Certainly Sensible (13 page)

****

Richard was in his office working at his computer. Caroline could easily walk in and hand him her résumé, but it was easier on her conscience to communicate with him electronically. That way he couldn’t see the look of anguish on her face as she told him she was trying to find a new job elsewhere. But since he’d made no move to renegotiate her part-time salary, she couldn’t wait any longer. Neither her finances nor her heart could afford to stay at Meadows Advertising. She sat down at her computer and started composing the hardest message she’d ever written.

Richard,

I’ve attached my updated résumé for your opinion, following up on our discussion last year of my career objectives. Can I count on you for a reference?

Sincerely, Caroline

Then she couldn’t resist adding a less-than professional P.S.

Saw Misty last night at that bar on 86
th
. She said you had a business thing? Did you need my help? How was your basketball game?

Caroline pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair and twisted it nervously while she awaited his reply. When she heard it ping, she pulled her hair back up and opened the email.

Caroline,

How will I manage without my right-hand man, uh, woman? Yes, I’ll look over your résumé and of course I’ll be a reference. What’s this about Misty? I went home last night after the gym and watched Late Night with Darren.

—R

Caroline sighed as she read the message. Leaving Meadows Advertising was the last thing she wanted to do, but since Richard didn’t seem to object to her proposed job search, she had to face reality and get on with it.

Her mind drifted back to her encounter with Misty at the crowded restaurant last night. Misty sure hadn’t behaved like a woman about to be married.
Maybe she’s having second thoughts?
“I can only hope,” she muttered. And why did the woman make up that story about Richard having a business meeting? Caroline shook her head just as the phone rang, and she prayed it wasn’t Misty.

“Good morning, Richard Meadows’ office,” she said, and then exhaled when she saw the caller ID.

“Good morning, Caroline, this is Adele.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Meadows. Richard’s in his office on a conference call. Do you want to hold?”

“No, dear, I have a Red Hat Society luncheon to get ready for, and I’m in a rush. I don’t suppose he’s broken his engagement yet?”

Caroline gasped. “Uh, Mrs. Meadows, I…uh, um, well….” Even though she was flustered, she had to admit Richard’s grandmother had a wicked sense of humor.

“Well, hope springs eternal,” Adele said with a lilt in her voice. “Never mind, dear, just ask him to call me.”

Caroline giggled as she stared into the dead phone and then replaced it on the cradle. With Richard not objecting to her job search, Caroline decided she might as well log onto a job search site. She typed in the keywords
copywriting
and
marketing
and awaited the results
.

Her office intercom buzzed. “Yes, Lucy?”

“Your sister’s on the phone. Allison. Says it’s urgent.”

Caroline rolled her eyes. More angst about Mark, she assumed. But she was having trouble concentrating on her job search and Richard was still on his conference call, so she picked up. “Hi, Allie, I…”

“Caroline,” Allie blurted out, “I’ve left Mark three messages this morning already, and he won’t call me back. Do you think he was mad that I left so suddenly last night?”

Great. Trouble in paradise. Here we go again
, Caroline thought. “No, Allie, I don’t think that’s it at all.” She could hear loud piano music. “Where are you, anyway?”

“Brandon’s. Why won’t Mark return my calls?”

“Allie, take me off speaker phone.” Caroline waited till she had her sister’s full attention. “Okay, I don’t know why Mark’s not calling back, but quit leaving him so many messages. It smacks of desperation.”

Allie’s voice caught, emotion flooding in. “Well, Brandon thinks Mark’s being disrespectful, but…”

“I agree with Brandon. Listen, Allie, I’m working. Can we talk later?”

“Yeah…oh, wait! Mark’s ringing in now. Hold on.”

Caroline groaned, set her phone down, and turned back to her computer. A few minutes later Allie clicked back in.

“Caroline? You there? Okay, crisis averted. He wasn’t mad about last night. He’s been working for his dad all day. He says his dad can’t afford to hire extra help in his architectural firm, so Mark’s doing bookkeeping and payroll.”

Oh, good, no crisis,
Caroline almost said aloud, with a touch of sarcasm, but what she did say was,
“I guess that makes sense.”

