Texas OilMan's Bride (Mail Order Bride Series) (5 page)

It was a practice of Texas Fuel that all newcomers were on a ninety day probation period.  At the end of the period, the assigned supervisor would write an evaluation, that would determine the future of the person on probation.  Bill Barnes came to Jonathon’s office and said, “Jonathon, it’s time for you to do Laura’s 90 day evaluation.  It needs to be done by Friday.

Aware he was on the verge of becoming serious about her, he thought,
I can’t let this go any further.  This is my chance to get rid of her. I’d better do it now before it goes any further
,  so he wrote a scathing report.

Ignoring the fact she was the most competent person with whom he had ever worked, his report stated, “Miss Ingram is not a team player, all efforts are directed at self-aggrandizement.  She takes credit for other people’s work.  In my opinion, she doesn’t have the technical skills necessary to succeed in this field.  Her talents appear to be more suited to an office environment.”

Rather than run it by Barnes, he submitted it directly to the corporate offices. 
This is going to take several weeks to get approved, I have to make sure I keep her at a distance. I don’t want or need an office romance. 
The evaluation went into the mail that same day.

The next day, Barnes stopped by Jonathon’s office.  “Johnny, I’ve got to be in Houston for a few days.  I’ll need you to look after things for me.”

“Sure thing, Bill.  I’ll take care of things.  By the way, I put Laura’s evaluation in the mail.”

“I wanted to write something on it before it went out,” Barnes said.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize it.  I should have given it to you.

“No big deal, “ Barnes said.  “I’ll tell Rebecca you said hello.”

“You’re going to see Becky?”

“Yeah, we’re having dinner tomorrow night.  Is that a problem for you?”

“No problem.  I’ve never known her to go out much, that’s all,” Johnny said.

“I enjoyed her company while she was here and I’d like to see more of her.  I’d better go, I don’t want to miss the train.  Let me know if anything unexpected comes up.”

“You got it.  Have a good trip.  I’ll keep everything humming here.”

Friday afternoon, Beaumont office of Texas Fuel…

Barnes stuck his head in Johnny’s office.  “Everything under control here?” he asked. 

“As quiet as a church,” he said.  How was Houston?”

“Big, noisy.  Every time I go there, they’ve thrown up a new building.  Rebecca sends her love, by the way.  We had dinner every night.  I like her.  I wish her firm would assign her to Beaumont full time.  Seeing her once a month is not often enough for me.”

“Bill, remember, she’s my sister,” Johnny said.

“Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked.

“No just reminding you.  I don’t want her to get hurt.  I worry about her, being in Houston and all.  She’s not used to the ways of a big town.”

“I don’t know about that.  She seemed to know her way around.  Besides, Austin is a big town too, and she was there four years.  In any event, she’s old enough to take care of herself.  She has nothing to worry about coming from me.”

“Actually three years.  She finished college in three years,” Johnny said.

* * *

Standing outside Johnny’s office, Laura rapped on the door frame.  He looked up and motioned her to come in.  “What is it,” he asked irritably.  “I’m busy.”

“Am I to continue working with Charles on his new project, or do I work with you?  Do I still take work directions from you or do I take them from Bill?  I’m sort of in limbo.  I don’t want to cause any more problems than already exist.”

“You will continue to work with Chuck as long as you’re here, unless otherwise directed by Bill or by me.”

“What do you mean by as long as I’m here?  I’m not going anywhere.  I was assigned here by the corporate office, just as I presume you were.”  She paused.  “Okay, you win, I’ll work with Chuck.  We make a good team, anyway.  I’ll not bother you again.”  Her voice broke as she spoke.  She had never experienced failure in any activity.  This was a first, and she had no clue why she was failing.  Her shoulders slumped, she went back to the work area, she now shared with Chuck.

“I guess we’re partners again, if you’ll have me.  Johnny doesn’t need me.  Can we get it done?”

Chuck said, “I’m glad to work with you.  You did a good job on the last project and made some major contributions.  You made us both look good.

“Hey Laura,” Chuck called out as Laura prepared to leave for the day.  “Want to stop off at the Gusher?  Several of us are going to stop for a beer.  You’re welcome to join us.”

“Thanks,” she said.  “I’d like that.”

Bill Barnes and his guest were among the group that stopped for a beer.  “Mind if we join you?” he asked, as they stood by the table where Laura and Chuck were sitting.  “You know Rebecca Thomas I believe?  She’s an attorney with the firm in Houston that handles our account.”

“I know Laura,” she said.  “How is my little brother treating you?” she asked, receiving a brief shake of the head as a reply.  Turning to Chuck, she said, “I’m Rebecca Thomas.  It’s nice to meet you.”

“No, come on, grab some chairs.  The more the merrier.  So you’re Johnny’s sister?” Chuck said, as he slid his chair over to make room.  He waved his arm above his head to signal for another round.

“I’m afraid so,” she said.  “Is he going to be joining us?”

“He rarely comes here,” Chuck said.  “He usually works late.”

