Working Romance Read online

  Bob walked through the house, just as Kate had walked through hers earlier. As in the case with Kate’s house, destruction not theft, seemed to be the motive. This time, although there was clearly less damage than at Kate’s house the total effect was a clear picture of madness. Bob’s house was, in essence, only damaged downstairs. Upstairs only his mattress and the sheets on his bed were slashed. His clothes were scattered on the floor but not torn apart.

  It was almost as if he had been interrupted before he had a chance to destroy everything upstairs. Downstairs, all of the small appliances in the kitchen were broken, his television and VCR were ruined, and all of his furniture had been slashed and smashed. Once again, the tower was gone from his computer, and any files he’d brought home had been taken.

  About an hour later, Kate and Bob sat in his living room talking to John. He seemed tired as he sat there gently stroking his puppy. He went over the evening’s events with them. They told him everything they could about both break-ins. John spoke with the police about the situation at work.

  Finally, the police told Bob and Kate they could leave. One of the officers got a phone number and address from Kate for where they expected to be for the next few days. It was almost five AM when it was decided that Kate and Bob would spend the rest of the night with her dad at her parents’ house. They would have gone to a motel, but with six dogs that didn’t seem even remotely possible. On Sunday, John, Laura, Jack and maybe even Cheryl would help them clean up their houses.

  “Let’s meet at Kate’s first thing in the morning and work on the clean up there, then we can finish at my house,” Bob suggested. “We’ll grill some steaks and try to relax when we get done cleaning up.”

  “Okay, but I think we should wait until Monday,” John suggested. “You and Kate need to unwind, and it’ll give me time to organize a clean-up crew and get some dumpsters at both houses.”

  “Okay, thanks John.” Bob walked him to the door and shook his hand.

  John discreetly pulled Bob outside; he and Bob briefly discussed how they could use the company’s security force to protect Kate without being too obvious. They also wanted to coach Kate on some basic self-defense. It wasn’t a case of using Kate as bait to trap Jerry as much as being ready to catch him when and if he made his move. Whether or not they surrounded her with security, anyone as sick as Jerry was bound to try something sooner or later. Both men knew it, and Kate knew it too.

  Kate and Bob found her parents’ house empty. She used her spare key to let them in. Evidently her father had taken advantage of his time alone, since a quick search revealed his tackle box and favorite fishing pole were gone.

  “If past history is anything to go by,” Kate told Bob, “he’s in a cabin up at Lake Tahoe.” Kate wondered aloud if he was really fishing or if he was spending most of his time at the casinos in Reno.

  “I can’t help but be a little relieved that he’s gone,” Bob told her. “I really want to meet your dad but not by showing up at his house after five in the morning with his daughter and six dogs asking for a place to sleep.”

  “Especially since I told you he’s already decided to give you a hard time about fooling around with me. Of course, you’ll also get the third degree about your health, education, job, marriage, and financial status.” Kate pulled him into the kitchen. “Come on, let’s raid the fridge.”

  They soon learned that her dad had cleaned out the refrigerator and left it empty except for one lonely frozen pizza. They decided to leave it; they weren’t really hungry, just edgy. They curled up in Kate’s old bedroom and tried to sleep. They were both upset and they didn’t have any clean clothes to wear in the morning but at least the bed had clean sheets, the house wasn’t torn apart, the phone lines weren’t cut, and they were safe.

  Considering the time they got to bed, they awoke early the next morning cuddled in each other’s arms. It was only eight AM. Something woke them up. It took a moment for them to realize exactly what had awakened them. The sound of the front door opening and closing, and her dogs scampering and barking. Kate’s father had come home.

  Kate bounded out of the bed and pulled her dress over her head.

  She went downstairs quickly, pausing only long enough to warn Bob, “Hurry up and get dressed. You’d better get downstairs before he comes looking for you.”

  “Daddy!” Kate hugged her father. “Boy, am I glad to see you.”

  “What happened, Sweetheart? Did that new man give you trouble? I love having you here, but what’s up?” Her father was concerned by the wounded look in her eyes.

