Seasons (17 page)

“Let’s wrap it up for now, Herb. Jaci is here and should have been announced and in here by now.”

“Okay.” Herbert quickly got to his feet. “Jaci’s bumping me huh? Interesting!” he said jokingly. J.P. might have a reputation
for being a playboy, but when it came to work he was conscientious and a hard taskmaster. Herbert walked to the door and turned
to ask when they could finish up, but J.P. was on the phone asking Linda, the receptionist, if Jaci Winters was in the reception
area. Her reply did not please him and he asked her to come to his office.

“Stay here a minute, Herb, I want you to hear this.” A few minutes later, Linda appeared in his doorway. She was forty-something—tall,
light skinned, well built, somewhat attractive. She had been with the company a little over a year and made no secret of her
interest in more than an employer/employee relationship with J.P. But beyond the fact that he made it a policy not to date
employees—Jaci being the exception, of course—he’d discovered she was one of those calculating women he despised. She had
been so obvious in her pursuit of him that he had gone into a self-protection mode, making it a point to keep things strictly
business with her, and interacting with her as little as possible. Too often, she showed up at social affairs when she knew
he would be there and attached herself to his side until he found a way to shake her.

Now he was thankful for the wisdom and insight that had directed him to steer clear of her. He probably should have fired
her when he realized her intent, but she had turned out to be a pretty good employee, and it was easier to keep her than to
go through the trouble of looking for a replacement.

She entered his office smiling. “What can I do for you boss?”

J.P. waited expectantly to see if she was going to mention Jaci. She knew his instructions regarding visitors. They were not
to be kept waiting either on the phone or in person. The staff person they were seeking should be notified immediately of
their phone call or arrival, and was to acknowledge them and indicate how long they could expect to wait.

He now recalled Jaci jokingly saying on more than one occasion that to conduct business with him at his office, she had to
plan plenty of time on her schedule. Now his suspicions were growing as to why.

Without waiting for an invitation, Linda walked to a chair in front of his desk and sat down, while J.P. continued to wait.
She must have thought he was finally noticing her interest in him. Her smile got wider, and she casually crossed her legs.

When he saw her smile, J.P.’s anger began to simmer. He reined in his temper and quietly asked, “How long has Ms. Winters
been waiting in reception?” Linda’s smile slipped a little, then she waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, that Jaci Winters woman?
She can wait.”

His anger increased. “How do
you
know she can wait? Who does she usually see when she comes to this office? Did you notify me that she was here? How do you
know I’m not in a hurry to complete my business with her? Who gave you the authority to make this kind of judgment on our
visitors’ importance? Have you ever kept Ms. Winters or anybody else waiting like this before?”

By this time, Linda’s mouth was hanging open and a big “oh! oh!” clearly showed on her face. She opened her mouth to speak,
but nothing came out. She tried again, sputtering, “I . . . I . . . I knew you were with Herb and I didn’t want to disturb
you. I knew you all were going over those important status reports.”

J.P.’s temper shot up further at her explanation. A vein in his forehead visibly throbbed and his jaws had clenched. Herbert
realized Linda was in big trouble and tried to come to her defense. “Uh, J.P., I’m sure Linda was just trying to be conscientious.
She didn’t mean to overlook or overstep the rules in any way.” The look J.P. leveled at him caused Herbert to quickly cease
his efforts.

“Let me be real clear, Linda. You listen closely, Herb, because I expect you to assure follow-through. When I give instructions,
I intend for them to be carried out completely and without any interpretive nuances. If you didn’t understand these instructions,
you should have asked questions. Now, Linda, if you would like to continue working here, please express your complete comprehension
of all instructions.” At her hesitation, he literally spit out, “Now, please!”

Linda was totally caught off guard. This was definitely not going as she had hoped. She finally managed to mumble, “Yes, sir,
I understand.”

“Then I suggest you follow them or look for another job. Please show Ms. Winters in now. She’s waited long enough. And don’t
ever keep her—or anyone else for that matter—waiting like this again.”

