Page 60 of Body

“I am excited. She’s incredibly hot and her body is smokin’ hot,” he says, sounding like a player.

“And the male chauvinist pig comes out. Was wondering when her attributes would make you stupid.” He laughs out loud and I join him. “Though, I agree with you. She’s got a pretty rockin’ body!” My phone beeps, signaling another call. “Okay Phil, I want a full report on Sunday! I gotta go, I have another call.” We both hang up and I hit the “switch” button.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Miss Callahan, this is Dana, Mr. Davis’s personal assistant.”

“Hello Dana. I forgot to thank you for the clothes! They were incredible by the way. Though I would have been fine with clothes from Target,” I tell her happily.

“You’re welcome. I’ll keep Target in mind though I don’t think Mr. Davis would approve,” she warns. “Mr. Davis is sending Jack to pick you up in an hour. That’s the reason I called. He wants you to be ready for a meeting with the CEO at Safe Haven at 11:00 a.m.”

I lose my voice, suddenly overtaken by fear. “Did he say why?” I croak, a new bout of anxiety slithering along my subconscious.

“I’m sorry. He didn’t.”

“Okay, thank you, Dana. I’ll be ready.” I sigh loudly and press my fingers to my temples trying to relieve the tension that just cropped up.

“Gillian? May I call you Gillian?” she asks.

“You can call me, Gigi, if you’d like. Everyone does.”

“Gigi, I just wanted to say…” Her voice softens becoming gentler somehow. “I just wanted to tell you that Chase has been really happy these past three weeks. I know that’s because of you. And well, I just--” she takes a breath and quickly says, “I wanted to say thank you.”

I did not expect that. My throat clogs with an emotional lump. “He makes me happy, too, Dana. Thanks again for the clothing. You have impeccable taste.”

“The car will pick you up at 10:30 a.m. Miss Callahan, please be ready. Chase hates tardiness.” She returns to her official duties. She’s comfortable speaking frankly with me about her boss’s happiness, but reverts back to professional etiquette. I look forward to getting to know his personal assistant. She seems genuinely happy that Chase has been in a better mood. In girl terms, her making a point to tell me would make her trustworthy, but I’ve been burnt too many times by wicked women who claim to be my friend to open my heart and give her even temporary BFF status.

I remove Dana from my mind and choose a sharp dark charcoal grey suit. I pair it with a lavender button-up dress shirt. A chunky silver necklace and silver hoops tame the fierce look. I pull out my favorite pair of grey suede four inch heels. Simple but sexy.

I have no idea what to expect. It’s not often that I meet with Mr. Hawthorne and never because I’ve done something unfavorable. Is he going to fire me? Shit! I’m going to be fired and have to clear out my desk before the weekend.

No, Chase said he’d deal withitand I have to trust him. Believe in him. I just don’t have a clue what the hell “it” means for me and my role at Safe Haven.

I grab my purse and check my appearance in the mirror by the door. My hair is pinned back into a neat bun with bangs sweeping across my forehead. It will have to do. I brush on a simple peachy lip gloss and head to the front of the building.

Jack is there waiting for me. He opens the car door as I walk toward him.

“Morning Jack,” I greet.

“Good Morning, Miss Callahan,” he says and smiles. Wow! The linebacker actually smiled at me. Maybe I’m breaking down his defenses after all. Then again, maybe he got laid last night. I can’t be positive that his niceties are a direct result of my presence.

In twenty minutes, we’re in front of the Safe Haven Foundation. I take a deep breath and exit the car, taking Jack’s hand. “Thank you, wish me luck.”

“You won’t need it,” Jack says with confidence. I furrow my eyebrows at him but walk confidently toward reception.

Once I enter the building, the receptionist immediately whisks me to Mr. Hawthorne’s office. As I near the large double doors to his office, I distinctly hear laughing from the other side. The receptionist knocks and pops her head in. “Miss Callahan is here to see you,” she says.

“Send her in. Thank you.”

She opens the door wide and I walk in. Sitting at a large oak desk is the Foundation leader, Mr. David Hawthorne. He’s a middle aged man, tall, thin and tanned. I hear from the rumor mill that he golfs regularly with board members, vendors, business affiliates and the like, which is probably where that tanned skin was earned. The word is that as CEO, he’s fair and a solid leader. Short cropped brown hair caps his head and a beard dots a square jaw. He’s not unattractive, but he isn’t a heartbreaker either. He’s nice looking and smiles when I enter.

“Thank you for coming, Miss Callahan. I believe you’ve met our Board Chairman, Mr. Davis.” I turn to my left and realize Chase is sitting on a brown leather couch at the back of the room. He grins at my surprise, his eyes taking in my body from head to toe and back again. I flush crimson and close my eyes to compose myself.

“Good morning, Gillian.” He smiles and gestures to the seat next to him. I walk over and take the seat offered next to him, leaving plenty of space between our bodies. I cross my feet at the ankles and sit straight and tall, waiting for Mr. Hawthorne to address me. If I’m going to lose my job, I’m going to do it with dignity, though I don’t know why he’d need Chase here to witness it.

Mr. Hawthorne comes around his desk and takes a seat across from us. We’re separated by a glass coffee table with magazines splayed across it in a crescent. “Miss Callahan, Chase brought my attention to an issue that came about earlier this week.” I nod but stay silent. “I understand that our Director of HR, Ms. Peterson notified you that the Foundation was aware of your personal relationship with Mr. Davis.”

“Yes, Sir. She did.”

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