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I frown, my good mood dissipating. “I don’t have anything with him scheduled. What does he want?”
“I don’t know,” Anita says lowly into the phone. “Do you want me to send him in?”
“I guess you might as well,” I tell her. Surely, he doesn’t know about Ivy and me already.
Owen walks in. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Embry, but Andrews wanted me to give you this report. He is out unexpectedly.” Andrews is the company’s CFO, and Owen’s new boss after his promotion yesterday. I realize I forgot to mention to Ivy that Owen got the promotion. I hope that deflects some from her absence last night. She’s going to need all the help she can get.
He goes over the report with me, explaining the variance from the original projections. When he’s finished, he packs up his folder. I can tell something is bothering him. “Is everything okay, Owen? I would’ve thought you would be happier with the promotion yesterday.”
He looks at me, his eyes worried. “It’s nothing to do with work. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to seem unpleasant.”
I suddenly realize what is probably bothering him. He’s worried about Ivy, and I can’t blame him. I should have given more thought to that, but I was so caught up in the moment.
“You haven’t been unpleasant. I’m sure it will all work out,” I say, placing a reassuring hand on his back and walking him to the door. “Thank you for the briefing. I knew you were the right person for the job. Andrews and I were in firm agreement on that.”
Owen looks a little more upbeat. “I appreciate that from you, Sir.”
“Call me George, Owen. We’ll be working more together in the future. We might as well get on more familiar terms.”
He smiles a bit stiffly. “I’ll try and do that…George.”
It comes off awkwardly, and I can’t help but laugh. “You’ll get used to it.”
After he gets on the elevator, Anita stops me. “By the way, I wanted to go over the December newsletter before it goes out.”
I move to stand beside her at her desk. “I thought I already approved it.”
“You did,” she says with a grin, “But I wanted to make sure I got your pictures right.” She pulls up the picture of me fallen on the ice. “This was in the group you sent me. Are you sure you want to include it?”
I cover my eyes with my hand, feeling the heat rush to my face. “I thought I deleted those.”
Anita smirks. “I like it. I bet the employees would, too.”
“Don’t you dare,” I say, giving her a stern look.
“Don’t worry. It’s too close to Christmas for me to risk getting fired. I just wanted you to know that I showed you mercy,” she says with a pointed look. “I’m not sure I’ll ever see you the same way again.”
I just shake my head and retreat to my office. I might as well walk away. Anita won that round fair and square. Furthermore, she knows it.
***
It’s Friday night, and Ivy is on her way over. The past two days without her have been too many. I can’t wait to hold her in my arms again.
The speaker sounds when she arrives, and I buzz her up. She arrives laden with bags. “What is all of this?” I ask as she sets them aside at the entrance.
“They’re more Christmas decorations,” she says as she reaches up to kiss me on the cheek. “I finished my final a little after one, so I went shopping.”
“That was sweet of you.”
Ivy gives me a cheeky smile. “I have my moments.”
“You certainly do,” I say with a laugh as I take out a bottle of merlot. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
She nods. “I noticed a market down the street from here. Why don’t we go there and find something to cook for dinner? I make a mean spaghetti.”
I love the sound of that. “You may be hard-pressed to find anything to cook with. I can count the times I’ve cooked in this kitchen on one hand. I did at least have Anita set me up with the basics when I moved in.”
Ivy peeks in the cupboards. “I think I have what I need…barely. You eat outallthe time?”
