Tropical Storm

Chapter Eight

DAR PULLED INTO the mall parking lot and swung into a spot in the rear of the north end, where not many people parked. She didn’t mind the walk, though, and it was worth it to her not to have to struggle with the crowds nearer to the stores. She locked the Lexus, then tucked her keys away into the small pouch she had slung over her shoulder and headed towards the cluster of buildings.

It was weird. She hated shopping. She had no real idea why she’d answered Kerry’s mail yesterday with an offer to meet her here and help her pick new clothes. What in hell was I thinking? Especially up here at Aventura, home of batty socialites, condo commandos, and the snowbird flock from Hell.

She sighed as she dodged a Lincoln Town Car longer than her office, and watched as its elderly driver simply chose to park the yacht right in front of the store.

Oh well, it won’t kill me. Besides, the kid sounded so unsure... She wanted to make a good impression, and that, at least, Dar agreed with. It would be sensational enough that she picked an assistant less than twenty-four hours after posting for one—Kerry would be under some close scrutiny the first few weeks. Might as well make sure the kid felt confident in what she was wearing.

Dar opened the rear entrance to Sears and slipped inside, padding through the hardware section and out through the entrance into the main mall. A cacophony of mall music, the sounds of a fashion show, birds, and a dozen languages surrounded her and she glanced around, getting her bearings before she headed for the escalator to the second floor.

Macy’s was in the dead center of the mall, near the busy food court, but Dar had no problem finding her target. Kerry was leaning against the railing, peering down at the fashion show that was going on below, and Dar, as she approached, took the time to study the younger woman.

She’d chosen khaki shorts and a crisp white shirt, and had her blonde hair pulled back in a loose braid, one part of which was hanging over her shoulder as she watched. She leaned forward on her elbows to get a better view, and the overhead light cascaded gently around her, highlighting the smooth lines of her face. They shifted as she turned, perhaps sensing eyes on her, and her gaze met Dar’s.

Unconsciously, Dar was sure, a smile formed, that extended to her sea green eyes and wrinkled the skin around her nose and mouth. No, she then realized. That smile’s for me. Well, better than the wary, suspicious look I got before, Tropical Storm 75

I suppose. “Hi.”

Kerry moved back from the railing, and straightened her shirt with an automatic gesture. “Hi. Listen, thank you for offering to help me do this. I can’t believe you took the time out.”

Dar shrugged. “Normally, I couldn’t. But since we posted quarterly reports yesterday, there’s nothing scheduled this weekend.” She gestured.

“Shall we?”

“Well, thanks.” Kerry seemed a bit nervous. “Um…do you shop here a lot? I’ve been up here a few times. I like some of the little stores. Did you know there was a Warner Brother’s shop here? I like Tweety Bird.”

Dar chuckled. “No, actually I haven’t been up here since they built the addition on. I’ll have to go take a look.” She paused. “I, um…I’ve been to the Disney Store, though.”

They entered Macy’s and moved quickly past the fragrance counter, which tended to be overwhelming. Dar took the lead and slipped between several aisles, arriving in the section that featured understated, classic business clothing.

“Mmm.” Kerry fingered a silk blouse. “That’s nice.”

Dar took a breath and took charge. “Okay, let’s see.” She wandered the racks and rifled through their offerings, then picked out a skirt and jacket set in a rich blue green. “Something like this would be fine.” She paused and her brows creased. “Oh…here, with this kind of shirt.” She pulled a cream-colored silk blouse over. “Get the idea?”

Kerry touched the label, then checked the size. She gave Dar a perplexed look. “Did you pick this by chance, or did you guess what size I am?”

The older woman allowed a grin to surface briefly. “Let’s just say I have a good three-dimensional spatial sense.”

“Ah.” Kerry’s brow creased. “Is it contagious?”

Dar chuckled. “I know what size I am and calculated down.” She relented.

Kerry glanced at the outfit. “Well, let me try this on just to check the size.

You can never tell with these designers.” She accepted a tag from the fitting room guardian and slipped inside a closet, hanging the outfit up and gazing at it. “Not bad, actually,” she mused, liking the color.

It took a moment to pull her clothes off and slip into the skirt, zipping it up and adjusting the waistline a little. It hugged her hips and maintained a fairly straight line, which she preferred to pleats. Then she put on the silk blouse, smiling as the cool fabric warmed against her skin, and tucked it into the skirt, putting on the jacket over both of them. She settled the clothes, then surveyed the results in the mirror.

