Seducing Sarah - Book 5: The Advocate: Al Read online

  I blew out a breath. “I see. I still wonder why he’s so interested in me. He’s a high-powered guy. Why does he need me?”

  “He doesn’t need you. He’s just a smart businessman who sees a lot of potential. Big difference, Sarah. I feel pretty confident that this could be a good opportunity for you.”

  “You know I trust you,” I said. “Could you outline the specifics, especially as they relate to the business expansion plan we’ve already been working on? You know where I’d want to go with this. I want to see how well he aligns with that plan.”

  “That sounds good. I can have it for you next week.”

  I thanked him before hanging up. My mind was beginning to buzz with excitement again. It might have been too soon to tell, but I had the sense my expansion was finally just around the corner. If Will liked it, and if it fell in line with my goals, I couldn’t think of any reason to hold back.

  ***

  “Boss? Another call for you. A girl named Annie.”

  “Oh, thanks. I’ll take that.” I picked up the phone. “Hi, Annie. I’m so glad you called.”

  “I could hardly wait to call you,” she confided.

  “I’m glad you’re excited. I hope you considered my suggestion. I would love to take a look at your work if it’s available.”

  “Oh, it is. I’d like to show it to you. Are you sure you have the time to see me?”

  “Absolutely. I wouldn’t have offered otherwise, you can count on that.” I might not be able to steal her away from Grant, but there were other ways I could be a mentor for her. A better mentor than I’d had when I started out working with Dolph, even if he’d taught me everything I knew about snagging clients.

  “Can I come by on Wednesday? I have the afternoon off from my job.”

  “That would be perfect. I’ll transfer you to my assistant again, and she’ll tell you what I have available that day. Okay?”

  “That’s great. Thank you, Ms. Pilsner.”

  “Please, Annie, call me Sarah. I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.” She sounded so excited. It did my heart good, knowing I made her happy just by agreeing to see her work. It made me wonder if I couldn’t do even more—if not for her, perhaps for someone else.

  I called Emma while the idea was still fresh in my head and told her about Annie’s impending visit. “You know, Grant told me about the internship program he set up with his company. What do I need to do to make something like that happen in my company?”

  “You mean it?” I could hear the excitement in her voice. “Oh, Sarah, that’s amazing! I knew I was meeting a kindred spirit when I met you.”

  I laughed at her infectious enthusiasm. “I just want to help in any way I can.”

  “This is excellent! I’ll have Al draw up the agreements. Sound good?”

  “Sounds great. I’ll give them a quick look over. I can’t wait to get started.” And I couldn’t. There was something about knowing I could make a difference in someone’s life that gave me renewed energy and pushed me through the rest of the day with a smile on my face.

  Chapter Three

  “It’s such a relief to have Eric back.” I pulled a pencil out of the bun on the back of my head to mark up one of his proofs. “I always knew how incredible he was, and he’s been sorely missed.”

  “Tell me about it,” Rhonda commiserated. “It’s so much better to set a photographer up with a shoot and let them take over with the details.” Even though I knew she was talking in generalities about our freelancers, it made me think of Jimmy, who was very talented but totally off limits now. I shook my head to clear his image from my memory. I didn’t like how often he seemed to be popping into my awareness lately.

  Since Rhonda was with me and not at her desk, my office door was open. I glanced up to see Annie lingering by the doorway. I smiled.

  “Hi, Annie. Come on in.” I introduced her to Rhonda, who took the photos I’d been working on and left to give us some privacy.

  “Emma asked me if I would drop this off since I was coming by anyway,” she said, handing me an envelope.

  “Great. Let’s take your portfolio into the conference room where we can spread everything out.”

  She followed me to the room, and I waited as she placed her drawings on the table. Glancing over the pieces, I remembered her paintings at the charity event. She had real talent. A little unpolished, maybe, but the necessary foundation was there. She had an eye for light, and for composing a picture. All very important.

