Corporate Affair

5

Kalinda stood at the window of her office in downtown Denver and looked out across the Mile-High City with remote eyes. Situated on the plains with the mountains nearby to the west, Denver had become the lively, thriving headquarters of the business empire of the Rocky Mountain states.

The swirl of new money from the energy boom which had so affected the city had, in turn, stimulated other businesses. Gleaming highrise buildings in the downtown area gave evidence of the investment capital pouring into the area.

Oil, coal and uranium had beckoned the modern prospectors and speculators. In the last century it had been the lure of gold. But Denver’s residents, while they may have been lured to the gateway city by the promise of new opportunities, soon became a fiercely loyal lot for other reasons.

Not the least of those reasons was the city’s proximity to the fabulous vacation areas of the Rockies. During the winter the mountains offered some of the finest powder snow for skiing that could be found in the world. Many claimed the Colorado mountains were the United States’ equivalent of Europe’s Alps. During the summer those same mountains were a breathtaking wonderland of craggy peaks and green valleys.

And that, Kalinda thought with disgust as she turned away from the window, was all she seemed to be able to think about for the past two days. The mountains. Was she doomed to remember the man she had met there everytime she looked out her window?

How long did it take to recover from a weekend fling? she asked herself for the thousandth time as she poured a cup of tea and moodily surveyed her office. It was an attractive office with gold carpet and a heavy mahogany desk she had inherited when she took over her father’s role. The colors weren’t hers, but there had been more important uses for the company’s funds during the past two years than redecorating the president’s quarters!

She sipped her tea, staring at the report in front of her and told herself she was going to have to put Rand Alastair out of her head once and for all. And the most efficient way of doing that was by throwing herself back into her work. She should be worrying about the cocktail party she was giving that evening, not dwelling on the exhausted features of the man she had left sleeping in the house by the lake. Determinedly Kalinda brought her well-developed powers of concentration to bear on the company’s recent audit report She wanted the numbers clear in her head when she met with the members of the board later that week.

She was well into the matter at hand when the intercom chimed softly on her desk.

„Yes, George?“ she said absently into the speaker, her eyes still on the figures in front of her.

„There’s a call from Mr. David Hutton, Miss Brady. Will you take it?“ George Barrett’s calm, efficient manner was laced with just a hint of his own feelings on the subject George, to the astonishment of almost everyone, had turned out to be the perfect secretary. He saw himself as breaking the sexual discrimination barriers in reverse and strove tirelessly for professionalism and competency. He never allowed a hint of his personal thoughts to interfere in the conduct of business unless he sensed something crucial was at stake.

Over the past few months, ever since Kalinda had hired him for the permanent position after he’d been sent as a temporary by an agency, Kalinda had come to respect George’s instincts. He knew she was routinely refusing calls from David Hutton. He must have a reason for bothering to check with her now to see if she had suddenly changed her mind.

„What’s wrong, George?“ she asked quietly, switching her attention completely to the little intercom. „You know I have no wish to accept his calls.“

George hesitated. She could visualize him in the outer office wearing his three-piece suit and dominating the entrance to the inner sanctum. He was a young man, about twenty-five, pleasant looking and serenely competent The other office workers had eyed him skeptically from the start but he was now a well-accepted figure in their day-to-day world. In fact, Kalinda knew, he had recently had to set down some very strict visiting rules. Not for Kalinda’s sake, but for his own. George had become quite popular with the women on the staff.

„I don’t believe this call is of a personal nature, Miss Brady,“ he finally announced formally. „He won’t explain the reason but there’s something else involved. I can tell.“

Kalinda gritted her teeth and then sighed in resignation. „Okay, put him through. If you’re wrong about this, George…“

„I know,“ George interrupted, unbending slightly at the mild threat in her words, „I’ll be the one who has to explain why you hung up on him.“

Kalinda grinned and took the call.

„What is it, David?“ she asked without preamble, her voice turning cold and crisp.

„It’s about rime you took my call,“ he drawled. „That damn secretary of yours has been putting me off for two days!“

– „On my instructions. Now that you’re through, will you please state your business and get off the line? We really don’t have anything to say to each other.“ Kalinda realized vaguely that her only feeling toward David Hutton now was one of impatience. The thirst for revenge that had driven her into the mountains last weekend had been well and truly eradicated. Another reason why it would be difficult to stop thinking about Rand Alastair.

