Stephanie sincerely doubted that this man tolerated much of anything. Everything was done at his convenience and at someone else’s expense.
Grabbing her purse, she took the elevator down to the floor where the personnel office was located. Jan was at her desk, and she raised questioning eyes when Stephanie walked in the door.
“Hi, how’s it going?”
Slowly shaking her head, Stephanie said, “Fine, I think.” The lie was only a small one. “Is he always like this?”
“Always.” Jan chuckled. “But he doesn’t push anyone half as hard as he drives himself.”
Stephanie could believe it. “He gave me an hour for lunch, but I think I’m supposed to show my gratitude by returning early.”
“I’ll join you.” Jan used the phone to tell a fellow workershe was taking her lunch hour. Withdrawing her purse from the bottom drawer, she stood.
Although Stephanie hated to admit it, she was full of questions about her surly employer, and she hoped that Jan would supply the answers. For two years, she’d only seen him from a distance, and had been fascinated. From everything she knew about him, which wasn’t much, Stephanie wouldn’t have believed he could be so surly. Those close to him were intensely loyal, yet she had found him rude and unreasonable.
By the time they arrived, the cafeteria was nearly deserted. Stephanie doubted that many employees took this late a lunch.
They decided to share a turkey sandwich, and each ordered a bowl of vegetable-beef soup. Jan carried the orange plastic tray to a long table.
Stephanie tried to come up with a way of casually introducing the subject of Jonas Lockwood into their conversation without being obvious. She couldn’t imagine any secretary, even Bertha Westheimer, lasting more than a week. “Why does he find young secretaries so objectionable?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea.”
“You know—” Stephanie paused and took a bite of the sandwich “—he’d be handsome if he didn’t scowl so much of the time.”
Jan answered with a faint nod. “I think Jonas Lockwood must be an unhappy man.”
That much was obvious to Stephanie. “Why does he walk with a limp?” He seemed far too young to need a cane. She guessed that he was in his mid-thirties, possibly close to forty. Figuring out his age was difficult, since he’d worn a perpetual frown all morning.
“He had an accident several years ago. Skiing, I think. I once heard the story, but I can’t remember the details. Not that he’d ever let anyone know, but I’m sure his leg must ache sometimes. I can tell because he usually goes on a rampage when it hurts. At least that’s my theory.”
From the short time she’d spent with him, Stephanie guessed that his leg must be killing him. She’d noted the way he’d leaned heavily on the cane in the elevator. Maybe there was a chance that his temperament would improve. But she doubted that it would make any difference to her feelings toward the objectionable man.
Part of the problem, Stephanie realized, was that she was keenly disappointed in him. For two years, she’d been studying Jonas from a distance. Perhaps she’d even romanticized him in the way that Jan and others did with the romances they read. Whatever it was that had fascinated her from afar had been shattered by the reality of what a hot-tempered, unappreciative beast he was.
Jan finished off her soup. “Will you stop in after work?”
“So you can hear the latest horror stories?”
“He’s not so bad,” Jan claimed. “Really.”
“He’s the most arrogant, insufferable man I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing.”
“Give him a day or two to mellow out.”
“Never.”
Finished with lunch, Stephanie deposited their tray and refilled her coffee cup to take with her to the top floor. When she arrived, the door between the two offices was closed, and she hadn’t the faintest idea if Jonas Lockwood was inside or not. Setting the coffee on the desk, she read over the financial reports and cost sheets he’d left on her desk, apparently wanting her to type them. Taking a sip of coffee, she turned the sheet over, her eagle eyes running down the column of figures.
“Welcome back, Miss Coulter.” The gruff male voice spoke from behind her. “I see that you’re punctual. I approve.”
Stephanie bristled. Everyone who worked with Jonas seemed to think he was wonderful. That wasn’t the impression Stephanie had. He made her furious, and she struggled to disguise it.
“I would suggest, however, that you stop wasting time and get busy.”