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Anne started to retort, but Gherring held up his hand.
“Jeff, we’ve already had a previous sexual harassment complaint. I’m afraid you’re out.”
“That was a trumped-up charge! She was asking for it and got jealous when she saw me with someone else.”
“We have a no tolerance sexual harassment policy at Gherring Inc. You signed a form when you became employed here, indicating you were aware of that policy. One confirmed incident is all we need to terminate you, and this incident was confirmed by me.”
“You can’t fire me! Especially not before the big Switzerland presentation. There’s no one else who can do my part. And I already have the connections with the execs over there.”
“On the contrary, I can fire you, and I did. Ms. Best, please call security and have them escort Mr. Murphy out of the building.”
He turned back to Jeff. “Your things will be boxed up for you to retrieve on Monday at the security office.”
Jeff started to speak, his face red and puffed up with fury, veins standing out on his neck, but Gherring silenced him with a glare.
“You’ll wait right over there.” He indicated the reception area across the room. “And I don’t want to hear you speak.”
Anne called security with shaking fingers as adrenaline coursed through her body. Gherring watched her carefully.
“Ms. Best, you should sit down. You look a little pale.”
A few minutes later, after two security guards had taken Jeff down the elevator, Anne felt tears rising to her eyes. “I’m s-sorry. I’ve m-messed up Switzerland for you.”
“How can you possibly believe that was your fault?” Gherring asked, shaking his head.
“I should have handled it. He’s been coming on to me, and I didn’t know how to put him off. If I wasn’t so naïve—”
“The man is a lecherous jerk, and I’m glad to be rid of him.”
“But what will you do about Bern? He’s right, there’s no one to take his place. He’s got all the connections.”
Gherring sighed as he looked toward the ceiling. “Jeff thinks way too much of himself. I have far more connections than he does. And ‘Jeff the Jerk’ has offended a good number of people along the way, both male and female. Jared and I can take up the slack—we can work late every night and some on the weekend.”
Anne felt her stomach churning. Things were getting worse, and it was her fault. “But Jared and his wife have a new baby at home, and he’s already leaving them alone for four days.”
Gherring grunted. “Fine, I’ll do the work myself.”
“I’ll help! It’s the least I can do.” She bit her lips, tears shining in her eyes. “You were my white knight today… And last night too.”
“It’s not often I get the opportunity to rescue a fair maiden twice in twenty-four hours.”
She laughed, choking a bit, but then her hand flew to her mouth. “I forgot—there’s one little problem.”
“What’s that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I’ll work late tonight and Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday night, but my girls are coming in tomorrow, and I want to spend the whole weekend with them. I know I shouldn’t be making demands, but—”
“Of course you don’t want to miss any time with your daughters. If I had any children I would feel the same.” A forlorn look passed through his eyes so quickly, Anne wondered if she imagined it.
“Would you like to meet them?”
To her amazement, his face actually lit up. “I’d love that, but… but I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“It wouldn’t be an intrusion. The girls would like to meet you too. They’ve heard so much…” Her voice trailed off.
He lifted one eyebrow. “Really? What have they heard?”
“You know, they’ve seen s