„Business is exactly why I’m calling, darling,“ he murmured, and something in his tone chilled her. „You should have met me at that motel, Kalinda. Things could have been handled a lot more pleasantly if you had.“

„What in the world are you talking about?“

„A merger, Kalinda. You’ve done some astonishing things with Brady Data Processing. Two years ago everyone said it had no choice but to go under. You’ve created a total turnaround situation and your company, my love, has become one very enticing little pigeon. 1 want it“

Kalinda swallowed in shock and outrage. It was several seconds before she could control her anger into an icy refusal. „Out of the question. Brady Data Processing is not interested in merging with anyone, David, and quite definitely not your firm!“

„You aren’t going to have any choice. I’m filing forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week.“

„What!“ Kalinda stared at the phone. Filing forms with the SEC? There could be only one reason for that…

„That’s right, love,“ he taunted with pleased satisfaction. „I'm going to force the merger on you since you weren’t willing to discuss it under more amicable conditions.“

„You mean since I wasn’t willing to give you an opportunity of trying to seduce me into surrendering the company without a fight!“

„Precisely,“ he agreed smoothly. „I would have preferred a ‘friendly’ sort of takeover but since you’ve proven obstinate, you may as well know I don’t mind a fight It will cost more this way, of course, because I shall have to offer a premium price for your stock, but it will be worth it in the end.“

„How much of the outstanding stock have you picked up already?“ Kalinda forced herself to ask bravely.

„Just under the five percent limit,“ he acknowledged easily.

She winced. Anyone going after more than five percent of a publicly held stock had to register that intention with the SEC. Hence the papers David claimed to be filing. He could now start hunting down vast quantities of the shares on the open market. All he needed were enough to give him control of the firm. Kalinda felt the panic begin to rise in her. After all her work in getting Brady Data Processing back on its feet! She couldn’t bear the thought of having it forcibly taken from her. What about all the people who worked for her? Company morale would go to hell when word of this leaked out. Nothing sent shivers of fear through a firm faster than rumors of an intended hostile takeover move. And there were so few defenses for a company in Brady’s position.

„Why are you doing this, David?“ she asked coldly, trying desperately to think of defense tactics. She knew so little of this sort of thing. She’d never faced it before.

„The usual reasons,“ he retorted bluntly. „My firm is heavy in cash right now and we need some acquisitions. I’ve seen your balance sheet, darling, and you are ripe.“

„You’re telling me there’s nothing personal in this, right? Just business?“ she scoffed angrily.

„Oh, no, I wouldn’t say that,“ he chuckled arrogantly. „It will give me great personal satisfaction to take Brady Data Processing. It should have been mine two years ago.“

„You didn’t want it two years ago!“ she flung back.

„I’ve changed my mind. Thanks to you, Kalinda. No one thought you could pull it off, you know. Everyone was sure that firm was headed for the bottom. But now that you’ve done all the hard work…“

„You think you can just step in and help yourself? I’ve got news for you, David. We’ll fight“

„They all say that in the beginning. Go ahead, love. It will only make the process that much more interesting. Perhaps somewhere along the tine you’ll even consider that little mountain rendezvous we planned. Now that would be amusing, wouldn’t it? I wonder how many chief executive officers of firms facing a hostile merger have tried to buy off the raiding company with their bodies? Interesting thought, isn’t it…?“

Kalinda slammed the phone down, his confident, knowing laughter ringing in her ears.

She sat in stunned silence for several minutes, gazing with unseeing eyes at the framed mirror on the opposite wall. It reflected her well-tailored white business suit with its narrow skirt and close-fitting jacket.

Her hair was up, as usual,, and the yellow silk blouse she wore was open at the neck with a rakish air.

My God, she thought dazedly. What did she do now? Handling hostile mergers wasn’t one of those subjects stressed when she had been in business management school. It was something one learned on the streets, a true urban guerrilla warfare. She knew all about building a company up from within, obtaining capital, promoting research, making the firm’s stock appear attractive to the analysts of brokerage houses so that they would, in turn, encourage investors to buy it; she knew about those things. She’d learned some the hard way and some she’d studied in school.

But this was a different kind of game. Unfriendly mergers were something that happened to other companies, not to one’s own! She closed her eyes briefly in self-reprisal. She had made a bad error in not planning ahead for such an eventuality. But she had been so swamped just trying to save the business it had never occurred to her that someone would come along and take the salvage prize right out of her hands.

