Page 10 of A Girl Like Janet

Reese was pacing the floor, his hands crossed over his chest, and for a moment Janet saw him as a general ready to wage battle.

“Yes?” Her voice was shaky.

“Is it true you’re going out with my father Saturday night?” he lashed out, his voice heavy with contempt.

“What?” Janet asked, her eyes wide with shock.

A muscle twitched in his jaw. He leaned forward, placing the palms of his hands on the desk she’d recently cleared. “Just

what kind of game are you playing anyway?”

“I’m not playing any games. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she denied.

If possible, his face hardened all the more. “Then what did my father mean when he said if I—” He paused and started again

with controlled patience. “When he said he was taking you to dinner Saturday.”

Mentally Janet reviewed the conversation with Samuel Edwards. “Oh,” she inhaled, recalling the teasing.

“Is it or is it not true?” Reese demanded sharply.

“I don’t believe that’s any of your business, Mr. Edwards. My personal life is no concern of yours. I can date whom I please.”

A vicious finger was directed at her. “I will not tolerate my employees using my father for their own purposes. Is that understood?”

For a moment Janet stood frozen, unable to move. What kind of person did Reese think she was? “I understand all right,” she

mumbled. “I understand very well.”

Pivoting sharply, she walked out of the door. She paused at her desk, dumped the flowers in the wastepaper basket and tucked

the vase under her arm.

Gail looked shocked for a moment, then followed her out. “What was that all about?”

“You don’t want to know.” Her voice trembled with reaction.

“I may not want to know, but half the company heard what was going on he was shouting so loud. Are you really going out with

the senior Mr. Edwards?”

“Of course not,” Janet swallowed. “It was a joke, he didn’t mean it any more than I did.”

Gail shook her head and hurried her pace to match her friend’s. “Teasing or not, Reese Edwards certainly took it seriously.”

Hands on hips, Janet swiveled around. “Then that’s his problem!”

The air hadn’t cleared Monday morning and when Gail stopped by Janet’s office on her way for coffee she whispered, “How can

you two work together?”

“I do as I’m asked and nothing more. We don’t need to be bosom buddies for me to be his secretary.”

“Yeah, but aren’t you afraid of frostbite? I stepped in your office and the atmosphere was so cold I wanted to reach for a

parka.”

Janet took her coffee and sat at one of the long tables in the cafeteria. “I don’t know what to do,” she said with a long

sigh. “He’s leaving this afternoon and won’t be back until late Thursday. Maybe everything will blow over by then.”

“Have you tried praying about it?” Gail inquired gently.

“Oh honestly, Gail, of course I’ve tried. Well sort of, but it’s hard.”

“It’s always difficult to pray for someone like Mr. Edwards, but Jesus claimed in the Sermon on the Mount that—”

“Now you’re beginning to sound like my dad,” Janet interrupted impatiently. “I grew up listening to a thousand sermons. I

don’t need one from my best friend.”

Gail’s hand cupped the Styrofoam cup. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound preachy.”

Janet swallowed uncomfortably. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t need to be so rude. This thing is getting to me, more than I want

to admit.”

“It’d get to anyone.”

Without a word to Janet, Reese walked out of the office before noon, his briefcase in his hand. For a moment Janet sat stunned.

He was leaving for the conference and hadn’t left instructions for her or murmured one unnecessary word the entire morning.

For one crazy minute she thought she was going to cry. How long could she continue to work with this cold war between them.

Reese had been angry with her before, but nothing like this.

After lunch Janet discovered a curt list of instructions Reese had written for her on top of his desk. He hadn’t even had

the decency to hand it to her.

Janet was miserable all day. Gail was watching her closely on the way home, the dark eyes full of concern. Unusually quiet,

Janet curled up on the sofa to read and wrapped a blanket over her feet. Gail and Ben were going out for a movie, and Janet

was glad for the time alone. She felt the need for privacy tonight.

Gail wandered into the living room to wait for Ben. “What are you reading?”

Janet held up her Bible and smiled. “The Sermon on the Mount.”

Gail chuckled and started to say something but was interrupted by Ben’s knock. “I’ll see you later; we can talk if you want.”

Janet raised her hand and gave a friendly wave. “Have a good time.”

She did pray for Reese, not so much for their relationship but for him as a man. She prayed for the conference he was attending,

and his safety as he flew back to Denver. Her thoughts were dominated by him, and every time she felt depressed or worried

she paused and murmured a quick prayer.

