Trigger Page 7

  Totally immersed in her sandwich, she didn’t see a vehicle pull in and didn’t even notice that someone walked in. She’s licking her fingers and putting the last of the sandwich in her mouth when she looks up to check on BB and is face to face with Simon Perry. He’s sitting at her table and watching her eat.

  “That looks delicious. What is it?”

  She points to the blackboard, unable to talk with her mouth so full.

  “The Judy-Judy-Judy? I’ve never known anyone who had a sandwich named after them. You must be really special.”

  Simon picks up a couple napkins and wipes the Chef husband’s sauce off her chin.

  “Hey Richard, can you make me a Judy-Judy-Judy?” Simon calls out to the back.

  “If you didn’t show up Simon, I was going to kick your ass. Your order is ready. You really want one?”

  “Are you kidding? If it’s nearly as good as what I can see on Miss Mason’s chin, it’s something I have to try.”

  “Okay, but I’ll pack it to go. Your order is going to get cold and I won’t be happy.”

  She’s still chewing and staring into Simon’s eyes laughing at her.

  Simon jumps up, leans over the counter and then hands her spoon and keeps one.

  “Richard is an incredible chef. His sauces should never be wasted and should be served in a bowl.” Simon scoops a spoon full off her plate, puts in his mouth and groans with pleasure. His eyes never leave hers.

  “Is that your car?” Simon nods toward BB.

  She blinks.

  “Nice.”

  She looks at his. A mud covered ancient something that has been seriously modified complete with huge tires and a roll bar.

  “I call her Jelly Bean. She’s sweet but tough and I’ve never figured out what color she really is.” His laugh that she hears and feels runs through her body like silk on steroids.

  “Open up, something this wonderful should not be wasted.” His spoon is touching her lower lip. She can’t help it. She opens her mouth and he gently puts the scrumptious sauce on her tongue. Her mouth closes and he slowly pulls it out.

  All by itself, the sauce is the most delicious thing she’s ever tasted.

  “Good isn’t it?” He gives her a crooked grin and leans closer.

  She blinks.

  “Here you go, Simon. I put the Judy in a box. She’s on top.”

  “Sounds delightful.” Simon winks at her and then looks at Chef Richard.”How much do I owe you?”

  “Five hundred -- three hundred for the Judy and two hundred for the others. That’s what it costs to harass my customers, especially Judy.”

  She takes her cue to escape, jumps up and puts everything in her pocket on the table. It looks like a twenty with some smaller bills mixed in. Whatever it should cover her bill, and dashes out the door.

  She and BB are backing out when she looks up and sees Simon watching her. He has that crease between his eyes. It’s deeper than Steven’s. Inside BB, she’s safe from Simon Perry.

  Chapter 14. Chocolate Covered Cherry

  “I’ve run the numbers over and over. It’ll work. We’re going to be slaving for the next month or so – or year -- but it’s very doable.”

  She’s been pacing in front of Franklin and Evelyn, who looks much better than she did last night. Judy has talked non-stop since she arrived. Once finished she plops down in a velvety soft sage green big chair. “Well?”

  “You know it’s good. Do you want to hear me agree?”

  It feels like he just slapped her.

  “Franklin, you know you’re the only person in the world I listen to. If you say no, that’s it, its no.” She can’t help but feel the sting of his words. She blinks quickly and gets up.

  “Thanks for letting me barge in. I would have come by anyway to check on you Evelyn. I’m so glad you feel better. I was worried.” She heads for the door and grabs the doorknob.

  “It’s good Judy.”

  She doesn’t look back and quietly shuts the door behind her and moves on.

  Another three hours and she’s put it all down on paper. Sometimes things look different on paper than they do in her head. This is better than what was in her head. But the amount of work, merging three companies into hers is daunting only because of the amount of time and effort it will take.

  Details flow off her printed pages like Niagara Falls now her brain is tired. She leans back in her chair and opens Spider on her computer. It’s Simon’s face she sees.

  Grinning at her, his eyes sparkling in fun on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, but it’s his words and actions that scare her. Sexual undertones play through everything he says and does. It’s as though he only sees her one dimensionally. In his eyes, she’s nothing more than a toy – a plaything to have fun with for awhile before he finds someone else to play with.

  Not going to happen to her and end up dead in an alley, thrown away because there’s nothing left of her body worth hurting anymore. When the fun is gone, she’s disposable. It’s Simon’s way.

  While talking to Dion, who couldn’t wait until tomorrow to take her offer, a loud knock on her door makes her jump. She checks her gun and slowly makes her way. “Hold on a minute, Dion someone is at the door.”

  “Miss Mason. It’s Ron . . . security. A package was delivered a few minutes ago. It addressed to you and its marked perishable.”

  “It was just security. I’m so thrilled that I get to work with you, Dion. It’s going to be great and we’ll work through everything, so don’t worry. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

  She takes a large Styrofoam box into her office. There’s no return address only a delivery order from a service. Other than the name of the delivery service company and that it’s dated today and an hour ago, there’s nothing to give her clue to what’s in it.