When Linda left, Herbert remained and set a steady gaze on J.P. “What going on, man? Linda slips every now and then, but all
in all, she does a pretty good job.”

J.P. looked at him angrily. “She didn’t follow instructions, Herb, and this is not the first time. The receptionist is the
first point of contact for this office. We can’t afford any laxity there. That’s why I pay that person a good salary. She
can make or break this company by the way she treats people. I built this firm on the foundation of consistent, first-class
customer service. That’s why we’ve gained the level of success we have. I’m not going to let a silly employee destroy that
by treating people badly.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Herb said as he opened the door to leave. He shook his head in consternation. He was usually so engulfed
with work that he became oblivious to what was going on around him. He liked Linda and had even considered asking her out
until he realized she had her eyes on J.P. Beyond office matters, she generally ignored him, lighting up only when J.P. was
around. He was astute enough to know when someone wasn’t interested. Obviously, Linda wasn’t as astute.

L
inda Adams stomped back to her desk, furious over what had just happened. She was desperate to the point of dementia. She
was forty-five and unmarried, with nothing resembling a prospective husband. She had come to work for J.P. with one goal:
to make him her husband. She came from a wealthy Louisiana family (her father was a doctor, her mother a college professor).
She needed a husband who fit certain social criteria—and J.P. definitely did. All her siblings either had high-profile careers
or acceptable mates. She was the only one who had not yet “arrived,” and she was tired of being the butt of their cruel jokes
and put-downs. Linda had never been interested in a career but had concentrated on finding a wealthy husband to give her the
social prominence she craved. She depended on her looks, light skin, and family connections to give her the advantage. But
those attributes hadn’t been enough to off-set her grasping desperation and pushiness with men, which had caused them to run
as fast as they could when they discovered what she was like. She had even resorted to stalking a few men after they lost
interest and tried to end things with her. A couple of them had even filed charges against her.

This pitiful receptionist job was just a means to an end—her road to becoming Mrs. J.P. Gilmore. After setting her sights
on J.P., Linda decided that a change in tactics was called for. Her new strategy was to demonstrate what an asset she could
be to him socially—every prominent businessman needed a socially astute wife. She also did whatever was necessary to eliminate
any other woman in the picture. Although her plan was taking longer than she liked, the payoff would be worth it. J.P. was
handsome, wealthy, and highly respected. She recalled the party he had given for the employees last year, when she had walked
through his beautiful, spacious home and pictured herself there as his wife.

While she sat at the receptionist desk every day answering the phone and greeting visitors, she dreamed of the time when she
would walk through the office as the boss’s wife, commanding the highest respect. She had noticed how J.P. looked at Jaci
Winters. How he often left the office with her. There was no way she would allow a little nobody civil service worker like
Jaci Winters disrupt her plan. No! Jaci Winters had to go. Linda didn’t plan to lose this one. She only worked a few hours
on Saturdays and she still had work to finish, but she picked up the phone and dialed a number.

“It’s time to get someone out of the picture and I’m going to need a little help,” she said into the phone, then she listened
for a moment. “Yeah. Her. I have a feeling things have gone further than we realized.”

W
hile Jaci sat in the reception area of J.P.’s office waiting to see him, her mind mulled over the events of the previous night.
She couldn’t believe Maxie! Calling her after all these years and making demands. Even more unbelievable was her actions with
J.P. She shook her head in amazement.
Had that really been her?
Now, she would have to try to reestablish some distance between them.

After her usual long wait, Linda had finally told Jaci to go on back to J.P.’s office. “Hey, baby, how are things this morning?”
J.P. asked, embracing her tightly. Jaci stiffened and tried to back away, but he ignored it and held her a little longer,
waiting for her body to soften against his. But to his disappointment, she pulled away.

“I’m really sorry you had to wait so long in reception. I just ripped Linda up one side and down the other for that. Tell
me the truth, does she do that to you often?”

Jaci hesitated.
So that’s why I got such an ugly look from Linda.
“Look, I know you’re a busy man, and Linda is just doing her job. I don’t mind waiting. I told you before, I plan for a long
wait whenever we meet here.”