Hmm. Don’t I look stuffy. She made a face at herself in the mirror . But then that building is pretentious, so… With a sigh, she poked her head out the door and spotted Dar lounging against the wall, watching the people go by. The executive looked anything but, in her faded jeans and salmon-colored shirt, which was tucked into the braided leather belt clasped around her waist. Her dark hair was loose and uncomplicated, flowing free around her shoulders, and she had on a minimum of make-up, which suited her tanned skin. “Hey,”

Kerry called softly.

76 Melissa Good Dar’s eyes shifted from the crowd to her, the pale blue startling as always. A dark brow lifted, and a look of approval crossed her face. “Yep, that’s the ticket.” The executive nodded. “What do you think?”

Kerry walked forward, twitching at the fabric. “Well, I think I feel like a librarian, but…”

Suddenly, startlingly, Dar smiled, showing even, white teeth and the faintest of twinkles in her pale eyes. “Dade County should be that lucky,” she remarked wryly. “Literacy would go up, that’s for sure.”

Kerry smiled back, a little confused. Am I being complimented? It’s hard to tell. “Okay. Well, I get the idea here. A few more and, um…if you have other things to do, don’t bother hanging around. I really appreciate you coming all the way up here, though, Dar.”

Dar glanced around, then folded her arms. “Tell you the truth, I had to come up here anyway. There are a few things in Lord and Taylor’s I needed to pick up, and I should get one or two new blazers myself.” She considered for a moment. “We should probably chat for a few minutes before tomorrow anyway. How about we finish up here, then grab a sandwich over in the new wing, so we can sit down and talk?”

Kerry blinked. “Um…” Well, sure. She’s my new boss, it makes perfect sense.

“Sure, that sounds fine. I’ve got some questions and things I should ask, and that kind of thing.”

“Good.” Dar nodded briskly. “Come on then, let’s get the rest of your stuff picked out.”

KERRY LOOKED AT the menu, then glanced across the table at Dar who was peering up at the ceiling, observing a large stuffed cheetah perched over their heads. A rumble of thunder rolled around them, and she thought it was real, then realized it was part of the ambiance of the restaurant.

The Rainforest Café was definitely different. Small trickles of water were everywhere, and a gentle mist rose from the planter behind her. Off to one side, a trio of colorful birds were being coaxed through tricks by a red-shirted attendant, and they were surrounded by cave-like walls and thick jungle foliage.

Dar reached up and touched the cheetah’s tail, and, as if by cue, the animal let out a mechanical roar, causing the executive to jerk her hand back in startlement. She scowled, then looked across at Kerry, who was biting her lip to keep from smiling. “You think it’s funny, huh?”

Kerry cleared her throat. “Um. No, no. I make it a point never to laugh at my boss.” She kept her eyes on the menu, which was interestingly eclectic and tempted her with a long list of tasty treats she seldom allowed herself to indulge in.

Dar had no such compunctions. She glanced up and folded her hands on the table as a perky young waitress came over. “Do you like iced tea?” she inquired.

Kerry nodded. “Sure.”

“Bring a pitcher of iced tea and an appetizer combo to start,” the executive instructed the waitress. “Then come back in a few minutes.” She Tropical Storm 77

waited for the girl to leave. “I figured that was pretty safe. I’ve never eaten here, but I’ve heard good things about the food.”

Kerry gave in, and decided to just make it up with an extra hour of riding tomorrow. “Yeah, it all looks good.” She settled happily on a spicy pasta dish and closed the menu, glancing across at Dar with a fading sense of trepidation. It was hard to believe she’d ever been intimidated by the taller woman, not sitting here across from her here in a fake jungle with soft lights that framed Dar’s angular profile nicely.

Her face is very interesting, Kerry thought. It was almost always moving, little muscles shifting under her skin like she was watching things. Her hands moved a lot too, playing with the menu, with the silverware, and with the tiny drink-table tents that announced specials. Kerry wondered if Dar wasn’t a little nervous or uncomfortable, because she certainly was, but it was hard to tell. Maybe the woman just naturally fidgeted. She seemed the restless type.

In addition to the swelling and bruising across her right knuckles, her hands had a few little scars on them, and she wasn’t wearing any rings. They were fairly good-sized, with long fingers and short, unpolished nails. As someone else who used a keyboard all day, Kerry could appreciate that, and in fact, unless she was going out, she kept hers the same way.

Dar’s wrists were thicker in proportion to her own, though, and as the executive moved, even in the low light she could see the shift of muscles just under her skin. It was an impression of strength that intrigued the younger woman, as it was so at odds with the corporate mentality she’d been expecting. Vice presidents were pasty white men who sat in plush offices all day and smoked cigars. They weren’t…well, they weren’t Dar Roberts.

“Excuse me?” Kerry looked up, realizing Dar had spoken to her. “I’m sorry. I missed that?”