  A chocolate ice cream sundae and it’s huge. Eight people could eat on it and get full. At least five different flavors of chocolate ice cream, dark and milk chocolate syrup, chocolate fudge, chocolate whipped cream, chocolate shavings, with a chocolate covered cherry on top.

  She doesn’t even have to look at the card to know who sent it. The chocolate covered cherry was a dead giveaway. Only one person she knows could be this crass, insensitive and asinine, Simon.

  She physically shakes with humiliation and anger and reaches for her gun, intending to fill the sundae full of hot lead. It looks so innocent. It didn’t do anything to hurt her. Its ice cream and its starting melt and it will die without being enjoyed. Who is she that she could deny this ice cream sundae its purpose for being created? Sacrilege is not and will never been one of her failings. She can also see Steven’s disapproval and that settles it.

  She opens the box of silver plastic spoons and eats like there is no tomorrow.

  Squeamish with so much sugar, she rests and opens the note. Handwritten by Simon: You left me without even having dessert.

  She pops the chocolate covered cherry in her mouth. “It’s mine. It will never be yours.” She packages it up and puts what’s left in the refrigerator freezer in the break room.

  Don’t confront, best them, is what Steven taught her. Looking over the work she’s done today, it’s good. It’s more than doable.

  “Mr. Wade, its Judy Mason. I’m sorry to call on a Sunday night, but I’ve got it all figured out and you are going to love what I’ve put together for you and Mr. Shockley. May I meet you both for breakfast at Sammy’s tomorrow morning? Six-thirty or seven would work for me. I’m so excited to show you what I’ve done, I can’t wait.”

  He’s hesitant but agrees. “I’ll pay, so leave your wallet at home. Thank you, so much. See you in the morning.”

  The email she’s been waiting for pings. Her fingers shake a little when she clicks on it to open. She reads knowing it’s going to bad, but hoping it’s good. It’s good. She got the loan.

  John also says that he’s sorry he didn’t get to chance to talk to her last night and the governor stole his dance. Maybe next time, he says. Sh
e hadn’t even seen him there. She would have dumped Simon and the governor for a chance to see him for a few minutes. Damn.

  She quickly replies that she’s sorry she didn’t see him. Thanked him for the loan and when will she close.

  He replies that we can go to lunch after you sign a thousand pages and the title to all your children and grandchildren. He adds a smiley face.

  How could things be so bad and then be so good? She decides to work on figuring that out another time. The sugar high is falling fast. Plus she wants to tell BB everything that’s happened since she left him alone in a dark and dingy parking garage all afternoon and evening.

  Chapter 15. Move On

  A half an hour late for Monday morning staff meeting and when she opens the door everyone stands up and applauds, whistles and claps. On the far side of the conference room is a life-size photo of her lifting her gown and holding out her gun and holster. She stops dead in her tracks looking at the photo and she’s so repulsed and shamed she wants run to the bathroom and throw up the breakfast she just ate with Wade and Shockley.

  How could they do this to her? That awful person she was that evening is staring back at her mocking her, reminding her of how bad she could be, if she didn’t follow her own rules. It wasn’t them, her people. They couldn’t have done this to her. It had to be Simon.

  “Who did that?” In her mind she’s shouting. Her voice comes out a whisper.

  “Charlotte.” Charles says with a big grin.

  “Please. Please take it away. Destroy it, please,” and she’s running down the hallway hoping she makes it to the bathroom in time.

  The atmosphere in the conference room is the wayside of different the second time she enters the staff meeting. Subdued, confused and wary, they watch her to see how they should act. The life size poster is gone.

  “Sorry about that. Let’s move on.”

  Even Franklin is shocked at what she’s accomplished over the weekend.

  “It’s done. We’ve doubled the size of Stalwart.” She looks at the faces, hoping for excitement but she sees stress. That’s her fault. Move on.

  “Bill you will be in charge of the conversion, I’ve laid out a schedule with priorities and a basic timeline. Please go over everything with me in the beginning. I’ve made promises and suggestions and we need to take those into account while we’re putting all this together. We have only one month before Mr. Wade and Mr. Shockley close their doors. That’s not much time to get everything in place and working. But I’m not worried even a tiny bit. You are all the best in the business.

  “Charlotte, we need to fix up an office for Dion. He’ll start tomorrow and will help us organize three companies into one. Bill he will work with you directly, but include me when you think it would be beneficial.

  “Franklin, will you please go with me to the bank tomorrow at eleven? I will close the loan and then I’ll be taking John and, maybe Seymour to lunch. Can you make that?”

  He nods.

  “Anything else?” No one has anything to say.

  The phone rings in the conference room.

  Charles quietly answers it. “Just a moment.”

  “Miss Mason it’s the governor.”

  “Shit. What does he want?”

  “Good morning, governor, what can I do for you?”

  He tells her he appreciated that she danced with him and that his wife was jealous, but it was worth it. Next time, Grace said she was not going to let him go to those events without her. She doesn’t know what to say, so she doesn’t say anything. He has an opening on his economic development committee and would she consider taking the position.

  “No, sir. I wouldn’t have time right now to take on something that important and do a good job. I would be glad to help in another way that would fit better with my schedule.”

