"I take it that you don't want answer me," Rachel pointed out. "That's okay, I'll just go back to work."
"It's not that I don't want to answer you, it's just that my business shouldn't concern you," Georgia explained.
"You're absolutely right," Rachel agreed.
Georgia watched as Rachel turned around and left her office.
Trey released a smile as he punched in the numbers of Frankie's phone number on his cell phone.
"I'm in the elevator going up to her office right now," Trey announced, speaking into the mouthpiece. "I don't know... five minutes, ten minutes. Keep an eye on the clock!"
Georgia prepared her desk and put her head between her hands, trying to reach a decision about hiring Trey, when there was a knock on the door.
Georgia jumped out of her chair and headed over to the door, and opened it.
"Georgia, looking lovely as always," Trey flirted.
"Just get in here," Georgia ordered, walking back to her desk.
Trey raised his eyebrows and shut the door behind him, and then walked over to her desk, and sat down in the chair in front of it. "Touchy, are we? I hope you're not like this every morning, it could get depressing... didn't you have your morning coffee?"
"Trey!" Georgia shouted. "If anyone's touchy, you're the reason for that. This isn't a friendly meeting, you do realize that, don't you? The only reason you're sitting in this office, is because you're holding something over the Caldwell name!"
"Just hold something over the Caldwell name, and all hell breaks loose!" Trey commented with a grin. "I know, in your quest to expand nationwide, that a scandal could hurt you at this point, and that won't happen... as long as you abide by the rules."
Georgia shook her head, and wanted to throw a pen at him but decided to remain in an orderly conduct. "You aren't an honest employee, which is why I'm afraid of what will happen if you work here."
"Not honest?" Trey questioned. "Have you ever known me to be a liar?"
"No comment," Georgia retorted, rolling her eyes. "You won't do anything productive for this bank, all you want is the satisfaction of getting a job because you're holding something over our heads!"
"Are you sure about that?" Trey asked her in a curious tone, just as his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and his eyes lit up when he saw who it was. "It's one of my clients."
Georgia gave him a suspicious look. "Your clients?"
"You see, I did some work on the side and have some wonderful clients lined up," Trey explained.
Georgia watched as Trey flipped open his cell phone and put it up to his ear.
"Good morning, Ms. Hammond," Trey began. "Yes, everything I told you was the truth. Your account is important to me, which is why I will go to great lengths to ensure that not only you are satisfied, but that I do everything I can to make sure you get the best possible treatment. Say that again, Ms. Hammond," Trey asked, putting his hand over the mouthpiece. "She said she trusts no one else but me!" Trey exclaimed to Georgia.
"She must be pretty desperate," Georgia noted, not being able to take anymore of this. "Let me talk to this supposed client of yours," she requested, grabbing the phone out of his hand before he even had a chance to fight. "Ms. Hammond, this is Georgia Caldwell," she began. "Ms. Hammond?"
Frankie's eyes popped out, and she sucked in her breath upon hearing Georgia's voice come through the earpiece. Her body became tense, as she tried to think of a way to talk to her. The only option she could think of was to try and disguise her voice.
Trey's palms became sweaty, as he dug his nails into the armrest on the chair. He nervously waited for Georgia to speak, wondering if Frankie had blown the plan or not.
"I think your client is the quiet type," Georgia observed.
Trey forced a smile. "Well, maybe I should take that phone back, if you don't mind."
"Oh, wait... she speaks!" Georgia exclaimed. "Is that an Italian accent, I sense? See, I'm possibly Trey Clemens future employer, and he explained that you, Ms. Hammond, would be his first client. How did you and Trey meet each other?" Georgia asked, looking at Trey as she asked that.
Trey nodded his head at Georgia, trying not to let his nervousness be revealed.
"And have you found him to be reliable and trustworthy? You have..." Georgia continued, her eyes widening at Trey. "As long as you think that, Ms. Hammond. Will you be here for meetings? Oh, out of town?" she wanted to know, but then her eyes became wider than ever. "What? Your dog needs to go out? Very well..." she finished with a confused expression, flipping the phone shut and giving it back to Trey.
"Well, what did you find out?" Trey asked in a relieved tone, taking the phone back.
"Well, her dogs come before business, obviously," Georgia noted.
"I've seen her poodle, such a friendly creature," Trey lied, unsure of why Frankie used a dog as an excuse to get off the phone.
"She said she has a collie," Georgia corrected him, giving him another suspicious look. T
rey laughed to cover up his mistake. "Same thing, no?" he asked. "Georgia, let's not talk about dog business, let's talk about real business... now, have you reached a decision about what we last talked about? I mean, it's obvious that I will be a major help here."
Georgia shut the folder and handed it back to him, she wheeled her chair farther under her desk, and leaned in close to Trey. "I'm a businesswoman, Trey, but, by dragging my family into this, you've made this very personal for me," Georgia let him know. "By no means, would I sit in this chair and even consider you for a job, but because of your threat, I feel it is safer that I do hire you," she announced.
"I knew you'd come through," Trey beamed, standing up and extending his hand.
