Operation Revenge (18 page)

"I'm trying not to lose my heart to Simon," she whispered. "He's not making it easy for me."

"Maybe you should think about giving him a chance." Sandra leaned her hip against the counter. "I know I told you to be careful and not get involved with him, but that was right after you broke up with that bastard. It's been over a month since you kicked him to the curb, and I think it's time to move on." She rubbed her forehead and sighed. "I just don't want you to let what Chad did to
you keep you from giving your heart away . . . from falling in love again. Not every man is like Chad. If you decide to give Simon a chance, take things slow. He strikes me as a patient man."

"He is." Haley smirked. "With a grandmother like Marian Wilcox, he would have to be."

Sandra grinned.

. . . .

"Did I do something wrong?"

Haley lowered the menu and gave Simon her attention. "No. What makes you think you did something wrong?"

"You haven't spoken a word to me since we left your sister's house."

"I'm sorry." She closed the menu, put it down, and reached for her coffee cup. "I've had a lot on my mind and it's been an emotional morning." She took a sip of coffee and set the cup down. "I'm not upset with you. Far from it as a-"

"Good morning," the server said, pausing beside their table. "What can I get you?"

"I will have the mushroom and cheese omelet," Haley informed her.

"And I will have the blueberry pancakes." Simon said.

"All right," she said, writing the order down on a notepad. "I'll be back with your breakfast shortly." She gathered up the menus, turned, and walked away.

"What was I saying before we got interrupted?"

"You were saying that you're not upset with me," Simon reminded her.

"Right." Haley reached out and placed her hand over his. "How could I be upset with you after what you did? Thank you for giving Jeffrey a position at the agency. Keeping Sandra and the kids here means everything to me."

"I'm glad I could help." He turned his hand and grasped her fingers gently. "I don't suppose I can convince you to come and work for me." His eyes took on a teasing glint. "I'd be willing to fire Paula and hire you as my secretary. You can-"

"Well if it isn't the two lovebirds," Chad drawled as he halted next to the table.

Haley's heart sank. She gripped Simon's hand and raised her head to glare at Chad. "Go away."

"You're not going to invite me to join you?"

Simon pushed back his chair and stood. His eyes cold, he growled, "You heard her."

Chad held up his hands and backed up a few steps. "I don't want any trouble."

"Sure you don't," Haley said sarcastically. "You just came over here to talk."

"That's right."

"Go talk to someone else," Simon snarled. "We have nothing to say to you."

"If that's how you feel." He winked at Haley. "I'll see you at work, baby."

"What do you mean you'll see her at work?" Simon demanded to know.

Chad grinned. "She didn't tell you the good news? Gee, you two aren't big on sharing, are you? Let me enlighten you then. As of yesterday, I work for Warren Meyer's. I'm his assistant. Great, isn't it? Well, you two enjoy your breakfast. I'm just here to grab something quick to eat on the way to the office. See you later, Haley." He strolled away, whistling softly.

Slowly, Simon sat back down. "Were you ever going to tell me?" he inquired coolly.

"Yes." Haley cleared her dry throat. "I had planned on telling you last night, but you came home late and you looked so exhausted. I didn't have the heart to burden you with my problems. I figured it would keep for another time." She lowered her head. "I didn't mean for you to find out this way, but in all fairness, you didn't tell me that he quit the agency."

"I guess we both screwed up."

"I guess so."

Simon massaged the back of his neck. "No more keeping things from each other."

"Then there's something else you need to know."

The server showed up with their food. She deposited the plates in front of them, told them if they needed anything to let her know, and then left to take someone else's order.

"What else do I need to know?"

Haley picked up her fork and cut into the omelet. "It happened last month. I arrived home from work and Chad was there." She hesitated. "Simon, maybe it would be best if I wait until later to tell you."

"Tell me now." He drizzled maple syrup over the small stack of pancakes. "It's all right. You can tell me."

"He saw the for sale sign and demanded to know why I was moving. I told him it was none of his business." She worked her bottom lip between her teeth. "He then wanted to know if I was leaving the state. Again, I told him it was none of his business. I told him to go away and leave me alone and that if he didn't I would call the police. Anyway, to make a long story short he figured it out that I was moving in with you. It angered him. He said he didn't want me moving in with you. He said if I did - if I did I would regret it." She watched as a muscle in his jaw ticked. "Are you all right?"

