Читать книгу Beloved Enemy - Terri Reed - Страница 12

Monday morning arrived, with an overcast sky left behind by the weekend’s storm. A chill hung in the manor house as Juliet made her way downstairs for some coffee before heading to Blanchard Fabrics. She wished Bianca and the twins hadn’t had to leave yesterday not long after church. Miranda had spent most of the afternoon in her rooms, which left Juliet rambling around with nothing to do. So she’d spent most of the day rummaging through their father’s home office. Unfortunately, she didn’t find anything of interest.

To help keep her nervousness about her new job from overwhelming her, she contemplated how she’d grab a moment when she could sneak into her father’s office and see what she could learn that might help her sisters in their quest to locate their mother.

“Miss Juliet,” Marco said as Juliet entered the kitchen. As always, his white uniform was pressed and clean. His dark Latin eyes twinkled with good humor. “Fresh coffee and some pecan sticky buns.”

“Yum,” Juliet replied with a grin and accepted the travel mug of hot liquid and a wrapped pastry. “Thank you. What a wonderful way to start the day.”

“I’ll be making apple crisp for tonight.” Marco hurried forward to help her slip on the heavy parka over her pink chenille sweater and long, flowered, ruffled skirt.

“I’m going to gain weight living here,” Juliet complained with a smile and wave goodbye.

The drive to Blanchard Fabrics took all of ten minutes. In good weather, Juliet vowed she’d walk, if only to work off the sweets that she couldn’t resist. She parked in her father’s parking space since he wouldn’t be in. The big, imposing redbrick building with its many smokestacks loomed against the gray clouds.

Juliet entered the building through the glass double doors and shivered at the blast of warm air from the overhead heaters. She slipped off her parka and approached the reception desk.

The unfamiliar woman sitting behind the counter smiled politely at her. “Can I help you?”

Leaning on the counter, Juliet smiled back. “Juliet Blanchard. I’m supposed to report to Barbara Sanchez.”

“Ah, yes.” She nodded. “Ms. Sanchez is expecting you. Her office is on the fourth floor, just down the hall from your father’s.”

“Great, thanks,” Juliet replied and hurried to catch the elevator.

The fourth floor looked nothing like what Juliet remembered from her childhood. Her sister Miranda had mentioned that their father had remodeled the offices a few years ago. The linoleum and old-fashioned cubicle dividers that once made up the office spaces had been replaced with lush, sage-green carpet and real wood office walls.

As Juliet proceeded down the hall, she passed a conference room with a long table surrounded by over a dozen padded leather chairs.

She paused at her father’s office. The door was closed. She tried the handle. Locked.

“Juliet?”

Her heart jumping in her chest, Juliet spun around to face the woman who’d come up behind her. Her father’s longtime executive assistant, Barbara Sanchez, regarded her with interest. Barbara was tall and slightly overweight, but she dressed in very upscale corporate attire that accentuated her olive skin and shiny black hair. “Barbara, hi. I assume Father gave you the lowdown on what I’m to be doing here.”

“Yes, of course,” Barbara replied, giving her a quizzical look. “Did you need something in your father’s office?”

Juliet mentally scrambled. She did want in there to poke around and see if she could find anything about her mother, but telling Barbara as much probably wasn’t a good idea. Barbara was very loyal to Juliet’s father. Probably not someone she could rely on as an ally. “I was thinking maybe his itinerary would be on his desk. Do you know when my father is expected back from Europe?”

Barbara’s nostrils flared slightly as displeasure entered her ebony eyes. “No. Your father has not kept a very reliable schedule ever since he took up with that woman.”

Interesting. So, Barbara didn’t think very highly of Juliet’s father’s newest girlfriend. Juliet wondered if she’d liked any of the women who’d come parading through Ronald’s life. “I’ve only met Alannah twice. She seems a bit…flamboyant for Father.”

Barbara’s lip curled. “More like money hungry.”

Great. One more problem for her and her sisters to face. “Should we be worried?”

Barbara waved off the concern. “Oh, please. Ronald’s just indulging in a little midlife philandering. He’ll come around eventually.”