"Sit down," Georgia ordered with a stern look on her face. "If you make one mistake, you're out of here," she warned him. "And, remember, I'm not hiring you because I think you're deserving of a role at this bank, because I don't think you are. Who would, after what you did when you last worked for us?" she rhetorically asked. "I'm hiring you because I don't want to risk the effects of what will happen if what you say you know about my family should come out."
"I understand-" Trey began.
"Get out," Georgia ordered. "You'll start Monday."
"First, you're telling me to get out, and now you're telling me to come back Monday," Trey observed.
"Don't push your luck, Trey," Georgia warned him by raising a finger.
"I won't," Trey confirmed, winking at her before leaving her office.
Phil and Lalie walked into the front lobby of the bank, having just picked up some coffees at a local cafe.
"So, this is where you work?" Phil asked her, observing the surroundings.
Lalie turned around, and then faced Phil again. "Yes, it is," she replied. "You didn't have to drive me here, and then take me for these coffees. How am I going to get home?"
"How do you think?" Phil rhetorically asked. "I'll pick you up. What time do you get out?"
Lalie turned around for another brief moment, and then looked at Phil again. "Around five."
"Lalie," Phil started, looking at her directly in the eyes.
Lalie took a sip of her coffee. "What?"
"You don't have to keep turning around to see if Kevin is standing there," Phil replied. "Let him come down and see us."
"Phil!" Lalie whispered. "How could you say a thing like that?"
"Very easily," Phil informed her. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"Let's just say, I'd prefer not to watch a wrestling match in the middle of this lobby," Lalie answered his question, and then turning around again.
Phil put his hands on her shoulder to make her turn around. "Go upstairs and I'll see you at five… then, you can tell me all about what Kevin had to say about last night."
"You're so sure that he's going to say something, aren't you?" Lalie asked him.
"I still believe what I said last night," Phil began to explain. "You'll see that I was right, when Kevin tries to get in your good graces again."
"We'll just see," Lalie returned the bet, turning around again.
"I'm tired of looking at the back of your head, so I'll just see you later, okay?" Phil commented.
Lalie turned around to face Phil again. "I'm sorry," she apologized in an honest tone. "I'll see you later!"
"Bye," Phil said to her, as Lalie walked over to the elevators and pressed the button to get on. He watched as Lalie got on the elevator and, just as he turned around to leave, saw a woman sweeping the side of the lobby. "It can't be," Phil muttered, walking over to the woman and tapping her on the shoulder.
Rachel felt a tap on her shoulder, as she swept the lobby. She turned around and gasped to find Phil standing before her.
"It's you, again," Phil muttered, taking a step back from Rachel, seeming a little angry to see her there.
"The last time I saw you was when-" Rachel began, in total shock that Phil was standing in front of her.
"Let's not reflect," Phil angrily requested. "Do you have any idea what your family has put me through?"
"I know all about what happened," Rachel replied.
"What are you doing in a custodial uniform?" Phil wanted to know.
Rachel seemed uneasy, as she looked around to make sure no one heard him. "I'm Rachel Goal now," she whispered.
"But, you're-" Phil began.
Rachel quickly made a face at him to not speak any further. "Not anymore," she cut him off. "Listen to me, you can't tell ANYONE who I am, do you hear me?"
"Why the secrecy?" Phil wanted to know. "I guess it doesn't surprise me, though, considering that everyone, except me and one member of your family, thinks you're-"
Rachel's eyes widened as she jumped and nearly put her hand over his mouth. "Shh!" she cut him off. "Do you know what people would think if they heard you finish that sentence?" she asked him.
"Probably nothing different than what I'm thinking!" Phil exclaimed, disgusted by that. "How long are you going to keep this up?"
"Just respect my wishes and don't tell anyone who I am," Rachel pleaded, as she looked down at her attire. "And please don't ask me why I'm in this ridiculous custodial getup!"
"That is a question that was running through my mind," Phil informed her. "And I believe that was the first question, I asked… why are you working here as a custodian?"
"I just needed some extra money," Rachel replied. "Among other things," she finished with a soft mutter, as her pager went off. She checked it and sighed. "I'm needed on the thirteenth floor."
"How convenient," Phil muttered.
Rachel frowned at his sarcasm. "Remember, tell no one who I am," she reminded him.
"Okay," Phil reluctantly agreed, as he leaned into her so no one else could hear. "But, only because I don't want to get mixed up in these crazy antics again, whatever you're doing... you do on your own!" he demanded.
"And that's exactly what I intend to do," Rachel whispered back, sounding sure of herself.
"Good," Phil told her in relief.
Rachel walked away with her broom in tow, and stopped behind the wall. She watched as Phil pushed his way through the doors to leave the building. "Thank God that pager went off," Rachel muttered in relief. "No one must know who I am… and why I'm really here," she confidently told herself, as a smile came across her face. She bit her bottom lip with her two front teeth. "And, so far, no one suspects a thing," she relished in delight.
Chapter 11
Non-Nsync Fiction
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
Email Tracia