“Morning Dar. You up for a teleconference?” Alastair’s voice was cheerful. “Didn’t see you logged on, so…”

“Yeah, hang on.” Dar logged into the system and started up the network meeting software. “Go ahead.”

A moment later, the black window cleared, and she was looking at Alastair’s round, freshly scrubbed face. He wore his usual starched white shirt and sober navy blue tie, with its company tie clasp. His eyes shifted to his monitor, slightly off to one side. “Boy. You got some sun, huh?”

Dar leaned back in her chair and rested her elbows on the arms of it.

“Sun, sand, water. I didn’t go to Key West to snow ski, Alastair.”

The CEO chuckled. “No, I suppose not. Well, you look great. Really relaxed.” He watched Dar nod. “Good.”

“Uh oh,” Dar drawled.

“Now, Dar. What makes you think I’ve got bad news?” The blue gray eyes twinkled. “C’mon. You’ve had a nice, relaxing week, no stress, no frantic phone calls. No urgent emails.”

A dark brow lifted.

“All right. We’re planning a recap and strategy session tomorrow for the stockholder’s meeting. Remember you’re our main presenter this quarter.” Her boss relented. “I had a very interesting pow-wow with several of the senior board members on Friday. Seems they’re now finding you sort of intriguing.”

Dar rolled her eyes.

“You didn’t tell me your father was so highly decorated either, Dar, or that your mother was a critically well known artist. Erlich was sniffing around, saying how it was great timing to put your bio in this year’s company yearbook, so he dug out the files on you and your parents. Quite the family you are.”

Dar sighed.


446 Melissa Good

“Nothing to be ashamed of,” Alastair told her mildly. “It’s just great press.”

Dar leaned forward. “So what about the part where I’m gay?”

Her boss shrugged. “Do you want to make it an issue? I never pictured you as a crusader for gay rights, Dar.” He studied her. “In fact, I don’t think you ever personally mentioned it to me. I mean sure, we heard rumors, and there was that whole mess with Elena Nechovia, but…”

Dar shrugged.

“Of course, you never mentioned anything personal about yourself. I mean, you could have actually had three heads and sixteen children by a Tibetan yak, and I’d never have known.” Alastair now sounded a bit peeved.

“I have an ‘if you ask, I’ll tell’ policy,” Dar remarked dryly. “You never asked.” She glanced up as María entered with a small tray and set a gently steaming cup on the desk along with a plate of pastries. She winked at María and gave her a tiny wave, as the secretary waggled her fingers back and left. Dar picked up the cup and sipped from it. “I’ll pencil in the meeting. What time is it?”

“Four-thirty our time,” her boss stated. “Good. I’m looking forward to it. Maríana has been giving the press what details they wanted about you, by the way.”

Dar looked distinctly alarmed.

Alastair grinned and waggled his fingers. “Bye.”

“Hold it, hold it.” Dar held a hand up. “Listen. I’m going to go ahead with that project of mine today. Is that still fine with you?”

Alastair considered thoughtfully. “Well, we discussed it at the board meeting. I don’t see any problem with it, no.” He paused. “Is it on my worklist?”

Dar nodded.

“Hang on.” Alastair pecked at his keyboard for a minute. “Wh—oh, that. No, no, no. No, no. What, are you kidding? No, no…ah.” He rested his chin in his hand and read the screen intently, then flicked a gaze towards the camera. “Did you write this?”

“Partly.”

“Nice job,” her boss complimented. “All right, go ahead with it, but let’s not make a press announcement until the stockholder’s meeting. It would be a little on the sensational side right at the moment.”

Dar nodded. “Will do.”

“MS. KERRY, HERE are the reports you asked for. Is there anything else I can get you?” Mayte put the folders down and gazed at her boss.

