Page 9 of A Family Affair: The Vow
“I’m sure they’ll all help my sister’s recovery.” The woman certainly knew a lot about Rae’s family, more than a casual stranger should. Unless she weren’t so casualora stranger to the Darlingtons. “That’s actually why I’m calling. My parents told me I might be able to count on Nate to show me the ins and outs of our company. They said he’d be a great resource, and while we have a foreman, he doesn’t understand the financial aspects or the computers.”
“Frank knows computers about as well as my dogs do.” More laughter filled the line. “That man is a hard worker, honest, reliable, devoted to the company, but do not ask him to use a mouse or fix a spreadsheet. Leah tried, but after he accidentally erased some important data, she gave up.”
Why hadn’t her parents made the computer a requirement for a foreman position? Talk about inefficient! Maybe once Nate taught her the basics, she’d analyze the day-to-day operations and find ways to improve the efficiency and the process. And she’d start by sending Frank to a basic computer class. Right now, Rae needed Nate Desantro’s help and in order to do that, she had to find him. Enter Betty Rafferty, the receptionist who knew a lot about everybody, a.k.a. busybody. “Do you know when Nate might be back? I really would like to talk to him.”
“Sure, but didn’t you say you were looking for someone to walk you through the steps of day-to-day operations at your company?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Well, Rachel,Ican help you with that.”
“You can?” Betty knew about the day-to-day operations at Darlington Metals?
“Sure can. Nate’s not much of a hands-on person here these days. He’s got the furniture business and that keeps him real busy, but I’ll put you in touch with the young man Leah works with...” A sigh, followed by a soft “You’ll like him.” Her voice dipped, filled with excitement. “He’s a real looker, too. Hold on a second and I’ll see if he’s available. His name’s Vic. Vic Tramont.”
No...no, no, no!Rae opened her mouth to shut down that suggestion, but Betty had already placed her on hold. Darn, darn, darn. Should she hang up before he answered? No, that was the coward’s way, but she really did not want to talk to him and—
“This is Vic.”
The coolness and lack of interest in his voice told her Betty had informed him she was on the line. “Vic, this is Rae Darlington. It’s been a long time.”What a ridiculous comment. Why would she say that?
“Rae Darlington. What can I do for you?”
“Actually, I think your receptionist made a mistake. I was looking for Nate but she transferred me to you.”
“Did she now?”
The hint of amusement told her he wasn’t convinced. Did he think she’d fabricate a tale to get to him? Hardly. “Obviously, you know all about Leah’s accident. That’s the reason I’m in town.” Pause as she waited for him to comment and when he remained silent, she added, “I’m here to help out until she can get home. It’s either that or Dad comes back to Magdalena and we arenotgoing to let that happen.”
“Gil should stay where he is, enjoy his golf and card games and the Saturday afternoon cocktails. I hear your mother’s convinced him to take dance lessons.” A soft laugh. “I’d like to see that.”
How did he know about the Saturday afternoon cocktails and the dance lessons? Had Leah told him, or had her father kept in touch? Neither possibility was a welcome thought, especially since her father was a private man and made a point of telling her that when she’d asked why he didn’t talk to Richard.Nothing personal, he’d said.I just like my privacy. But maybe that hadn’t been true, maybe he just couldn’t find common ground with Richard. If she were honest and took a hard look at her ex-boyfriend, she’d have to admit he was not exactly welcoming to people who didn’t share his beliefs, socioeconomic background, skillset, or education level. He shied away from them and situations he didn’t understand: the cashier at the grocery store, the tailor who worked on his suits, the stylist who cut his hair, the valet who parked his car. Her father must have sensed this and shut down. Or maybehewas the one who didn’t think Richard belonged inhiscircle.
“Leah’s got a long way to go but she’s tough. It will take a while, but she’ll get through it.”
People just loved to smooth tragedies over with comments like this. “How do you know that?”
Long pause, a double throat clearing and then an answer that wasn’t really an answer. “I’ve been inquiring.”
“Oh...with Josh?”
“Actually, I call your parents. They fill me in. Anyway, Nate will be in later so I’ll tell him you called.”
And that was it. Fine, she didn’t want to talk to him either. “Thanks.”
“No problem. Goodbye, Rae.”Click.
Rae hung up the phone, leaned back in the office chair her sister had occupied for the past three years and thought about the conversation she’d just had with the man she wanted to avoid. No doubt he was as attractive as ever. Still had the same compelling voice, even though he’d tried to bleach the emotion from it. He’d been mostly successful but there’d been a few times the tone shifted, like when he talked about Leah. Rae stared at the framed photograph of Leah and Josh resting on the edge of the desk, but she didn’t see their smiling faces. No, instead her brain filled with the last image she had of Vic Tramont the night she told him she wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship with him. Those blue eyes had burned her, the brackets around his mouth deep, the expression closed.
She’d hurt him and she hadn’t meant to do that, but he shouldn’t have expected anything from her, especially a relationship.Why would he do that?There was no sense denying the attraction, and it hadn’t been just physical. The man seemed to understand her and the few times she’d tossed out comments about her plans and the trajectory of her future, he’d smiled, those sky-blue eyes sparkling as though he knew she was trying to impress him. Yes, that was true, but only because she’d wanted him to see she wasnotthe same scared teenager who’d backed into his truck. But it didn’t matter because being that close to himdidmake her feel uncertain, less in control, not a good place for someone who’d spent years perfecting her persona.
Was that why she’d begun seeing Richard mere weeks after she returned from Magdalena? The man was dependable, focused, educated, and understood what it meant to be part of a team—in business and in a relationship. His presence might not make her lose her concentration or tingle with anticipation the way Vic Tramont had, but Richard had been safe, steady, a part of her future—until he wasn’t. How had she never realized the man cared about her more as a business asset than a life partner and once the business part was gone, so was she?
It should devastate her that Richard had ended the relationship, but it didn’t. What devastated her was losing her future with the company and by default her association with the trendy, upwardly mobile, sophisticated crowd she’d been part of for so long. All gone. What did that say about her? And what did it say about her relationship with Richard and the dreams they’d shared? While there were conversations regarding personal dreams, every single one led back to business, working side by side, setting goals, achieving victories, accepting awards. It had all sounded so important when she shared information with her family and the reasons she couldn’t visit, or if she did, only for the weekend.Big presentation, tight deadline...impossible to break away...working nonstop.On and on the excuses went until her parents stopped asking her to come home.
And then came the retirement announcement.
No need recallingthatnight.