He was shaking his head. “No, no, no. You are to let me know if it ever happens again. It will never be acceptable, but you’re
dealing with too much right now to put up with that kind of treatment, so I want to know, okay?”

Jaci nodded yes and then got down to briefing him on the assessment she had just completed. Neither one mentioned the previous
night’s events. When they finished talking about her trip, J.P. immediately changed the subject. “Will you go out to dinner
with me tonight?” Jaci shook her head before saying, “No.” J.P. moved closer to where she was standing. “Why not? Jaci, you
can’t keep running away from this. Sooner or later you’ll have to accept that there’s something between us. After last night,
you have to know that the feelings are not going away.”

She looked at him angrily. “That was a cheap shot. You know what kind of frame of mind I was in last night.”

He pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I don’t know why I said that. You’re right; it was a cheap shot. You
have me so messed up I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. I need to have things settled between us. I can’t stand being
in limbo like this.” He kissed her gently.

There was a brief knock and an older man with silver hair entered without waiting for an invitation. His striking resemblance
to J.P. assured her this was his father. He walked into the office and took in the couple standing there embracing.

J
.P. turned toward his father, but kept an arm around Jaci. “Jaci Winters, please meet my dad, J.P. Gilmore Sr., better known
as ‘Big Pat.’ Pop, this is Jaci Winters, the lady I’ve been telling you about.”

“Well hello, Jaci, I’m glad to meet you,” Big Pat said, crossing the room as he inspected her from head to toe.

Jaci extended her hand to shake his. “Hello, Mr. Gilmore. It’s very nice to meet you too.” She pulled the straps of her purse
and briefcase onto her shoulder, preparing to leave.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, young lady.” Big Pat continued his scrutiny of her. “I understand you’re doing a good job for
my son. I appreciate that, but when are you going to put him out of his misery?”

“Put him out of his misery? I didn’t know he was in any misery.” Jaci looked at J.P. with puzzlement. “What kind of misery
are you in? And what do I have to do with it?”

An embarrassed smile covered J.P.’s face. “Nothing, honey. Don’t pay any attention to him.”

Big Pat went on, undaunted. “Girl, you’ve got this man so tied up in knots he can hardly do his job. Can’t have that, since
he’s running two businesses and already has too much on his plate. He needs a woman, a wife. And he thinks you’re the one
for him. So when are you going to marry him?”

“Pop! Cut it out,” J.P. yelled.

“Marry him?!” Jaci tried to pull away from J.P. to head toward the door. He didn’t let go, but guided her across the room
to the door where he looked down at her. “Sure you won’t change your mind about dinner tonight?” He knew the answer but had
to ask.

She shook her head. “I’m sure.”

“Well, can I call you later? Maybe I can come by for a while.” He hated that his dad was witness to his desperation but couldn’t
seem to help himself.

“You can call, but I probably won’t be home.”

He looked at her hard. “Where will you be? At the hospital? Maybe I can come by there.”

“No, I won’t be at the hospital. Look, I have to go. Nice meeting you, Mr. Gilmore.” She was so rattled she didn’t notice
that the older J.P. didn’t respond but was studying them intently.

J.P. leaned down and kissed her lips softly. “I’ll call you anyway.”

Jaci left the office almost running, not wanting to even contemplate what the senior J.P. had said about marrying his son.
“He’s crazy,” she said to herself, walking rapidly down the corridor.

“Boy, you’re in big trouble,” Big Pat said, laughing as he watched his son running his hands over his head in a continuous
gesture of frustration. “That woman’s all up under your skin.” He laughed harder at J.P.’s frustrated response.

“She runs hot, then cold. I never know what to expect. But dang! I’m so crazy about her I can’t see straight.” He paced around
the office in agitation.

Big Pat continued to laugh. “That’s obvious. But if you have to go down, it may as well be for a woman like her. She’s beautiful
and seems very nice too. I like her. You got your hands full though, because I think she’s got a mind of her own. We still
have a tee-off date? Somehow I don’t think you’ll be much good on the course today. What’s this about Jaci going to the hospital?”