Not to mention the hands of the loyal management. Breaking the news to them would be the hardest part. It was their jobs, after all, which were most likely to be destroyed by such an action. The rank and file were probably the safest. They would be needed to keep things running. But all those in management positions who had worked their way up during the years would find themselves in real jeopardy. They could be replaced and most likely would be by aggressive young movers from the acquiring firm.

Everything she had worked for during the past two years would be gone. Kalinda, of course, would be the first to go…

But that was negative thinking, she told herself furiously, getting restlessly to her feet and walking back to the window. She was going to fight She had to. She owed it to her company to try to save its independence. Tomorrow morning she would call in the company officers for an emergency strategy meeting. She shook her head sadly. It was going to be a shock for all of them.

But in spite of the crisis and the need for planning, there was nothing she could realistically do that evening. She couldn’t very well call off the party and it wouldn’t do her any good even if she could. Grimly she paced back to her desk.

Several hours later Kalinda paused in her duties as hostess to take stock of the cocktail party’s success. There were several important business associates here this evening, many of them male and that meant she had to be especially nice to their wives. The last thing she wanted was to risk a case of wifely jealousy. She had walked a fine line for two years and thought she’d done a good job of reassuring suspicious wives and still maintaining the solid business contacts she needed.

She glanced around the room, taking in the well-dressed, affluent crowd in their expensive suits and gowns, wondering who among them she might go to for advice and professional consultation. She needed to talk to someone, she thought Someone who knew about the dirty in-fighting that went on in a hostile merger situation. It was a cinch she wouldn’t get much constructive help from her own staff. They’d never encountered such a maneuver.

Before she could decide if there was someone in the crowd who could be potentially helpful, Kalinda was interrupted by the effusive thanks of a charming, older woman who glided up to her in a cloud of perfume and wispy chiffon.

„Kalinda, my dear! Thank you so much for the lovely picture you gave Harold and I! So nice of you to think of us while you were on vacation! But your dear father was like that, too. Always so thoughtful of others.“

„I’m glad you like it,“ Kalinda smiled, thinking of the price she’d paid for the watercolor she’d purchased in Rand’s gallery. A weekend affair…

„It looks perfect in Harold’s den! And you look quite perfect yourself tonight,“ Mrs. Sebastian added with a warm smile, surveying her hostess’s printed beet-red silk jacquard sheath with its touches of peacock blue. A fine gold braid edged the neckline and wrists. It was a sumptuous, almost oriental effect which Kalinda wore well. The buttery material slid fluidly over her small breasts and rounded hips.

„Thank you,“ Kalinda said, hastening to return the compliment She stood talking for several minutes to the wife of one of her top managers and then edged away with the excuse of checking the buffet table.

Around her the crowd swirled happily amid the lush green and ripe apricot decor of the town house. The green in the plush rug gave the apricot print-covered furniture a dramatic background. The color scheme emphasized the focal point of the room which was a huge sun parlor that formed one entire wall.

Brilliant patches of white had been used sparingly against the rich colors in the form of an occasional lamp and glass-topped coffee table. The dining table was also a stark white and stood in front of a mirrored wall which reflected the colorful buffet food set out on it.

As usual, Kalinda spared no expense when she entertained, deeming it a business necessity. But even she had to smile at that justification. The truth was, she enjoyed entertaining. Tonight was an exception. But, then, who could take pleasure in such things with a sword hanging over one’s head?

Only a few people knew that she, herself, prepared the elegant little canapes and hors d’oeuvres served at her parties. Others just seemed to assume she used a caterer and she let them think that Only she knew that such gourmet cooking was a source of relaxation for her. She had discovered it during the past year and was continually amazed at how she could escape her business concerns for a few hours in a kitchen.

Across the room she caught Colin Wayne’s eye and smiled at him as he advanced. She had gone out with him on a couple of occasions recently and found his easy charm made for pleasant evenings. He was in his early thirties, with carefully styled blond hair and laughing blue eyes. He was also, she had discovered, a brilliant player on the lively Denver Stock Exchange.

„Another great party, Kalinda,“ he grinned approvingly, reaching behind her to help himself to a little cracker covered with rich, dark caviar. „Beats me how you throw these affairs together so easily when you work so hard! You’d have made a great corporate wife, you know!“

„You’ve got a lot of nerve eating my food and insulting me at the same time!“ she grumbled in response to his teasing.

„I know, I know, you’d rather be a great corporate manager than a great corporate wife. But that’s only because you haven’t met the right man. Someday…“

„Have some more caviar,“ she advised dryly. „We both know I’d be bored to tears as a housewife!“

„How can I argue with that? I’d feel the same,“ he laughed.

