Glow (Glimmer and Glow #2)(91)

Alice shut her eyes and felt a tear skitter down her cheek.

God, Al was right. They’d taught her that lesson so well, she wondered if she’d ever be able to unlearn it.





EIGHTEEN


Upon his and Kehoe’s return to Michigan Thursday afternoon, Dylan immediately went to his office at Durand headquarters. The trip and the new plant had generated a mountain load of work for him. It was after five by the time he entered his office. His administrative assistant, Mrs. Davenport, was waiting for him. Mrs. Davenport was a very efficient, spry woman in her mid-sixties. She’d been Alan’s secretary for ten years before he’d passed. She had a sharp eye and an even sharper tongue, the latter of which she used on Dylan on a daily basis without an ounce of fear or compunction.

He absolutely couldn’t function without her.

She sprung up from her desk the second before he crossed the threshold, her notebook in hand, and started ticking off tasks for him.

“Marcus Jordan needs you to call him right away about the latest numbers from Indonesia. Jason Stalwalter has called three times in the past two hours in regard to a new junior exec recruit from the camp,” Dylan’s rapid pace toward his office flagged, “Janice Ahehorn from the new plant is having some major staffing issues—”

“Hello to you, too, Mrs. Davenport.”

“We’ve spoken several times already today. Do you really require the niceties?”

“I certainly don’t expect them,” Dylan replied dryly. “Have Kehoe handle Janice. He’s been doing it well enough for the past two days.” At Dylan’s command he had been, anyway, and completely unwillingly. Kehoe had been a surly and unpleasant companion in Reno and on board the company jet. Dylan had ignored his hostility and loaded him up with work. “I just walked with him to his office, so you should be able to find him for Janice. What’s this about Stalwalter? Have the managers at the camp made their selections for new hires?”

“I think so, considering Stalwalter already wants one of them.”

“Fine,” Dylan said, opening his office door.

“Should I get Stalwalter on the phone first, then?” Mrs. Davenport called after him.

“No,” Dylan said, tossing his suitcase on a nearby couch before he rounded his desk. “I have another call I need to make first.” He ignored Mrs. Davenport’s sniff. “And close the door!” he yelled as she started to walk away.

She did so with a muted bang.

Dylan checked his watch. It was five forty-five. He might be able to catch Alice as she finished her dinner. They’d agreed a while back not to communicate by cell phone, but he had her number, and made sure she had his. Counselors were discouraged from using their cell phones or texting except for emergencies while they were on duty, but Dylan thought this rated an exception. Yes, he’d be seeing her in person later tonight, but he knew how important this was to her.

The phone rang once, twice, then three times. She might not be carrying her phone. He let it ring a few more times. Disappointed, he started to hang up.

“Hello,” he heard her distant, hushed voice.

He jerked the phone back to his ear. “Alice? It’s me.”

“I know,” she said, and despite her exasperated tone, he sensed the smile in her voice. The excitement.

“They offered you a position, didn’t they?”

“Yes.”

He grinned full out. It was impossible not to be affected by the barely restrained happiness in her voice. “I’m in the kitchen pantry. Red Team had dinner duty tonight. I ducked in here when I felt my phone ringing. I can’t talk long. It just happened . . . they made me the offer right before dinner. They called us in one by one. It was nerve-wracking. I feel really bad for the people who didn’t get a spot, but the managers told them that everyone had done an outstanding job, and that they’d be giving them excellent recommendations. They also invited them to apply at Durand through regular channels in the future, if they were still interested. Kuvi got a spot! So did Thad and Dave and Lacey Sherwood . . .” She paused, as if something had occurred to her. “Did you already know? Before you called?”

“Not firsthand. We just arrived back in Morgantown, and Kehoe and I haven’t been too chatty, even though I’m sure he’s had the final list since last night. I didn’t want to ask. Him or anyone. I didn’t really need to. I was confident we’d want you,” he said. He didn’t elaborate. He thought Alice understood he wanted her to win this challenge completely on her own merits.

“I’m so glad Kehoe wasn’t here when the managers told us.” Even her whisper brimmed with happiness. “The managers were so nice when they reviewed my performance and offered me the position. They said I approached things in a fresh, innovative way and that I wasn’t afraid to take chances. Course they were wrong about that. I was scared shitless most of the time. They also said they were impressed by the connections I’d made with my kids in such a short period of time.”

“They weren’t being nice, baby. They were being smart. We want you for purely selfish purposes.”

There was a pause.

“Alice? Everything okay?”

“I should probably go,” she whispered. “Someone is going to hear me.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a few hours, then?”