"Stuart-Townsend Corporation. Amanda Martin speaking," Amanda answered in a weary voice. All morning she had been answering phone calls from the media who was desperate for the inside gossip on the company's scandal. She was ready to answer with the usual response, "no comment" and hang up, when a familiar and cheerful voice responded.
"Amanda? Hi! I didn't expect you. This is Vanessa. How have you been?"
"Busy," Amanda answered tersely. "I don't have time to talk."
"I understand. I didn't call to bother you at work, hun. I actually called to speak with Lawrence Arrendale."
"Mr. Arrendale is very busy right now."
"Then, can you give him a message, hun?"
Amanda gritted her teeth. The woman just got under her skin with that patronizing voice of hers. "Of course."
"Tell him I'd like to meet with him to discuss his uncle. Have him call me at his convienence."
Amanda jotted down the message and Vanessa's phone number. "I'll give him the message, but I don't know when he'll find the time to return your call."
"There's no hurry," Vanessa replied patiently. "But since I have you on the line, Alma and I are planning on going out to dinner tonight. I'd love it if you and Andy could come along."
Amanda cringed at the nickname for Andrew. Where did she get off calling her husband "Andy?" "I don't think we can make it."
"That's too bad. If you change your mind, just give me or Alma a call, ok?"
After saying a quick goodbye, Amanda hung up the phone. "Andy," she mumbled sarcastically. And since when did Alma become best friends with this woman?
Amanda didn't have much time to worry about her family issues, because just as she sat down at her desk, the front door opened. She stepped forward immediately to greet the man who had just walked in.
"Can I help you?" she asked, curtly stepping in front of him. If he was a reporter, she didn't want him to get inside.
"I'm here to see Hector Burgess."
"Do you have an appointment?" Amanda asked, knowing very well that he did not.
"No, but could you ask if he will see me? I'm Chad Vanderburg."
"Oh," Amanda said, suddenly remembering the name and face. "I'll ask." After making a quick call on the intercom, she nodded to Chad. "Mr. Burgess will be with you in a moment."
Amanda had barely finished speaking before Hector emerged.
"Chad! It is you! What happened to you? Where did you disappear to?" Hector asked asked enthusiastically.
"I had to lay low for awhile . . ." Hector looked confused, but Chad didn't give him time to comment. "I'm sorry I bailed before, but I wanted to know if that job offer is still good."
"If it was up to me, sure. But you'll have to ask Lawrence," Hector said with a frown.
"Yeah, I heard," Chad replied. "I know you've got a lot happening here right now, but can you spare a few minutes. I've got something to tell you about. Maybe Lawrence should hear it too."
Hector rapped lightly on the door to the front office, but didn't bother waiting for a reply before entering. "Hey, Lawrence, you've met my pal, Chad, haven't you? He's interested in working here. Townsend was going to interview him, but something came up."
Lawrence frowned, "I'm not sure we should hire anyone new without Mr. Townsend's approval. Besides, we have more important things to worry about right now."
"I heard. That's why I'm here actually," Chad replied, unwilling to be dismissed so easily. "Whether you offer me job or not, I think there's some things you should know about the scandal."
"Like what?" Hector asked curiously.
"Like who leaked the information to the public . . .It was R.J. Majors."
Lawrence eyed Chad suspiciously, "How do you know that?"
"R.J. and I have known each other a long time ago. We were going to go into business together, until I-" Chad looked embarrassed, "ran off with the money."
Hector was shocked, "You did what? Why?"
"I-," Chad hesitated, "I owed some people . . . But that's all in the past now. I've been trying to avoid R.J. ever since, that's why I bailed out on my interview and why you couldn't get in contact with me. I would have left town completely if he hadn't dragged Audrey into this too. I had to make sure he didn't hurt her, so I've been keeping an eye on the both of them."
Lawrence wanted to ask about Audrey, but he stayed focused on the matter at hand, "And what did you find out?"
Chad hesitated, "It's not so much what I found out, but what I know about R.J. When we were partners we did a lot of research before we got started. This company is in the prime location for this kind of market and there's a good profit to be made if someone can get rid of the competition. This is exactly the kind of thing R.J. would do. And I know for a fact he's already renting out the office space to start his own company."
Hector turned to Lawrence soberly. "He tried to convince me to partner with him before he left."
"I just wanted to let you know, in case it would help you out," Chad said with a shrug. "Whether you'll hire me or not is up to you, but I know that if you would give me a chance I could help. I know how R.J. runs a business and how we can outcompete him. I don't want to let him get away with this. . . not after the way he used Audrey to get back at what I did."
Lawrence paused a moment in thought and then slowly nodded. "Ok, I'll give you a chance. This is just on a trial basis, Mr. Townsend has the last word. Do you have a resume on file?"
"Yes, I should have. If not, I'll get one. Thank you."
"Come on," Hector said, leading Chad out of the office. "I'll get you set up at your own desk."
Lauren stormed into the rented office where R.J. was setting up for his new business.
"R.J!" Lauren screeched. "You told me you had taken care of this!"
R.J. mumbled something under his breath and reluctantly put his work aside to attend to Lauren, hoping that she could be dealt with quickly. "What is your problem?"
"My problem is that you haven't held up your end of our bargain. You told me you'd get Audrey to stay away from Lawrence. I thought you'd said you'd taken care of it, but then I opened up the paper today and found out that you haven't done anything at all."
Lauren reached into her pocket and produced a newspaper clipping. She unfolded it to reveal an article about the Stuart-Sexton wedding. At the top of the article was a picture of the ceremony with Audrey and Lawrence in the background among the guests. "What do you have to say about this?" Lauren asked, shoving the paper in R.J.'s face.
R.J. pushed Lauren's hand and the clipping aside. "Look, you were there when I was on the phone with Audrey. I told her to stop seeing him. What more do you expect me to do?"
"You could do something!" Lauren shouted as she wadded up the newspaper clipping, tossed it on the floor, and stomped on it.
R.J. crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at Lauren skeptically. "What is with this thing you have about Lawrence? The guy isn't anything special. And the way you're acting about him is insane."
Lauren's face flushed red with rage. "Don't you talk to me like that! Did you forget what I know about you?"
"So? Who are you going to tell? I'm working for myself now and if anyone brings up my past, I'll put the blame where it belongs." He poked a finger forcefully at Lauren. "If you want in on this you're going to have to straighten up and stop flying off the handle at every little thing. If you can't do that than go, now!"
Lauren stared at R.J. with wide eyes. His outburst had caught her by surprise. He was so forceful and take-charge. A slow smile spread over her face and she said sweetly, "Ok. I'll try."
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