Dar cocked her head and regarded her. “What I said was, you can expect a few weeks where you’ll need to settle in and get used to things.”

Kerry nodded. “All right, I kind of thought that was the case. Besides, I need a week to put someone in my position. I know I was thinking of Ray, but this all happened so fast, I didn’t have a chance to talk to him about anything.”

Dar nodded. “Good. Spend a day or two there clearing things up while I get paperwork and a place for you to sit straightened out at the office. Maria is going to kill me for dumping a new hire on her plate first thing on a Monday morning.”

Kerry wasn’t sure what response was required for this information, so she just pursed her lips into a hesitant smile.

“Maria is my secretary,” Dar explained, seeing the expression.

“Oh.” The green eyes examined the table, which was covered in a tropical shower-curtain material. “She’s going to be upset, huh?”

“Just for a minute,” the dark-haired woman replied. “Listen, are you sure you want to do this?”

The question had come out of the blue, and caused Kerry to jerk her head up and meet Dar’s eyes. “I…” She fell silent. “I’m sure,” she said after a moment. “I really am.”

Dar exhaled. “This isn’t an easy job. You have to put up with a lot of 78 Melissa Good stress and a lot of bullshit. I’m not an easy person to be around, or get along with. I want you to know that up front.” Her voice was serious. “You’re a nice kid, and I don’t want you to come back at me two weeks from now saying it’s too much for you.”

Kerry straightened and looked her in the eye, feeling herself wanting to rise to the challenge apparent in Dar’s words. “How nice can I be if I called you a son of a bitch?” she inquired, seeing that sudden, impish glint appear across from her and as quickly disappear. “And I’m not a kid, thanks. I’m twenty-seven.”

Dar studied her openly. “You hated what happened to your company.

Why do you want to become a part of that?” she asked. “You know what I do, Kerry. You saw the raw side of it.”

Kerry studied her back. “I like you.”

Both of Dar’s dark brows rose. “Excuse me?” Her voice rose in some surprise.

Kerry shrugged. “I like you. I think you’re smart, and I think I can learn a lot from you.” She paused. “Where I was, that was as high as I was going. I stopped learning things. It was more like my job was maintaining the status quo. There were new accounts, sure, but I didn’t get to direct that, only provide the support and solutions. This is something a lot different.”

Dar propped her chin up on a fist and regarded her. “I see.”

“My turn.” Kerry took a sip of the iced tea their server put down and blinked at the tray of appetizers. “Mmm.” She picked up a piece of coconut chicken and nibbled it before she continued. “Why me?”

“Hmm?” Dar had taken a stuffed egg roll and was chewing it. Now she looked up and into Kerry’s eyes with slightly raised eyebrows.

A shrug. “A hundred and ten thousand people to choose from, why me?”

Dar stopped eating and flashed her a smile. “I like you.” A hint of humor appeared. “Not one of the other hundred and ten thousand would have had the guts to call me a son of a bitch or tell me to go to hell.”

“Oh.” Kerry blushed. “So that was a plus?”

“I think you’ve got potential, and you aren’t dragging around a lot of baggage I have to get rid of before you’ll be useful,” Dar continued, in a reflective tone. “Besides, you’re probably good with people, which is something I’m lousy at.” She bit into the egg roll and munched it.

“Mmm. Not always,” Kerry replied quietly.

Dar glanced up. “You’re not good with people?” Her voice was surprised.

“You’re not always bad with them,” the blonde corrected, smiling a little at the momentary break in her new boss’s composure. “But I know what you mean. I do get along with people most of the time. I like working out problems, finding different solutions without going head to head, that kind of thing.”

Dar chuckled. “I’d rather break the heads and have done with it.”

Kerry gently touched the bruised hand laying on the table. “So I see.” She removed her fingers when she saw Dar’s flinch at the touch. “Sorry, is it sore?”

“A little.” Dar flexed her hand a bit. “Must have banged it on the car.”

Tropical Storm 79

Kerry just looked at her, a hint of a smile playing around her lips. “I had to pay extra for the screaming Mustang model, too. It makes a great car alarm,” she drawled. “I especially like the option that makes it holler ‘Jesus Christ’ in Spanish.”

Dar held her blank look for a moment more, then surrendered, relaxing into a smile that took five years off her age. “Ah. So my cover is blown, is that it?” She gave her hand a sheepish glance. “I was trying to figure out what horse’s-ass tale I was going to tell the office tomorrow.”

