Trouble Don’t Last Always (40 page)

Here’s an excerpt from Francis Ray’s next book

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Coming May 2004

There was no man in her life, and never had been. She’d always been shy and a loner. One of the reasons she had chosen to major in Computer Science was that she dealt with machines better than people. She had viewed working overtime and on holidays as a way of reaching her goal of being financially independent by the time she was fifty. Marriage and family would come, but she was too busy trying to rise in her profession to date. Now, at thirty-nine, she had done neither.

Standing to go to the kitchen, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror over the dresser in her bedroom. Everything about her was ordinary: her face, her eyes, her mouth, and her nose. She’d never stop traffic the way Brooke did and certainly didn’t have the air of confidence or poise that Lorraine possessed. She didn’t have that sparkle, that zip.

For some odd reason she thought of Brooke’s comment about her missed opportunity with Gray. It would be laughable if it weren’t so implausible. By the time he turned thirteen and was almost six feet tall, girls were always after him. He could have had his pick. The daughter of the cook and the chauffeur wasn’t even in the running…not that she wanted to be.

Annoyed with herself for letting her mind wander to something totally off base, she left her bedroom and headed for the beach. Perhaps a walk would clear her head.

Her hand clamped around the cell phone, Brooke paced the floor and waited for Randolph to pick up. It was barely ten minutes after four Saturday morning. This was her third time trying to reach him since she’d set her alarm clock for four. Last night she kept getting his machine. Every time she’d think he might be out with another woman, she’d glance at her gold bracelet on her wrist. He must have been too tired to check his messages last night and simply forgotten this morning.

Randolph loved her. He’d told her that numerous time. Once she talks to him everything will be all right. Perhaps he’ll even ask her to marry him now and she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a new job at all. She’d be too busy planning her wedding.

“Peterson.”

Hearing Randolph’s voice Brooke felt tears sting her eyes and blinked them away. Randolph didn’t like emotional women. “Randolph, thank goodness. I’ve been trying to reach you since yesterday.”

“I had a lot of work to do and I had the machine on. I was trying to finish this morning, but the phone kept disturbing me,” he grumbled.

Brooke tried to remember how Randolph hated being interrupted. “I’m sorry, but something terrible had happened.”

“You’re dumping me?”

Brooke blinked. “No, honey, you know I love you…it’s something else. Yesterday I was laid off.”

“What! What did you do?”

She was almost as shocked by his second question as she was by his first. “I didn’t do anything! It was my supervisor, Opal Seevers, she’s always had it in for me and because Middleton is going through restructuring, she probably put my name at the top of the list to go. The hag.”

“Restructuring doesn’t work that way, Brooke. Upper management has some say so in the leveling process, but consultants usually have the final say on the positions that are expendable.”

Her hand tunneled though her hair in rising irritation. Randolph could be so…so analytical and logical at times. “Randolph, we’re talking about my job. They only gave me two weeks severance pay.”

“You’ll find another position. You’re smart, savvy, and gorgeous. I can think of several companies that would snap you up.”

She perked up. “Which ones? Can you call them?”

“You don’t need me to do that, dear. One of the reasons I’m so crazy about you is your resourcefulness. You’ll find another job and be back in management before I get home. Now, I have to run. These reports are due Monday morning and I want to make sure they’re on time and correct. The bank president and the board will be there. I need to make a good impression.”

“But Randolph—”

“You’ll do fine. I really must get back to those reports. I’ll call later. Bye.”

“But ...” Her voice trailed off as she realized he’d hung up on her. How could he have done that to her? Cell phone in her hand, she swallows the growing knot in her throat. She’d thought he’d be sympathetic, offer encouragement. He’d done none of those things. She tried to hang on to his promise that’s he call later. Laying down in bed, she snapped out the light, put her arm over her eyes and wished she could call her mother.