“No, no.” He waved her back to her seat and rewarded her helpful offer with a scowl of annoyance. Why did she have to be so damn sweet and conscientious? He’d be happy to find even one flaw, something to make him not like her so much. So far, though, he could come up with nothing. “And I told you to use my first name.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” A soft blush colored her cheeks. “Reed. May I help you?”
“I said no.” His curt response made her bite down on her lower lip. Ignoring her reaction, he glanced around the office. “Where’s Sharon?”
“She had a doctor’s appointment this morning,” Golden said, looking relieved that he’d changed the subject. “She’ll be in around noon.” She smoothed her hands down her skirt and glanced back at him, her gaze hesitant.
It was a move that made him take a second look. Somehow today there was something different about her. She was still simple little Golden Browne but there was an air of sophistication about her, one that hadn’t been there before.
And then he saw it. Today Golden was wearing a wool suit, all black with silver buttons down the front of the jacket, and at the collar was a pearl necklace. She was even wearing matching pearl earrings. All in all the outfit was of much higher quality than what she’d worn the week before but where she’d looked young and unsophisticated then, now she looked dated and old.
Eyes narrowed he stared at her. Had the girl been digging through her mother’s closet? He would take the simple, unsophisticated look over this one any day.
He shook his head. All in good time. He’d make sure that before Sharon left for her maternity leave, she educated Golden on all the perks of working for a high fashion company. Employee discounts on haute couture apparel was one of the reasons his company was flooded with CV’s from budding fashion hopefuls.
And speaking of CVs, had he even asked this girl to submit her official documents and certificates for their files? That was another thing he needed to speak to Sharon about.
He’d hired the girl on a whim simply because he ‘liked’ her and because he was determined to see her again. And again.
He was a real sucker for punishment.
Abruptly he turned and headed for the exit. “I’ll be back in a few,” he threw over his shoulder. “If anybody calls just take a message.”
“Yes, sir.” Her voice, gentle and melodious, followed him out the door.
But instead of granting him calm all it made him do was groan. Even at the grand old age of twenty-six he was still acting like a fool. He’d known from the start that this was hopeless. Why couldn’t he have let well enough alone?
***
“Look what I brought you.”
Golden almost laughed out loud when Claire snatched the pink and white gift bag from her grasp and shoved her hand in.
“What?” the old lady asked, her eyes bright and eager. “Brownies?”
“No, but close. I made you chocolate chip cookies, soft and warm, straight from the oven.”
As she spoke Claire was pulling the colored dish from the bag. She lifted the lid and her lips parted in a wide grin. “This looks like almost a dozen. I’m going to gorge myself on these.”
“It is a dozen,” Golden confirmed, “but they’re not all for you. I brought enough so you can share with your friends.”
Claire’s brows fell. “What friends?”
“Claire, don’t give me that.” Golden reached out pulled the bowl from her resisting hands and laid it on the nearby table. “I happen to know that you get along very well with Elizabeth Stein. And what about Therese Morgan? You give her grief but you love her. Don’t try to deny it.”
Claire pouted. “I won’t, but that doesn’t mean I have to share my cookies with them.”
Golden only chuckled. “I know you, Claire. As soon as I’m gone you’ll be calling them in for tea and before you know it the cookies will be all gone. You like acting the dragon but you don’t fool me.”
Claire’s look of disappointment was comical. She shook her head. “Child, you know me too well.”
While Golden was there Claire ate only two of the cookies, saving the rest for the afternoon when her friends would come over. As she munched she chatted cheerily with Golden, filling her in on all the details of her past week. Not that it was very eventful. There were few opportunities for excitement in the life of someone stuck in a nursing home but she did share an entertaining tidbit, recounting how Albert Rodney from the neighboring building had come over to visit, taking his grandson with him. The six-year-old ran off through the nursing home, leaving his grandfather in the dust and creating such havoc that the supervisor had to ask poor Albert to leave, taking the offspring of his offspring with him.
“It was like old Albert didn’t know what hit him,” Claire squeaked between guffaws. “There was no way he could keep up with that little bundle of energy.”
Golden couldn’t help but laugh, too. She could just picture it, the little tyke tearing through the hallways with his grandfather after him, struggling to catch up. Poor kid. He must have been bored to tears in this sea of golden-agers who would much rather sit and drink tea than go racing down the hallways.
But then that picture made Golden think of Claire and her life here at the nursing home. She’d always thought her friend was childless. She’d never seen a single soul come to visit her and that was why she’d semi-adopted her, going out of her way to pay regular visits. Now, though, she knew better. Claire had a daughter, probably grandchildren, too. Why, then, should she be all alone, especially for the holidays? It wasn’t right and it wasn’t going to continue. Not if Golden could help it.
It would be a ticklish subject but Golden would broach the topic nonetheless. That was the only way things would ever be resolved. She cleared her throat. “Er, Claire, uhm...wouldn’t you like to meet your grandchild? If you have one, I mean?” She bit her lip then stole a glance at Claire, expecting the older woman’s face to be as dark as a thundercloud. What she saw surprised her.