A Christmas Proposal: A Hidden Threat Short Story (6 page)

Matthew sat behind his desk, going through the e-mails that never seemed to stop when Brad called to let him know the boss’s daughter was here. He’d talked to Alvin yesterday. Apparently, his boss had kept his daughter in the dark and had left it to Jason and him to bring her up to speed. She had no idea what was going on, and Matthew just didn’t have time for this. 

He waited fifteen more minutes to allow her time to reach her office before he walked down the hall and knocked on his brother’s door. 

“Come in,” came the gruff voice.

Matthew opened the door and stepped inside. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Jason smiled at his brother. 

Matthew adjusted his already perfect tie, “She’s here. Alvin wants her brought up to speed ASAP.”

“You go on ahead,” Jason said, turning his attention back to the diagrams in front of him.

“You’re not coming.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Nope.”

“Why?”

With a heavy sigh, Jason looked up again at his brother. “Because the last thing I want to do this morning is entertain a pampered princess. Besides,” he said, waving a dismissive hand, “you’re much better at corporate politics than I am.”

Matthew couldn’t believe his brother. Well he could, but still. He knew Jason didn’t like what he called the “suit and tie” part of the job. Jason was much better with the hands-on aspects where Matthew thrived on the technical and theoretical side. Jason preferred to be out in the action, and Matthew liked to work alone. 

They made a great team, which was why Alvin hired them eighteen months ago when he first started receiving threats. Thus far, they’d already managed to derail or neutralize three theft rings, as well as exposing a man from accounting that had been embezzling for the past seven years. 

He could tell by Jason’s tone that there was no budging him on this. “Fine. I’ll give you the rundown later.”

“You do that, little brother.” He gave one last wicked smile to Matthew. “Have fun.”

Have fun. Somehow, Matthew thought that was the last thing he’d be having. He’d never met Alvin’s daughter, although he knew she was twenty-eight and a doctor. All he could hope for was that she wasn’t the pampered princess Jason thought she’d be. If so, it was going to be a very long three months.

Cali just sat down behind her father’s desk, her desk—well for the next three months, anyway. When the phone on the desk buzzed, she hit the intercom, “Yes?”

“Matthew Andersen is here to see you,” Lisa’s voice came through the phone.

“Who?”

“Head of Security,” Lisa supplied.

Oh
, Cali thought,
Well…there’s nothing like jumping in with both feet.
“Send him in.”

Cali closed the open window on her computer. She heard the door open and close quickly. Taking a deep breath, she stood and looked up. Staring back at her was a man with the most intriguing blue eyes she’d ever seen. His hair was black, and cropped close to his head. His broad shoulders were covered in a chocolate-colored suit that fit him perfectly.
Wow
was the only word that came to mind. 

Suddenly she realized she’d been quiet for too long. Shaking herself out of her stupor, she took a step toward him and extended her hand. “You must be Mr. Andersen.” 

For a moment, Cali didn’t think he was going to respond, but then he nodded and shook her hand. “And you must be Ms. Stanton.”  

Cali could feel the blush moving up her cheekbones. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to release his hand and take a step back.  

Stop it!
she mentally berated herself.
He works for you, remember?
Brushing a loose tendril behind her ear, she rushed back to the desk, bumping into the corner in passing. “Um…why don’t you take a seat Mr. Andersen?”

He sat his tall frame into the offered seat.  

She nodded after taking her seat again. Placing her hands in her lap and out of his sight, she rubbed the skin that was still tingling from his touch.  

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and he appeared to be assessing her.  

She wasn’t sure she liked that. Clearing her throat, she said, “My father said there were some things you needed to talk to me about.” She forced her voice to sound business like. 

“Yes,” he said in a clipped tone. “What has Alvin told you?”

“Just that he needed someone he could trust right now.” She paused. “What’s going on?”

Matthew had seen pictures of Alvin’s daughter—pictures of her when she was little and even one from when she’d graduated from medical school—but nothing had prepared him for the woman in front of him. As soon as he opened the door to Alvin’s office and saw her, he lost his equilibrium.

    Cali Stanton wore a black pants suit that showed off every curve she had. The jacket hugged her waist and had a v-neck that plunged just low enough to give a hint at the skin beneath. The red hair he remembered from the pictures was pulled up into some fancy hairdo with just a few stray curls caressing her face. Then there were her eyes. He could get lost in them. They were brown with a hint of copper and anything but ordinary. It had taken him more time to respond than it should’ve when she extended her hand to him.  