"No." Simon shoved a fork full of pancake in his mouth, chewed, and then swallowed. "I have a very strong urge to do bodily harm. I want you to resign from
Warner and Meyer's.
Come work at the agency. I think it's safe to say Chad went to work for Meyer's so he could get close to you. After what you just told me, I don't feel it's safe for you to continue working there."

Haley didn't speak right away. She mulled over what he said while she ate a few bites of her breakfast. The omelet she had looked forward to eating now held no appeal for her, but she knew she had to eat something. "Would you mind if I take some time to think it over?" she asked, after a few minutes spent in silence. "Leaving a company that I put so much time into isn't something I want to decide right away."

"I don't see why you need to think about it, but I'll give you until tomorrow."

"Fair enough."

Chapter 1
9

She couldn't concentrate. Sighing heavily, Haley dropped her ink pen and sat back in her chair. She glanced toward the window, her mind drifting toward Simon and their conversation at breakfast. Could she up and leave a job she had put so much time and energy into? Did she even want to? Torn about what to do, she knew she needed to talk to someone, but whom, she didn't know.

At that moment, the intercom on her desk came on and Mr. Warner spoke. "Ms. Denton, would you please step into my office?"

Haley grabbed her pen and notepad in case she needed to take notes and went into the office. "Yes, sir?"

"Please, sit down."

"All right." She moved to one of the chairs in front of the desk and took a seat, crossing one leg over the other.

"Next month is our annual charity event." Mr. Warner shuffled papers on his desk. "This year I have decided to hire an event planner." He looked at her. "Year after year I watch you run yourself ragged putting the event together. When the big night comes around you're too exhausted to enjoy yourself. I realized something and that is I take you for granted . . . expect too much from you."

"I haven't complained, sir," Haley said.

"I know that." He adjusted his glasses. "I appreciate your hard work and dedication. You are valuable to this company and me. I don't want you to become burnt out, which is why I'm having someone else plan the charity event."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

"Yes." Mr. Warner held out a small stack of papers. "This is the information the event planner, Mrs. Reeves, will need. I want you to fax it to her. The sooner she has this information the sooner she can get started."

"I will fax it to her right now." Haley started to rise from her chair.

"I'm not done," he said.

"Sorry, sir." She settled back into the chair.

Mr. Warner removed his glasses and cleaned them with his tie. "I'm not one to pry into other people's personal lives, but I feel I have to ask." He put his glasses back on. "Is something bothering you? The reason I ask is that all day you have seemed distracted . . . out of sorts. "

Stunned at his question, Haley gaped at him. "I - uh - that is - I-" She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The truth is, sir, I'm struggling with something."

"Can you talk about it?"

She shifted, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going. "Well, it uh - has to do with my j-job."

"Are you unsatisfied working for me?"

"No," she quickly assured him. "I like my job. It's - it's just that I'm having problems with my ex-boyfriend. He's been harassing me. Yesterday I learned that Mr. Meyer's hired him to be his assistant. I'm worried that with him working here the harassment will grow worse. I'm trying to decide if I should leave the company and seek employment else where."

"I see your dilemma." He leaned forward, his chair squeaking. "This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to talk with the security guards, tell them to keep a close eye on you and make sure this ex boyfriend of yours doesn't bother you. If he does, the police will be called and he will be arrested. Then he will be fired. I will not tolerate my employees being harassed. Now will you please fax those papers to Mrs. Reeves?"

"Yes, sir." Haley got to her feet and smiled down at him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Feeling as though the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders, she went back to her desk.

"I don't care to hear your excuses," Simon growled into the receiver. "I paid you for your services. I expect you to fulfill your end of the contract. If you don't you will be hearing from my lawyer. You have a nice day now." He slammed the receiver down, swearing under his breath. His head pounding and his knee throbbing, he opened a desk drawer and grabbed the Tylenol he kept there. The plastic container was empty. Swearing again, he threw it in the wastepaper basket, shut the drawer, and leaned across the desk to jab the intercom button. "Paula, Tylenol. Now!"

"Yes, Mr. Wilcox," she answered.

Simon propped his elbows on the desktop and buried his face in his hands. He took several deep breaths and let them out slowly. Hearing the door open, he dropped his hands and glanced up as his secretary walked into the office. "You move fast, Paula."

She smiled. "I've learned that when you say now you mean now." She held out the Tylenol and a bottle of water.

"Thank you," he said, taking the Tylenol and water. He popped the tablets in his mouth, uncapped the bottle, and downed them with a drink of water. "That will be all. You can go back to your desk."