Page 269 of Love in Riverbend
“Mr. Stevens.”
He tilts his head. “Are you in a hurry, or may we have a few minutes to speak?”
Like I could turn down one of the partners. “Of course I can take a few minutes.”
He steps into the elevator and hits the button for the top floor.
We’re quiet as the doors close. Finally, as we begin to ascend, I ask, “Is there a problem?”
“I’m hoping you can tell me.” Small lines spider from the corners of his eyes as he lifts his face toward the ceiling and inhales. “Some days, I feel like I’m getting too old for all of this.”
“Are you considering retirement?”
He scoffs. “Elenor doesn’t want me at home underfoot all day long.” He grins. “I think she’s hiding a male lover.”
My eyes open wide.
“I’m teasing. She likes her space, and I respect that.”
I let out a breath. “You could travel.”
“I’m quite content with where we are.” The doors open to his receptionists, and he gestures for me to exit first.
I step to the side, allowing him to lead the way as I follow him to his office.
“Please,” he says once we’re inside, “take off your coat. I have some questions that may, in the mind of some, be inappropriate.”
I stop mid-unbuttoning my wool coat. “Excuse me?”
He has a tiredness about him that seems unfamiliar. His suit coat is gone, and his shirt is wrinkled. Mr. Stevens gestures toward the sofa and chairs in the corner of his office near the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Laying my coat over the back of one chair, I sit in the other and smooth my skirt over my legs. Never in all my time working at this firm has Mr. Stevens been inappropriate. If anything, he’s always been kind and supportive.
Mr. Stevens takes a seat on the sofa, sitting forward, his knees spread. “Let me preface this with, it is perfectly acceptable for you to tell me that you don’t know, you think it’s wrong of me to ask you, or it’s none of my business.”
I inhale. “That’s a bit foreboding.”
“I received some surprising and sad news earlier today.”
I wait, wondering if this is about Ricky and hoping it’s not. Saying a prayer that Ricky listened to my advice and didn’t make a rash decision. “What did you hear?”
He leans back, his nostrils flaring. “I heard from Mr. Dunn.”
Closing my eyes, I inhale and tug on my lower lip. Mr. Stevens is looking at me as my eyes open.
“You know that he decided against accepting the position we offered him?”
“I know that working for Parker and Stevens has been his dream. I also know that Ricky…Rich is a good man with a strong work ethic. Also, like many men” —I smile— “sorry, but it’s true, Rich thinks he needs to fix what’s broken. He believes he’s the only one capable, no matter the consequences.”
“What broke?”
“What did Rich say to you?” I ask.
“This isn’t a conversation we should be having.”
“Probably not,” I agree. “You’re the one who asked me to your office.”
Mr. Stevens nods. “He thanked us for the vote of confidence and said another opportunity has come up and he regretfully must decline our offer.”