“I’ll pray that he does,” Juliet murmured, hating that her father was so cavalier with his soul. Didn’t he realize the mess he was making of everyone’s lives with his womanizing? She wondered if Barbara had a personal interest in Ronald Blanchard. And Juliet didn’t know what to feel about that.

“Come, let me show you where you’ll be working,” Barbara said and headed down the hall away from Ronald’s office.

Juliet followed along, peering in the other offices as she went. She waved when she recognized several of the long-term employees, mainly the ones in the sales department who had attended various functions over the years at Blanchard Manor.

Barbara stopped at a small office with a tiny, square window up high on the plain beige wall. There was a bare desk, a filing cabinet and a couple of shelves.

“Here you go,” Barbara announced.

Juliet frowned. She’d have thought the marketing director’s office would at least have a view. She stepped inside and put her purse on the desk. “So, when do I meet the staff and find out what we’re currently working on?”

“There will be a staff meeting in ten minutes in the conference room. You’ll see everyone then.” Barbara gave her an indulgent smile. “Take a few minutes to settle in and look around. I’m sure you’re anxious to meet your new boss.”

Juliet cocked her head to one side. “I won’t be reporting directly to my father?”

“Oh, mercy, no. Your father has little to do with the day-to-day operations anymore. Especially now that he’s off gallivanting with that woman.”

“Right.” Of course there’d be someone else in charge while her father was away. Leo used to be that person, but now that he was gone…Juliet could only hope she’d get along with the person in charge.

“We’ll see you in ten minutes,” Barbara stated before disappearing out of the office.

Juliet sat at the desk and looked through the drawers. All the basic supplies. Bored, she drummed her fingers on the wooden top. She wished she had paper and a charcoal pencil so she could sketch. Instead she tried to think of ways she could get into her father’s office.

Finally, she left her little space with pen and spiral notebook in hand and headed down the hall to the conference room she’d passed on her way to her office. A few early birds were already seated at the table.

Juliet joined them, introduced herself and asked what department each worked in and for how long. Soon others began to file in and the room filled. The seats were all taken and a few people stood along the walls.

Barbara strode to the front of the room. She welcomed everyone. “We have another new employee joining us today. Juliet, would you please stand?”

Aware of everyone’s attention, Juliet rose with a smile. She wondered who else had recently joined the company.

“This is Juliet Blanchard, Ronald’s youngest daughter. She is coming on board in the marketing department. She recently graduated from Vermont State University with a degree in design and a minor in marketing. Please, welcome Juliet.”

Finding it odd that Barbara didn’t state exactly what Juliet’s position in the marketing department would be, she fought back a wave of unease. The clapping and voices raised in greeting distracted her from Barbara’s omission.

As Juliet sank back into her seat, the honey-blond-haired woman seated beside her leaned over to whisper her welcome.

“Hi, I’m Annie Miller. I was in the same high school class as the twins.”

Juliet shook the woman’s hand and whispered back, “Nice to meet you.”

“How are your sisters?”

“Good. Rissa has a play being produced on Broadway and Portia’s arts store is thriving. They were—”

“Ladies, do you mind?”

Juliet started at the deep, familiar voice. Her gaze flew to the man who moved to stand at the head of the long conference table.

She blinked, sure she was seeing things.

But no, what she saw was real.

Brandon De Witte, looking roguishly handsome in a traditional navy business suit, was staring at her with an amused glint in his brown eyes and a secret smile on his full lips.

Stunned, all Juliet could do was stare back. Apparently her hope of seeing him again one day had come true.

But at Blanchard Fabrics?

After she’d kissed him? Definitely a shocker, not to mention the potential for embarrassment.

A lump of sinking dread hit the bottom of her stomach as something even more threatening came into focus. Brandon De Witte’s only interest was in companies that were struggling.

Was her father’s company in trouble?

Brandon watched the color drain from Juliet’s lovely face and wondered for a second if she’d pass out from shock.

He could only imagine her reaction if she knew that ruining her father’s company was his plan. An eye for an eye and all that.