By Thursday afternoon Janet was eager to see him again. The thought surprised her as she placed the mail on his desk. He hadn’t

told her what time his flight landed; he’d only said when he would be in the office. Several times she found herself staring

at the wall clock, mentally tabulating how much longer before he was due.

As it was he was twenty minutes late. Janet had long since run out of things to do and was cleaning out the filing cabinet

when he opened the door to her office.

Her heart stopped at the sight of him. He looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept the entire time he was away. Janet’s hand froze

on the file she was replacing. The tight line of his mouth told her he was in no better humor than when he’d left.

Her voice nearly failed her. “Welcome back, Mr. Edwards.” Reese stopped and glared at her, his eyes dark and unfriendly.

Janet smiled, her lips trembling with the effort. She didn’t know where the ability to greet him warmly had come from, but

she didn’t stop to question it. “I’ve placed the mail on your desk. There’s a letter from Leon Fairfield you might wish to

read over, but other than that everything has run smoothly while you were away.” Her lashes fluttered downward as the ability

to meet his eyes deserted her. She finished placing the folder in the filing cabinet.

“It’s good to be back.”

Somehow Janet had expected a sarcastic reply or a bitter retort, but not friendliness or relief in his voice. Slowly, very

slowly she raised her eyes to meet his. Reese was smiling. One of those earth-shattering, bone-melting smiles he was capable

of delivering without the least effort. There wasn’t a woman alive who wouldn’t be affected by it. Relief washed over Janet,

and for the first time in days she relaxed.

Reese entered his office and fifteen minutes later buzzed for her. Janet knew him well enough to realize he’d want to deal

with his mail first, so she took her steno pad and pencil in with her.

She wasn’t halfway through the door when he ordered, “Take a letter.” Automatically she sat in the chair opposite his desk,

her mouth curved upward. Things were back to normal.

Partway through typing up Reese’s correspondence, she was buzzed by him again. “Can you stay late tonight, Janet? There’s

an estimate I’d like to have completed for Tom Wilson.” Her hesitation was only momentary, but enough for Reese to notice.

“I forgot,” he said with dry sarcasm, “it’s Thursday. Forget I asked.”

“How... how late?” She didn’t want to do anything to destroy this fragile cease-fire between them.

He hesitated. “About an hour, maybe two.”

“I’ll stay, if I can use the phone for a personal call.”

She could hear amusement in his voice. “Feel free.”

As soon as she released the button for the intercom, Janet phoned her mother.

“I have to stay late tonight,” she explained.

“Oh dear. Joel’s going to be disappointed. This happened last week too.” Her mother sighed.

“I know. Is there any possibility you can bring him to the office?” Janet hated to ask, especially since her mother didn’t

like driving in the downtown traffic. But she hated to disappoint her brother two consecutive weeks. “We were going to a movie

and still could if I didn’t need to pick him up.”

“What a good idea.” There was a quick rush of noise from the background, probably from Joel. “What time should I be there?”

Janet gave her mother the time and buzzed Reese. “Everything’s been arranged, Mr. Edwards. Joel’s meeting me here.”

“Fine.” The one word was clipped and controlled. “Get Bunny Jacobs on the phone for me; I have some arrangements of my own

to make.” Janet pressed her lips together so tightly her teeth hurt.

When Janet had the correspondence ready for Reese’s signature, he handed her several pages of the detailed estimate. A quick

review showed that it wasn’t as complicated as she expected and she would probably have it done in the time allotted.

Her mother and Joel walked in while the report was coming out of the printer.

“Hi, Janny.” Joel looked around the room with curious eyes. “What’s that?” He pointed to the intercom on her desk.

“It’s called an intercom. I use it to talk to my boss, Mr. Edwards,” she explained. “Be sure and don’t touch it.”

“Will it be all right to leave now?” her mother quizzed, glancing around the unfamiliar surroundings. “Your father’s double-parked

and I don’t want to be long.”

“Sure. Go ahead, Mom. And thanks.” Janet walked her mother to the door and turned to see Joel press down the switch to the

intercom.

“Joel,” she snapped. “I told you to leave that alone.”

“Oh heavens. I hope you’re going to be finished here soon,” her mother sighed. “Otherwise Joel’s going to be a handful.”

“We’ll manage.”

No sooner had the door closed after her mother than Reese stepped out of his office. Janet’s nerves jumped at the harsh amusement

in his face.

“What’s going on here? I was on the phone and...” He stopped, noticing Joel for the first time.

As always when someone first met her brother, Janet experienced a defensive rush of emotion. One look told even the casual