  “No, Daddy, it’s nothing like that. Bob would never hurt me. There’s been someone embezzling at our office and I found the proof that incriminated the thief,” Kate told her father with pride in her voice. “He disappeared and the cops can’t find him. Last night he vandalized my house, partly trying to see if I had any evidence on him and partly for revenge.” Her voice caught as her composure broke. “Daddy, he tore up everything I own, he destroyed all my pictures of Joe.”

  Bob came over to join them, sliding his arms around Kate’s waist and extending one hand to Kate’s father. “Hi, I’m Bob. We went to my house and found out that he had torn it apart, too. So we needed someplace safe to spend the night, at least, what was left of it after the police were finished with us. I hope you don’t mind us coming over like this, but we had to find a place to stay where we could bring the dogs.”

  “Were you fooling around with my daughter in my own house?” Kate’s father narrowed his eyes at Bob.

  “Sir, last night was a time for support and comfort. It was not a time for anything else.” Bob met his gaze steadily.

  “But you do sleep with her whenever you can?” her father asked Bob sternly.

  “Daddy!” Kate shrieked.

  Bob met the older man’s eyes with a steady gaze. “Yes sir, I do. I love her.”

  “It’s about time she found someone to love,” her father said curtly. “Kate, go fix us breakfast, I want to talk to Bob here alone.”

  Bob turned to Kate who was opening her mouth to protest and said, “Go on, love. It’s a father’s greatest joy to give his daughter’s man a hard time. You wouldn’t want to deprive him of that now, would you?”

  Kate found a shopping bag filled with food on the kitchen counter. Evidently her father stopped and stocked up before coming home. Kate made pancakes, eggs, and bacon, plus a pot of fresh, strong coffee. By the time Kate had breakfast on the table, the two men seemed to be as thick as thieves. They each had a shot of her father’s best whiskey in front of them, before breakfast no less! They looked up at Kate and suddenly both of them broke out laughing.

  “Men!” Kate put her hands on her hips and shook her head. She reached out and took Bob’s drink, swallowing it in one gulp. “Breakfast is ready.”

  After breakfast, Kate and Bob went shopping for some new clothes and personal items. Monday morning, they met with their friends at Kate’s house. Kate’s father, who had driven all Saturday night and spent Sunday talking with Kate and Bob, crashed. He decided he needed to get some more sleep before joining the work party but would come over later.

  Laura brought her video camera and John brought a still camera. The first thing they did was document all the damage for the insurance companies, with both videotape and still photographs. Bob contacted both of their agents. Bob also arranged to have the cut phone lines repaired at both houses. He also called a security company that John had recommended, to get burglar alarms installed at both houses.

  Cheryl arrived a little later than everyone else. She joined the group, jumping in on the cleaning and straightening process. Then Jack drove up with one of the large panel trucks his landscaping firm owned. They filled a dumpster to the brim at Kate’s house and loaded all the rest of the broken and ruined items onto the truck. Then they arranged and straightened anything that was worth saving, which was precious little, and cleaned up as well as possible. The destruction was so complete that the only
piece of furniture left intact downstairs at Kate’s house was a floor lamp her parents had given her years before. Kate had always privately thought it was the ugliest thing she had in the house.

  Kate’s dad saw it and said, “Look honey, the lamp’s not broken.” He grinned at Kate. “Isn’t that great?”

  “Great, Daddy.” She tried to smile.

  “Of course, it is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. Maybe now is a good time to throw it out,” her father said.

  “Daddy! You know that lamp is hideously ugly?” Kate was astonished.

  “Of course I do. Your mother only bought it because she was mad at me. Why do you think we gave it to you?” he teased her.

  “Gee, thanks Dad,” Kate grinned slyly, “and all this time I thought you loved me.” She smiled widely. “Let’s give it to the Salvation Army.”

  “With your luck, you’ll find out someday that it’s a valuable collector’s item,” her father teased.

  “A trash collector’s item,” she agreed.

