Show and Tell (47 page)
He wanted to tear the words out of her. If Grace screwed him over now, so be it. There was nothing in the photos that would lead back to Trinity. He wouldn’t let Grace’s threat hang over him. Yet he had a feeling . . .
“Scott’s correct.” She concentrated on the papers spackling Rudd’s desk. “I’ve analyzed the reserves. There isn’t a penny to use. If we touch the M4 warranty reserve, the auditors and the SEC will be down our throats. We could get slapped not only with negligence, but fraud.” She swallowed, then exhaled in a rush.
She didn’t have the guts, or maybe she’d never meant the threat in the first place. He figured it was the latter.
Rudd gave only a one-word reply—“Fuck”—then subsided into his chair. “My ass is grass,” he finally said.
“Last year is in the toilet, Ron, but this year is looking pretty damn good.” Scott wondered why he was offering the man a bone. The company would be better off without Rudd’s leadership, yet anything else felt like grinding the man into the dirt.
“Yeah.” Ron sighed, then grabbed a pen and signed the document. A superfluous act since it got filed electronically, the signature was nevertheless a surrender.
Rather than belabor the victory, Scott exited, Grace in tow. The main hall between Accounting and the executives was empty. Scott stopped as the door closed, and they were alone.
“How did you know what went on in the hotel room?”
She sighed. “I didn’t. I was hiding behind a potted plant”—the ubiquitous potted plant, he almost laughed—“and I saw the guy scribble something on a napkin. You picked it up after he was gone, then you both followed him to the elevators. I thought if I pushed your buttons a little, made you think I knew, I’d trick you into telling me what happened. I was so upset that you couldn’t seem to leave her alone.” She grabbed a great breath of air, then lowered her voice to a whisper. “And
I
couldn’t seem to leave it alone. I just needed . . . something.” The last word was merely a puff of air.
I
couldn’t seem to leave it alone. I just needed . . . something.” The last word was merely a puff of air.
He almost understood. He felt the same about Trinity. He needed something she couldn’t give, and it made him fucking crazy, too. But Grace had crossed the line. “So you thought you could blackmail me into”—he spread his hands—“what?”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t going to do anything with the pictures. I didn’t think about telling Mr. Rudd until . . . well, in your office. You were so immovable. I wanted to hurt you.” The tears welled up in her voice, trembled on her lips, but she controlled them before they reached her eyes. “I lost my mind a little,” she murmured. “The divorce.” She swayed slightly, as if her footing wasn’t sure. “You were so understanding.”
He’d never been
that
understanding.
that
understanding.
“I’ve screwed it all up.” She swallowed again, hard.
Their working relationship was in the dumper. Anything else was never a possibility. “I want your resignation.”
She clipped her badge off her jacket and laid it across his palm. “It’ll be effective today.”
That would put him in a bind with the year-end wrap-up. Scott didn’t care. “And the visitor badge.”
She blinked, looked at him a long moment, then reached into her pocket and laid it on top of her personal badge. Damn, she’d been carrying it with her. At his suspicious glance, she shook her head. “I didn’t plan it. I was leaving that night, and I saw you down in the garage with her. You went upstairs, and . . .” She blinked. “The way the two of you were, it wasn’t business. Then I remembered the badge.”
“How convenient.” It sounded pretty damn premeditated.
She dipped her head. “I admit I didn’t want you to find out I’d followed you. And I was always remembering that damn badge at the end of the day after I’d already locked up, but I kept forgetting to return it.” He could almost hear her swallow. “I didn’t use it again,” she added.
He knew that. Mark had confirmed the ID never came up. Scott went on with his other demands. “The photos, Grace. Trash them.” There were no guarantees, but he sensed she was done with her threats. “And lose my personal e-mail address.” From time to time, he’d sent her files when he was working from home, just as he’d done with Elton, even Rudd. He’d get a new address and stick with work on company e-mail only. Live and learn.
“I will,” she said, adding softly, “I think I need to take some time off.” She bent her head and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened to me.”
Then she entered the Accounting Department. Holding the door open, he watched her disappear around a cubicle corner.