Kerry tugged one over and opened it. “No. That’ll do for now. I’ve got to make the decisions on who’s going to migrate to the new network first, and every single account manager is giving me a sob story over why they should be put on the top of the list.” She glanced over her shoulder Eye of the Storm 447

towards the window, with its late afternoon shading. “Thank goodness it’s been quiet here today. Haven’t heard a peep out of anyone in an hour.”

Mayte scratched her ear. “Um, yeah. I was going to get some hot tea.

You want some?”

“Sure.”

Mayte eased out of the office, leaving her in the quiet of the big room. Kerry leaned back and stifled a yawn, reflecting on the fact that though she had a fantastic time on vacation, it was nice to be back here.

She slid down in her leather chair and carefully turned the cuffs on her silk shirt up another fold, gazing down at her stockinged feet under her desk. She looked up as a little gopher popped up on her screen and chit-tered at her. “Hey!” She chased after it with her mouse pointer, but it scuttled behind a window, and peeked out at her, poking its tongue out.

“How in the hell does she do that?”

The little gopher program was one of Dar’s and she frequently amused herself by changing it around and sending it over to pester Kerry. The animal was cute, with a snub face, and little black button nose, and the neatest thing was, every time he was different.

Today, GopherDar was wearing a tiny surfer outfit, complete with flip flops and wraparound sunglasses, and he proceeded to dance a hula across the bottom of her screen while she giggled in pure reaction. “You are sooo twisted.” She popped up a netmessage screen and typed exactly that in and sent it over to her boss’ computer.

Her phone rang and she hit the button, half expecting it to be Dar, but saw it was an outside line. “Operations, Kerry Stuart speaking.”

“Hey girl!” Colleen’s voice rang through the speaker. “How is it, being back there after a week in paradise?”

“After four days in Hell?” Kerry inquired wryly. “It’s nice. I’m tired as heck, since I’ve been busting my butt all day trying to catch up to everything, but I’m starting to make a dent in the piles. What’s up with you?”

“Busy making copies of videotapes for everybody you know,” Colleen answered smugly. “You rocked in those hearings, Ker. We were all so proud of you.”

Kerry blinked in surprise. “Really?” The office had been conspicuously quiet on the subject. In fact, she’d gotten the idea all day she was being slightly avoided. People had stopped talking when she came into view and she suspected she’d been the topic of some very juicy gossip for the whole week. “I just answered what he asked. They were pissing me off though.”

“No kidding,” Colleen said. “So, listen. What are your plans for tomorrow? You up for a little party?”

Kerry sighed. “Not really, Col, no,” she answered honestly. “It’s just been such a weird few weeks. I’d kinda like to keep a low profile for a while on a personal level. Dar and I were just going to go out to dinner or something like that.”


448 Melissa Good

“Awwww.” Colleen drew the word out. “Keeerrryyy. C’mon. That’s not fair. We haven’t seen you for weeks and weeks. We weren’t going to cater the Queen Mary, just a few of us.”

True. Kerry rubbed her eyes. “Yeah. Um, I know, Col. I know.” Would it hurt? “How about Wednesday? I have to take it really easy at the gym because of my shoulder. Maybe we could all go out afterward?”

“Mmmph.” Colleen sounded mildly mollified. “Yeah, that’d be okay.

How about Dave and Busters? We can have dinner and play some pool.”

Hmm. Kerry perked up. “Yeah, you know, that sounds like fun.”

Mindless electronic entertainment, good food, a few beers... “Good plan. Hey, you feel like coming over tonight? I’ve got a ton of pictures to show you.”

“You bet.” Now Colleen sounded pleased. “Y’know, Ker, we were really, really worried about you.”

Kerry smiled a little. “Thanks. It was an awful time up there.” She shifted and leaned against the desk. “If Dar hadn’t been there with me, I don’t know what I would have done. She was so there for me.” She chuckled. “Not to mention her folks. You know Mrs. Roberts introduced herself to my parents as my mother-in-law?”

“Ohmigod.”