  “Who taught you to draw? Did you take classes?”

  “No, I’m mostly self-taught except for a couple of art classes in high school. But I dropped out before I got my diploma, so…”

  I smiled, sidestepped the point, and turned my attention back to her portfolio, feeling a little awkward. “What do you want to do? I mean, what do you really want for your life and your talent? Who do you hope to become?”

  She sat there, as if she wasn’t sure what to say, fidgeting, playing with her hair. “I don’t know.” I’d blindsided her, clearly.

  “Annie, what kind of experience have you had in the workforce?” I thought that question might make it easier for her.

  “I worked at Nordstrom for a little while when I was in school. I think marketing is interesting, but I don’t know anything about it. I have my GED now, but that’s it.”

  I wondered what her story was. Who, or what, led her down the wrong path? How had her dreams become derailed? She was so young. What happened to her in such a short time?

  “How’s the internship going with Grant?” I asked, changing the subject. “What does he have you doing?”

  She shrugged. “It’s interesting, I guess. I’ve only been at it for a month. He’s sort of trying me out in a lot of different departments. I assisted one guy in the accounting department for a while. I was a file clerk for, like, three days. I worked with the sales staff for a little while. It’s an adventure, for sure. All I know is that I have to check in with him every day before I leave.” She laughed softly. “That’s the only thing that stays the same from one day to the next.”

  Something in what she said seemed out of place with the image I’d created in my head of a man who had everything under control like a good puppet master. He seemed the type who would run a tight ship, be highly organized to the point of anal retentiveness, and have staff who would handle the details for him. What Annie described seemed a little off-center.

  I mean, I could understand trying someone out in various spots to ensure a good fit, but after a month, surely he’d gotten enough feedback from his staff to adequately place the intern where both sides would get the best benefit. Then again, maybe he didn’t have the same kind of understanding or ability to place people that I had. Regardless, his HR department should have figured it out by now.

  “What’s it like to work for him?” I asked, hoping to get some insight into his thinking and his expectations as they might relate to his offer to me. Her eyes hit the table. She didn’t look at me.

  “I haven’t figured him out yet,” she said, her voice quiet. I could understand that. I was having a hard time figuring him out myself. I didn’t want to pry, so I left it alone.

  “Well, I like what I see here, Annie. You’re a very talented gal, and if Grant didn’t already have you in his program, I’d be tempted to offer you a similar opportunity here.”

  She smiled that shy smile at me as she stacked her portfolio.

  “Would you like to take a tour of the agency?” That lit up her eyes. “Why don’t I partner you up with Rhonda and have her show you around?”

  Annie looked like a kid in a candy shop. She chattered away with Rhonda as they left the office. It was uplifting, seeing the way she wanted so badly to turn her life around. Again, I wondered about her personal story. But more, I wondered how many women at the shelter felt the same way she did.

  And I wondered again what I could do to help them.

  Chapter Four

  As I suspected, th
e delivery Annie had dropped off was the internship agreement from Al. I called Emma the next day to let her know I thought it looked good to me. “Still, I want to pass it on to my attorney, just to be on the safe side.”

  “What, you don’t think I would try to pull anything over on you, do you?” Emma quipped.

  “No, of course not. I just want to be sure it’s all kosher. It’s a real shame Annie’s already working for Grant. She’d be my ideal first candidate. Oh well. I’m sure there are others who would work well here, too.”

  “I’m sure there are. Listen, I have a great idea. The Shelter is having a picnic at the park tomorrow afternoon. Why don’t you come along? That way you can meet some of the other women, maybe get a feel for which of them might be suitable. Afterward, we’re taking the kids to the new Pixar movie.”

  “Oh, sounds like fun.” I couldn’t say I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing a kid’s movie, but I could probably find an excuse to duck out of that. I did look forward to meeting other women from the Shelter. Chances were pretty good that I’d be able to find a suitable intern among them. We chatted for a few minutes, after which Emma gave me the details, and I promised to meet her at the park the next day.