She went a little crazy, that’s what happened. You said and did things you didn’t mean because you couldn’t get what you wanted, and you were suddenly willing to do anything without even realizing how completely
off
it was.
off
it was.
He was no better than Grace. As Trinity had accused, he’d put his own needs above hers. He wouldn’t accept her terms, unwilling even to consider a compromise. And like a child who didn’t get the Christmas gift he’d asked for, Scott tossed aside what she offered as if it were the crumpled wrapping paper.
Yet he would never be satisfied with less than her total commitment. He would always be wanting more from her than she could give. In a way, love and passion with Trinity would end up being as big a struggle as they had been with Katy.
He wasn’t sure he had the guts to go through all that again.
21
“ ‘DON’T worry about him, he’s an asshole’?” After reading aloud, Mr. Wanamaker looked at her over the rim of his glasses. “You haven’t been in the work world for long, Miss Green, but I would have thought you understood that you don’t CC vendors on e-mails where you refer to them as assholes. It’s just not done.”
Trinity gripped the armrests of the chair in Mr. W.’s office. Anthony Ackerman stood by the window, eerily like that scene weeks ago when she’d downloaded the bank data twice.
It’s just not done.
Mr. W. sounded like her mother.
Mr. W. sounded like her mother.
Her Sunday had been miserable, Scott filling her mind. She wanted to beg him to forget everything she’d said, yet nothing had changed. They were at a stalemate. He couldn’t be satisfied with what they had; she couldn’t give
more
and maintain her own sense of self. Or hell, at least
define
that for herself. Then there was Daddy. He’d been miffed she’d left the dinner party right after he’d told her not to mess things up with Scott. Yet despite sleeping badly Sunday night, she wasn’t a second late Monday morning. Her job was all she had now.
more
and maintain her own sense of self. Or hell, at least
define
that for herself. Then there was Daddy. He’d been miffed she’d left the dinner party right after he’d told her not to mess things up with Scott. Yet despite sleeping badly Sunday night, she wasn’t a second late Monday morning. Her job was all she had now.
Yet little more than half a day into the workweek, Mr. Wanamaker had called her on the carpet. “I didn’t refer to him as an asshole, sir.”
Wanamaker turned the paper toward her and stabbed. “It says right here. From Trinity Green to Inga Rice, CC
our vendor
.” His voice rose with the last two words, and the sheet jiggled so much she couldn’t make out a single line item.
our vendor
.” His voice rose with the last two words, and the sheet jiggled so much she couldn’t make out a single line item.
Trinity gritted her teeth. “I’m afraid there’s been some mistake, because I didn’t send that e-mail.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Mr. Wanamaker raised an eyebrow at Anthony as if to say, “What the heck are you going to do when on top of being an idiot, she’s a liar
and
the boss’s daughter?”
and
the boss’s daughter?”
Well, she wasn’t a liar, she was a victim once again. “Somehow an error has been made.”
Anthony jumped in, cutting her off. “Inga assures me it was an honest mistake, that you accidentally hit Reply All when you didn’t mean to. Happens to the best of us.”
Well, it didn’t
happen
to her.
Someone
had done it deliberately, obviously after Trinity had talked to the man at the beginning of last week and straightened out the issue he’d created with Inga. For now, though, she had Mr. Wanamaker to pacify. “I did
not
send that e-mail, accidental or otherwise”—she gave Mr. W. her best quelling look when he opened his mouth—“however, I realize that
our
vendor needs reassurance and that’s the most important thing right now. I’ll take care of it immediately.”
happen
to her.
Someone
had done it deliberately, obviously after Trinity had talked to the man at the beginning of last week and straightened out the issue he’d created with Inga. For now, though, she had Mr. Wanamaker to pacify. “I did
not
send that e-mail, accidental or otherwise”—she gave Mr. W. her best quelling look when he opened his mouth—“however, I realize that
our
vendor needs reassurance and that’s the most important thing right now. I’ll take care of it immediately.”
