Watching Amanda (14 page)

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Authors: Janelle Taylor

BOOK: Watching Amanda
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CHAPTER 14
While Ethan waited downstairs in the lobby of the building where Sedgwick Enterprises had its offices, Amanda headed for the elevator. The doors were about to close, and naturally, no one in the elevator thought to hold open the doors for the woman with the baby stroller.
“Thanks!” she called out sarcastically to the businessmen who'd rushed in and watched the doors close right in her face.
She pressed the up button and waited. The doors slid open and a group of people exited, and Amanda quickly pushed the stroller in. Two women actually gave her dirty looks when they had to squeeze in to fit around the stroller.
Finally, the doors pinged open to the tenth floor.
Sedgwick Enterprises: We Build Business
was written across the ornate double doors in gold block letters. Amanda had never been entirely sure what her father actually did. He'd once said he bought and sold corporations, but that was a field Amanda knew little about.
She took a deep breath and pulled open the doors. A very attractive receptionist sat behind a polished redwood station. When the woman learned who she was, she immediately dialed Nora Corey's extension.
“Nora, Amanda Sedgwick is here to see you. Mr. Sedgwick's daughter.” She listened for a moment. “All right.” She replaced the receiver and turned to Amanda. “She'll be right out.”
Amanda sat down on the leather chair across from the reception desk.
“I'm so sorry for your loss,” the receptionist said.
Amanda smiled. “Thank you very much.”
A couple of minutes later, the inside door opened and a very pretty redhead in her twenties appeared.
“Amanda Sedgwick?” she asked. “I'm Nora Corey.”
Amanda stood. “Pleasure to meet you.”
The woman nodded and extended her hand. “I'm so sorry about your dad. I lost my father a few years ago, so I totally understand.”
Amanda smiled and thanked her. “Miss Co—”
“Nora, please.”
“Nora, I'm hoping you might—”
“And who is this little sleeping cherub?” Nora interrupted, kneeling down in front of Tommy's stroller. “Is he your son?”
Amanda nodded. “He'll be a year next month.”
“He's so beautiful,” Nora said. “I can't wait to have a baby. Well, first I have to find a boyfriend, huh?” She laughed. “Hi little guy,” she whispered at Tommy.
Thank you
, Amanda said silently up to the heavens.
I think this woman is going to be a big help.
“Nora, I know this is last minute, but I'm hoping you'll allow me to take you out to lunch today. I have so many questions and—”
“Can we go to Fishers?” Nora asked, her green eyes twinkling. “It's this really great fish and chips restaurant around the corner.”
“Sounds good to me,” Amanda said.
Nora beamed. “Great. I am so premenstrual and when I'm getting my period I crave fish and chips. The greasier the better. Can you give me five minutes to finish an email?”
Surprised, Amanda smiled. “Thanks. Take as much time as you need.”
Nora smiled and disappeared. Less than five minutes later, she was back, coat and purse in hand. And fifteen minutes later, they were seated inside Fishers, handed menus with over ten variations of fish and chips, from baskets to sandwiches to entrees. Tommy lay sleeping in his stroller next to their table.
“Ooh la la,” Nora said. “Now that is what I'm talking about.”
Amanda glanced up in time to see Ethan approaching the table directly next to theirs. Nora's eyes were now feasting on him instead of the menu.
“Hot, hot, hot,” Nora whispered, tilting her head in Ethan's direction before he was close enough to hear. “Doesn't he remind you of that actor who used to be on ER?”
Amanda never watched ER, but she thought she knew who Nora was talking about, and yes, he sort of did look like that actor. She knew, intellectually, that Ethan was a very good-looking man, but she hadn't really looked at him that way. Now that she saw him through Nora's eyes in a public place, she could objectively see that he was, indeed, hot.
“Omigod,” Nora said. “I can't believe I'm going on and on about some guy when you're in grief over your dad. I'm sorry.”
Amanda touched Nora's hand. “No, no—it's okay, really. You're making me smile.”
“Good,” Nora said. “Oh great, here comes our waitress.” Their orders taken and sodas delivered, Nora said, “I liked your dad a lot. I only worked for him for six months, but he was really nice.”
“Nora, I want you to know that this conversation will be completely confidential. I don't want you to worry about your job,” Amanda said.
“Oh, I'm not worried. I already have a new boss. At first I wasn't sure if I'd be fired or transferred, but apparently your dad had left a glowing performance review for me, and so one of the senior vice presidents snapped me up. I'm cleaning up your dad's office this week, and then I start my new job on Monday.”
“So what was my dad like to work for?” Amanda asked.
Nora leaned in. “Don't tell anyone I told you this, but he was the easiest boss I ever had. And he owned the entire company! All the other secretaries on my floor had killer bosses.”
“What made him so easy to work for?” Amanda asked.
“Well,” she lowered her voice, “this is the part you should keep to yourself. He didn't exactly work very hard, at least not since I joined the company six months ago. His second in command was pretty much running the corporation. Your dad was more like the figurehead. He wasn't involved with the daily running of the company.”
“So what was his schedule?” Amanda asked.
Nora pulled out a day planner from her tote bag and flipped to a page. “Here's a random day:
9 a.m.: Get shoes shined.
9:30: Coffee with head of Acquisitions.
10:30: Bloody Marys with head of PR.
Noon: Lunch with Mimi. Order dozen roses to precede her to table. Make sure ‘trinket' is in coat pocket.
3pm: Meeting with—”
“Can we go back to lunch for a sec?” Amanda asked. “Who's Mimi?”
Nora puckered and laughed. “His lady friend. Mimi Farthwell.”
Amanda darted a glance at Ethan, who subtly nodded. Amanda knew he was telling her to keep pressing for more information. “Nora, and this will be totally confidential: did my dad have many lady friends?”
“Actually, only two. Mimi for weekdays and another woman for weekends. Her name is Lara O'Hara, which I always remember because it rhymes. Omigod. I can't believe I just told you that your dad had two girlfriends! You're his daughter! Is it okay that I'm telling you this, right? I always stick my foot in my mouth!”
“It's okay, Nora,” Amanda said with a smile. “Your forthrightness is incredibly refreshing. But you know, I'm curious. Usually secretaries of executives have to be incredibly discreet. Have you gotten into trouble for being forthright?”
“Nope,” she said. “My uncle is a bigwig at Sedgwick Enterprises, so he got me the job. I think the reason they matched me with Mr. Sedgwick is because he was not very active these last months. It's not like I was privy to any confidential business matters. The executives under your father all knew he was ailing, so when Mr. Sedgwick asked to step down to a figurehead position, his exes were thrilled to get the power.”
Ailing? Her father was ailing—was suffering from cancer—and she didn't even know about it.
“I was told he had cancer but ...?” Amanda shook her head.
“Yes,” Nora said, “Apparently he didn't want anyone to know.”
Amanda's head was spinning with information. Mimi. Another woman. Cancer. Stepping down ... She was grateful when the waiter interrupted them to serve their lunch, yet she had little appetite for her basket of fried cod and French fries. She waited until Nora had finished slathering tarter sauce on her own basket of fried fish and then tasted it before asking her next question.
“Nora, do you know why he chose to step down? And why six months ago? Was his cancer becoming more aggressive and unresponsive?”
“Oh God, is this scrumptious or what?” Nora said, savoring her mouthful of fish. “I know this is the most fattening thing in the world, but I don't care. I have it at least once a month.”
Amanda smiled. “It is good. And I really appreciate that you're taking the time to have lunch with me.”
Nora waved her hand dismissively. “My pleasure.”
Amanda could feel Ethan's eyes on her, telling her to keep going.
“So do you know why he stepped down?” Amanda asked again. “Was it only because of his cancer?” She hoped it didn't seem odd that she didn't know much about her own father.
Nora popped a French fry into her mouth. “Not that I knew of. Well, I mean, sort of. I heard—and this is totally gossip—that his heart actually broke when Sally died, so I guess he just gave up and gave in to death to join her.”
“Sally? His former secretary?”
Nora nodded. “According to gossip, they were involved for years. I guess she looked the other way when it came to his other women, considering that she would have made all the arrangements.”
Amanda was disgusted. “So she had an appointment book like yours, full of his romantic lunches and notes to order flowers and ‘trinkets' and whatever else? That's horrible!”
Nora shrugged. “From what I heard, Sally and Mr. Sedgwick had an understanding. Sally enjoyed the special treatment of being his lover. I mean, can you imagine the job perks? And she probably was able to use her position as his secretary to her advantage. She could probably hold things over his head since she was privy to everything.”
“Are you saying she did hold things over his head?” Amanda asked.
“I really don't know ... actually, I doubt it. I didn't know Sally, but I've heard she was one of the sweetest women on earth. I think she truly loved him and decided it was worth being one of many. At least as far as the company went, she was his number one. I did hear that he had many affairs with some of the best-looking women in the company.”
Amanda pushed her practically untouched plate away. “Was Sally married? Did she have children?”
“Um, are you going to eat that?” Nora asked, gesturing at Amanda's basket. “I'd love to try yours.”
Amanda smiled. “It's all yours.”
Nora forked a piece of fish from Amanda's basket into her own. “Sally was never married. I think she has a son, though, a teenager ... Hey, maybe by your father! Oops! I'm so sorry ...”
Amanda glanced at Ethan; he surreptitiously raised an eyebrow that said:
Bingo.
 