With introductions out of the way, they both took their seats, and he tried to focus on business, the reason he was here, and the reason he had a job. Apparently, Alvin had told her nothing of what was going on. She was blind.
Perfect
. 

After failing at several attempts to concentrate and explain the threats to the company and her father, Matthew decided it was easier if he wasn’t actually looking at her. All he wanted to do was ask her out, which was not an option.
Your boss, remember?
he reminded himself. So instead, he concentrated on a location behind her in the Chicago skyline as he talked.

She took it better than he thought she would. It wasn’t every day you found out people were threatening violence to you and your company. Matthew understood why Alvin wanted his daughter to run things in his absence, but he was a little aggravated with the old man as well. This was no place for her. Once word got out she was running the company, the threats to Alvin would transfer to her. 

As Matthew left Alvin’s office to return to his office downstairs, the danger that threatened Cali Stanton seemed to bother him more and more. By the time he reached his destination, his frustration had bubbled over. He slammed the door and fell into his chair. Unfortunately, his outburst attracted his brother’s attention, and he heard two knocks on his door. Knowing Jason would come in eventually, wanted or not, he closed his eyes and sighed. 

“Come in.”

Jason walked through the door and found his little brother sitting behind his desk, face muscles tense, eyes closed, and head back. Closing the door behind him, he took a seat across from Matthew and waited. Finally, his brother opened one eye. “I’m fine, Jason.”

“Meeting with the princess didn’t go well?” 

Matthew ran his hand over his head. “Don’t call her that.” 

Okay
, Jason thought.
I’ll rephrase.
“Did the meeting with Ms. Stanton not go well?”

Matthew looked like he was going to say something but didn’t. After a minute, he shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward. “She didn’t know anything about what’s been happening. I can’t believe her father didn’t warn her.” 

The agitation in Matthew’s voice was obvious, but Jason figured it was just because that meant extra work trying to get her up to speed. “Well, at least now she knows.”

“Yeah.” Matthew glanced down at a note on his desk and then back to Jason. “How are things looking for Friday?”

“Good so far. Everyone’s keeping their ears to the ground. I’ll be notified if they hear something.”

Matthew just nodded and then stood, clearly wanting Jason to leave. “I’ll see you later. I need to get the security clearance finished for Ms. Stanton.” 

Before Jason could say another word, Matthew was gone. 

The rest of the day went easy for Cali although she knew that had a lot to do with her assistant. That woman was amazing. She’d have to tell her dad to give her a raise. Lisa had been in her dad’s office, her office, more times than she could count. 

Having spent so much of her teenage years here helping her dad, she knew the business, at least the basics of it. The problem was she was rusty. Thankfully, she had her medical knowledge. Without that, she would have been lost. 

After lunch, Peter Carson, the CFO, came into see her. He didn’t want to talk business. She still needed to go over the financial statements. 

Cali had known Peter for a while. He’d started here right out of college and had been with her father for about ten years now. He’d offered her his assistance with anything she would need, for which she was grateful.   

The next time Cali looked up at the clock, it was already five fifteen. She knew there would be days she’d have to work late, but that wasn’t a habit she wanted to get in on her first day. Picking out two of the reports still in the pile she’d been working through, she stuck them in the briefcase she’d brought with her and walked out into the hall. 

Lisa was still sitting at her desk and looked up when the door open. “Leaving for the night, Ms. Stanton?”

“Please call me Cali. After all I couldn’t have made it through today without you,” she admitted with a smile.

Lisa smiled back. “You’re doing fine, Cali.”

“Thanks.” 

Cali started for the elevators but paused and looked back. “Are you heading home soon?” 

She felt bad. Lisa was probably behind on her own work because she’d been helping her so much today. 

“Yeah. I just have this to finish up, and then I’m heading home.” Seeing the concerned look on Cali’s face, she added, “Really. I should only be another twenty minutes or so.”

“You’re sure?” Cali asked. “I mean, I could help you if you wanted. You helped me enough today.”

Lisa just gave a little laugh. “Thank you, but I’m good. Go enjoy your evening. And relax. You have a whole new day tomorrow.”

Cali gave a little grimace. “Don’t remind me.” Then she smiled once again at her assistant. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”