”More or less,” Kerry replied relaxing her pose.
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”So, we can talk. Look, I’m not here to make trouble, okay? I’m just trying my best to jump-start some sales here. It’s to all our benefit, remember?” His brows lifted. ”We can help each other. Things are kind of stagnating, and if we work together, maybe we can get things moving again.”
Kerry studied him. He was charming, he knew it, and she could feel the allure of that engaging smile. ”I’d be glad to help in any way I could,” she answered, carefully. ”Without compromising our standards.”
He moved closer, in a casual way. ”Ah, now Kerry, would I ask you to compromise your standards?” He grinned. ”I heard you say you have a lunch meeting, maybe tomorrow we could grab a bite in the cafeteria and chat. How about it?” Steven captured her eyes, and his lips twitched a little.
”All right,” Kerry said, quietly. ”We can do that.” She shifted her papers. ”I have to go. I’ll be late for my meeting.” She favored him with a gentle smile.
He winked. ”Go on, cupcake. See you later.” He watched her leave, and then smiled to himself, letting out a low, soft chuckle. ”Now that is a nice piece of ass just waiting to be led out of the cesspool.”
THE CAFETERIA WAS crowded with the early lunch people, staff who came in before eight, and by noon were more than ready to eat.
Kerry picked up her tray, and wound her way through the room. She spotted Maria and several other older women seated near the back where a window allowed a view of the water. ”Hi,” she greeted them, putting her tray down by an empty chair. ”Looks like we’re going to get some rain.”
”Si,” Maria agreed, looking out at the threatening clouds. ”How are you, Kerrisita? Did your meeting go all right?”
Kerry seated herself, and picked up her silverware. ”More or less.”
She took a sip of her iced tea, and speared a piece of lettuce. ”We agreed to disagree, you know?” She gave the older woman a wry look, then glanced around casually. ”Boss get stuck again?”
Maria nodded. ”Si, a conference call from France. She asked me to bring her a sandwich.”
Kerry clucked and shook her head, but didn’t say anything. The table talk turned to the latest episode of a favorite TV show, and she joined in cheerfully, pausing to acknowledge the arrival of newcomers at the next table. “Afternoon.”
“Good afternoon, Kerry.” Duks Draefus settled his tray down, one of his staff at his side. “You are here early today also.”
Kerry gave the Finance VP a brief grin. “I take an early lunch any time I can. Everything tends to fall apart in the afternoons here.” She turned back to Maria. “Right?”
10
Melissa Good
“Always,” Maria agreed. “Tomas and I will go see the movies tonight. Have you seen that new one, Kerrisita? With the pig?”
The others at the table chimed in, and Duks was left to dissect his meatloaf with his staff.
”Guess that honeymoon ended fast.” The faintly sarcastic remark made Duks raise his head, and regard the speaker coolly.
”Excuse me?”
Comptroller Selene Advosan leaned closer. ”C’mon, Duks. When she first started, she and the ice princess were tighter than a champagne cork in a bottle. I haven’t even seen them eat lunch together since the New Year. I guess the novelty wore off.”
The Financial VP chewed his corned beef sandwich thoughtfully.
”Never noticed.”
He shrugged, then glanced over at Kerry, who appeared perfectly at home with her tablemates, and was laughing at something Maria had said. ”Maybe they’re just busy. Dar never did lunch much anyway, and they seem friendly enough.”
”Yeah, but I thought we had a juicy one going there for a little while.” Selene sighed. ”I should have known better. Dar’s way out of her league.”
”Mm.” Duks dismissed the subject, and concentrated on his lunch.
Kerry put her tray away, and joined Maria as the secretary ordered a sandwich for their boss. The older woman checked the available options, then glanced sideways. ”What you think, chicken salad?” she inquired, her brow creasing.
”Tuna melt, on raisin toast,” Kerry murmured. ”With French fries.”
”Aie, Kerrisita!” Maria winced, and gave her an appalled look.
Kerry shrugged, and smiled. ”Dios Mio. All right.” She ordered the sandwich, and gathered some napkins as it was being made. She took the bag the counterman handed her and clucked, then followed Kerry out the door and to the elevator, which swallowed them up along with several other staff members. At the last minute, running footsteps and a hand between the doors delayed them as Steven Fabricini slid in.
”Well, hello there.” He sorted his way through the mailman and two administrative assistants, choosing to lean against the same wall as Kerry. ”How was lunch?”
”Fine thanks,” Kerry replied readily. ”This cafeteria’s really not bad. It’s better than most of the restaurants around here.”
”Ah.” He watched as the doors opened, and one woman left. ”You live in the area?”
”Kendall,” Kerry answered amiably.
”Hey, me too.” Steven smiled. ”Seems like most of the building does; either that, or up in Miramar.” He glanced up as the mailman and the other woman left. ”Guess we’re headed to the same place,” he noted, seeing the fifteen button the only one left lit.
”Guess we are.” Kerry eyed him. ”Where in Kendall did you end up?”
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He told her, crossing his arms. ”It’s a nice little complex, got a clubhouse, and all that.”
”That’s not too far from where I am. I like the area. We go rollerblading down to that little bakery on the corner near the mall all the time,” she commented.
”Hey, I blade all the time.” Steven smiled. ”Maybe we’ll bump into each other sometime down there. I like that little place.” The door opened and he gestured. ”Ladies first.”
Kerry followed Maria out, seeing the stiff set of the secretary’s back and biting off a tiny smile. Steven accompanied them down the hall and into Dar’s outer office, where the executive’s distinctive, vibrant voice could be heard growling through the thick wood paneling. ”Aie, what now,” Maria sighed.
Steven chuckled. “Dar never needed a reason to be rude, crude and obnoxious.” He brushed by them and walked into Dar’s office, closing the door behind him.
Kerry and Maria exchanged glances, then Kerry picked up the paper bag. ”I’ll drop this off.” She paused with a hand on the doorknob, then opened the inner office door, and stepped inside.
”Mike, I don’t give a goddamn what they’re telling you, it’s bullshit.” Dar punctuated her words by slamming her pencil on the desk. ”I’m not going to accept sixty days to pull a lousy circuit, so they better come up with something else.”
”Look, Dar, we’ve been going around and around with them for two months. They won’t budge,” the man's voice answered, sounding tired. ”They’ve got unions to deal with up there, and facilities that are older than my damn mother.”
Dar looked up as the door opened, and her nostrils flared a bit as Steven walked brazenly into her office. ”Hang on a minute.” She hit the hold button. ”People knock before they come into this office.”
Steven clucked, and dropped into a chair. ”Get your panties out of a wad, Dar.”
”What do you want? I’m in the middle of something,” She snapped back.Steven leaned back, glancing up as the outer door opened, and Kerry slipped in. ”Thought people knocked first?” he asked mockingly, smiling at Dar.
”She doesn’t have to knock. She works here,” Dar replied. ”You’ve got ten seconds. Talk, or get out.”