tag. It was far cheaper than a merger would have been!
She glanced around the room as the staff began to break up into familiar groups. George sat at a corner table surrounded by the other secretaries, all female. The word processing group had claimed another table nearby. First-line supervisors were drifting cheerfully into their own territory and Brady’s upper management occupied a long table with Kalinda and Rand in the center.
Kalinda smothered a grin as a toast went up, beer mugs on high. It was one of several and the subject this time was Rand. She could have sworn he was turning a dull red. Amused, she leaned close and under cover of the cheers, whispered, „One thing about being on the side of the good guys: We’re big on heroes!“
In the dim light, Kalinda was positive Rand turned an even darker shade of red as he slanted her a wry glance.
„It’s not a role I’m accustomed to playing.“
„Hero? But you’re a natural for the part!“
He looked at her with sudden sharpness. „You think so?“
„Definitely,“ she laughed.
He continued looking at her levelly for a long moment. „Kalinda, I have to talk to you.“
„Now?“
„As soon as possible.“
She chilled, remembering the wariness in him earlier. What was wrong? Had he changed his mind about the marriage already? Realized he was now back in his natural milieu and no longer needed her? Beneath the rustically carved table, Kalinda’s palms went strangely damp.
„All right, Rand. I don’t think we’ll be missed“ She didn’t look at him as she spoke.
There were several good-natured calls protesting their departure, but no one seemed unduly upset In fact, Kalinda thought sardonically, everyone looked a little too understanding; a little too smugly pleased It didn’t take much insight to realize her slightly feudal staff had decided Rand would make an excellent consort for their president!
Rand drove back to his apartment without speaking, the white-knuckled grip of his hands on the wheel the chief evidence of the intensity of his thoughts, k made Kalinda even more nervous.
Perhaps… perhaps he would go back to the idea of continuing the affair. She could live without marriage, but she didn’t even want to consider living without him altogether. Rand had bound them together on too many levels, made her too much a part of him. She would never be free again.
Kalinda’s tension drove her to precipitate the confrontation. She must know what was happening. As soon as he opened the door of the apartment she stepped inside and turned proudly to face him.
„What is it, Rand? What’s wrong?“
He shut the door and leaned back against it, his hands on the knob as if he needed to brace himself. There was hard determination in every line of his body.
„Kalinda, I’ve done a lot of thinking since the night you agreed to marry me.“
„Have you?“ What could she say? How could she stop him?
„I had to finish what I started at Brady. I had to stop Hutton’s takeover…“
She waited, not understanding.
His mouth hardened. „I realize that in so doing, in showing you I could operate effectively in your world, I’ve complicated matters between us.“
„How?“ It was almost a plea.
„It’s obvious,“ he said grimly. „I’ve made you afraid of me.“
He stepped away from the door, lifting a hand to stop the impulsive denial which leaped to her lips. „No, it’s true. I wanted you to be proud of me, to admire me. And instead, I’ve given you every reason to fear me. That's why you tried to call off the affair, isn’t it? Why I had to trick and seduce you into agreeing to marry me. My brilliant plan has backfired.
I realized that after I left you the other night And I’ve seen the wariness in you for the past couple of days.“
„But, Rand…!“
He shook his head, walking restlessly to stare out the window. „I honestly don’t know how to reassure you, except with time. I thought about putting off the marriage, but I can’t bring myself to make the sacrifice. Selfish, I know, but ask anyone: Selfishness is one of my prime character traits.“
„Rand,“ Kalinda broke in a little breathlessly, hope and despair shredding her nerves. „What is it you think I’m afraid of?“
„That I’ll take Brady away from you. Use it as the foundation of a new conglomerate controlled by me. In short, that I’ll do to you what Hutton tried to do two years ago and again this week,“ he told her flatly, keeping his back to her.
She stared at the sleek, proud head, her heart almost too full for words.