Having Fun with Mr. Wrong (7 page)

He smiled as he thought back to the day he met her, long ago at football practice.

Out of the corner of his eye, he’d spotted her. The glint of bright green eyes and long, luminous blonde hair blowing in the wind. She would be Jane Ellen Green, cheer captain for the Fairmont High Rangers and student extraordinaire. He missed his pass, stumbled to the ground, retrieved the ball, and then let it slip through his hands. The team burst out in laughter.

Coach Brewer got all over Bill. “What the hell was that? I didn’t chance quarterback on some dumb freshman who’s going to be distracted by the first skirt he sees!”

“Coach, I swear, it won’t happen again. I just—”

“Just my ass.” He directed his attention to the team and screamed, “All right, you girls, stop the giggling. I want to see that play perfected, or nobody goes home today!”

His best friend, Mike, thought Bill didn’t stand a chance with Jane. But when he discovered her, he deemed her the girl of his dreams, and no one would convince him otherwise.

He racked his brain trying to think of a perfect date idea for Jane. After several no’s, she finally agreed to meet him for a movie and dinner. He suggested pizza, but she said she never ate pizza and would have a salad instead.

By the end of sophomore year, they were a steady item. At their graduation party, Jane got a bit too tipsy. Bill took her home and practically carried her to her room while her parents looked on. Whether it was because of embarrassment or disinterest, she didn’t return any of his calls after the party.

When she finally called him back, she agreed to meet him for a coffee at a local café.

She breezed in, sat down, and gushed about her college plans. “I’ve already gotten to know a couple of girls in the sorority, and they seem studious, driven, and fun to be around. Also, the living expenses are cheaper at the sorority rather than independent apartment living.”

“You sure you won’t get sucked into the party scene?”

“No, the requirements for sorority membership are pretty stringent. You need to maintain a three-point-four average and have extracurricular activities.”

“Then I’m glad for you. You won’t be too lonely.”

“Right.” She glanced down, then added, “I won’t have time to be lonely anyway. I’ve applied for the honors program, so my studies will be more rigorous than the average student.”

“No time to miss me either?”

She spoke softly, “Actually, Bill, I don’t think we should continue.”

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. “You can’t be serious. Long-distance relationships work. We’re both going to be completely absorbed in our studies, so it’s no big deal.”

“It seemed like a big deal to you. You were ready to talk marriage.”

“Not exactly.”

“Look, I can’t afford any distractions. You want to take this relationship in a more serious direction, and you have the right to do that, but it’s not right for me right now.”

“Jane, we have the entire future. We can wait. Let’s not lose what we have.” He couldn’t let their relationship end.

But she was adamant. She gave him a cock-and-bull story that she loved him but couldn’t keep up with a commitment with her studies. He suggested they could visit on holidays and occasional weekend football games. She would have none of it. And she’d left him with a kiss on his cheek and his unfinished coffee to cry in.

The disturbing memories of his break up with Jane were interrupted when Bill’s phone rang at his desk. He jolted back to duty as he took an order for a stock trade.

High school was far behind them. Jane was ready for marriage. He could feel it in his bones. She’d say yes this time.

Chapter Six

Tom Johnson, CEO and president of Synergy Plus, Inc., had taken an immediate liking to Carmala Rosa. She was one of the brightest and youngest auditors the firm had ever engaged. After three audits, he could finally welcome her on board his staff. Banter gave him the nod because he’d handled the hiring through the John Halfway agency. With a seasoned auditor on his staff, his company would have the edge it needed in the market.

Tom chuckled to himself as he observed Carmala walk into his office on her first day. She wore an austere business suit and a crisp white-collared shirt. He made a mental note to tell her to loosen up now that she was on the sales side of the business world.

Carmala grinned from ear to ear, exuding more confidence than he’d expected from someone so young. He didn’t blame her for being happy. They’d paid her richly for coming to Synergy Plus. She’d be worth every penny. He stood and took her firm handshake.

“Welcome, Carmala. We’re so excited that you’ve finally joined us.”

“Thanks, Tom. I’m glad to be here.”