Mr. Wanamaker couldn’t resist tacking on his own two cents. “It’s going to be a tricky tap dance. He’s angry enough to cancel the order.”
Trinity smiled. “Leave it to me, Mr. Wanamaker, I’ll handle the situation with the necessary tact.”
Her CFO, who on Saturday had been
Paul
instead of
Mr. Wanamaker
, slid his glasses all the way to the end of his nose, and something flickered in his eyes. A little bit of respect? “Thank you, Miss Green. I appreciate you putting your utmost attention to the matter.”
Paul
instead of
Mr. Wanamaker
, slid his glasses all the way to the end of his nose, and something flickered in his eyes. A little bit of respect? “Thank you, Miss Green. I appreciate you putting your utmost attention to the matter.”
She thought of telling him that Inga had sent the e-mail to make Trinity look bad. First, however, she couldn’t prove it, and second, you didn’t blame your subordinates because the buck stops with you. It was better that she’d refuted his charge without impugning anyone else. She’d take care of Inga herself.
“I assure you I take this job very seriously.” She went on, “In fact, I have a list of improvements I’d like to implement with Mr. Ackerman’s permission.” Then she gave Wanamaker the nod. “And yours.” She’d worked on the list all morning. It kept her from thinking about Scott, from missing him, from aching inside, but primarily because she
wanted
to do a good job no matter what anyone else thought of her.
wanted
to do a good job no matter what anyone else thought of her.
She turned to Anthony. “May I use your office to make the phone call?”
Wanamaker made the decision. “You can use my office, Miss Green. Take all the time you need.” On Saturday, she’d been
Trinity
. Then again, the use of
Miss Green
seemed deferential, as if he believed she might be able to pacify their vendor, and, in fact, do it well. He crooked his finger. “Ackerman, follow me.”
Trinity
. Then again, the use of
Miss Green
seemed deferential, as if he believed she might be able to pacify their vendor, and, in fact, do it well. He crooked his finger. “Ackerman, follow me.”
Alone, Trinity sat at Mr. W.’s desk and picked up the phone. Her plan was simple. She explained the incident was a practical joke gone awry, one she’d deal with in her own way, assured her vendor no one at Green would refer to him as an asshole, nor even think it, least of all her as they’d worked so well together, and she hoped to continue with the excellent working relationship.
In the end, she had
him
apologizing for making an issue.
him
apologizing for making an issue.
She didn’t take blame, didn’t grovel, and the man still came around to her way of thinking. Wow. All her life she’d
groveled
to make sure people liked her. That’s why keeping Scott a secret had been so important, because for once she didn’t have to grovel. She didn’t get judged. She got to be naughty without being bad. She’d never had to compromise herself with Scott. For him, she’d been real, asked for what she wanted. Loved it.
groveled
to make sure people liked her. That’s why keeping Scott a secret had been so important, because for once she didn’t have to grovel. She didn’t get judged. She got to be naughty without being bad. She’d never had to compromise herself with Scott. For him, she’d been real, asked for what she wanted. Loved it.
The only thing he’d ever asked for was
more
. She’d assumed
more
meant giving away pieces of herself to satisfy him.
more
. She’d assumed
more
meant giving away pieces of herself to satisfy him.
Yet Scott hadn’t been the one she’d compromised herself with. That she’d done for Inga, practically begging the woman to like her. The harsh reality was that some people were
never
going to like you. Inga was one of them. Trinity either had to put up with it. Or quit.
never
going to like you. Inga was one of them. Trinity either had to put up with it. Or quit.
“I will
not
let her take this job away from me,” she whispered through clenched teeth.
not
let her take this job away from me,” she whispered through clenched teeth.
She was not going to sit still for being a victim or an idiot one minute longer.
Stabbing the hook flash with her finger, she then dialed Inga’s number. “Wanamaker’s office. In here. Now,” she said without giving Inga a chance to say more than hello.
“I’m in the middle of—”
Trinity cut her off. “I said
now
.” Then she jabbed the hook flash one more time and put the phone down.
now
.” Then she jabbed the hook flash one more time and put the phone down.
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