„It is rather difficult to picture you as a housewife,“ she agreed.

„Still,“ he went on jokingly, „if I can find myself a woman who can keep me in the style to which I would like to become accustomed…“ He glanced meaningfully around the elegant town house and back at Kalinda who narrowed her eyes at him in mock warning.

„Don’t look at me,“ she said hastily.

„How about a business marriage?“ he suggested brightly, munching more caviar. „I can keep track of your company’s stock movements for you and you can do things that make it move. Preferably upward. Which it seemed to be doing this past week,“ he added slyly.

She glanced at him quickly and then deliberately forced a smile. „You noticed?“

„That volume was picking up? Yes. And the price went up a bit, too. Something I should know, love? Always happy to help spread the good word if it will raise a stock’s price. Got something new coming out on the market?“

„It’s nice to know you love me for myself and not for business reasons,“ she mocked, hiding a wince as she realized the activity in her company’s stock was undoubtedly from David’s move to start buying shares.

„No reason the two can’t be combined,“ he observed cheerfully.

„Well, I hate to disappoint you, but there’s no smashing new product about to hit the market I guess the stock activity is just a matter of people knowing a good investment when they see it,“ she tried to say lightly. She didn’t want to discuss the merger with Colin or anyone else until she knew what she was going to do, how she was going to react. Dammit! She needed professional advice. There were law firms and investment bankers who specialized in this sort of thing. If she just knew someone who could point her in the right direction! The sense of panic had to be forcefully fought back down.

„No hot tips, huh?“ he asked sadly.

„Not tonight,“ she retorted firmly, wondering why she had hardly even given Colin a passing thought since she’d returned from the mountains. But she knew the answer to that, she told herself honestly. It was going to be a long time before she thought of him in a romantic context again. How long was the image of Rand Alastair going to dominate her? She supposed that, even with a full-fledged business crisis facing her, he would be the last thing she thought of before she went to sleep tonight. Just as he had been last night and the night before that.

„Well, how about a hot date, instead?“ Colin countered with a laughing leer. „That new French place sounds interesting.“

Kalinda’s mouth curved ruefully. „Can I let you know, Colin? I’m going to be very busy this week and I really don’t know my schedule yet“ It was the only way she could think of to phrase the excuse.

His good-looking features contrived to appear disappointed and philosophical at the same time. „Ah, well. Perhaps next week?“

„I’ll check my calendar,“ she promised apologetically.

„The perils of dating a lady executive,“ he groaned and glanced automatically toward the door as a knock sounded. „Looks like you’ve got a late arrival.“

Kalinda frowned, unable to think of anyone still unaccounted for. „Excuse me. I’ll see who it is.“

She crossed the lush green carpet, skirting a chatting cluster of guests and reached for the doorknob, an automatic smile on her face as she opened it.

The polite words of welcome died in her throat as the light spilled over the figure in her doorway. Chestnut hair gleamed from a recent shower, chestnut hair that had been trimmed and carefully combed since she’d seen it last. The light-colored suit looked hand-tailored and was complimented by a satin bow tie. The crisp white shirt was understated and elegant.

„Rand,“ she whispered finally. „What are you doing here?“

„That’s obvious, isn’t it?“ he murmured, hazel eyes regarding her with an intent, considering expression. „Fm here to rescue you.“

„Rescue me!“ she squeaked, still trying to recover from the initial shock of seeing him on her doorstep. She stared up at him, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend his meaning. Why had he come like this? It was going to be hard enough getting over him without seeing him again. But if he tried to prolong the hopeless affair it would be impossible.

He lifted his hand and she saw for the first time he was carrying an orchid; one very perfect, very exotic, very brilliant golden orchid. He smiled as she instinctively put out her hand to accept the proffered gift.

„Honey,“ he murmured softly, putting both hands lightly on her shoulders and pulling her close long enough to drop a warm, hungry kiss on her astonished, parted lips, „If you don’t even know yet that you need rescuing, you’re in worse trouble than I thought!“

„Oh, Rand, you shouldn’t have come,“ she heard herself whisper brokenly. „This is crazy. It’s going to make everything so much harder…“ She lifted misty-gray eyes to his.

„Hadn’t you better let me in?“ he drawled invitingly. „Your guests are beginning to wonder if I’m a traveling salesman you’re trying to get rid of!“

Unwillingly, Kalinda smiled. „I don’t get many salesmen dressed like that!“ That much was the truth, she thought vaguely. Rand could hold his own with anyone else in the room tonight. She wondered why he had invested in such a wardrobe for the mountains. But, then, it rather went with the Lotus. She shook her head in confusion.