Kerry laughed. “To be honest, I didn’t even realize what was going on until I thought about it last night. I was too shook up before that.” She took a chicken wing and dipped it into a small dish of blue cheese dressing. “It was kind of like living the movie of the week, you know? Here I am, trapped in the bowels of Miami, getting attacked by street punks, when along comes this hero, beating them all up and chasing them away like dogs with their tails caught betw…” She’d looked up and found pale blue eyes staring at her from a very serious face as a hand covered hers with startling warmth. “What?”

Dar leaned forward. “Don’t call me that. I’ve known far too many people who really were.” Her voice went a touch deeper. “They just didn’t want any witnesses, so they took off.”

Kerry gazed at her. “Well, you might know many heroes, but I only know one.” Her chin lifted a trifle. “But I won’t mention it if it bothers you.” The dim lighting made it hard to tell, but the blonde woman thought it was possible her new boss was blushing, just a little.

The waitress arrived, much to both of their relief. “Um, the spicy pasta.”

Kerry didn’t try to pronounce the actual name of it.

Dar cleared her throat. “I’ll have the salmon steak.”

The waitress scribbled. “Vegetables or garlic mashed potatoes?”

“Potatoes, please,” Dar replied. “And some more tea.”

They were both silent after she left, and Kerry took the opportunity to sample some of the rest of the appetizers. She waited until her companion did the same, then finally looked up. “So, tell me about those contracts. I’d at least like to give the TCP/IP group a heads up. I know you said it was the IRS, but…”

Dar seemed relieved at the change in subject. “Oh, right. Well, it’s their master website. They set up a consumer site to provide tax help and all the forms support. It gets about forty thousand hits a day. The concerns involve mostly bandwidth issues and doc server glitches.”

“Mmm.” Kerry absorbed this.

“The contract specifies hardware and software. You’ll have resources in the local area to dispatch for the hardware. I think we contract out to NCR in that area.”

“Sounds good.” The blonde woman looked intrigued. “What about the other one?”

“Um…” Dar’s brow creased. “Oh yeah. The ATM contract for transmission services for the Navy.” She paused. “And the network support for that and for their ship-to-shore microwave network transmissions.”

Kerry blinked. “Wow. The WAN guys are going to freak out.” She laughed a little. “They were telling me only last month they were getting 80 Melissa Good bored.” She relaxed a little and so did Dar. “That’ll mean some extra training.”

Dar nodded. “I’ll give you the number of the training division in Houston. Give them a call and set up what you need. Depending on how many people you have, either they’ll go out there, or Houston will send a trainer down here.” They continued discussing details until dinner arrived, then talk slowed down as they paid attention to their food.

Kerry enjoyed her pasta and watched curiously as her companion methodically decimated the large salmon steak into neat squares, pairing each square with a forkful of mashed potatoes as she ate it. “That smells great.”

“It is,” Dar replied, after swallowing. “It’s honey and brown sugar glazed.” She hesitated, then casually dropped a square on Kerry’s plate.

“Here.”

Kerry obligingly tried it. “Wow, that is good.” She nudged a bit of the chicken from her pasta over on to her companion’s dish. “Fair is fair.”

She chewed the offering. “Wow.” Dar chuckled. “ You like stuff spicy, huh?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Kerry agreed. “It’s what I like best about living here.

Everything tastes different, it’s not all the same.” She took a sip of tea. “Do you like Thai food?”

“Anything with peanuts,” the executive replied with a grin. “There’s a good Thai restaurant right off US 1 near Dadeland. They make really good chicken curry.”

Kerry’s eyes lit up. “Really? And I never found it? W—” The “we” almost escaped, but she clamped her jaw shut on it. We should go there? What the heck was I thinking? This is my new boss, who certainly had better things to do than roam around Miami finding new Thai restaurants for me. “Thanks for telling me about it.”

“Sure.” Dar smiled at her. “How’d it go with your window?”

“Oh, fine. Fine. It’s done already,” Kerry assured her, then she dug in a pocket. “Oh yeah. Jerry found this when he was cleaning the glass up. Is it yours?” She held up a woodgrain-cased pen.

Dar blinked. “Didn’t even realize I lost that.” She reached over and claimed it. “Thanks.” She looked up as the waitress returned. “We’re done, yes. I’d like a large cappuccino, and, um…” Her eyes went to Kerry’s face, watching the blonde woman’s brows lift as a dessert tray went by. “Hey, share a cheesecake with me?”

Kerry’s eyes widened, then she sighed, and patted her stomach. “I shouldn’t.”

Dar just waited, sure of her quarry. She was beginning to gather an understanding about her new associate. It was a habit of hers, to try and figure out all the angles, and predict what people would do, and so far, Kerry Stuart was proving quite a challenge.

