Page 52 of Besties
She smiled. “Fresh ground.” She took a gulp. “Makes a big difference.”
“Those are some nice-looking students,” I said, nodding toward the framed pictures.
“I like to think so.” She walked over to the wall and pointed at one of the pictures. “This group? They’re children who will graduate, thanks to Teaching Time. Your programs and structured learning modules helped each one of them find their potential.”
I was confused. “If we helped, may I ask why you terminated your contracts with us?”
She blew out a frustrated breath. “Have you ever heard of cutting off your nose to spite your face?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, that’s what I did.” Her light blue eyes twinkled. “Like Amelia told you, I jumped the gun. I should have checked better before I called. That was my fault, and I am very sorry. I’d like to renegotiate with you, if I may. Of course, I’ll understand if you would prefer not to have our business.”
I gawped. “Ma’am, we’re all about business. And believe me, I understand. I may have sliced my nose more than once.”
Her laugh was warm and caused her eyes to sparkle. “I can see you do.” She drained her cup. “Would you like another?”
“No, thank you. I need to sleep tonight, since I have several more calls to make tomorrow.”
“Ah, about that.” She got up, poured more coffee, then returned to the desk, where she sat slowly. “Amelia may have called some of the other schools. You might not know this, but she’s a bit of a gossip. I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t call everyone on your list. Well, except East High, but that’s because their principal is a bit of a hardass.”
I bit my tongue to keep from choking on it. “He’s a… passionate man.”
“And you’re very diplomatic.” She sighed and leaned forward. “Let me tell you something, Mr. Henry—”
“Max, please.”
“Only if you call me Sophie. Anyway, your sales rep, Mr. Kramer, used to be this powerhouse of a man. He swept in here making grandiose promises. We all thought he was full of… well, you know. The thing of it was, he delivered on every guarantee he made. When I heard about his… meltdown, I was shocked. This wasn’t the man I knew and respected. Quite frankly, this doesn’t sound at all like him.”
Her words caught me off guard. She was the first one who defended Kramer, and I found myself wondering if maybe we were just as guilty as everyone who had pilloried Teaching Time without any more than hearsay.
“I heard he said some very antigay things.”
She shook her head. “No way. That’s not possible. He has a gay son! He loves the kid more than life itself and would do anything for him. Raised him alone after his wife died of breast cancer. He got all decked out in audacious rainbow gear and marched with Jeff in three Pride Parades, for God’s sake. Does that sound like an antigay father to you?” She drew in a breath. “Look, I’ll be up front with you. I met Dennis when he came in here and sold me on your program. He was charming, and after everything was said and done, he asked me out. We dated for the last six months. I thought we had a good thing going, but then he started acting… different. Nothing overt, mind you. He’d forget dates, or blow them off. If we did go out, he was distant, distracted. At first I thought something might be wrong with him and Jeff, but I went to their house for a barbecue, and the two of them were laughing and horsing around, but… it was strained, at least for Dennis, you know? The smile that drew me to him wasn’t real, and I think Jeff knew it too.”
I drank some coffee, needing a moment to cover my growing confusion. I’d seen Kramer’s records, and she was right. He was a stellar employee, received high marks from those he worked with at Teaching Time, and had also gotten impressive reviews from the schools, universities, and student groups he’d had dealings with.
“Have you heard from him at all?”
“No. When I talked to Jeff, he said he hadn’t been able to reach him for a couple weeks, which is unlike Dennis.” Her hand trembled as she put her mug down on the desk. “I don’t know what’s happened to him, but this isn’t the man I knew.”
And from the tone of her voice, apparently loved.
By the timeI’d left Sophie’s office, the sun had set. We’d talked far longer than I thought we would, and I was bone-tired. The more she told me about Kramer and how much he loved his son, the less confident I felt in my ire toward him. From what Sophie said, he was a model father, and Richie had said he’d been an exemplary employee. What could have caused this change?
I opened the door to the apartment, and the smells of basil, oregano, tomatoes, and pasta tickled my nose. My stomach growled.
“Something smells good.”
When I turned the corner, I stopped. The table was set with a crisp, white tablecloth. Atop it, two tapered burgundy candles flickered in what looked like crystal holders. I moved closer and stared at the china plates with gleaming silverware, the water goblets, and basket of rolls.
“What’s this?”
“Dinner.” Richie turned toward me. “I hope you’re hungry.”
He was dressed in track pants and a gray T-shirt, but he couldn’t have looked more beautiful if he’d been wearing a tuxedo.
“Starved.”
