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He sat in one of the visitors chairs and Cath sat beside him. Soon they were chatting away like the old friends they were.
When the phone rang, Cath called to her secretary to answer it.
“I came to see if you’re free for lunch or dinner,” John said.
“Lunch sounds great. Dinner, too. Which?”
“Both? We’ve months to catch up on. Thomas is retiring the end of the year, right? You’ll be lots closer in Brussels than here.”
Cath made a face.
“What? Not happening?”
John was always astute.
“It’s complicated. I’ll tell you over lunch. Let’s get out of here before I get caught by someone needing something that can’t wait.”
She got her purse and coat and was walking out the door when she saw Trace in the hallway.
He carried a thick folder and was talking with Phil McIntyre. Cath’s instinct went on alert. She still didn’t trust Phil farther than she could throw him.
The two men looked up as Cath and John walked out of her office.
Introductions were soon made by Cath.
“I was hoping to have a chance to talk with you while I’m here,” John told Trace when he realized who he was.
“Glad to make time. What about lunch today?”
“Ah, Cath and I have made plans. Would sometime this afternoon work?”
Trace looked at Cath, then back at John. “Around two?”
John nodded. “We should be done by then. What we can’t finish we’ll discuss at dinner. Ready?”
Cath smiled and avoided Trace’s eyes. She felt as if he watched them all the way to the elevator.
“Who is the man with your new boss?” John asked once they were on the elevator.
“Phil McIntyre is my new boss.”
She explained as much as she wanted known. John had lots of questions, some about her personally, and others about the company and how she saw it going in the future.
“Trace is going to do a great job, I think. He’s certainly dedicated enough. But I don’t like Phil.”
Cath wouldn’t normally dream of speaking so forthrightly with customers, but she and John were more. And she wanted someone to vent with. Who had known her long enough he didn’t have any worries about ulterior motives.
When John heard there was an outside possibility she wouldn’t get the promotion, he promptly offered her a position with Poindexter, Ltd., his company.
Cath laughed.
“Thanks for the offer, but let’s see what happens with Signals, Inc. I’ve been with them for more than fifteen years.”
Secretly she was pleased with the offer, however hastily made. Maybe she wouldn’t have any difficulty finding another job if she couldn’t remain where she was.
Trace handed Phil the folder and watched as Cath and John went to lunch together. Men and women shared business lunches all the time. It was the way things worked. But there was something more to that relationship.
For a moment he almost called after them, saying he’d join them. But conscious of Phil’s gaze, he changed his mind. He’d get to know John better first. See if there was any reason to suspect Cath had an interest in the Englishman.
