Help Wanted (24 page)

She lifted her chin. "Hi, Nick."

"I almost didn't recognize you."

"Right back at you," she said, looking down at his shoes, which were black cross-trainers. "But those are a dead giveaway."

"I know, right?" Mattie exclaimed as he held her chair for her and pushed her in. "But who am I kidding? We'll probably both wear running shoes at the wedding."

She clutched his arm when he slid into the seat between her and Kate, and smiled.

While Claire reached over to admire the engagement ring Nick had surprised Mattie with shortly after she crossed the finish line of the marathon, he asked, "So, no Paul tonight?"

Leaning forward, Claire whispered, "He had other plans."

Nick nodded his reply, and in the awkward silence that followed, Claire found she missed her husband more than she could've imagined.

If I had been up front with him, he'd be here right now.

The orchestra continued to play background music while the guests ate.

During the second and third courses, with Kate on one side and Mattie on the other, Claire listened as Nick was briefed on the delicacy of the situation, and Kate made him swear that he wouldn't tell Paul.

Looking confused, he started to ask Kate, "Yeah, but what about to—"He grimaced and bent down to rub his leg.

After which, Kate smiled and thanked him for his cooperation.

As the plates were being cleared, Lester was handed a microphone. Introducing himself, a number of Griffin Media executives, and the members of the Infant Welfare Society Board, he welcomed everyone to the event. After watching a short video on how the proceeds would benefit the charity, he got up again and encouraged everyone to participate in the silent auction.

After a round of applause from the crowd, Lester turned to the musicians. "Johnny, why don't you start us out with a couple of slow dances tonight, huh?"

The band director raised his baton, and the band began playing something schmaltzy.

Watching the couples slowly make their way onto the dance floor, Di nudged Claire and said, "Here they come."

She looked toward where Dianne had nodded and saw Lester coming through the crowd with two other gentlemen.

Pointing to the red-haired man, she quickly explained, "That's Steve Fraske. He runs the Lassiter Group. They own major papers on the West Coast. The other guy is Tom Hileman. Known him for years. He's a partner in Newton-Frascow. They own just about everything Steve and Lester don't. Now just take a deep breath and be yourself."

"Oh God," Claire whispered as she felt her heart banging against her chest

"Good evening, ladies," Lester said as he approached them.

Dianne stood up and shook his hand. "Lovely evening, Les. Tom, it's good to see you again."

Tom leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Looking lovely as ever."

Lester looked down at Claire. She stood up and said, "Hello."

When she didn't say her name, Dianne began speaking. "Les, may I introduce you to Claire—"

"Nelson," Claire interrupted. "Claire Nelson."

Everyone seated at the table did their best not to look surprised.

Drinks on me if I survive this.

Dianne continued, "Claire took over as author of the Plate Spinner column when our Mattie Ross here moved over to Metro to résumé her career in investigative journalism."

After shaking Nick's hand and giving Mattie a peck on the cheek, Lester took Claire's outstretched hand in both of his. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. What it looks like you'll be doing to our bottom line, well, words can't describe, but numbers certainly can."

When he laughed, the two men with him joined in.

He continued, "Claire, this is Steve Fraske of the Lassiter Group and Tom Hileman from Newton-Frascow. Perhaps you've heard of them?"

"Of course. It's a pleasure." She shook both of their hands.

Steve spoke first. "Claire, I have to tell you, your column is unlike any other we've come across. Well, hell, even my wife can't get enough of it, and she usually packs in eighty-hour work weeks." He laughed.

"And to think I've only just gotten started," she said, laughing right along with him.

Tom joined in. "That may be true, but from what I read, you bring a whole new angle to the plight of the working parent, Claire. I don't know how you do it, but you somehow blend the realities of day-to-day life with an optimism that I think is missing in today's media coverage."

"Well, thank you, both. That's high praise indeed."

Claire, feeling her neck and cheeks turn as red as her dress, was grateful for the dim lighting in the room. 