“Please, sit. Make yourself comfortable.” She sat down on the edge of the chair opposite his desk, obviously raring to get to work. Tom took his seat behind his desk. “Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?”

“No. Thanks. I’ve already had mine.”

“Have you started to look for your new digs yet?”

“Not yet. I’ve been busy wrapping things up at Banter, and I wanted to make sure every open audit had the proper documentation before I left.” Carmala shifted in her seat.

Ah, she was like a racehorse chomping at the bit.

“That’s good. We need to keep those guys on our side. You’ll have plenty of time to look around for a new apartment over the next couple of weeks. We’re not going to give you too heavy a workload right away.”

“I’d like to shop around over the next couple of weekends.”

“I’ll have Tina Brown, our real estate person, contact you. She’s one of the sharpest in Manhattan. Tell her what you’d like, and she’ll make it happen.” Tom pulled out his center desk drawer, located the Realtor’s card, and handed to Carmala. “Without any further ado, let me show you your new office.”

Tom led Carmala down a hallway to the left of his office. He directed her to a small private office. A decent-sized desk, credenza, and filing cabinets filled the room. It was the standard office size for their junior account managers.

“I hope you find this to your liking.” He felt a slight guilty pang giving her such a small office, but he had to be sure not to show any favoritism. “And I’m sure you’ll be fast-tracking it up the ladder. So, this is just a start.”

“Tom, it’s more than adequate. At Banter, I was lucky to find an empty cube to sit in when I was in the office.” She hesitated. “I, ah, was wondering what kind of support staff you would be providing.”

Tom feared she’d think his company was cheap. “The junior account executives have a secretarial pool at their disposal. There are a group of five support staffers you’ll have access to anytime you need the help.”

She didn’t appear disappointed as she ran her hand along the polished mahogany of her new desk. “That should be fine. Though I do, usually, like to work with one person. I find it builds loyalty.”

Tom loosened his tie, feeling a little hot under the collar. He wanted Carmala to be completely satisfied. “We find it’s more efficient to work with a pool. This way it makes better use of everyone’s time. Once you’re promoted to senior account manager, we’ll provide you with a corner office and a private administrative assistant.”

Carmala gave him a winning smile. “Hey, don’t get me wrong, Tom. This is more than sufficient. I just needed to know the lay of the land.”

“Good. I’ve put the case files for your first client, Jointer Staff, on your desk. They’re a temp agency looking to expand nationally.”

“I’ll get right on it, boss.”

Tom watched Carmala as she sat down at her new desk. She held the files as if they were an ice-cream cone on a hot summer’s day.

That’s a newbie for you. Gotta love it.

“Stop by my office if you have any questions.” He backed out of the office and proudly gazed at his protégé.

“No problem.” She already dug deep into the paperwork, her brow furrowed in concentration.

He hoped she’d be able to figure out the client’s needs on her own. It was a test of sorts to see how far she’d run with the ball.

****

At the end of the day, Margo checked her bank account online. Her commission check had deposited. In awe, she stared at the amount. It was a whopping seventy-five thousand. Unbelievable. October had to be a record for her biggest closing month ever.

Her boss, Dan Paxton, walked into her office with a smile that didn’t stop. “Margo, you really did it this time. You’ve made us the most profitable branch in the nation.”

“I’m elated. Yet I have concerns as to whether or not the rest of the outstanding loan applications will be processed through by the end of next month. You need to get that whip cracking on our processing center. I have twenty-four million dollars in mortgage loans in the pipeline. They all need to close in thirty days. How is this going to happen when my processor is overburdened now?”

Dan took a seat at her desk. “Relax and don’t worry. We’ll get you all the support you need. Have I ever let you down in the all the years you’ve been here?”

Margo had worked for the bank since her sophomore year in high school, now going on ten years. Manhattan hadn’t known the likes of D.C. Mutual, but with Margo’s production alone she’d put the bank on the map. And she didn’t have to be boastful. It was a well-known fact.

She clicked on her computer and pulled up her loan production pipeline, feeling doubtful that the production staff would get the loans through. “There have been issues, beyond your control, of course.”