He shifted his attention to the rest of the group, said what he needed to say and then dismissed them.

“Would the marketing team please stay for a moment?” he asked as the staff began to leave.

Juliet stayed in her chair, her big green eyes watching him closely. When the four marketing department members were seated around the table, he brought out the new marketing campaign that Ronald Blanchard had approved before going off to Europe.

“Wait a second.” Juliet held up a staying hand. “Where did you get this?”

“Your father,” he replied smoothly and then continued on. The campaign was simple, yet he knew it would be effective in propelling Blanchard Fabrics forward in the changing marketplace and would help raise the company’s lagging profit margin.

Brandon had come up with the idea as a way to leverage a position in the company. But he and his uncle planned to take over the company before the campaign was implemented. Brandon had heard through the business grapevine that Ronald Blanchard’s right-hand man was leaving the company, as well as the marketing director. He’d quickly abandoned his earlier plan of ingratiating himself with the Blanchards through Juliet. Instead he’d opted for the better way to bring down the company by infiltrating the inner workings.

Ronald had been impressed with his credentials and quickly hired Brandon to step into the marketing director’s position. And now that Ronald was out for a while, he’d basically left Brandon in charge. How much easier could taking down the Blanchards be?

He glanced at Juliet, who stared at him with suspicion. When he heard that Juliet would be working under his direction and that her father wanted him to basically teach her everything he knew, he’d vowed not to let the unexpected twist interfere with his plan.

He’d had a hard time not thinking about her after their evening together. Who knows what had possessed him to kiss her? That hadn’t been planned. Nor had enjoying Juliet’s company been anticipated. She hadn’t been as spoiled or as superficial as he’d been led to believe.

But, he reminded himself, she was a Blanchard. And the Blanchards would pay for the things they’d done to his family.

Returning his attention to the marketing plan, he assigned different tasks to the members and then dismissed them. All except Juliet. Time for damage control.

When they were alone, she faced him. “What gives?”

“Excuse me?”

“What are you doing here?”

Brandon pulled up a chair and leaned back with his fingers steepled over his chest. “I’m working here, or weren’t you paying attention?”

She narrowed her gaze to icy slits. “Why? Is the company in trouble?”

“Now, Juliet, why would you ask such a question?”

“Don’t get smart with me, Mr. Corporate Raider. You said yourself that you find companies in trouble and buy them or revitalize them. So is the company in trouble?”

Boy, she was sassy. He rather liked that about her. “Not in any trouble that can’t be fixed. Profits are down, but we’ll get them to where they should be.” A big, fat, red zero.

“When did my father hire you? Before or after?”

Knowing full well what she meant, he pretended otherwise. “Before or after what?”

She pressed her lush mouth into a severe line and went in a different direction. “So you’re taking over for Leo?”

He shook his head. “Just until your father returns. Then I’ll concentrate on what I was hired to do.”

“Which is?” she ground out.

“I’m the new marketing director.”

“What?” She jumped to her feet.

“Are you going to have a problem working for me?” he asked, keeping his voice mild.

“I’m supposed to be the director,” she huffed, her fair complexion turning red.

That was news to him. Hmm. This could work to his advantage. “Apparently your father missed that memo.” He really shouldn’t bait her, but he was enjoying the passion and fire darkening the color in her eyes to a deep forest green.

She made a low, growling noise in her throat. “We’ll see.” She huffed from the room, skirt swirling about her booted ankles and her shiny, long hair bouncing down her back.

She really was even lovelier than he remembered. He tapped a finger to his lips. Better to keep in mind there was no room for romance in revenge.

Shoulders ridged and hands clenched at her sides, Juliet slammed into Barbara’s office.

The older woman looked up with a startled gaze. “Juliet, is something wrong?”

“Yes, something is wrong. That…that man is in my job.”

