Tender Touch

Tender Touch

Lynn Emery

All names, characters, stories, and incidents
featured in this novel are imaginary. They are not inspired by any
individual person, incidents or events known or unknown to the
author. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is
coincidental. Originally published in 1997. This is a reprint.

Copyright 1997 Margaret Emery Hubbard

Smashwords Edition

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Chapter 1

Nervous energy caused Jade to pace for
several seconds before she realized what she was doing. “Relax, it
doesn’t have to be a bad sign that the new boss wants to see you,”
she mumbled in an effort to calm herself.

It did not work. She knew only too well a
change in administrations always meant out with the old, in with
the new. Of course as a state employee with permanent civil service
status, she could not be fired. Still she could be assigned new
duties— duties that were dull. The title would be the same,
administrative coordinator, but she would, in actual fact, be a
well-paid secretary for several staff and maybe supervise one or
two clerical workers. Jade had waited for the ax to fall for
several days now. But why meet with her? Most big guns left such
staff decisions for their assistants to handle.

She glanced around the comer office. The
view from the sixth floor was spectacular. Mid-February in
Louisiana was a mixture of cold, rainy days and warm, sunny ones.
Through a sparkling clean picture window, the governor’s mansion
was visible. The lake behind it shimmered in the late winter sun.
Jade turned back to the room.

So this is the seat of power. She peered at
a row of framed documents, one of which was a Master of Public
Administration degree from Xavier University in New Orleans.

“Checking out my credentials before the
interview, eh?” Bill Lang stood in the open door of the office
wearing an impeccable charcoal gray suit and a half smile. Just
over six feet tall, his dark brown face had a chiseled look. Heavy
eyebrows framed eyes the color of black coffee. His black hair had
a touch of premature gray at the temples. At thirty-four, his
career achievements were the envy of many.

“Oh, I...I was just admiring all your
credentials.” Jade felt foolish that she was caught in effect
snooping on one of the most powerful appointed state officials.
“You’ve accomplished quite a lot even before becoming deputy
secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals.” She tried to
recover her composure.

Lang gave a slight nod in acceptance of the
praise then closed the door. “A lot of paper—that means I had to
work twice as hard to get where I am, earning half what I could in
the private sector.” He chuckled.

“That rural health program you set up is a
model still being studied by experts all over the country. And the
Healthy Babies— Happy Mothers project in the Bottoms has resulted
in a decrease in infant mortality in one of the poorest parts of
East Baton Rouge Parish. It’s obvious your rewards don’t just come
from money.” Jade spoke with intensity, forgetting her
embarrassment.

“Thank you, Ms. Pellerin. You’re well
informed—just one of the many good things Madeline Craig had to say
about you.”

“She gave me opportunities to grow
professionally.” Jade thought of the previous occupant of this
office. The new governor had lost little time replacing her with a
new appointee.

“Ms. Craig did the best she could under
difficult circumstances.” Bill Lang sat down in the high-back chair
behind his large mahogany desk—a desk that had become legendary in
the few short weeks he’d moved it into this office.

Here it comes. Jade steeled herself for the
inevitable. Madeline Craig had been a much-embattled secretary for
the last year. Cuts in federal funding and scandals of uncovered
Medicaid fraud had made all their lives miserable. The Baton Rouge
Morning Advocate had run major stories about politically connected
companies who benefited from money targeted for the poor. Favors
were given, connections between state staff that regulated programs
and owners of various health agencies were exposed. The new
governor was swept into office by angry voters who responded to his
message of reform and running the state like a business. Jade knew
all Department of Health and Hospitals high-level staff were
considered damaged goods. Might as well get it over with. Jade
cleared her throat.

“I’ve organized all the pending memoranda
that deal with requests by providers to increase their hospital
beds. They’re divided into acute care, psychiatric and extended
care.” Jade referred to the small notepad she’d brought in with
her.

“I see. Very good.” Bill Lang nodded.

“Then there are messages from the top aides
of two legislators who wish to schedule appointments to meet with
you. I have this and some minor items that need attention within
the next few days printed up in priority order so there won’t be
any confusion.” Jade started to rise when Lang raised a hand.

“Just a minute, Ms. Pellerin. I realize that
change is tough on everyone even in the best of circumstances. And
this department can in no way be said to be in the best of
circumstances.”

“No problem, Mr. Lang. As a state employee
for the past twelve years, I know very well about change in state
government. If you or your new assistant needs any help, just give
me a call.” Jade stood up. She was sincere in her offer.

“You’re very thorough. But you’ve made a
serious mistake.”

“Well, I’m sorry. Just let me know what it
is and I’ll be sure to correct it before I leave.” Jade frowned and
opened her pad again.

“Good. Tell my new assistant not to jump to
conclusions.” Lang held out his hand. The comer of his mouth lifted
in amusement at her nonplussed expression.

“Me?” Jade was so stunned, she shook his
hand without realizing it.

“Every one of your former bosses was high
praise for your abilities. Of course Mike Testor will be my
confidential assistant.”

“I... uh,” Jade stammered. She must have
misunderstood him.

“But you will be my administrative
assistant, a new civil service title with more responsibility and
work. But more money, too,” Lang went on as though he had not heard
her. “That is, if you want to work for me.”