“How do you like being exposed to the master,” Bill asked of Laura. 

“Thanks, Bill.  But Johnny is the master, not me,” Chuck said.

“You’re working with Chuck?” Bill asked.

“Johnny assigned me to work with Chuck on the report he created, and that was continued today.  We make a good team too.”

“I’m sure you do,” Bill said, as he realized he had just been told his directions regarding Laura had been ignored.  Not wanting to put her in the middle of office politics, he changed the subject.

Laura excused herself, to go to the ladies room.  “Wait, I’ll join you,” Rebecca said.  After they left the table, Rebecca said, “Judging by Bill’s reaction, my brother is still being a jerk.”

“I don’t think I should be talking about Johnny,” Laura said.

“I think he’s threatened by you,” Rebecca said.  “You’re a beautiful, intelligent girl, and you intimidate him.  When either Cassie or I tell him something, he knows we are not after his job.  When he’s around you, he sees you as the competition.”

“I’ve never said or done anything to give him that impression.  We came here one evening after both of us worked late and he seemed to fit in.  I enjoyed his company.  I actually like him.”  On the verge of tears, she said, “I shouldn’t say this, but I think he would like to get rid of me.”

“He wouldn’t dare try anything like that.  Bill wouldn’t tolerate it,” Rebecca said.

Laura said, “Never one to mind my own business and desperately wanting to change the subject, are you seeing Bill?”

Rebecca laughed.  “I am.  When he was in Houston, we had a couple of meetings together, and had dinner.  We hit it off well, and wound up going out each night he was there.  I like him.”

“He seems to go out of his way to be fair to everyone.  He’s well liked in the office.  I wish I could find someone like him.  I haven’t been out since I left Boston.”

“You don’t sound as if you’re from Boston,” Rebecca said.

“I’m not.  I went to college there.  I’m from a ranch not far from Beaumont.”

“Tell me you went to Harvard,” Rebecca said.  “You did, didn’t you?”

Smiling, Laura admitted she had graduated from Harvard.  “My family is firmly rooted in Texas though.  They’re in both the oil and cattle business.”

“Your last name is Ingram, isn’t it? 
THE
Ingram family?”

“Yes, don’t tell anyone, please.  No one knows, not even Bill.  I want to make it on my own, without relying on the family name.”

Rebecca laughed heartily.  “Johnny should be intimidated by you.  Not only are you beautiful and intelligent, you’re rich.  I’d love to see his face when he finds out.”

Laura pleaded.  “Please don’t tell anyone.  I just want to be me.”

“Girl, I like you.  I’d love to have you for a sister-in-law, and a friend. We could really have some fun together.  If only I had another brother.”

“Thank you, Rebecca.  I’d like to be your friend.  I appreciate you keeping my secret.”

“We’d better get back to the table before they send out a search party,” Rebecca said.

When they returned to the table, they were surprised to see Johnny sitting there.  They couldn’t know he had watched for some time, from just inside the door,  “I didn’t know you were going to be in town, Becky,” Johnny said.

“I had some business to take care of with one of the other companies, and when I called Bill to tell him, he invited me to dinner.”

“Are you going to be staying at my place?” he asked.

“If you promise to be nice I’d like to,” she said. 

“I’ll leave a light on for you then.”

Later…

“I need to get going,” Laura said.

“I’ll walk you home,” Johnny said, missing the distressed look on Chuck’s face.  Chuck had planned to escort her home.

In front of her building, Laura said, “Thanks for seeing me home.  I appreciate it.”

She started to walk up the steps.  Johnny grabbed her arm, and pulled her into his arms.  Cupping his hand behind her head, he kissed her.  Firmly.  Roughly.  His breathing heavy, he released her.  She slapped his face.  “What do you think you’re doing.  You had no right to do that.”

“I guess it would be all right if I were Chuck,” he said.

She started to swing again, but he caught her arm.  Looking into her blue eyes, he said, “I apologize.  You’re right, That was totally uncalled for.  I’m sorry, don’t know what came over me.  You were here, and you were going inside.  I’m not the type of person that forces himself on a woman.”

“I accept your apology.  Good night, Johnny.”

He stood outside the building long after the light had come on in her apartment, then trudged home.

Standing in the shadows
behind a curtain, Laura looked at the man standing in front of her building. 
I don’t understand this man
, she thought. 
He treats me as if I have the plague, then shows up and insists on walking me home, and then he kisses me like that.  It was a nice kiss.  I could have enjoyed it under normal circumstances.  I do like him.  I wish I understood where he’s coming from. 

His sister says he’s intimidated by me.  How can I be a threat to him.  He’s the expert here and all I want to do is learn from him.
  She turned a lamp on and drew the curtains, then went to her bedroom. 

Johnny watched the silhouette draw the curtains.  There was nothing left to see, so he turned and slowly made his way home.  The house was dark when he arrived.  More than an hour later, he heard the door open, and then close, as Rebecca came in.  He came out of his bedroom and found her in the kitchen.

“You didn’t let me know you were coming to town,” he said.

