Page 26 of A Girl Like Janet

“I’m aware of that.” She tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Pride wouldn’t allow Reese to admit he needed anyone or anything.

“Reese won’t ask you, but I will. Janet, for the sanity of the whole company, will you please come back?”

“No.” Arms hugging her waist, she turned and walked to the other side of the room. “I can’t,” she said with less conviction.

Her hand made a weak, sweeping gesture.

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.” To her horror, her voice cracked and she struggled for a moment to regain her composure. “I’m sorry Reese

is having trouble finding a replacement, but my returning would be impossible.” She had to force herself to speak.

“If you could come back and work out the two weeks’ notice. At least then there would be ample time for Reese to hire and

train someone else.”

Janet hesitated, the temptation strong to do as he asked. “All right,” she agreed. “But only until a suitable replacement

can be trained, and not a minute longer.”

Immediately the dull eyes brightened. “Wonderful.” He sat upright and clapped his hands. Cocking his head at an angle, he

paused. “Maybe it would be better if we didn’t mention my visit to Reese. No need to stir up a storm of indignation.”

Janet laughed. “I agree. When do you want me?”

“Is this afternoon too soon?” he asked as he stood. “From what I hear, Reese threw out the latest girl by nine-thirty this

morning. No one from steno will work for him and the agency couldn’t send in anyone else until Monday.”

Janet expelled her breath on a long sigh. Maybe it would be best to meet the lion in his lair now and avoid fretting over

the confrontation over the weekend. “I’ll be there within the hour.”

Samuel Edwards nodded approvingly. “Thank you, Janet.”

Thirty minutes later, Janet sauntered into Dyna-Flow. A hush fell over the floor as she walked out of the elevator. Lenny

Forrestal ran to greet her, fell to his knees and kissed the hem of her skirt.

“Are you coming back?” he pleaded, his hands folded as if in prayer. “Please, please tell me it’s true.”

Irritably, Janet glanced down at him. “Cut it out, Lenny.”

“Are you back for good?” someone Janet didn’t recognize called out to her.

It was better to set the record straight now. “No,” she explained in a crisp voice. “Only until someone else is trained.”

The murmuring sound of everyone speaking at once followed her down the corridor until she reached Reese’s office. Janet gasped

as she opened the door. Her cabinet drawers were open and files scattered over the carpet. Her desk was a mess of papers and

reports. It looked as if someone had splashed coffee over the contents of the entire desk.

Incensed, Janet briskly walked around the mess and knocked on Reese’s door.

“Go away.”

Ignoring his bad mood, Janet twisted the doorknob and stormed inside. Hands resting on her hips, her eyes flashing, Janet

glared at him indignantly. “I’m not even gone five days and this whole office looks like a pigpen. What’s going on?”

Reese leaped out of his high-backed leather chair. “What are you doing here?” he demanded fiercely.

As quickly as it had risen, the anger drained out of her. “I’ve reconsidered. It was unfair to leave you in the lurch. I’ll

work out my two weeks’ notice and train my replacement. It’s only fair.”

His mouth moved into a crooked, jeering line. “Don’t do me any favors, Miss Montgomery. You’ve made your position clear.”

She pivoted sharply. “Make sure it remains clear.” Without another word she closed the door and set about straightening the

mess in the outer room.

At five o’clock Samuel Edwards stepped into the office and gave Janet a conspiratorial wink. “Why, Janet, you’re back. What

a pleasant surprise. I hope you’ll stay. Is Reese available?” He spoke in an unusually loud voice, apparently wanting his

son to overhear the conversation.

Janet returned the wink and smiled. “Go in.” The door remained open a crack and Janet couldn’t help hearing the conversation.

To close it would only call attention to herself.

“I see Janet’s back.”

“You old goat. You asked her to, didn’t you?” Reese accused.

“Me?” came Samuel Edwards’ shocked reply.

“There’s irony in this situation, isn’t there, Dad?” Reese was using the same contemptuous tone he’d used earlier with her.

“You can ask my secretary, who means nothing to you, to come back, but not my mother, who meant everything to me.”

Janet heard the sharply inhaled breath that betrayed deep pain. A second later, his shoulders hunched, Samuel Edwards walked

out of the office.

Stunned, Janet stared after him. Never had she seen a man look more broken.

A sound exploded from the other room as if Reese had thrown something against the wall. Janet jumped at the unexpected noise.