“Oh, it isn’t that—not at all. It’s just
that I worked closely with Ms. Craig, and I thought you’d want to
pick your own staff.”

“And I have. Look, I’ll be frank. More than
one person confided that Ms. Craig and you had heated words before
she left. You disagreed with some of the practices of
providers.”

“Ms. Craig was a fine person, who as you
said had a difficult situation to deal with.” Jade spoke quickly.
Despite the tension between them in the last nine months, she still
had respect for her former boss.

“Which proves even more what kind of person
you are, Ms. Pellerin. That one statement shows you not only have
integrity, but discretion and good professional judgment as well.
Well, what do you say?”

“Yes, I accept.” Jade smiled back at
him.

“Good, now let’s get to work. I’ve got a
meeting at one o’clock this afternoon about a new program. I want
you to attend with me.” “Yes, sir.” Jade began taking notes as Lang
rattled off a string of instructions.

For the next twenty minutes, Jade wrote at a
furious pace. Then for another two hours, she walked him through
standard operating procedures. Lang asked detailed questions then
made a few changes that he found more acceptable. On the whole,
Jade was impressed with her new boss. Things were looking up after
all.

“Whew! Another killer staff meeting. I
thought I’d never get to eat lunch.” Shaena pulled a chair up to
Jade’s desk and set a brown bag on it.

“Hey, all you lawyers are long-winded and
argumentative. What’s new?” Jade patted her lips with a paper
napkin. “Shaena, we were supposed to be eating healthy these days.”
She shook her head at the grease stains and smell of French
fries.

Shaena Greene had been Jade’s best friend at
work since they met seven years earlier. Working in the legal
department kept her busy. They rarely had time for anything but
quick lunches. Mostly they went out after work or met on the
weekends.

“After the morning I’ve had, I needed one of
those juicy burgers from downstairs in the cafeteria. Don’t give me
that look. Tomorrow, I promise.” Shaena shrugged a halfhearted
apology.

“Yeah, sure you will.”

“But forget about that, how was your
morning?” Shaena gave her an appraising look.

“Fine.” Jade nodded slowly at her friend’s
raised eyebrows. “I’m his new administrative assistant.”

“Get outta here!” Shaena almost dropped the
French fry halfway to her mouth. “And I made a point to come down
here and console you.”

“My pay is going up quite nicely, too.”

“Touchdown! A title don’t mean a thing if it
ain’t got cha-ching! Congratulations, girlfriend.” Shaena grinned
at her.

“Thanks. And he’s working my butt off all
ready. But Mr. Lang is one sharp dude, just like I’ve always
heard.” Jade took another bite of her shrimp salad.

“Yeah, but what’s he really like? Come on,
nobody’s around.” She peeked out the door to Jade’s office to make
sure they were alone.

“Like I said, he’s smart. It took him no
time to start making decisions that will help things run a lot more
smoothly around here. Minor housekeeping stuff, you know—but still
things that make a difference in an office this busy.” Jade stuffed
the empty plastic container with a few lettuce leaves left of her
lunch into her garbage can.

“Oh, come on. You know what I mean. Give me
the dirt.” Shaena hitched her chair closer, a gleam in her
eyes.

“There is no dirt.”

“They say he’s full of himself. And he moved
up by becoming a master at guerilla warfare.” Shaena munched on a
comer of her hamburger.

“Shaena, you’ve been around this place long
enough to know that most successful people get called arrogant.
Usually it means the person had the guts to work hard and got
recognition for it,” Jade said.

“Yeah, well, just be careful. There’s
usually some truth to even the wildest rumor. That’s something else
I’ve learned working in state government.” Shaena shook a finger at
her for emphasis.

“Damn, it’s twenty after. Gotta go—it’s
another meeting on getting back money from Health Tech.” Shaena
scooped up the food she had left back in the bag. “Tell you about
that later. Bye.”

“Oops! Me, too.” Jade sprang up and grabbed
her cosmetics bag at the same time.

It was fortunate for her they were meeting
in the conference room right down the hall. Jade combed her
shoulder-length hair, put on lipstick and popped a breath mint in
record time. She was even able to walk into the room with her
notepad and not seem out of breath. The receptionist ushered in a
short, stocky man with blond hair at the same time. He held out a
chunky hand.

“Hello, I’m Steve Franklin with Second
Start.” He gave her a warm, moist handshake.

“Good afternoon. Have a seat. I’m sure Mr.
Lang will be here soon.” Jade resisted the urge to wipe her hand
when he let it go. Once seated, she eased a tissue from her jacket
pocket and blotted her palm beneath the conference table.

They were soon joined by two women and
another man. They introduced themselves as administrators of
agencies that provided health and social services. One of the
women, Connie Mason, seemed very friendly with Franklin. Susan
Taylor was Franklin’s staff. The other man, Eddie Simon of Gracie
Street Center, sat quietly. Lang came into the room with an air of
brisk authority. They all helped themselves to coffee from a pot on
a nearby table.

“Sorry I’m late. A meeting at the
legislature ran late.” Lang shook everyone’s hand. “Thank you for
coming on such short notice.”