  After finishing at Kate’s house, the whole group went over to Bob’s house to repeat the clean-up process; Jack made a detour to the dump before joining them at Bob’s. It turned out that the destruction was not nearly so complete at Bob’s. His sofa and chairs in the den could be salvaged, but they would need to be recovered. His television, VCR, and stereo were completely ruined, but his collection of videotapes and CDs were for the most part, intact.

  Upstairs, his bedroom was torn apart, his mattress and bedspread slashed to shreds, but his clothes were mainly undamaged. They had been thrown on the floor and some of the shirts were ripped but the rest of his wardrobe was only wrinkled.

  Once they had things under control at Bob’s, Laura and Kate left for a while. They bought some steaks, beer, and wine while the men started the barbecue. Kate’s dad went home and brought over the dogs.

  Everybody appeared to relax, but it was only on the surface. No one could forget the total and wanton devastation they had just cleaned up. They tried to enjoy their meals. It was a beautiful evening, and after dinner everyone jumped in the pool.

  Laura and Jack didn’t stay long; they went for a short swim and then left. Cheryl and John seemed to be growing steadily closer but it wasn’t the instant passion that had hit Bob and Kate. They stayed for a while but not too long, seeming to realize that Kate and Bob wanted to be alone to regroup.

  Once everyone was gone Kate and Bob settled together on a chaise lounge, holding each other and talking about the break-ins, work, and especially Jerry. Somehow, in spite of the hard work and genuine worry of the day, things gradually got more and more romantic. Kate felt Bob’s lips moving softly, nuzzling her ear and her hair.

  “Kate,” he said, “I have an idea. It may seem like it just occurred to me because of all that’s happened, but it didn’t. It just seems like this is perfect timing. I mean. . .”

  “What is it?” Kate prodded, “So far you’ve done everything but tell me whatever it is you’re trying to tell me.”

  “I know I wasn’t making sense. Here’s my idea.” Bob hesitated. “Why don’t you stay with me until Jerry’s caught and we have the family reunion? We can live here together and fix up my house first, then worry about yours. So don’t start replacing all that stuff that got destroyed just yet, just get the essentials and wait a while for everything else, okay?”

  “I can’t buy much before the insurance company comes through anyway,” she told him. “I don’t have as large an emergency fund as you probably do.”

  “There’s more behind this than that. I don’t want to tell you just yet though, for the time being just trust me, please love?” He pulled her into his arms and she forgot all about his mysterious request. “By the way, the reunion’s been postponed indefinitely, until after Jerry is caught.”

  “What about my kids? They’re coming home next Sunday,” she worried.

  “Remember I said it might be a wise idea for them to stay at your grandmother’s until Jerry is caught?” He pointed out, “I think you’d better consider it.”

  “You’re right, I can’t bring them home while Jerry is out there. But what then?” she wondered.

  “They can stay here too, unless you feel awkward about moving them in here with me,” he told her. “I mean, if you feel like it’s not right somehow.”

  “When Jerry’s been arrested and he’s out of the picture, we’ll face the question of my moving in with you. I should have known it would happen someday,” she paused, choosing her words, “being a single parent, I mean. It makes things like living together even more important. I have to have a normal life, and I’m an adult. I don’t think it will do any harm for them to see me happy and in love.” She gave him an impish smile. “The person who’s going to make things really awkward is my father. Dad will lecture you about messing around with his little girl.”

  “Your dad already knows about it.” He kissed her soundly. “That’s why he brought over the dogs, he knows you’re here to stay. You’re not going anywhere.”

  The next day they went back to work in the office. The whole embezzling scheme had been fully outlined; it turned out that Jerry only had one accomplice in the plan, and he was more of a dupe than a real accomplice.

  He was just a kid working in the receiving department. He didn’t even know for sure what Jerry was really doing, or that it was illegal. He was more than willing to testify against Jerry when he learned how close he came to being fired and arrested as an accomplice.

