Page 4 of Saving Veronica
“Yeah, when I take over for you, will I be using your assistant, or getting my own? Who is yours and have they always worked with you?”
“Mine is Maggie, and she’s a godsend. Your grandmother hired her to work for her, then after she passed, she worked for your mother. When I took over I kept her. I was clueless when I took over for your mother. Maggie was able to guide me in the right direction, but she knows, as well as I do, if you want someone else, you’re more than welcome to get someone of your own. We were talking about it when I told Maggie you were coming home and taking over. She said she would be more than happy to help you find someone that fits, and in the interim, she’d answer all your questions.”
“Good. So what’s her whole name?
“Margaret Pennyworth. She’s been with the company for almost thirty years now.”
“Pennyworth?” Both Finn and Patch asked at the same time. “Do you know if she’s any relation to General Gerald Pennyworth?”
“I don’t know about the General part, but her husband’s name is Gerald.”
“It’s the General,” Eric said. “I’ve had quite a few conversations with the man.”
“Okay. We’ve never met him. He retired before we went in, but we’ve heard a lot about him,” Finn said, and Patch agreed.
“Why don’t you take a few days, get used to being back to civilian life. I’ve got the bylaws here when you want to start reading them. Call Maggie and set up an appointment with her to go in and talk with her.”
“I think I’ll do that.” He turned to Patch. “You leaving Wednesday or Thursday?”
“Probably Wednesday, around mid-morning. I’ll take my time to drive around, check out the area, and get a hotel room. My first interview isn’t until three Thursday afternoon.”
“I’ll start reading the bylaws Thursday then,” Finn told his father, and grinned when his grandfather set a platter of sandwiches, chips and salads in the center of the table and his father passed out drinks. They settled down and caught up with each other’s lives since the last time Finn had been home on leave.
Chapter 2
Veronica, aka Ronnie, Parker looked up from her lunch when someone huffed as they sat in the seat across from her. She didn’t bother covering her amusement as she asked, “Rough day at the office, dear?”
“Bite me.” Lorna Hepplewaite looked at her best friend and growled.
“No thanks.” Ronnie grinned. “You’re not my type.”
Lorna snorted a laugh and turned to face her friend. After heaving another big sigh, she admitted, “Sometimes I wish I did swing that way. It would make my life easier.”
“But would it?” Ronnie smirked, before asking, “Let me guess, your mother?”
“Got it in one.” Lorna opened her lunch bag and pulled out a salad, which she opened and used her fork to toss it around. Ronnie watched her and shook her head in disappointment as she took the other half of her ham and cheese sub and passed it over. Lorna looked over both shoulders before she picked up the sandwich and took a huge bite. “God, that tastes so good.” She moaned as she covered her full mouth with her fingers. With a grin, she started chewing, and rolled in eyes in delight. “Carbs, I like carbs.”
Ronnie studied her best friend for several silent moments, before she gently asked the question she’d been wondering about for months. “Why do you put up with her?” She ticked things off on her fingers. “You’re young, you’re beautiful, and you’re smart, except for when it comes to your mother. You have your whole life ahead of you. Why do you put up with her shit?”
“Because I still live under her roof and as she likes to tell me at least fifty times a day. I can’t do anything by myself, because I need a man in my life to take care of me.”
Ronnie couldn’t help it she covered her face as she snorted. “Like that ever helped her.” She didn’t bother to temper her scorn from her friend.
“I know right?” Lorna sighed and took another bite of her sandwich. “She’s got it in her fool head that the man for me is supposed to be the new executive starting work here shortly. He is allegedly Old Man Larson’s grandson. Supposed to take over the Foundation or something like that.” She took another bite, chewed it quickly, then guzzled a drink of her water. “And get this shit.” She grinned as she leaned in to tell Ronnie more. “Mother says that I have to try to get you fired, because you’re my biggest competition here at work, against this guy.”
Ronnie snorted so hard she coughed, causing her to inhale her sip of water through her nose. She waved her hand in front of her face as she continued to laugh. When she was somewhat under control, she grinned. “You don’t have to worry about any of that with me.”
“Why not? You yourself are beautiful, young, hell, we’re the same age. You’re smart, and you have men here at work always asking you out. Not only that, you’re almost done with school and you even own your own house with property.” Lorna picked up what was left of her sandwich and grinned. “I bet you even know how to cook.”
“All that’s true, Lorna. But I have no interest in dating a man that sits behind a desk all day. I want a man that’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. One who knows how to work those hands to fix things, not pick up a phone and call someone else to do it, then bitch because it wasn’t done to his specifications. I do own my own home, along with fifty acres, two horses and several barn cats. I don’t have Kip with me anymore, but maybe one day I’ll get another one. I start my last year of graduate school in a few weeks. When I’m done, I just have to take the exam and I’ll be a vet. I don’t need a man in my life that won’t appreciate or support me in what I do for a living. I made that mistake when I dated Steve three years ago. He turned me off to any man who dons a suit every day. No offense to your mother, but he was exactly her type, though he was probably thirty years younger.
“I will never again allow a man to tell me what to do, how to live, how to act. The right thing to study at college, or to pick my friends for me.” Ronnie could feel herself getting worked up, so she drew in a deep breath, closed her eyes, counted to five, and released it slowly. She did this for six breaths, then opened her eyes to continue, feeling much calmer.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, there might be some good ones out there, but I’m not interested. I’d rather be alone than have to endure a relationship like what I had with Steve, or what your mother has had in the past. Don’t be offended, but how many times has she been married?”
“Four, and she’s already lined up number five. I don’t want that for me either. But I don’t want someone like you do. I don’t really know what I want. But I do know, if I ever find someone, I sure as hell won’t quit my job so he can take care of me. I’ve seen firsthand how that turns out. That’s what Mother would do, work, meet a guy and then she’d be on cloud nine when he asked her to stay home. It works for about a year, then he starts telling her she’s lazy and needs to get a job. Or she spends too much money, or how she doesn’t appreciate what it takes to work. No thank you. I’ve tried to tell Mother not to quit her job, but she won’t listen.”
“That’s because you don’t have a dick between your legs.” Ronnie grinned when Lorna snorted. “The only time I want a man to tell me what to do is when we’re in the bedroom.” She raised her brows as Lorna laughed. “There, he can dictate to me all he wants, do anything he wants, as long as it’s consensual and safe. But outside the bedroom, it’s equal, fifty-fifty all the way. If he doesn’t like it, then he doesn’t need to be with me.”