When the orchestra started another old standard, Lester, quite unexpectedly, asked Claire if she'd like to dance.

Caught off guard, she accepted and let him lead her out onto the dance floor.

*   *   *

After Mattie and Nick followed, Dianne sat with Kate and Jake, watching Lester and Claire. From her vantage point, it looked as if Lester was doing all of the talking (
typical
) while Claire nodded and smiled (
whew
).

After making quite the push to bring her on full time, Lester finally acquiesced to Di's demands by ponying up a decent salary for the new columnist, along with benefits, a flexible work schedule, and the ability to work from home as needed. Lester just had one condition. Ever the showman, he wanted to make her the offer himself.

My work here is done.

Dianne sat back and took another swig of wine.

As the crowd parted and swayed to the music, she spotted Nina, one of the few women wearing white to the post–Labor Day event, walking back in from the lobby with the breast pump bag, presumably returning from the ladies room. Di watched as she returned to a table clear on the other side of the room that backed up to the exhibit hall where the silent auction items were on display.

Dianne could see Nina checking her table, presumably looking for Lester. Seeing that he wasn't there, Nina peered around the room for him. When she spotted him with Claire, Di saw Nina lean down to talk to a man sitting next to her, take him by the hand, and lead him out onto the dance floor.

Sitting up in her seat, Di let slip an uncharacteristic expletive.

"What's wrong?" Kate asked, looking in the same direction.

The editor pointed and sputtered, "An important conversation is about to get interrupted."

Kate squinted into the crowd, trying to determine the source of Dianne's concern, and saw someone looking very much like her brother-in-law dancing with Nina.

With a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, she asked, "Is there a problem?"

Dianne leveled a look at Kate. "You know he's working for Griffin Media?"

She nodded. "But I didn't know he'd be here." She made the sign of a cross over her heart.

"And you haven't told Claire?"

"He asked me not to."

"And you haven't told him about Claire?"

"She asked me not to."

Keeping her cool, Dianne said, "Ok, but they can't see each other just yet."

"Why not?"

Using her
what do you mean, you can't make deadline?
voice, she explained, "Because he's offering her a job, that's why."

So much for keeping my cool.

Jake, a knight in charcoal-gray Versace, calmly stood up and said, "I got it. Di, may I have this dance?"

Dianne stood up, understanding instantly what he intended to do. "Oh. Yep, I'm on it."

"Great. Let's go."

After getting an approving nod from Kate, they quickly waltzed their way past Claire and Lester, pressing through the crowd toward Nina and Paul. Without any explanation and little finesse, Jake stood in their path.

Dianne watched as he flashed his dazzling smile at the pair before asking Paul, "Mind if I cut in?"

Paul looked at Nina, who was gaping at Jake.

With a smile, he said, "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Jake nodded to Paul, put his arm around Nina's waist, and started gliding her away from Lester and Claire.

Di looked up at Paul. 

Determined to get him off of the dance floor, she asked, "How about a drink? God knows, I could use one."

Before he could answer, she took him by the hand and led him toward the bar on the other side of the ballroom.

Along the way, he asked, "Hey, was that who I think it was?"

Assuming he was referring to Jake, she laughed and replied, "Yeah, pretty amazing, huh? You never know who you're gonna run into at these things. He might even be an auction item, for all I know. I haven't checked."

When they reached the bar, Di positioned herself so she could see the dance floor clearly, while Paul had his back to it.

Handing him a glass of champagne, she asked, "So how's your night going so far?"

*   *   *

As if being at the site of his wedding reception without Claire wasn't bad enough, that he couldn't share his momentous news with her was just about doing him in. The memory of his conversation with Lester over dinner was still sinking in—the unbelievable job offer, top dollar, full benefits, flexible work arrangements.

Nina had told him how happy she was for him. He'd told Les that he'd like to think about it. The next thing he knew, Lester got up to talk to somebody else on the other side of the hall, and Nina had gone to pump, leaving him to go through pictures of baby Emily.