As Ethan threw some bills on the table to pay for his own fish and chips, he watched Amanda and Nora slipping on their coats at the front door of the restaurant. He could hear Amanda thanking Nora and then extending her hand, but Nora pulled Amanda into a hug. Nora said something about needing to hit the drugstore before heading back up, so while Amanda feigned having left her gloves at the table, they said their good-byes at the door, and Nora headed out. Amanda waited for Ethan to join her and they exited the restaurant together.
“Let's take the bus back to to the brownstone,” he told her, gesturing at the bus stop just before the corner. “We'll discuss what we just learned.”
Amanda nodded and wheeled Tommy's stroller over to the short line. She kneeled down to unstrap Tommy, and his eyes opened. His face crumpled, and Amanda soothed him with a reassuring caress on his forehead. Ethan folded up the stroller and held onto it, and Amanda boosted Tommy up into her arms.
“Wow, I can't tell you how many times I've gotten on a bus by myself, trying to lug the stroller and carry Tommy at the same time. It feels so good to have help.”
“It must be very hard to be a single mother,” he said. “A lot of work all on you.”
Amanda nodded. “It is hard. It's hard to be a parent even when there are two of you, but shouldering everything is tough. At least I know I'm capable right? Sometimes I feel like I could handle anything.” She paused. “Yeah right. Like I handled what happened the other night.”
The bus rumbled to a stop at the curb, and Amanda and Ethan got on, taking seats in the back.
“You handled that exceptionally well, Amanda,” Ethan said. “You're a very strong woman.”
“Sometimes I wish I didn't have to be,” she said in a very low voice. “I know that's not exactly a feminist thing to say, but sometimes I just wish I could relax.”

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