But not on this subject. Dar enjoyed indulging herself, and she suspected Kerry leaned in that direction as well, however unwilling she appeared on the face of it. “C’mon.”

“Oh well, okay.” She capitulated, giving Dar a little wry shrug. “Guess I’ll just put in extra time on the Rollerblades.” And how had the mildly unnerving Dar Roberts known she liked cheesecake? She decided to try Tropical Storm 81

another slightly more personal question, though she noticed Dar stiffened up when she’d done so before. “Have you ever tried that?”

“Cheesecake or Rollerblades?” Dar chuckled softly. “Both. I like one, and I’m not too fond of the other. I made close acquaintance with a tree last time I used them.” She glanced towards the fake waterfall, which was expelling another cloud of mist. “I stick to running.” She noticed Kerry’s eyes on the bare, subtly muscular arms emerging from her shirt. “And a little working out.” The sea green orbs lifted to hers, and Dar felt uncharacteristically off-balance. Something about the intensity, maybe? “So, you’re all ready for tomorrow? Did personnel forward you an electronic packet of forms for all the people you’ll be converting?”

Kerry watched as the server put down an enormous piece of cheesecake covered with chocolate, which was flanked by two bananas, equally doused.

She sucked in a breath. “Ooo.” Then she realized Dar had asked her a question. “Uh, yes. I got a ton of mail from them, including a three-page instruction list from someone named Mariana, who said something really funny like I was the new duckling?” She waited for Dar to pick up one of the two forks the server offered, then picked up her own and tried a bite. “Wow. I could get to like that way too much.”

“Duckling, huh?” Dar murmured as she worked a chunk off and nibbled it. “Mariana is our Director of Personnel. She’ll help you get everything straightened out.” She took another bite, enjoying the smooth, rich taste. “She has a unique sense of humor.”

Is that a company requirement? Kerry wondered, but didn’t reply.

They finished up and sauntered through the shop in the front of the restaurant, filled with rainforest-inspired merchandise ranging from T-shirts to tiny rubber geckos to Beanie Babies in the shape of toucans and monkeys.

Kerry fingered a tiny Beanie salamander in an interesting shade of greenish blue, then put it down with a sigh. “I have enough stuff on my desk.”

Dar, who had been examining the large cockatoo overhead, turned but didn’t say anything. They walked out and through the mostly closed mall, the stores shut up tight and only a thin strain of music playing. “Where are you parked?”

“Around by the food court,” Kerry answered as she pushed the door open and held it. The thick, moist air hit her, carrying a heavy scent of rain.

“Well, thank you, Dar. I really appreciate you coming up here.”

The darkness outside hid most of the taller woman’s expression. “My car’s back here; I’ll give you a ride around to the front,” she stated. “And don’t worry about it. I was glad to get a chance to pick up this stuff.” She hefted her bag.

Kerry followed her out into the dark lot, stretching her legs a little to keep up. The breeze off the nearby ocean was warm and sultry and she sighed. “It’s hard to get used to the heat sometimes.”

A soft chuckle answered her. “That’s why we all stay inside,” Dar replied. “C’mon, it’s over here, under that ledge.”

Moving shadows surrounded them—cleaners, and workmen, and other, darker, figures. The parking lot was large and mostly empty, and she could see several small groups of what looked like teenagers, lit cigarettes and low 82 Melissa Good laughter coming from them.

Eyes watched as they crossed the gray surface, and unconsciously, Kerry moved a little closer to her tall companion. “Kinda creepy out here.”

Dar glanced down. “Just act like you own the place. I guarantee, none of these kids’ll come near you,” she advised.

Kerry watched as the group they were approaching eyed Dar, then nudged over a little out of her way. “I’ll try to keep that in mind,” she murmured, feeling quite, quite safe.

The air was thick with humidity, but she took a deep breath of it, tasting a hint of the sea on the edges from the nearby Intercoastal Waterway. She walked alongside Dar in silence, but it wasn’t really the uncomfortable kind.

“How’s your hand doing?” Kerry asked, as they crossed the expanse of mostly empty tarmac.

“It’s all right,” Dar said. “Wonder what those guys were really after? You didn’t have a purse on the seat.”

Kerry was silent for a few steps. “No, I don’t usually carry one.” She glanced up and caught Dar watching her, the faintly raised eyebrow visible even in the shadows. “Just one of those things,” she added, with a half shrug.

“Mmm.” Dar’s eyebrows twitched a little. “Me either,” she said in a casual tone. “Interesting coincidence.”

Kerry absorbed that as the night became friendlier around her, surprised when she idly wished she’d found a parking spot a lot further out.

Interesting coincidence.