When Nina'd returned, she'd invited him to dance. Then Dianne appeared out of nowhere, pulled him off of the dance floor, and asked him how he was enjoying his evening.

Frankly, this is the weirdest night I've experienced in a long time, and I just want to find my wife.

But for Di, he smiled and said, "Couldn't be better."

As the song finished, she replied, "Well, c'mon. Tell me all about it."

He thanked her and declined, explaining that he'd like to get some air. Before she could stop him, he turned and pushed open a door that led to the exhibit hall.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he took a look around. The area in front of him looked to be about the size of a football field. One end, where the auction items were on display, was brightly lit. The rest though was dark and vacant, save for several small, medium, and large Christmas trees laced with little white lights that gave off a low glow. And it felt several degrees colder than the room from which he had just come.

A few guests stood in spots quietly talking. Otherwise, he was alone.

Standing by one of the larger trees, he breathed in the quiet, cooler air with his eyes closed.

Senior accountant.

Provider.

Lester's words swirled in his head as he tried to take it all in.

He had laid it out quite plainly. The pay, the benefits. The security. Eyes still closed, Paul breathed again. In through his nose, out through his mouth.

Restored. He was beginning to feel restored.

One more breath to savor the moment.

He inhaled, almost light headed, and imagined for a moment that he could smell her, her perfume. He
could
smell Claire. He opened his eyes, beginning to ache inside, and exhaled. He knew it was time. Time to let her off the hook so she could follow her passion. He'd been selfish for way too long.

Enough is enough.

Mind made up, he reached in his vest pocket for his phone to text Kate and find out where they were. But it wasn't there. Patting down the rest of his pockets, he groaned, realizing he must've left it back at his table.

He turned to go back inside, when he froze at the sound of her voice.

"You have got to be kidding me," Claire cried.

Paul held his breath and listened. Letting go of the door handle, he slowly turned and stepped behind a latticework wall that had been placed in front of a custodial closet.

Edging closer to where he thought she was, he peered through it and thought he spotted her across the room, standing beside a small evergreen draped in white Italian lights. He could make out her frame and that she was in a long gown, but her hair was up in an unfamiliar style and she had her back to him, so it was hard to tell for certain.

"It's an amazing offer," she continued.

That's got to be her. I'd know her voice anywhere.

He heard the woman she was with let out a small scream. "That's so great. I'm so happy for you."

Kate.

He gave his head a quick shake and tried to process what he was hearing.

Before he had a chance to come to any conclusions, their conversation continued, but he couldn't make out what Kate had just said.

Claire sounded defensive. "No. I don't make a move without Paul. And he wouldn't without me. That's not how we operate."

Well, damn.

"So, when do you have to let them know by?"

"Monday," Claire replied.

"Doesn't give you much time."

"Tell me about it!"

"Well, c'mon. Let's go celebrate anyway."

He could see Kate put her arm around Claire's shoulders and lead her through the doors at the other end of the hall.

In hot pursuit, he had no sooner crossed the room than Dianne appeared with a drink. Looping her other arm through his, she said, "I just heard the news. Welcome aboard!"

He glanced at her. "Thanks."

Then, easing out of her grip, he nodded back toward his table and said, "Sorry, forgot my phone."

Paul strained to see the top of Kate's head going in the direction of the bar, and he prayed that Claire was still with her.

When he got to his table, he found Lester in a deep discussion with a man Paul did not recognize. As he approached, he heard Lester say, "Right. Once we get the signed contract, it's a done deal."

The two men were smiling.

"Ah, Paul. This is Steve Fraske. Steve, this is Paul Mendez. Hopefully, the newest member of our team."

Steve held out his hand to Paul. "Congratulations."

Taking it, Paul said, "Thanks. Nice to meet you." He then turned to Lester. "Listen, I hate to run, but I'm going to have to call it a night."