Office Play: Freaky Geek Series (17 page)

Jeanette sat there looking at him. Either he really believed in what he was saying or he truly believed in what he was saying. Either way, it sounded good. Whether that was going to make her jump into a full blown office romance with him was another story.

“I’m sure you have some questions for me,” Adam smiled.

“Oh you bet I do.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Adam was prepared for anything. He’s been asked so many questions by other women in the past, he could recite them by memory. Not that he made up any of the answers, but it was always the same questions.

Why did you break up with your last girlfriend? Who broke up with who? How did you treat her? Blah, blah, blah. Well he guessed that was important information for a potential date to know. And he had no problem in being honest.

“Okay, fire away.”

“How many office relationships have you had and how did they end?”

Boom! He wasn’t ready for that question right out the box. He hoped for a few warm up inquiries.

He so didn’t want to go into the ugly incident of a few years ago. If she were on the fence about dating now, she would jump off if he told her the whole story. And she wouldn’t be jumping off in his favor.

He didn’t want to lie to her either. He already pushed his luck and was called on the carpet by her for setting this deal up with the hotel room.

“Wow, you get to the point don’t you?” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“You said that’s what you like about me.” She smiled sweetly at him.

“This is true.” Adam got up from the bed. He looked out the patio windows. It was still coming down like cats and dogs, but the thunder and lightning had subsided. “Well, before you, I only had one office infatuation.”

He turned around and saw the skepticism on Jeanette’s face. “No really. I never had an office romance. In fact, the infatuation never took off the ground due to some unforeseen circumstances.”

“Like what?”

Adam returned to the bed. “I was attracted to one lady in the copy department, she was the art director. I stared talking to her. Just talking to her at work. Didn’t even exchange numbers for the first few weeks. Apparently she told some other co-workers that I liked her.”

“How do you know?”

“The other women started getting catty.” He raised his hands up. “I know, I know that’s stereotypical, but it’s true. First they started in on her, making her life miserable at work. Then for some reason they started attracting each other.”

He noticed Jeanette nodding.

“I take it this is nothing new to you.”

“Let’s just say, it’s the same ole, same ole when it comes to women competing for the same man.”

“But that’s just it, Jeanette. I didn’t have my eye on any other woman, never made a pass to any other woman. I’m not like that. I was focused on her and wanted to get to know her.”

“It doesn’t matter. Women, especially insecure ones, and unfortunately that’s most of them, feel they are
always
in competition with each other for
any
man’s attention no matter what.”

That explained a lot. Men always joke that they will never understand women. That couldn’t have been a more true statement. “I can’t get involved in other women’s pettiness and it’s unfortunate that caused some serious problems at the office.”

“Oh?” Jeanette sat up straighter on the bed.

Adam sighed. “Yeah. Human Resources found out.”

“What? How did they find out? Someone actually went to them saying, “He’s not paying attention to me, he likes her instead,” Jeanette said, making mocking crying sounds.

“Not exactly, but they might as well have. Work production was getting messy. People weren’t doing their job, no one was getting along. If you haven’t noticed, it’s like one big happy family at the agency. So it was noticeable.”

“Did you and the lady break up.”

“That’s just it, there was nothing to break up; we never even slept together yet!”

Jeanette shrugged. “You picked a winner there. You didn’t see it coming?”

“Not from this group. These are intelligent, attractive, successful women. They could get anyone.”

“Doesn’t matter. There is a handsome man right there, they don’t have to go looking outside the office, you picked someone else, they got jealous and it got ugly.”

“Got that right.”

“So what finally happened?”

“Some people were transferred to other offices. In fact, the lady in question was transferred to the Alaska office.”

Jeanette eyes bugged out. “Are you kidding me? That’s like being sent to the Western Front like on that old TV show,
Hogan’s Heroes
.” Jeanette actually snickered.

“It got real Bizzaro world that’s for sure.”

“And yet you wonder why I don’t want to jump into any kind of relationship with you, while I’m employed with your company.”

Adam sat back for a moment. He knew that, and he’s been kicking himself since. After recounting the whole story to Jeanette, her hesitation made sense.

He was thinking with his dick and not with his brain—again.

Now it was really going to be uphill for him. She wasn’t going to get involved as long as she was employed with this company.

Damn! He would be glad when they solved this.

Just then the room phone rang.

“Did you have a service call?” Jeanette asked.

“Nope.” Adam answered. “Hello?”

“Hello Adam, it’s Sam.”

Uh-oh. “Hey, why didn’t you call my cell?”