“WHERE HAVE YOU been?” Colleen’s voice came from the doorway, as Kerry finished carrying in her packages. “Ooo, I see bags from Macy’s.” She ducked inside and helped the blonde woman put the bundles down. “How’d it go?”

Kerry sat down on her desk chair and folded her arms across her chest.

“It was interesting. I got lots of stuff, as you can see, and…um, it was interesting.”

Colleen folded her own arms. “Interesting? Your new boss offers to come over and help you shop for clothes, and you call this interesting? I call it mysteriously intriguing.” The redhead chuckled. “So, what’s she like when she’s not firing people or restructuring companies?”

“It’s kind of hard to explain.” Kerry exhaled. “I mean, she’s really…” She described a box with her hands. “She’s very closed, kind of remote, but then once in a while she just kinda opens up just a little bit, enough for you to tell there’s a human being in there and not a microprocessor.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Colleen digested this. “So you two spent all this time shopping?”

A quirk of Kerry’s lips. “No, not exactly. We had dinner at the Rainforest.” She avoided Colleen’s widening eyes. “She wanted to go over next week and what to expect, things like that.”

“Did you have fun?”

Kerry thought about that. “It was…Col, it was really, really weird, because half of the time it was very strained, because we don’t know each Tropical Storm 83

other, and she’s my boss, and it’s just weird, but the other half of the time, it was…” She struggled to get a grasp on her thoughts. “It was just strange.”

Colleen tilted her head to on side and eyed her. “Strangely familiar?”

“Yeah, kinda,” Kerry admitted. “I’ve never had that happen to me before, but I think we’re going to be okay.”

“You like her.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah, I do,” Kerry said, after a moment’s thought. “Even after the whole firing thing. I was really mad at her that night, but after she showed me what she did, how she tried…” She fell silent again. “Yeah, I do like her,” she repeated in a more positive tone.

“Incredible.” Colleen shook her head. “I saw Reynaldo over at Publix, we were getting deli together, and I was telling him about you going to work for her. He was in total shock.” She shook her head. “He’s the IS manager at the bank. He got chewed, and chewed, and chewed until he had only one quarter of his butt left over that tape disaster. He says she’s just the nastiest person he’d ever met.”

Kerry lifted her shoulders. “I think she can be. I can see she’s got a pretty dark streak in there. Remember I told you about that goon, and how he practically dissolved when she yelled at him? And I remember how she was when we first met in my office. There wasn’t much to like. She was pretty mean.”

Colleen rubbed her head. “But you like her anyhow?”

It does sound strange, Kerry realized. “I don’t know…yeah. I mean, she could have fired my butt several times, right? I was pretty nasty. I told her to go to hell and all of that, and she could have just axed me right then and there, locked me out, had security take me out of the building, but she didn’t. In fact, tonight, I kind of got the feeling that she respected me for it.”

“Oh, that’s twisted, me bucko,” her friend warned. “You watch out for her, hear? She can turn on you quick as a whistle.” She sighed. “I don’t know, Ker, these are pretty uncharted waters you’re sailing into here. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I hope I do, too. Kerry sighed inwardly. “I can’t really explain it. Maybe if I’d taken time to really think about what was happening, I would have chosen to stay where I was, but maybe not. I just thought this would be such a unique opportunity, you know?”

“Unique.” Colleen slung an arm across her shoulders. “Me dearie, that’s an understatement. But if you have a problem, I talked with Jacob at my office, and he says he’d take you on in an instant, okay?”

Kerry smiled, and leaned against her affectionately. “Thanks, Col, I really appreciate that.” She exhaled. “Hey, wanna see what I got?”

“You betcha.”

They opened the various packages, and Kerry hung the items off the curtain rod in the living room.

“Ooo, I like this one.” The redhead pointed at the blue-green outfit. “Nice pin.” She touched the front of the jacket.

Kerry stepped closer and laid a finger on it. “Good grief, my mind must have been all over the place.” She laughed in gentle delight. “I didn’t even notice that was on there. Yeah, it is nice.” The pin was a pair of silver dolphins 84 Melissa Good frolicking on a gold background, with the waves in the forefront tinged in pink and blue. “Perfect for the color. It does kinda look like the ocean, doesn’t it?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Colleen agreed readily. “Bet it looks nice on you; it just about matches your eyes.” She looked at the row of clothing. “I like all of them, but I like this one the best, though that purple one is nice too.”

“Yeah, I like the braid on that. Listen, if I put some of this stuff on, would you take a picture? My parents want to see what I look like dressed up.”

“Surely.” Her friend laughed. “Though, being fair, you look nice in just about everything, you rat. “ She poked Kerry in the ribs. “Even those torn-off old denim rags you wear sometimes.”