She would have to do some major ass kissing at the processing center to get her loan applications pushed through on time. “My files are complete and should be easy for the processors to close. However, Bertha is not up to par, Dan. Face it. We can’t afford any more real estate agent complaints. We’re on a major production wave, and I need better support. I’m tired of hearing her excuses that because she’s from Germany, she has a different work ethic.”

He rubbed his whiskered chin. “It’s true. She has a slightly laid-back approach, but she’s a no-nonsense kind of person. Frankly, she’s the only one up there that can take your, er, caustic behavior. At times, you’re a bit difficult to deal with. Bertha has been working loads of unpaid overtime to get the work done. I happen to know it because the processing supervisor told me. And it’s strict company policy to report all hours worked.”

Margo hunched her shoulders. Bank politics wore on her, and she resented having to waste time on them. “Except for loan officers who can seem to work round the clock and all weekends, but no one cares.”

“I don’t think you have anything to complain about with that big commission check you cashed.” He fidgeted with his tie. “What do you plan to do with the extra money?”

She could tell he was nervous. As though he braced himself for the idle threat of retirement she’d made so many times.

“Bank it. Like I’ve been banking every extra bit. Then, one day, hopefully soon, I can retire and get out of this craziness,” Margo teased. If only she
could
retire. The mortgage industry wore her out. She knew talking about retiring caused Dan anxiety since she was his big kahuna, his cash cow. No one in midtown Manhattan produced as much as she did at D.C. Mutual, despite the fierce competition. He couldn’t afford to make her unhappy, especially with the competing banks and brokers constantly trying to get her to work for them.

“I’ll have a talk with Bertha, okay?” He stood and walked toward the door. “You know the processors get bonused on the closings. The center wants to close everything possible before year-end.”

“Yes, my pipeline and everyone else’s. That’s not the point. I need Bertha to cooperate and schedule the closings when I say and not when she gets around to it.” She clicked madly on her laptop working on a loan that was in process.

“Don’t you ever relax and have fun? Your husband must forget what you look like. Why don’t you guys go out and celebrate tonight?”

“We’ll celebrate. I’m going to the Jaguar dealer and getting the new XX50.”

Margo detected the flash of jealousy in his eyes. Good. At least she had some sort of satisfaction. He was such a pain in the ass sometimes.

“The convertible? Are you serious?”

“The very same.” She glanced at her eighteen-carat-gold wristwatch. It was already six. “I am going to take Timmy to dinner and then buy the Jag.”

“Good luck picking it out. I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t stay too late.” He turned and left her office.

She called Timmy, but he didn’t answer his cell phone. Lately he’d been letting her calls go to voice mail, and it irritated her.

She left a message: “Timmy, I did it! I closed freakin’ forty-one loans for October. Let’s go out and celebrate. I want to get that Jag.”

A few minutes passed. Where the hell was he? It was a quarter to seven, and the dealership closed at nine. She tried his cell again with no luck.

****

Timothy Hopkins had always pictured himself in the academic world. At Drexel University, he earned a teacher’s assistant job by the end of his junior year. His driving goal had been to go to Tate University, and attend Manhattan’s world-renowned International Economics program for his graduate and postgraduate degree. After grad school, he worked his way up to associate professor and planned to achieve full professorship with eventual tenure in the next few years. Everything had worked according to his plan.

Tonight, he’d been working late with his teacher’s assistant, Lorraine Leary. Lorraine assisted him with his class load, grading, and preparing exams. Usually, he left the university after class and worked from home. But what was the sense of going home early or for dinner when he’d dine alone? Margo was never there.

It was after six. Timothy and Lorraine were working late on a curriculum proposal for the dean.

“I think we’ve arrived at our conclusion.” He tapped the summary report and looked at Lorraine. “All we have to do is pull together the presentation for the dean’s office.”

Lorraine turned her swivel chair from her makeshift desk at his credenza. “Gotcha. How about if I stay to finish the presentation? You go ahead home.” She rolled up her sleeves and started clicking on her laptop.