  He appreciates her honesty and does she have Mr. Harter’s phone number.

  “Yes sir. Are you ready? That’s his personal cell phone, so please don’t give it out without his permission. I mentioned to Steven that you might be calling.”

  Will she spar with him some time?

  “Certainly, sir. I look forward to knocking you on your ass.”

  He laughs and Judy hangs up.

  “We’ve got lots to do folks. Let’s all go and have a great day.” She heads straight for her office.

  She’s shaking so hard her teeth are chattering. She wants to cry, but there’s no way she’s going to cry in Stalwart’s. She can’t let her people see her like this.

  She hardly ever shuts her door, but she locked them both and ignores several knocks. They sound like Charles, and maybe Franklin. She can’t face either now. She’s not in control. She’s never been this way before. She’s fearless and has proved that over and over again. What’s different?

  It’s a big deal buying the companies, but no, that doesn’t frighten her if she can get it finished and put together properly. She feels stress and some anxiety that she’s too far out on the cliff, but she’s eager to try. Even the red dress incident is manageable. She’ll just suck it up and deal with each consequence as it comes up. Her Dad’s brutality, her anger toward her Mom, but she’s dealt with that all her life.

  What comes to the surface is Mr. Perry’s obvious distaste verging on hate for her in front of Simon and his mother. Simon’s pressure to go out with him, the way it felt to be in his arms after years of hero worship and his sad look when he asked if he was her enemy and the you’re wrong remark.

  The Perry’s that’s what different and she has no experience, no understanding of them.

  For the first time in her life, she realizes that she needs help that she can’t give herself. She has no experience with their games, their thought processes or their arrogant character. She’s stupid to go up against them.

  She searches her head. Who can she trust? Who in her life would understand how desperate she feels over her disgrace that her staff threw in her face this morning? The pressure Simon and the Perry machine is putting on her. Apparently no one at Stalwart, not even Franklin, and the thought makes her groan in pain. Who?

  “Steven . . . it’s . . .”

  “What’s wrong Judy?”

  “I . . .”

  “I’m at the club come over now.”

  She barely stops at Charles’ door and tells him she’s going out and doesn’t know when she’ll be back.

  Chapter 16. First Kiss

  BB got her to Steven who was waiting at the door. She doesn’t know how long she’s been crying in frustration, self pity and shame. Steven’s shirt is wet and he’s still holding her and handing her tissues. He hasn’t said a word, but he’s listened to everything.

  She’s told him about her family and how humiliated she is over her actions at the charity event and the ice cream with the chocolate covered cherry on top and giving the red gown to the hooker and how she bought three companies and she probably won’t need Simon to destroy her company because she’s going to do that all by herself and the life size poster that her own staff made to throw in her face and then she lays down on his lap and goes to sleep.

  It takes forever for her to figure out where she is and then she remembers and she feels worse that she dumped all that shit onto a very nice man, who doesn’t deserve her whinny ass crap, as her Dad always yelled at her.

  A chair has been pushed near her. There is a bottle of water and what looks like a couple of Advil.

  She takes the pills and drinks the bottle of water without stopping. Crying really makes a person thirsty. Her eyes feel puffy and she knows anyone who looks at her will be able to tell she lost it and cried from weakness for hours. She groans with shame and knowing that for the first time she let everyone in her life down, but even more painful is the realization that she let herself down for not keeping it together.

  Checking her cell phone for the time, Judy ignores the blinking message light. She’s been sleeping for three hours. It’s nearly one o’clock in the afternoon!

 
She’ll have to hide out in here until her face resembles a living person, but she really has to pee. The palm tree planter is her only option and she strongly considering it when the door opens quietly and Steven walks in.

  “Everyone is gone. Go to the locker room and wash up. I’ve got lunch ready for you.” He smiles and motions with his head for her to leave his office and come out of hiding.

  “French fries! You made me French fries and a burger.”

  “No, I ordered them for you.” Steven sits across from her and his plate is filled like mine.

  “No way, you eat French fries.”

  “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m a recovering junk food addict. Any excuse to fall off the wagon and I’m on it like flies on fresh shit.” He gives her a wicked grin.

  “Ew! I’m trying to eat here.”

  We share the same ketchup bowl for awhile.

  “Thank you.”

  “I should be thanking you, Judy. These French fries are delicious. I’ve been craving them for weeks.”

  “Do you cook?”

  “When I’m desperate and too tired or uninspired to go out, you?”

  “I’ve thought about it. At home, I do cereal. Milk is all I have in the frig and maybe some cheese. Captain Crunch is my favorite. Not that peanut butter one; the original.”

  He lets her choice of cereal pass without a disparaging comment.

  “Thank you Steven. Thank you for this wonderful meal and for . . . everything else.”

  He nods and stuffs three French fries in his mouth.

  “I was so out of control. I was shaking and my teeth rattled. I thought of everyone I knew, but you were the only one I wanted to call. I’m sorry I brought all my mess to you. That wasn’t a nice thing to do. Are you my friend?”

  Steven is startled by her question.

  “I’ve never had a friend, are you what a friend is?”