into Josh downstairs and he had a few questions.”
“Good morning, Manda,” Josh greeted her. “Did you have a nice weekend?”
“Yes, I did. Thank you. And you?” Manda wasn’t able to keep the laughter out of her voice completely and David smiled at her.
“You’re in a good mood this morning, aren’t you?”
“It’s a beautiful morning. How can you not be in a good mood on a morning like this?” Manda replied, grinning.
David looked from Manda to Richard speculatively. “Okay then.”
“I know you guys have work to do, so we’ll get out of here. We’ll see you for lunch tomorrow. Noon, right?” Richard drifted toward the door, pushing Josh in front of him.
“Noon,” David confirmed.
“Thanks, guys!” Manda called after them as Richard pushed Josh out the door.
“Anytime,” they called back in unison just before the door closed behind them.
“What was that all about?” David asked suspiciously. He crossed his arms across his chest and sat down on the edge of Manda’s desk.
“Oh, Josh promised Katie they’d take her out to do something since I wouldn’t let her go to the party after the concert. Remember? So they’re going to plan something for Friday night,” Manda lied. Okay, technically it wasn’t a lie, since what she said was all true, but it was definitely out of context. She busied herself with her e-mail to avoid looking at him.
“Mmm hmm,” he commented. “And I suppose you’re going too. It will be the four of you?”
“Of course. She’s too young to go alone.”
“Mmm hmm,” he said again. He sat looking down at her for a few more minutes, but when she didn’t look up at him he turned brisk. “I guess I’d better get busy if we’re going to be ready with these designs tomorrow.”
The next morning Manda began the day in a good mood. She’d resigned herself to the fact that she would be thrown into Richard’s company frequently, and trying to avoid it would be an exercise in futility. She instead determined to enjoy the two brothers’ company. She would just have to discipline herself where thoughts of Richard were concerned. With this new game plan in place, Manda arrived at the office in high spirits, eagerly anticipating lunch with Richard and Josh.
The morning passed without incident, and Manda’s good mood held until shortly after eleven, when Curt summoned her to his office.
“Come in and sit down,” Curt commanded when Manda appeared in his open door. She took one of the two chairs that faced Curt’s desk and waited, knowing that her employer would get to the reason behind this summons in his own time. He shuffled a stack of papers on his desk before setting them to one side and shifting his attention to Manda.
“Jerry wants us to handle the Halloween charity auction for them again this year. He wants your team on it. I told him we’d handle it for him.”
Manda stiffened and frowned. Her good mood evaporated.
“I told you last year,” Manda replied warily, “if we’re going to work on this again, I will not work with Andrea.”
“He’s aware of the issues we’ve had in the past, and he assures me he’s taken care of it, but he’s been one of our best clients for a long time. He wants to use Andrea and we’ll just have to work with her.” Curt started out in a reassuring tone, but finished firmly, not inviting argument.
Manda bristled. “I told you after the fiasco last year that my team wouldn’t work with her again, Curt, and I wasn’t kidding. It’s not fair to any of us. Jerry isn’t the one who gets stuck holding the bag when Andrea messes up.” Anger made her bolder than normal and she wasn’t inclined to back down.
“Last year was unfortunate...,” Curt began.
“And the year before that, and the year before that, and...” Manda interjected.
“But we are going to do this, Manda,” he quickly continued, cutting her off. “If he wants to use Andrea, we use Andrea. I am making this call. If something goes
“Good morning, Manda,” Josh greeted her. “Did you have a nice weekend?”
“Yes, I did. Thank you. And you?” Manda wasn’t able to keep the laughter out of her voice completely and David smiled at her.
“You’re in a good mood this morning, aren’t you?”
“It’s a beautiful morning. How can you not be in a good mood on a morning like this?” Manda replied, grinning.
David looked from Manda to Richard speculatively. “Okay then.”
“I know you guys have work to do, so we’ll get out of here. We’ll see you for lunch tomorrow. Noon, right?” Richard drifted toward the door, pushing Josh in front of him.
“Noon,” David confirmed.
“Thanks, guys!” Manda called after them as Richard pushed Josh out the door.
“Anytime,” they called back in unison just before the door closed behind them.
“What was that all about?” David asked suspiciously. He crossed his arms across his chest and sat down on the edge of Manda’s desk.
“Oh, Josh promised Katie they’d take her out to do something since I wouldn’t let her go to the party after the concert. Remember? So they’re going to plan something for Friday night,” Manda lied. Okay, technically it wasn’t a lie, since what she said was all true, but it was definitely out of context. She busied herself with her e-mail to avoid looking at him.
“Mmm hmm,” he commented. “And I suppose you’re going too. It will be the four of you?”
“Of course. She’s too young to go alone.”
“Mmm hmm,” he said again. He sat looking down at her for a few more minutes, but when she didn’t look up at him he turned brisk. “I guess I’d better get busy if we’re going to be ready with these designs tomorrow.”
The next morning Manda began the day in a good mood. She’d resigned herself to the fact that she would be thrown into Richard’s company frequently, and trying to avoid it would be an exercise in futility. She instead determined to enjoy the two brothers’ company. She would just have to discipline herself where thoughts of Richard were concerned. With this new game plan in place, Manda arrived at the office in high spirits, eagerly anticipating lunch with Richard and Josh.
The morning passed without incident, and Manda’s good mood held until shortly after eleven, when Curt summoned her to his office.
“Come in and sit down,” Curt commanded when Manda appeared in his open door. She took one of the two chairs that faced Curt’s desk and waited, knowing that her employer would get to the reason behind this summons in his own time. He shuffled a stack of papers on his desk before setting them to one side and shifting his attention to Manda.
“Jerry wants us to handle the Halloween charity auction for them again this year. He wants your team on it. I told him we’d handle it for him.”
Manda stiffened and frowned. Her good mood evaporated.
“I told you last year,” Manda replied warily, “if we’re going to work on this again, I will not work with Andrea.”
“He’s aware of the issues we’ve had in the past, and he assures me he’s taken care of it, but he’s been one of our best clients for a long time. He wants to use Andrea and we’ll just have to work with her.” Curt started out in a reassuring tone, but finished firmly, not inviting argument.
Manda bristled. “I told you after the fiasco last year that my team wouldn’t work with her again, Curt, and I wasn’t kidding. It’s not fair to any of us. Jerry isn’t the one who gets stuck holding the bag when Andrea messes up.” Anger made her bolder than normal and she wasn’t inclined to back down.
“Last year was unfortunate...,” Curt began.
“And the year before that, and the year before that, and...” Manda interjected.
“But we are going to do this, Manda,” he quickly continued, cutting her off. “If he wants to use Andrea, we use Andrea. I am making this call. If something goes
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