  Jerry was the only suspect and everyone else was in the clear. Because Jerry had not been arrested, Kate felt better at work with Bob than being home by herself. That was part of why Kate went back to work at the office. Also, as pragmatic as it was, there was still work to get done.

  There was a whole different feeling to the office. Seeing Bob and Kate working together, the last traces of resentment held by the other clerks faded. For their part, Bob and Kate just enjoyed being themselves. They weren’t exhibitionists, no one saw them kissing in the hallway like teenagers, but their affection for each other showed every time they were together. Even though they were both afraid and waiting for the other shoe to drop, their joy and happiness was contagious, raising the spirits and protective instincts of their co-workers.

  They were both still conscious that the police had failed to catch Jerry, so they couldn’t relax. In spite of the damage he did to their houses, both Kate and Bob tried to convince themselves that Jerry had gotten his revenge and fled. On the outside, they appeared to get back to a normal routine.

  Each evening, Kate helped Bob shop and pick out things as he refurbished his house. Monday night they started with the master bedroom. Bob called the store from work and arranged to have a new mattress delivered. After work, Kate helped him pick out new pillows, sheets, and a velour comforter, along with a lamp and a new clock radio. She decided to throw out his old area rugs and redecorate the room in shades of rich burgundy.

  The only things they hurried to replace downstairs were the television, VCR, and stereo. For some reason, they never spent much time in the large family room anyway. After a full day’s work and shopping for the new furnishings they needed, they stopped off for fast food then went home and jumped in the pool for a late swim before going straight to bed. They were almost too tired to make love, almost.

  By the end of the first week they had Bob’s bedroom, kitchen and den refurnished, and they had decorated his two spare bedrooms for the kids. Kate debated with Bob over that, insisting that since they were only staying with him until her own place was fixed up it was too much trouble, but he was adamant about it.

  The very idea that he wanted to make his home comfortable for her kids to live in gave her a deep reservoir of hope. They hadn’t known each other very long but Kate knew exactly what she wanted. She had known almost from the moment she looked up at Bob on the beach. It wasn’t because of his looks or his very impressive body. There was something more in his eyes or his voice that had caugh
t her attention and told her he was the one.

  Kate believed Bob felt the same way, but she wasn’t sure. Bob told her that he loved her but so far he never once mentioned marriage. Still, she took heart from the rooms decorated especially for her kids. He did one more thing that made her think his plans were permanent. It was just a little thing but it gave her hope.

  He installed a doggie door.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next Friday Bob left work soon after lunch. He told everyone in the office that he had some very special errands to run and there was a secretive gleam in his eye, but he refused to tell anyone about it. Kate wanted to come with him, but her nose was really put out of joint when he told her to get back to work. She took this with her usual grace and charm; she stuck her tongue out at him behind his back. She was so tied up in her work for the rest of the day that she was buried under an avalanche of papers at quitting time.

  “Aren’t you going home?” she heard Laura ask.

  Kate looked up, startled. “Is it that time? I still have a mess piled up here. I won’t be long. I only have about thirty minutes of work left on these accounts, then I should straighten up my desk and leave.”

  “Do you want me to stay with you?” Laura asked with concern in her voice. “Remember, they haven’t caught Jerry yet. You shouldn’t be here alone, it’s not safe.”

  “No, go home, I’ll be fine. There are plenty of security guards around.” Kate grinned. “You know Bob and John have got me covered.”

  It didn’t take long for her to finish her work and clean off her desk. She really didn’t leave very much later than the rest of the staff, only about twenty-five minutes, but it was long enough. It was more than long enough.

  Kate was wary as she walked out to her car. One hand held her car keys, the ignition key between her thumb and forefinger and the rest threaded through her fingers, ready to scratch anyone who came near her. In her other hand, hidden in her pocket, she held a small can of pepper spray. It was the first time she had been alone since Jerry had vandalized her house. She knew one of John’s security men was watching her, but she declined his escort to her car. Part of her whispered that if Jerry was going to come after her, let him come. She was getting impatient with being guarded and the restrictions it placed on her life.