“Oh, and I asked him how he knew Misty Peterson. Said he met her Memorial Day weekend at the Race, up in the Suites. Mutual friends, that sort of thing.”

“Hmm, small world,” Caroline replied. “I guess they got to know each really fast, judging by how friendly they looked last night.”

“Caroline, really!” Allie exclaimed. “Must you always see the worst in everyone?”

Chapter Ten

Caroline stepped into the elevator and pushed the twelfth floor button to take her to the offices of Charing Cross Marketing, a large company with offices in several major cities. She had summoned every ounce of courage she had to force herself to apply for the open position in copyediting she found online, and then Margaret Smithson, head of Human Resources, had called her to interview for it. The office building was located in a fast-growing business corridor not far from Meadows Advertising, so Caroline rationalized that the drive to and from work would be nearly the same.

As the elevator doors parted, Caroline hesitated and almost didn’t get off.
You
have
to do this.
She set her jaw, walked down the short hallway, opened the heavy double glass doors, and strode purposefully into the office.

“Good morning,” she said to the receptionist. “I’m Caroline Benedict, and I have an appointment with Ms. Smithson.”

The receptionist pushed a button on her headset and announced Caroline’s arrival. “Please have a seat. Ms. Smithson will be right out.”

Caroline sat down on the leather sofa in the plush waiting area, nervously flipped through one of the business magazines on the mahogany coffee table, and looked around at what she could see of the offices from that vantage point. The company handled mostly corporate clients, unlike Meadows Advertising, which dealt with small businesses. Caroline saw the irony in the fact that this would have been the perfect agency to handle Truitt’s ad campaign, the one her father had so cavalierly handed over to Sharlene while under her seductive spell.

The office was remarkably quiet, with assistants in business suits bustling around and speaking in hushed tones.
Do I really want to join Corporate America?
The answer was that this was the only response she had gotten to her many job applications, and if she was hired, it would pay well and come with full benefits. And distance her from Richard and his wedding plans.

A slender African-American woman in an impeccable two-piece business suit and black pumps emerged from a wood-embossed corridor. Caroline briefly wondered how the woman could walk wearing that tight pencil skirt, but forced herself to refocus.

“Ms. Benedict?”

“Yes.” Caroline stood to shake her hand.

“Please, follow me. I think you’ll find Charing Cross to be quite different from Meadows Advertising, but with your qualifications, I’m sure you’ll fit right in here.” Ms. Smithson led Caroline down the hall to her private office. Caroline tried to swallow the lump in her throat before stepping inside.

****

Caroline returned to her office at Meadows after the nerve-wracking interview and checked her email. To her surprise, Allie had loaded up her inbox. “I don’t have time for all this drama,” she groused, but opened the first one anyway.

Car,

Brittany and I have been emailing back and forth, so I’m forwarding them to you for your opinion. She wants me to come up to Chicago to visit. I feel guilty for putting her off, but my relationship with Mark is going so well and I don’t want to be anywhere but with him. Besides, you know I hate Chicago. Too many memories of school and it’s too soon, even if I wanted to be parted from Mark, which I don’t. Besides, when was the last time Brittany was in love? She just doesn’t get it.

Caroline moaned. In love? She reluctantly opened the forwarded exchange between Allie and Brittany.

Allie,

I’m leaving for Chicago tomorrow to spend the entire month of July with Aunt Emily. There’s only so much shopping I can do (okay, not entirely true). When are you coming? I’m sure Mark can spare you for a few days. Please? Nordstrom’s is calling my name!

Brittany

Brittany,

Yes, but Mark is so gorgeous, and sweet and lovable and—you get the idea. I just can’t tear myself away right now! The last three days alone we’ve been to a museum, a boat ride on the Canal, and an outdoor classic movie. I’m falling in love! :)

Allie

Caroline couldn’t believe her eyes.
Allie thinks she’s falling in love with Mark? They’ve only known each other a few weeks.
She shook her head and deleted the email, clicking on the last one from Allie.

Caroline,

I told Brittany I’d ask, so can you spare a few days in July to drive me up to Chicago? Feel free to say no. :)

Caroline replied, rather tersely if she was being honest.