“Well one, I didn’t know if you had it charged and two, I wanted to see who answered the phone, you or Jeanette.”

He was toast. “Oh, that.”

“Yes, that. Adam really….”

“Wait Sam, let me explain.” Adam looked over and Jeanette was coming towards him looking worried.

“I’m listening.”

Adam had to think fast. He had to make up some story to at least appease her until they got back. “I wanted to change the hotel, and I kept going back and forth. So I think they got it mixed up and put us in the same room.”

“Really? Travel is usually on top of that.”

“It was last minute. “Umm…did you just call about that?”

She sighed. “No. I need to have you two stay there until Friday.”

“Friday? Why? You found out something?”

“I’m not sure, but it seems ordering have come to a stand still since you arrived there. At least in this office.”

“What?”

Jeanette pulled on Adam’s shirt and mouthed, “What is it?”

Adam held up his hand to let her know to be quiet for a moment. “Okay Sam, will do. Let me know if anything else out of the ordinary happens.”

“I will. I’m going into the office early tomorrow to make some calls to the Paris office, so stand by.”

Adam disconnected and took Jeanette by the hand.

“What’s going on? Jeanette asked, her eyes wide with worry.

“Well, first Sam wants us to stay here until Friday.”

“Wow, a few more days?”

Adam coked his brow. “Don’t make it sound like such a hardship.”

“I didn’t mean to react that way, but why, what did she find?”

Adam paced the floor rubbing his chin. This was very interesting. They leave for Paris where most of the orders were coming from, then all of a sudden ordering stops in L.A. with their arrival.

Was the theft forwarded accidentally? It’s a coincidence that’s for sure. “It seems our arrival here stop the crook from putting in more orders. At least from the L.A. office.”

“Are you serious? So it is from here! Why else would it stop all of a sudden?”

“Let’s not jump the gun. They could be laying low for a bit. Sam is going in the office early tomorrow and will be calling this office. She told us to stand by.”

“So that’s three calls we’re waiting for. Renee, Noah and now Sam’s.” Jeanette shook her head. “This is more complicated than I thought it would be.”

“Yeah. I was hoping against hope that it was a computer glitch and that the supplies being ordered on paper was a mistake. But now it seems someone is deliberately and maliciously stealing from the company.”

“I think when we find out why, we’ll find out who,” Jeanette said.

“I think you’re right.”

“Was there anything else? I heard you mention travel.”

“Oh, yeah. Sam got hold of our itinerary and wondered how we ended up in the same room.”

“See! I told you!”

“Now calm down.” Adam took Jeanette by the arm and walked her back over to the bed. “She bought the story I gave her.”

“Which was?”

“Travel did a typo and they didn’t have time to fix it.”

“Did she buy that?”

“Well…no.”

Jeanette sighed heavily.

“Look, whether she bought it or not, she didn’t say anything more. She let it go—for now.”

“For now.”

It seemed to Adam with every two steps forward there were three steps back.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The phone rang and Adam reached over without getting out from under the covers. “Hello.”

“Bonjour, this is your wake up call.”

“Oh yeah, thanks.” He put the phone on the receiver then sat up and stretched. He looked over at Jeanette who was still sleeping soundly.

The rest of Sunday was nothing but going over old purchase orders and eating French cuisine. Would have been nice if there were some physical activities involved. But after Jeanette got wind of Sam knowing about the hotel arrangement, she pretty much put a stop to that.

Damn! This was frustrating. But Adam never gave up on difficult situations. He was an IT guy after all. He had tougher foes.

Adam got out of bed and went to wake the sleeping beauty. “Jeanette, time to get up. Rise and shine.” Speaking of which, it was still raining, but not the torrential pour like yesterday.

“Hmm…huh…oh.” She turned underneath her sheets and stretched out that beautiful body of hers.

Adam looked down at her. There were so many things he could think of doing with her, rather than getting ready for work.

He walked over to the closet and got his clothes out for the day.

“Could you get my beige dress and those tan heels out for me?” Jeanette asked sleepily.

Sure, why not? Adam couldn’t help but notice the irony of the situation.

Once they both got themselves together and had a quick breakfast from room service, they gathered their things. But before they could make it to the door, Adam’s cell rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey bro, just wanted to catch you before you made it to the office.”

“Hey Noah, watcha got?”

“A job at the agency. I spoke with Sam as soon as I got off the phone with you. I still had her home number.”

“Cool!” He motioned over to Jeanette, who came and stood right by him. “So what’s next?”