A moment later the office door was jerked open as Reese flew out of the room. He hesitated in the doorway before calling his

father.

Janet remained where she was standing by the filing cabinets. Several times before she had sensed something was wrong between

Reese and his father. Something deep and painful. She looked out the open door, realizing how much she loved these men, both

of them. As she closed her eyes a prayer rose automatically from her heart, a petition that whatever hurt was between Reese

and his father would be settled and cleared away forever.

Saturday morning Janet decided to return to Dyna-Flow and finish what she hadn’t had time for on Friday. The security men

knew her well enough to let her in without a problem. She had been working for about an hour when Reese strolled in. He looked

surprised to see her; his gaze narrowed fractionally.

Not expecting to see Reese, Janet had worn jeans and a sweater. Rubbing her hands on her thighs, she looked down, self-consciously

aware of how the denim fabric molded against her hips and legs.

“Miss Montgomery.” The greeting was stilted.

“Good morning, Mr. Edwards.” Her voice wasn’t any less brittle.

Coffee was ready, and more from tradition than because she was being friendly, Janet took him in a cup a few minutes later.

As was his habit, he didn’t look up from his work as she placed the cup on his desk.

“Thank you, Janet.”

The acknowledgment surprised her. “You’re welcome.”

Reese paused, wrapping both hands around the pen he was holding, his eyes not meeting hers. “I wasn’t referring to the coffee.”

His head bent down as he resumed scribbling notes across a report he was studying.

For a moment Janet watched him, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he must be able to hear it. Samuel Edwards was right,

Reese would never have asked her to come back. And now, she was shocked by his expressed appreciation.

Reese left the office about noon without speaking to her again. Janet watched him walk out. Yesterday afternoon and this morning

had proven that they were capable of working together. Not that it was easy, with tension mounting every minute. Yet along

with the emotional pain of being near Reese, Janet felt a crazy sort of contentment. He would never belong to her, and would

probably never commit himself to any woman. Time had taught her that. But knowing the type of man he was didn’t lessen the

love she felt for him.

Love. Janet stopped typing, her hands resting on the keyboard. What a difficult thing love was to understand. With Gail and

Ben it had begun as a friendship that had matured, slowly developing as they spent time together. Janet had been shocked when

she was forced to acknowledge her feelings for Reese. It had happened suddenly, almost explosively.

She was still tangled in her thoughts when Reese unexpectedly sauntered into the room, carrying two white sacks.

“I thought you might like some lunch.”

Woodenly, Janet accepted the sack. “Thank you,” she mumbled in a choked voice, astonishment dictating her words and actions.

He entered his office and closed the door. Opening the sack, Janet spread out the napkin and took out the roast beef sandwich,

small salad and—she nearly laughed out loud—a huge piece of apple pie. Regret flickered in her blue eyes as she glanced at

the closed office door. He ate his lunch alone on the other side, just as she ate hers alone. It was a fitting salute to a

relationship that was never meant to be.

Monday morning arrived and everything had returned to normal. It was as if Janet had never left. Reese was in his office when

she brought in his mail and morning cup of coffee. He didn’t acknowledge her presence.

Janet waited until she had returned to her desk before buzzing him on the intercom.

“Yes.” His response was clipped.

“I’ll call the employment agency this morning and set up interviews for this afternoon if you agree.”

“Fine.” The word came back hard and cold.

The first interview was scheduled for early afternoon. Janet introduced herself to the young woman and reviewed the application.

She felt guilty when she noted the woman was married and had two children. Reese never had anything to do with married women.

Janet escorted the woman into Reese’s office. “Mr. Edwards, this is Pauline Bower.”

Reese was already asking pertinent questions when Janet stepped out of the room.

A half hour later Pauline joined Janet. Her face was slightly red.

“How’d it go?” Janet asked pleasantly.

Pauline sighed and shook her head. “Awful, just awful. He asked me to spell some horrible word I’ve never heard of before.

Really weird. He wanted to know the last time I got drunk and what church I attended.” She opened her purse and removed Reese’s

business card and dumped it in the garbage. “As far as I’m concerned your boss can keep this job.”

Two interviews were scheduled for the next day. One in the morning and another later that afternoon. Both applicants came

out of the meeting with negative looks. Janet didn’t have the opportunity to question either of them, but she realized it

wasn’t going to be easy to find a replacement that would please Reese.

By Friday Janet had paraded several more applicants in and out of his office.