Allie,

Why are you emailing me? We share a very small bedroom, and I’m busy right now—working. Talk to me tonight.

“Caroline, darling, you look nice today. Why are you all dressed up?”

Caroline had just hit send on that email to Allie when she looked up to see Sharlene standing over her. It grated on her nerves that Sharlene called her “darling” or “dear” like she was so much older. Caroline had dressed carefully for the interview in a gray pinstripe pantsuit with a white camisole, black pumps, her hair tied neatly back with a clip. She’d given special thought that morning to looking professional, but Sharlene’s implication that she usually didn’t hit home. Caroline made a mental note to start dressing more appropriately, even if Meadows Advertising was a business casual environment.

“I had a job interview this morning.”

“Job interview? Interesting.” Sharlene tried to hide her smirk. “Where was your interview? Maybe I can put in a good word. You know I’m acquainted with all the right people at all the right agencies in town.”

Caroline groaned inwardly, but since Richard and everyone else in the office already knew, she replied, “Charing Cross Marketing.”

“Wonderful, Caroline! I must say it’s certainly time you moved on with your career. Why, just yesterday I said the same thing to your father when…”

Caroline braced herself for more of Sharlene’s self-congratulatory monologue, but with perfect timing, Richard came out of his office and saved Caroline from ennui. Richard and Caroline exchanged shy smiles. Sharlene narrowed her eyes and grabbed Richard’s arm to get his attention.

“Richard, dear, I’ve got one o’clock reservations at the Skybridge Club downtown, and they won’t hold the table for us. Misty’s meeting us there. We’ve got lots of wedding details to discuss,” Sharlene said as she tossed a menacing look at Caroline, “including the rehearsal dinner and the guest list.”

Caroline blushed and tried to appear busy, organizing paper clips, rubber bands, pens, and post-its in her desk drawer.

“Between you and Misty, I’m never sure who’s actually planning this wedding,” Richard protested. “Don’t we have a wedding planner?”

“My poor brother. So wrapped up in his work he hasn’t paid any attention to the details. In case you’ve forgotten, brother dearest, Daniel and I are giving the rehearsal dinner, and I’d like at least nominal input from you and your lovely fiancée.” Richard gave Caroline a look that said
what can I do?
and allowed his sister to nudge him down the hall.

“Have a nice lunch.” Caroline turned back to her computer in anguish.

But Sharlene had one last parting shot. “Caroline, you and your sisters must come up to Belford and have dinner with your father and me one evening.”

“When?” Caroline challenged her.

Sharlene hedged. “Well, I can’t give you an exact date right now, dear, because we’re still in the midst of redecorations, plus all these wedding preparations…”

“Uh huh.”

“No really, Caroline, I intend to have you girls up for dinner as soon as possible. I’ll call you.” She threw her an air kiss and walked off down the hall on Richard’s arm.

Caroline shuddered.
Yeah, right. Dinner with “us girls
.” She knew it would never be arranged.

****

“I see Misty’s already at our table.” Sharlene waved to her as she and Richard got off the elevator. The Skybridge Club, a private dining club atop an historic downtown skyscraper, was accessible only by private elevator with a key, which was only distributed to members in good standing. Sharlene had used Daniel’s membership continuously since her marriage and quite a few times before that, so she was practically on a first-name basis with the wait staff.
If
that had been appropriate.

“Hi, Misty,” Richard said, kissing her lightly on the lips. When she didn’t kiss him back, he shrugged, held the chair for his sister, and sat down opposite his fiancée.

“Richard, why are you late? You’re always so late to everything.” Misty snapped her napkin open and spread it on her lap.

“Oh, Misty, dear, don’t be angry. It was all my fault,” Sharlene told her. “We couldn’t find a decent place in the parking garage—at least not one close to the door. These shoes…”

“New?” Misty lifted the white linen tablecloth to get a look at Sharlene’s feet.

“Well, of course, dear. You didn’t expect me to go through a second summer wearing last year’s shoes, did you?” They both tittered.

Richard rolled his eyes but brightened when the waiter handed them their menus and started listing the day’s specials. Sharlene waved him away.

“Just bring three Cobb salads and three iced teas. We have business to discuss.”