“There know two employees there that I remember. Didn’t like them much.  I have some suspicions. But I’ll wait for Renee. We’ll get in touch with you after we have a full day here. You know it’s nine hours difference, it’s Sunday night here.

Adam looked over at the clock then his cell. “ I forgot about that. So what are we to do?” Adam took a seat. Jeanette did the same looking intently at him.

“Just keep your eyes and ears open but don’t act on anything. Wait for us to call you—no matter how late.”

“Okay, great. Talk to you later.” He disconnected.

“Well?” Jeanette asked, getting back up.

“Noah’s in and he already has his doubts about two people. He’s waiting to meet up with Renee tomorrow, L. A. time at the office. I have a feeling he’s going to have her look into them.”

“Wow. This is almost like some espionage stuff.”

“Tell me about it. Let’s go. We need to find out what’s going on here.”

They grabbed their food to go, got a cab and went to the office. Once there, several women immediately ambushed Jeanette.

“Jeanette, how was your weekend? You spend with the handsome Adam, no?” One lady asked.

“Yes—”

“Ooooh!” The ladies eyes grew wide as well as their smiles.

“I mean no, I mean, we’re staying at the same hotel, but—”

“Jeanette, I need to see you for a minute, could you check something for me?” Adam took her by the arm and rescued her from what was going to become the Spanish Inquisition.

“Thank you.” Jeanette blew out a breath of relief.

“No prob.”

They entered their temporary office and he shut the door behind them. Jeanette took a seat near the desk.

“Did you get the third degree?” she asked, taking a bite of her croissant.

“Nah. Men are more of a gentlemen. I got more winks, not direct questions. You women want details.”

“The thing is nothing really happened. I mean you know, all the way happned.”

“Ironic, isn’t it?” Adam reached in his briefcase. “So what do we do first?”

“Nothing until we hear from Renee I guess.”

“We have a long wait, nine hours.” Adam said, looking at his watch for the umpteenth time. He then signed on to his laptop.

“I guess we lay low, like they said. I’m going to the art department and snoop a bit. I’m hoping I don’t get cornered again. Why do they assume that something happened between us this weekend?” Jeanette grabbed her coffee.

“Well, it was pouring rain, we’re two attractive single, straight people, so they just assumed the obvious. Besides, even though no clothes came off,
something
did happen.”

Jeanette sighed. “Well, you know what they say about assume.”

***

With that Jeanette left the office.

She walked passed the various cubicles and offices, stopping here and there and chatting it up. She found out she had some cooking in common with one of the script supervisors.

After she talked with that area, she headed to the art department.

As if on cue, Jeanette’s cell rang. “Oh good. Hello.”

“Hey girl, talked with Noah, in fact I’m in the lobby of his condo, we’re going to a late dinner.”

Jeanette checked her watch. It was eight ten in the morning here. So it was nearly eleven thirty at night in L.A—Sunday. Hmmm. “Be careful, Renee. I don’t know anything about him,” she whispered into the phone. “Got a plan?”

“You know I checked him out first. Anyway, Yeah I got a plan, but first let me tell you something.”

Jeanette waited anxiously. Renee must have had some info already. Renee was good at her job. She might have thought her job was boring, but at this moment Jeanette would have gladly traded places with her. This situation was crazy and had more tangles in it that the wires in Adam’s IT room.

Okay, on second thought, maybe not totally switch places. She did have Adam to look at. Even if they didn’t do anything but heavy petting, it made her day more interesting.

What was she thinking? He already told her what happened to him during an office romance that he was just
thinking
about getting into.

She sighed. This man had her mind all twisted.

“Jeanette!”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, what?”

“Girl, I’ve been calling you. Your mind someplace else?”

Yeah, Adam’s pants.
“No, just thinking about these office supplies going all over the place.”

“Oh, well, what I wanted to tell you was Noah is a hunk!”

Oh brother.
“Renee—”

“Adam, Noah, does he have any other brothers?”

“No, just the one.”

“Wow, two hunks; enough to repopulate the planet.”

Jeanette sighed. “Renee, really.”

“Okay, sorry.”

“Is that it?”

“Yep, we’re putting our heads together, he’s got two people he wants me to look at. He remembers them from the last time he worked there.”

“So why dinner now and so late?”

“Well, for one, you two didn’t give us a chance to get things together on our end. You’re only going to be there a few days and we need to put things into action now.”

Jeanette had to admit she was right about that. “And two?”

“Since Noah starts tomorrow L.A. time, I need to brief him on a few things.”

