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It was lunch, the mood was light, and if the blizzard predicted for later in the day didn’t materialize, many of his employees were planning to ski. So far, the social aspects of the retreat were a success, while the working part had been less than Reggie had hoped for.
“You need to get more involved with them,” Dwight suggested, nodding to the faithful masses below.
“I haven’t before.”
“But at least you knew their names.”
“Ah yes, put on the charm and polish and go meet my people. Isn’t that what I have you for?”
Reggie could be charming. Dwight and everyone else knew that. His classic blond hair combed neatly back with just the perfect wave in the front, the aristocratic high cheek bones, definitive nose, sharp jaw line, and the tight five foot eleven build, he intimidated most men, while he created the most profound sexual response in most women.
He was cool, so cool that he could sweep a room with an arctic chill in seconds. And he was wickedly hot, the fiery heat of his flaring rhetoric went to the heart of matters he cared about, whether it was business or his personal passions. He ruled his company by intimidation, but of a very devious sort; few realized what manipulative power he had over them because they were so taken with the exterior package that altered with such practiced skill, he took speech away, and with it the power to challenge him.
Under the surface, he was hardly as daunting, but few people got so far under his skin to realize that.
“You’re sounding exceedingly cynical,” Dwight observed. He’d learned to listen to what his boss didn’t say as much as what he did.
“Am I?” Reggie hadn’t thought about it that way.
“Your love life sour?” Dwight asked.
“I have no love life.”
“And why’s that? Look at those women down there, any one of them would drop their pants for you in seconds.”
“I don’t doubt,” Reggie said with a soft sad smirk. “But maybe that’s not what I need.”
“Your games not going so well?” Dwight inquired. He knew of his bosses’ darker passions in a vague sort of way, though he’d never been a witness to them, and he never wanted to.
Reggie stared out dispassionately to the group below. “Games,” he said. “That’s what it is,” he answered with added cynicism, leaving his second in command with yet another obscure comment. Dwight could only guess at the meaning behind it. Reggie suddenly turned to him. “Does Cassie have those reports ready?”
“I doubt it. I don’t think Cassie was up for a working holiday. Last I saw of her, she was waving her fanny at Jason Sturbridge. You take her out of the office and that girl is real ditzy blonde.”
“Cut the inference, Dwight. I’ve known dozens of brilliant blondes.”
“Company included,” Dwight joked.
“Of course.” He seemed to be lightening his mood, but it might only last a few seconds.
“Well, I’m afraid your top notch secretary is going to need one of those firm reprimands you administer so well, if you want to get anything done that’s company productive. I haven’t seen a lick of work from her in two days. But frankly, I think things are going well without the work sessions. The company needed a breather like this.”
“Perhaps, but it’s still not what I wanted, and I don’t like my subordinates changing my plans as if they were in charge.” His irritation was starting to show. “Send Cassie up here, I think it’s time the brat and I had a little chat.”
Reggie sat down in a plush leather chair and looked out the expansive window toward the lake. The loft room was his favorite for the wide view, the tall pines framing the picture with a beauty only nature could create. He granted his father that much for having placed the Lodge perfectly on this site.
“Reggie?”
He heard Cassie’s sweet voice behind him, and without looking back at her, he motioned his secretary with a wave of his hand to a seat in front of him, directly in front of the big window. The attractive and usually efficient young woman sat down across from him, remaining on the edge of her chair, knowing the conversation would not be particularly easy. She could see the annoyance in the way his jaw twitched just ever so slightly. She’d seen it a number of times before.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she immediately said, trying to circumvent a lot of questions. Might as well get straight to the point, she was thinking.
“Do you always fall apart in such situations, Miss Ryan?” he asked pointedly.
“I’ve been preoccupied, sir. But I really didn’t think you cared about those meetings. After all, everyone is really having a good time relaxing. And well,” she blushed, “Jason, Mr. Sturbridge, has been getting awfully cozy.” Her eyes glimmered as if she had a school girl crush.
“Perhaps he’d like to attend your strapping,” Reggie suggested.
“Sir?” she looked up at him meekly. “Is that really necessary? I mean this is supposed to be a fun weekend. I would think even you could relax enough to allow a few imperfections to go unnoticed. And if you really want those reports, I could have them in thirty minutes, tops.”