“Hey, they’re my favorite pair of jeans,” Kerry protested as she pulled the blue-green outfit down. “Be right back.”

THE SKY HAD finally cleared, exposing a thick wash of stars which twinkled down over the quiet coral deck. The pool’s warm waters rippled around the lone figure floating gently on the surface, head resting on crossed arms and legs propped on a thick Styrofoam raft.

Dar let the peace surround her, concentrating on the gentle sounds of the surf not far away and the rustle of a light breeze which moved the trees around the pool. She was alone, which was not surprising considering the hour, and she was spending a little time just reflecting quietly on her day.

At least it had been more productive than the previous day. After she’d sent out her e-mail, she’d somehow managed to fall asleep again on the couch, with her laptop up and running, the soft leather gathering in her tired body and refusing to give it up until almost dinner time, when she’d groggily woken to see Power Rangers dancing on the screen and 3D pipes patiently creating a plumbing layout on her laptop display.

That was when she’d picked up Kerry’s mail, and answered it in a sleepy daze, telling the younger woman she’d join her at the mall. It wasn’t until ten minutes or so after she hit the Send key that she blinked and realized what she’d done, and by then, it was too late.

But she hadn’t regretted it, not at all. The outing had been…well, sort of fun, in a way. She didn’t get many opportunities to just relax and hang around with other people, and Kerry was shaping up to be an interesting person to spend time with. Which was good, because as her assistant, that’s exactly what she’d be doing with her.

The dinner had been somewhat of a test. Dar knew if she could stand spending an hour eating dinner with someone without wanting to kill them, it was a good sign. Kerry had passed. In fact—Dar gazed up at the stars in mild surprise—Kerry had more than passed. She’d actually enjoyed herself, to the point where she wished the evening had gone on a little longer, and when was the last time that had happened?

It was nice to just talk to someone who was bright, had a sense of humor, and wasn’t intimidated by her. Dar grinned, remembering the crack about the screaming Mustang. Then she flexed her hand, remembering the gentle touch there. So, she’d figured out that old Dar hadn’t just shooed the bad guys away, Tropical Storm 85

had she? Clever kid.

She sighed, and shifted in the water, tilting her head back and blinking as the moon edged out from behind a cloud and lit her in a simple, silver glow. It made the coral around her seem almost white, and if she raised her head, she could see a broad, flickering path that led from where she lay straight to the horizon.

She rolled over and ducked her head under the warm water, kept heated year-round despite the usually hot temperatures in the area. After a few laps more just to loosen up her shoulders, she eased out of the pool, grabbing her towel and drying herself off as she padded quietly back down the stairs and across the waterfront paths to her condo.

The cold air in the hallway chilled her skin, and she quickly ducked in the laundry room, shedding her bathing suit and trading it for a cotton baseball shirt and soft flannel boxers. She headed into the kitchen and claimed a mug, which she filled with milk and chocolate syrup, then popped in the microwave. Two minutes later she pulled it out, observing the New Mail icon on the kitchen terminal. “Mail, read.”

“Dar Roberts, seven messages, none urgent.”

She scanned the headers. “Read All.” The warm cocoa slid down her throat as she waited.

Sent by: McLean, Alastair

Subject: New Assistant

Time: 8:43 PM

Dar—

Next time you want to just transition one of your

little finds direct to corporate, just tell me, will you?

I really didn’t need thirty whining regional directors complaining to me that you’re not following procedure.

Her stats don’t show much, but if she’s good enough for you to pick as your right hand, I guess I’ll have to live with it. I hope she’s cute, at least.

Alastair

“Reply,” Dar muttered, and waited for a new message to appear.

Sent by: Dar Roberts

Subject: re: New Assistant

Alastair—

Sorry, yes you will, and I really hadn’t noticed one way or the other.

Dar

“Send.” Dar sipped her chocolate, with a smirk. “Next.”

Sent by: Mariana Sartis

Subject: re: New Assistant

Time: 9:01PM

86 Melissa Good DR

You stirred up a hornet’s nest, my friend. Watch out—

I think at least some of them are going upstairs.

I sent, I processed, I e-mailed. Your new body should have all the paperwork she needs to get things rolling at Synergenics. And by the way, that was a nice piece of power shuffleboard with Peter to get the numbers in. He filed a formal complaint against you, BTW. Alastair’s response (he bcc’d me) was “Do you want me to review this before or after I review the bonus schedule for this quarter, which depends on your making your numbers?”

You know, Dar, you’re really lucky you’re as good as you are. No one else would get away with the crap that you do. Be careful, my friend. Be very, very careful.