Barbara’s eyebrows pulled together in puzzlement. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I,” Juliet muttered and slumped into the chair opposite Barbara. “I need to talk to my father.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Nothing’s impossible. You must have a way to reach him.” It occurred to her that Bianca would have a number. But Juliet would rather not drag her sisters into this until she’d talked with her father. Her siblings would never stop babying her if she called them for help every time she was in trouble. There had to be a rational explanation for why Brandon De Witte was here.

“The number I have is for emergencies only,” Barbara stated.

Juliet sat up straight. “This is an emergency! I’m supposed to be the marketing director.”

Barbara shook her head. “I don’t think a mix-up in your job position would constitute an emergency in your father’s eyes.”

“Maybe not, but I don’t have a problem with interrupting his vacation.” Juliet raised her eyebrows in challenge. “Do you?”

A slow smile spread across Barbara’s face. “No, actually, I don’t.” She reached into a drawer and drew out a card. “Here.” She handed the number to Juliet.

Fingering the card, Juliet said, “I’d like the keys to my father’s office. I’m sure what I have to say should be done in complete privacy.”

Barbara tilted her head. “And you can’t use your new office because…”

Juliet scrambled for an answer. “I’ll feel closer to him if I’m sitting in his chair.” The excuse sounded lame, but it was the best she could come up with. Hopefully it was good enough for her father’s assistant.

After a moment’s hesitation, Barbara handed over a set of keys. “The long silver one opens the door.”

“Thank you,” Juliet said and palmed the keys, making a mental note to make copies before giving them back.

She hurried down the hall to her father’s office, unlocked the door and stepped into the dark interior. The faint scent of her father’s spicy aftershave lingered in the air. Leaning back against the door, she fought the pang of yearning that overwhelmed her at odd moments.

As a child, she’d loved to curl up in her father’s bed and breathe deeply of his masculine scent clinging to the pillows. It made her feel close to him. Then one day he’d caught her and banned her from his room forever.

Hurt, she’d left, but she hadn’t gone very far when she heard her father’s sobs. She’d gone back and peeked inside. Seeing her strong, formidable father kneeling beside the bed crying had hurt worse than anything could. Because she knew that she reminded him too much of his late wife. Juliet had never told anyone.

Pushing away the bleak memory, she flipped on the overhead light. The room was so close to a replica of her father’s study at the manor that for a moment Juliet was speechless.

Giving herself a mental shake, she went to the phone. Sinking into her father’s high-backed leather chair, she dialed the international number that Barbara had given to her. On the third ring, a woman answered in a sultry, sleepy voice. “Hello?”

Certain that the woman on the other end of the line was Alannah, Juliet said, “This is Juliet. I need to speak to my father.”

Impatient, Juliet listened to the shuffling sound of the phone being handed over and the muted voices of Alannah and Ronald; then he came on the line. “Juliet?”

“Hello, Father. Sorry to bother you but I have a problem here.”

“Did something happen to one of your sisters?” he asked, his voice harsh with concern.

She closed her eyes against the disappointment and hurt at his apparent lack of concern for her. “No. Everyone is fine.”

“Then why are you calling?”

Bolstering her courage to confront her father, she said, “I came to work this morning as planned, only there seems to be a mix-up. There’s this man claiming to be the marketing director. But you told me I would have that position if I came to work here.”

“That’s why you’re calling?”

Juliet gritted her teeth against the disdain lacing his words. “Yes. This is not what we agreed upon.”

“Juliet, you’re young, untried and inexperienced. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that bringing you in as the director was not a good move. When De Witte approached me with his ideas, I knew I had to hire him.”

She let out an angry, exasperated noise. “You could have told me.”

“I forgot,” he said rather irritably.

Of course he had. Hurt and bitterness threatened to choke her. She always came last in his priorities. She had hoped coming to work for him as he’d wanted would finally make a difference, that he’d finally come to respect her. To see her as a capable woman worthy of his affection.

“Juliet?”

“I’m here,” she forced out.

“When I return we’ll discuss this further. Until then, use this opportunity to learn from De Witte. And don’t call me again unless it’s a life-or-death situation.” He hung up.

Juliet stared at the phone handset, her jaw tight. Did strangling her new boss count as a life-or-death situation?