“Yeah. She’s such a trip,” Kerry agreed.

“What was that all about with your father giving Dar and her dad those medals?” came the curious question. “Was that like, for real?”

Kerry shook her head, even though Colleen couldn’t see it. “I wish I could say yeah. That was his way of getting as close to an apology as he’s capable of. But honestly? I think he just did it for the good press.”

“Mmm.”

“It was great for him. Here he is, national spotlight, handing out medals. That’s why they had to postpone those hearings. His public approval rating went through the roof. They saw him in that window and they think he’s wonderful.” Kerry’s voice held a bitter tone and she knew it. “If they only knew. Andy had to practically kick him in the ass to get him to help out.”

“Wow,” Colleen murmured. “Hey, tell me all about it tonight. I’ll pick up a six pack of Corona. Okay?”

“You’re on.” Kerry smiled as she hung up, swiveling as her inner door opened. “Hey, look. It’s GopherMom.” She snapped a rubber band at her boss. “You are so out there sometimes.”

Dar sauntered over, hitched up her skirt, and perched on the edge of Kerry’s desk. “Just proving I can still put out a little code if I have to,” she drawled. “How was your day? I haven’t seen you since nine. I’ve been pretty buried myself.”

Kerry lifted a hand and indicated her full outbox. “I’m about half caught up. I was digging through all the facilities requests today, sorting them, trying to find an equitable way to move people to your new net.

Fielding questions from every single account manager we’ve got practically.” She patted Dar’s nearby knee. “You caused me so much work, Boss.”


Eye of the Storm 449

The outer office door opened and Mayte came in with a steaming cup. “Oh,” she paused, when she saw Dar, “I’m sorry. I can…”

“Nah.” Dar waved her in. “I was just getting a status report.”

The slim girl smiled, then deposited the cup on Kerry’s desk. It was a dark, fragrant brew, and Kerry sniffed it appreciatively before she took a sip. “Oh wow. This is nice. Blackberry?”

“Sí.” Mayte blushed a little. “I saw you liked that.” She lifted her eyes and met Dar’s, then cleared her throat. “I am going to drop off the mail, then go home. Unless you need something else?”

“Nope. Go on.” Kerry leaned back, both hands cradled around the mug. “I’m going to finish up here, then head home myself.” Her assistant left, closing the door softly behind her, and she sighed.

“Tired?” Dar asked.

“A little.” Kerry flexed her arm. “My shoulder’s aching. I don’t want to take those muscle relaxants until I get home though. They put me out like a light.” She studied Dar. “And it’s been a little weird here today. I kinda get a creepy feeling people are avoiding me.”

“I think you’re imagining things.”

“No, I’m not. When I walk through the halls, people used to say hi, make small talk.” Kerry gazed at her desktop. “I don’t know. Maybe they’re wondering what kind of person would do what I did.” Then she shrugged it off. “Anyway…or maybe I’m just overly sensitive.” She glanced up at Dar. “Col’s coming over. I wanted to show her my pictures and the stuff we brought back and give her the present I got her.” Dar nodded. “She and the gang coerced me into going to D and B’s on Wednesday. You up for that?”

Dar straightened her back a little and winced. “Not skeeball, but yeah, that sounds okay.” She cupped both hands around one knee. “I had a visit from Gerry Easton today.”

“Really?”

“Mmm. Yeah. He had a very interesting proposal,” Dar said. “He’s gotten approval to contract us to provide high level consulting services to the Navy.” She shifted. “To review all their processes, systems, and procedures and recommend, procure, and implement technological improve-ments.”

Kerry’s eyes widened. “Wow. That must be huge.”

Dar slowly nodded. “His one condition was,” she chuckled, “I head it up.”

“Big surprise there,” her lover remarked. “Wow. What do you think about that?”

“I think,” Dar got up and walked over to the window, pressed her fingertips against it and looked out, “I think I’m very, very intrigued.”