„I don’t know what you’re doing here,“ she began firmly, feeling a new kind of panic. „But it’s all wrong. Can’t you see? You shouldn’t have come after me. I won’t… I.won’t have an affair with you, Rand. We’re totally unsuited. I should never have gone to your house that morning…“ she broke off helplessly under the impact of the memory that flamed warmly in his eyes.

„Personally, I happen to think that was the only smart thing you did last weekend! Now move, out of the doorway, sweetheart, and let your rescuer inside.“

Unable to think of anything else to do, Kalinda did as instructed.

„Got anything to eat?“ Rand went on easily, taking in the crowded room with a single, sweeping glance. „I’m starved.“

„Over there,“ she admitted, gesturing toward the long white table in front of the mirrored wall. „Help yourself,“ she added wryly. She still held the golden orchid clutched in her hand.

He put a proprietary hand on her lower back and urged her forward. „Stop looking like a cornered kitten. I’m friendly, remember? Although why I should be after waking up and finding you’d run off…“

„I’d rather we didn’t discuss that,“ she began stiffly.

„You want to discuss the rescue operation instead?“ he invited, bringing her to a halt beside the buffet and perusing it with keen interest.

„What are you talking about? What rescue?“ she finally managed a little blankly. He was throwing one curve after another tonight.

„The rescue of Brady Data Processing from the grasping talons of a corporate raider, naturally.“ Rand reached for a salmon and cucumber canape. Several of them.

Kalinda stared at him, openmouthed. „How in the world did you know about that?“ she breathed.

„There had to be a reason Hutton wanted to try his hand at seducing you after all this time. When you told me a little about the history of your firm and Hutton’s newly aroused interest in you, I got suspicious. I asked you to consider the fact that it might be the business he was after, if you’ll recall.“

„Well, yes, I know, but I never dreamed…“ Kalinda sighed. „You have no idea how shocked I was when he called today!“

„Sure I do,“ he contradicted calmly, slanting a glance at her. „It always hits the unsuspecting ones like a ton of bricks.“

„But how did you know what was going on?“

„Monday I did some checking. There’s always someone in a company who will talk. I got hold of one of Hutton’s vice-presidents.“

„Just like that?“ she demanded.

„Just like that“

„You’ll excuse me if I seem to be having a hard time taking all this in!“ she snapped, growing a little irritated over his complacency. The shock of finding him on her doorstep was wearing off to be replaced by confusion. She thought she understood this man. How was it he was surprising her like this? What did he know of the high-powered business world?

„Take your time.“ He reached for another morsel from the table.

„Thanks!“ she muttered and then took a short rein on her temper in favor of an attempt at reason. „Rand what do you know about all this? What do you mean by ‘rescuing me’?“

„If there’s anything, that can be done, I’ll do it,“ he promised simply, munching contentedly.

„But how is it you know what to do?“ she almost wailed.

He stopped munching for a moment and eyed her thoughtfully. Then he swallowed politely and a slow smile shaped his mouth.

„All it takes is total ruthlessness, an instinct for making war, and a willingness to stop at nothing.“

Kalinda’s eyes widened as she momentarily sensed a menace in him she hadn’t dreamed existed. An instant later she shook her head, telling herself she was mistaken.

„But you don’t have any of those awful qualifications, Rand,“ she smiled wanly, thinking of his leisurely, undemanding lifestyle. If he’d had any of those qualities he would have been making his living in a far different manner than the one he’d chosen.

„Want to bet? Watch this.“

Something flickered in the hazel eyes, hardening, turning unbelievably cold. The smile he wore became far more dangerous than Kalinda would have believed possible. „What would Brady management think if the members discovered that their president had arranged to spend the weekend at a secluded motel with the head of the firm which is trying to force a merger? They might be forgiven for believing they’d been sold down the river, don’t you agree? I’d say there’s a good chance they might turn on their Utile lady chief executive officer, lose all confidence in her, and make it utterly impossible for her to rally the firm for the coming battle. The company would fall into Hutton’s lap with only a whimper.“

„Rand!“ Kalinda couldn’t believe what she was hearing. No! The problem was she could believe it There was something in him that proclaimed him capable of such an action and the knowledge shook her deeply. „You… you wouldn’t do anything like that…“

„I might,“ he countered lazily. „If you don’t agree to continue the affair we started last weekend!“