Jeanette sighed. “Sorry, but we just thought of having you two help at the last minute.”

“No prob. The elevator just dinged. Ooh! Here he comes. Hubba hubba. Okay, I’ll call you later tonight to give you the latest. Bye.”

Jeanette looked at her cell. Renee couldn’t get off the phone fast enough. She shook her head, she then glanced around her area and saw people working frantically, trying to get the next copy out.

She got up and walked around acknowledging people here and there, but her mind was really someplace else. She had another issue to worry about now. Renee and Noah.

Renee couldn’t stop singing the praises of this man. If he looked anything like his brother, she could understand why. She just hoped she didn’t get caught up like she did. They both needed to focus and not get swept up with these gorgeous hunks.

It was then she decided to do a little investigating. She knew not to do anything until they called them later tonight. But she would take some mental notes all the same.

She went to the purchasing department and noticed three employees with their heads buried in their laptops.

“Hello,” she said, coming up behind one of them.

“Madre!” The man turned around. “Oh, bonjour madam.” The man stood up and held out his hand. Jeanette reached over to take it, but he grabbed it then brought it to his lips.

“You are more beautiful than the men are saying. I am Kevin.”

Jeanette looked at the man still holding her hand. He was tall and thin, but handsome. A little older than the young people she was used to seeing. He had wavy salt and pepper hair. He wore glasses with an invisible frame and he had dimples to die for.

“Hello Kevin. Wow, I didn’t know I was the talk of the office,” Jeanette said, finally getting her hand back.

“Oh, yes, you and Adam. Beautiful couple, beautiful.”

Man. These people spent more time on hooking people up than actual work. “Umm…we’re not actually a couple—”

The man clutched his chest dramatically. “That is a crime. So madam is free?”

“No, madam is not free!” Came a booming voice.

Jeanette turned around a saw Adam standing by one of the cubicles. He looked like an angry Tarzan now. Woe be to Kevin.

She looked back over at Kevin, who was smiling that smile men give when they want to challenge.

Too much testosterone in the room. She moved away and went to another employee. A woman this time. She would let Adam and Kevin have it out if that’s what they wanted to do. She was having no part of it. Later she looked over and saw the two now engaged in an animated conversation.

“You got the eye of the supervisor,” the lady next to her said.

Jeanette looked down at the petite redhead sitting in her chair. “Huh?”

“Kevin is our supervisor. Not available, but a flirt.” She winked.

Oh brother. Did these people get commission on paring people up? Then Jeanette realized something. “Kevin supervises the purchasing department?”

“Oui. He’s what you call a micro manager,” the girl whispered to her.

Hmm. Her kind of person and someone she really needed to talk to. She casually walked around the area and saw several people on the phone placing orders. Then something caught her ears.

“That’s four whiteboards, six permanent makers in black and three five inch D-ring binders. Okay put in your purchase order with all the info and email it to me.”

Jeanette stood behind the lady. Not right behind her, but close enough that she could see and hear what she was doing.

She wanted to see just how an order was placed from here and then went into the software system.

It looked like the person called in and ordered everything over the phone. The employee then verifies the orders and puts it in her system. Then she tells the employee that is ordering the items to submit a computerized purchase order.

When the lady was finished with the person over the telephone, she sat and waited for an email. When it came through she then compared it to what she entered. After she checked things off, she sent another email.

To where, Jeanette wasn’t sure. Just like the L.A. office. She would ask Adam.

And speaking of, she noticed him still speaking with Kevin and pointing in her general direction.

What the hell was he saying?

***

Adam had to set Kevin straight. Even though he was married himself, he was an insatiable flirt. In fact, he had to set a lot of men straight. Every since they landed in Paris, every man from the pilot of the plane to the bellboy wanted to get to ‘know’ Jeanette a little better.

This problem could have been solved very easily if Jeanette would cooperate and mention the fact that she and he were in a relationship. But since she was making it seem like they were just co-workers here to do a job, the men saw her as fair game.

Adam sighed to himself. The fact was they weren’t in a relationship and that was the dilemma.

So he decided instead of beating Kevin to a pulp, he would enlist his help. He gave him a brief description of his problem and Kevin being like most Frenchman was a hopeless romantic agreed to help him.

“And you Americans say that we are impulsive.”

“Never mind that. Can I count on you and your wife?”

“Of course. Anything for a friend and to bring more lovers together.”

Adam went over to Jeanette. He noticed her motioning to him. She must have hit on something.

As he walked over, she went to the left of the department and waited for him in a hallway.