  “Rhonda, can I see you for a minute?” She bounced in, full of enthusiasm as always. I grinned. Maybe I needed a little of her and Emma to rub off on me. I really was too serious all the time.

  “Have a seat. I want to get you up-to-date on what’s happening.” I filled her in on the potential expansion and the possibility of bringing one or two new interns into the office. “What kind of help would you want around here?”

  Her eyes went wide. “Oh, jeez, that would be heaven. Uh, for starters, help with follow-up on the client satisfaction surveys. Help creating the reports we give to our clients after a campaign ends, the outline and the stats. If we’re bringing social media into our work, I’d love a little help with creating and posting content.”

  “That sounds good,” I said, taking notes. “Here’s the thing. I want you in on this. I mean, in a larger capacity than just my assistant. I wondered if you would be interested in supervising the interns? I’m thinking you’d be perfect for managing part of the business after the expansion gets rolling. Especially since you know so much about the ins and outs of this place. This would give you an opportunity to grow into the position. What do you think?”

  She jumped up and hugged me over the desk, then did a little dance before sitting down with a bright, glowing grin.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” I laughed, her happiness flowing around me. “I want you to start outlining all the duties we just discussed and add any others you can think of that might also fit. Then start writing up procedures—you know, documenting your workflow—so we’ll have a training plan in place when they get here.”

  “You got it, Boss!” She jumped up again, heading back to her desk. “You won’t regret this, I promise!” she added, doing her dance once more before shutting my door.

  I laughed again, glad I’d made the decision to move ahead. I wondered what other changes I might make if everything worked out, and I decided to take Grant up on his offer.

  Chapter Five

  I wasn’t about to show up at the picnic empty-handed. That was something my grandmother always reminded me when I spent the summers with her. A lady never attended a gathering without bringing something along.

  I knew just the thing, and took the walk to the Farmer’s Market, giving myself plenty of time before the picnic started. My staff loved John’s apples, so I was sure the ladies, or at least the kids, would like them, too. Who wouldn’t?

  I hoped he’d be there, and not just for the apples. We hadn’t spoken since my disastrous night at the club, and I seriously didn’t want him to think I was a total crazy woman, given I’d run out in such a state.

  “I’m glad to see you’re in a better mood today than the last time we saw each other,” he said as I walked up. “And you’re lucky you came when you did—I’m almost out.” He made an exaggerated sad face when I asked for a bag.

  “You’re kidding. And I really need about twice as much this time. Well, I guess my luck was bound to run out eventually.”

  “I did promise to save you some. I have some end-of-season Red Delicious and a few McIntosh. Will that do?” I said it would, and he bagged them up for me.

  “Don’t be too sad. It’s all got to come to an end, anyway. Everything has a season.”

  “You’re very philosophical,” I observed, watching as he tied off the bag. He handed it to me with a smile.

  “Well, you have to be when you’re in the business of growing things. You learn pretty fast that nothing can be rushed. Everything has its time. The planting season, the growing season, the harvest season. One ends, the next begins.”

  “You’re right,” I said. “We can’t force things.”

  “Exactly.” He smiled, his teeth shining under his mustache. “So, with summer almost here, what are your plans? Do you have a vacation coming up?”

  I laughed. “Come on. Me? The workaholic? I probably should, but I don’t. It’s early, though. Plenty of time to think it through. You?”

  “Same here. I have a little travel planned, but it’s all work related. There’s always something to do on a ranch.”

  We chatted amicably for a few more minutes, then I excused myself. I had to get a move on if I wanted to make the picnic, even if he was fun and easy to talk to. Something about him always reminded me of my grandparents. Maybe it was the Farmer John connection with growing things. I didn’t know what it was, but it was comfortable in a way that much of my life wasn’t. I made a quick stop at another vendor’s booth to pick up some goat cheese I just couldn’t resist, then hurried to the park. It was a glorious day, perfect for sitting outside and relaxing in the sun. When I met up with Emma’s group, I could tell from their smiles that they felt the same.