“We didn’t exactly part on the best of terms,” she said.  “I wasn’t sure I would even see you this trip until Bill suggested we stop in at the Gusher, after we had dinner.”

“You seem to be seeing a lot of him.  Is it serious?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said.  “It could be.  I like him and enjoy his company.  I don’t know what kind of relationship we could have with him in Beaumont and me in Houston.”

“I don’t know whether I like the idea of you seeing him,” Johnny said.

“I really don’t care whether you like it or not.  It isn’t any of your business.  It’s obvious you’re no expert in dealing with the opposite sex.”

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

“I’m talking about the way you’ve treated Laura.  She’s an extremely nice girl who happens to be brilliant, as well as beautiful.  All she wants is to work with you and learn from you, yet you push her aside and assign her to some meaningless report.”

“That report was not meaningless,” he protested.

“Maybe not, but it didn’t need two people working on it.”

“That’s not for you to decide.  I had to have something for her to do, so that I could work on the blowout preventer.”

“And she couldn’t have helped with that?  Come on Johnny.  Don’t bullshit me.  I’m a lawyer, remember?  I’m an expert in that field.  You just don’t want to work with anyone.  You're selfish and rude on top of that.”

“You’re right about one thing.  I don’t like to work with anyone.”

“Why?  Are you afraid they’ll have an idea better than yours?  Aren’t you paid to get the best from the resources you have available?  Are you telling me you get the best from all of the resources you have. 

This is pointless, and I’m tired of arguing with you.  I’m going to call Bill to come get me.  I’ll stay with him until I go back to Houston.”

“You don’t mean that,” he said.  “You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?”

“I’m not, but it wouldn’t be any of your business if I were.  I like Bill.  He’s been a gentleman in every way.  More than I can say about you.”

He sat on the couch, his head in his hands.  “Laura brings out the worst in me,” he said.  She bothers me when she’s around, I worry about her when she’s not.  Tonight, when I walked her home, I kissed her.  I didn’t even think about it or plan it.  I just kissed her.”

“How did she take that?” Rebecca asked.

He rubbed his jaw, still smarting from the hard slap she had given him.  “She slapped me.  Hard.”

Rebecca laughed.  “Good for her.  You had it coming.  What are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to stay at least an arm’s length away from her for one thing,” he said.  “Beyond that, I don’t know.  She’s the smartest person I’ve worked with, probably better right now than any of the men in the department.”

“I’ve never thought of you even remotely as being a fool, Johnny.  Stupid at times, certainly arrogant, but you’re a fool if you don’t take advantage of the talents she has.  I like her, and she thinks you’re the best in the business.”

The next morning…

Johnny went to the work area where Chuck and Laura were reviewing some specifications of a new property.  “Laura, do you have a few minutes?  I’d like to talk to you.”

“Sure, I can break away.  Chuck doesn’t really need me for this,” she said.

“Let’s get a cup of coffee and go back to my office,” he said. 

Back in his office, he said, “About last night… I was way out of line.  I don’t know what came over me.  I was kissing you before I realized what I was doing.  It shows a complete lack of respect on my part.”

Uncomfortable with the conversation, Laura was silent for a minute before she said.  “I was surprised, no, make that really surprised.  I’m not going to apologize for slapping you.  You had it coming.”

“I did have it coming.  It has been called to my attention rather strongly, that I have treated you in an unprofessional manner from the beginning.  For that, I also apologize.  I’d like to start over, if I could.  Will you agree to that?”

“All I ever wanted was a chance to work with you Johnny.  I don’t have a hidden agenda.  Are you asking me to work on the blowout preventer?”

“I am.  I don’t want you to hold back.  If you think I’m missing something, tell me.  If you have a suggestion, put it on the table.  Deal?” he said and extended his hand.

“Deal,” she said, and shook the hand.

Aside from the unexpected kiss the previous night, it was the first time he had touched her.  The warm, soft hand touching his sent shocks through his body.  It was a strange feeling.  One he didn’t understand.  Holding the hand a little longer than necessary, he released it as a flush crept into his cheeks.

He’s embarrassed,
Laura thought to herself
  I wonder what Rebecca said to bring this change out.  Whatever it was, I’m glad.

They worked through the day together, with the close proximity causing occasional touching of their hands and arms.  Each contact caused electrical tremors in Johnny.  The rest of the department had already called it a day, when Johnny said, “I think we’re at a stopping point.  We made some progress today and you had some really good ideas.”

As they made their way out of the building, Johnny said, “I’d like to have dinner with you.  If I promise to behave, will you?”

“I’d like that,” she said.

“I’ll come by at seven if that’s okay,” Johnny said.

“Seven will be fine.  I’ll be ready,” she said.  “It’s been a good day, and I enjoyed it.  Thank you.”

When Johnny returned home, he was pleased to find Rebecca was still in town.  Are you going out?” he asked. 

“I’m having dinner with Bill,” she said.  “Do you have plans?”

“I’m taking Laura to dinner,” he said.

“Good.  Maybe there’s hope for you after all.”