Since I was at the office on Saturday, I processed everything for Ms. Stuart. She’s on your payroll starting Monday, so make sure she knows how to turn in things and all that. I have her file from Synergenics. I have to tell you, Dar, until I saw it, I was having some very evil thoughts about you, but in reviewing it, I realized you picked a very qualified candidate. I don’t even have to fake things on her profile. I’m attaching the details so you have record of them. Did you know she was the

Michigan debating champion one year?

Anyway, see you at the office on Monday. I’ll try to soothe some ruffled feathers, but keep low for a while, will you? Just for me?

Mari

Dar bit off a delighted grin. “Debating champion, huh? Damn, I’m in trouble. I shoulda guessed that.” She sat on the tall stool. “Reply.”

Sent by: Dar Roberts

Subject: re: New Assistant

Mari—

Thanks for the warning. Alastair already mailed me about the dissenters—he’s going to handle it.

I’m shocked you would think I would pick any

candidate based on frivolous reasons. Of course, I knew how qualified Ms. Stuart is for this position. Why do you think I asked for it? The company’s best interests come first, this wasn’t some knee-jerk reaction based on personality. In point of fact, the lady in question told me to go to hell, so her transfer certainly wasn’t done for friendly reasons. I’m sure she’ll be an asset to the company, and maybe she’ll take some of my people issues, so you get less complaints.

Dar

She chuckled softly. “Send.” Then she clicked on the attached file, and read the few short paragraphs with interest. “Hmm, gymnastics, double major Tropical Storm 87

in computers and…no, that can’t be right. English? What a mix.” Kerry’s work history showed a steady, even progression from entry level to management, with increasing responsibility and experience moving from job to job, with no job lasting less than two years. Stability, good work ethics, no gaps… No wonder Mariana had been impressed.

She checked the personal side. No workman’s comp claims, no judgments, good credit, spotless record, not even a speeding ticket. Dar’s brows rose. “It’s almost too good to be true.” The thought caused a frown to edge her features. “New message.”

Mark—

I need a class one security inquiry on a new hire: Kerry Stuart, the Associated employee we talked about last week. She’s coming on staff in my department, and I want to know everything. Don’t cut corners, don’t gloss, the works.

Dar

“Send.” Dar drummed her fingers on the counter, feeling a trifle guilty about checking so thoroughly, but if Kerry was going to be privy to all her little tricks, it was better to be sure about who and what she really was. It wouldn’t be the first time a rival had tried to slip someone into the inside.

It’s a logical precaution, her mind insisted. But something inside her felt uneasy, as though it bothered her to think she couldn’t trust Kerry. She thought about that for a bit. Her gut instinct was solidly in the kid’s favor. It hadn’t been wrong yet. But it never hurt to be sure.

Dar sighed and turned back to the screen. She went through the next three messages, which were acknowledgments of items she’d taken care of the previous week, then she clicked on the seventh with a odd feeling of anticipation.

Sent by: Stuart, Kerry

Subject: re: Assistant’s Job

Time: 12:32 AM

Hi.

Why does everyone think I’m crazy because I want to work for you? I got four mails from people I barely, or don’t even know, warning me that I didn’t know what I was getting into. I decided they’re just jealous. I sent a list—you can tell me if they’re people who applied for the job. If they are, then I feel a lot better.

I wrote them all back thanking them for their concern and hoping I’d get a chance to work with them sometime. I hope that was okay.

Anyway, hope you have a good week, and thanks again for helping me shop.

Kerry

“Reply.” Dar leaned on the counter and propped her head on her hand.

88 Melissa Good Sent by: Dar Roberts

Subject: re: Assistant’s Job

Kerry

Everyone thinks you’re crazy because everyone knows I’m a heartless, cruel bitch who drives people to drink and an early grave, and who has no sympathy for anyone or anything. I tried to warn you about that. It’s not too late to back out if you want to.

Your list is, as you suspected, disappointed

candidates. The reply was appropriate.

I don’t get much chance just to go out and be semi-social, so today was very pleasant for me. It also was an indication that we might just be able to work together.

My previous attempts at an assistant have lasted one, three, four, and two days respectively. One I threw out, one decided to go back to the job they came from, and the other two ran screaming into the night never to be heard from again.

Please bear all this in mind.

Dar

“Send.” Dar stifled a yawn and finished off her cocoa, then rinsed the mug out and put it upside-down on the drain board. She turned off the lights as she went through the condo, leaving the space in total darkness. Once in the bedroom, she crawled into the welcoming warmth and shifting motion of the waterbed. One arm curled around her pillow, and the other rested lightly on the surface as she let her eyes close and slipped into sleep.