  “Sarah, this is Marissa, Jess, Kim, Zoi, and Gretchen.” I said hello to the women, noticing that most of them seemed a lot younger than me, but they all had a similar wariness to them. They were friendly and personable, but reserved. And they loved the apples and cheese. I would have to tell John the next time I ran into him.

  I grabbed a ham and cheese wrap and a bottle of water before settling down with Emma. She began talking about some of the internship opportunities the women had participated in before. We talked about what worked and what didn’t. Some of the women had office skills already, but most didn’t have any practical experience at all. Many had gone right from high school to marriage or motherhood. Some hadn’t even finished high school before ending up at the shelter.

  She’d made it a point to bring in professionals to work with them, to invest in software to help them learn various programs. And they all agreed to work towards at least a GED. That was an important part of their agreement.

  “Overall, it can get pretty expensive,” she admitted. “And it’s hard, making one piece of software on one computer stretch to benefit so many people at once.”

  “I can imagine,” I said, shaking my head. There had to be a way to make things work better. I made a mental note to brainstorm more fundraising opportunities. Maybe I could talk to some of my clients about it, the long-term ones who knew me best.

  As I thought it over, snacking on the apples and cheese, I noticed Annie sitting by herself. She looked sad and withdrawn, not at all like the girl I’d seen earlier in the week. I went over to sit with her.

  “Hey, Annie. What are you doing, sitting over here alone, so quiet? Is everything alright?”

  “I’m okay.” She looked up quickly, with a tight-lipped smile then dropped her head again, hair in front of her face. What could have happened in only three days? She was so cheerful and in good spirits when she left the office on Wednesday.

  “Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?”

  She shook her head, hair swaying from side to side. “No, you didn’t do anything.”

  “Okay. Did
something happen?” She kept her face down. I touched her arm. “Honey, talk to me. What’s the matter?”

  I heard her sniffle, so I took a chance, pulling her hair back slightly to see her face. She looked devastated.

  “Oh, Sarah, I’m so ashamed.” She started crying full-force, shoulders shaking. I held her, rocking her back and forth.

  “It’s okay, whatever it is.” Was it an old boyfriend? Somebody who had hurt her in the past?

  “No. No, it’s not. I can’t believe it happened; I trusted him and everything. He was just as bad as all the others.”

  I could hardly understand her, she cried so hard. “Who, sweetheart? Who hurt you?”

  She shook her head, sobbing quietly. The look in her eyes when she looked up twisted my heart. “I… I trusted him.”

  “Trusted who, Annie? You can tell me.”

  “Grant,” she whispered. The word was like a curse. “Oh, I can’t talk about it.”

  “Grant?” My mind raced. Oh no. “What happened? Tell me, Annie. I’m here, and I want to help you.”

  She struggled to get herself under control. I could tell she was trying, but it was impossible for her to talk. She dissolved into tears again, so I held her until she calmed further.

  “He kept me late last night. He said he had something for me to do. He wanted me to wait until everybody else left. Now I know why.”

  “Oh, Annie…” Horror grew inside me. Surely what I was thinking wasn’t possible.

  “He, he forced me. He didn’t even ask.” She whispered it, so small and quiet. “He pulled me into his office and shut the door, and he made me get on my knees, and… and… then he… he made me…”

  “It’s okay, Annie. You don’t have to tell me right now.”

  She looked at me, her face soaked with tears. “It wasn’t my fault. You believe me, right?”

  “Of course I do. Why would you make it up?”

  She shut her eyes tightly, shaking her head. “You don’t know how many people don’t want to believe it when you tell them something like this. Especially if you… if you’ve been in trouble before.” My heart ached for her, for the bitterness and knowing in her voice.