When The Lights Went Out.... Judy Christenberry

again.

      Sharon stood and took the papers. “Thank you again, Andy.”

      “Nothing to thank me for. You’ve earned it.”

      She moved to the door, still unnerved by everything.

      “Oh, by the way, clear your schedule tomorrow. Your project assignment will be ready tomorrow instead of next week. No time to waste.”

      She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. Oh, my. Life seemed to be changing at high speed. She was getting her own project, had received a promotion…and she was pregnant. What else could happen?

      She dreamed of Jack that night. It wasn’t the first time. After the traumatic experience of believing she was going to die and his saving her mind if not her body, it wasn’t surprising.

      In fact, she’d welcomed those dreams, just as she focused on Jack every time she entered the elevator now. Those hours spent with him had changed her life in more ways than the pregnancy. She’d been intimate with him because of the comfort and courage he gave her.

      She hadn’t let a man get close to her in a long time. Once she’d let a man get close, but he’d abandoned her, just as her father had, and had only reinforced her opinion about men.

      Even though Jack had walked away when she’d needed him desperately, in the elevator he’d been there for her. So she felt him hold her close in her dreams.

      But now, carrying his child, wondering what he would think about that fact, she found the dreams disturbing. She needed to shut Jack out of her mind as well as her life.

      When she faced the elevators the next morning, she vowed she wouldn’t picture Jack in her mind. She could ride the elevator without his protection. Again she passed up the particular elevator where they’d been trapped. When she entered the next elevator, it was crowded. She tried to stay close to the door, but she ended up in the back because of the crowd.

      She concentrated on her breathing, or tried to, but by the time she reached her floor, she was sweating and breathing rapidly. “Out, please,” she called desperately, wondering why these people weren’t moving when it was the top floor.

      By the time she emerged, she felt exhausted and disheveled. She leaned against the wall, taking deep gasps of air.

      “Sharon? Are you all right?” Maggie asked.

      Sharon whirled around and stared at her friend. “Yes! Of course. It’s just that sometimes I think about—I don’t like elevators.”

      “Who could blame you, after being trapped in one. Kane had all of them checked after your experience. I promise it won’t happen again,” Maggie said with a smile, giving Sharon a little hug. “Why don’t you go get a cup of coffee?”

      “No, I have—I’m getting my own project to run this morning. I’ve waited a long time for this day.”

      “Oh, yes. And it’s an important one. John Waterton is an important client. Good for you.” With a smile, Maggie moved on and Sharon drew a deep breath. She was okay, she was sure. Of course, now that she knew who the client was, her knees were shaking again. Everyone in the company knew about the Waterton account. Kane Haley had signed them on as a small project about six months ago. It had gone so well, Mr. Waterton had used Kane Haley, Inc., again. Sharon had heard rumors that this next project would be a big one.

      Hers. It might be hers.

      Excitement took precedence over fear, and she hurried to her desk. If Maggie was right, and she was always right, her project would be very important for the entire company. She would work closely with whoever was in charge to set up a budget, supervise the spending and pay out the funds.

      She took another deep breath to calm herself. She wanted to be able to speak coherently, not sound like an idiot.

      By the time Andy called her, she had developed a professional calm that would allow her to be at her best. She went to his office and entered with a slight smile on her lips. “Yes, Andy?”

      “Come in. I’m going to take you to Kane’s office in a minute, but I want to prep you a little.” He had papers spread on his desk.

      She pulled up a chair, eager for the details.

      It appeared Andy had done a lot of preparation work on the budget and had set up the books.

      “Kane wanted me to take this on, but I think you can do a better job. I did some of the preliminary work, of course, but you’ll be able to go on site and verify a lot. It’s just across the street, you know.”

      “Doesn’t Mr. Waterton have a foreman who would take care of some of this?” Sharon asked.

      “He used us last time because he had two projects going at once. Now he has several more projects going, that his own man is working on, but this opportunity came up. Besides, he has some questions about things his guy has done recently. This project is important to him. It’s big, Sharon.”

      Yes, she could see that. And if he didn’t trust his man, she could understand why he wouldn’t want him on this project. But why not fire him?

      Mr. Waterton would be a strange developer and builder if he was too shy to handle personnel. She couldn’t wait to meet him.

      Andy indicated they were ready, and she followed him out of his office. She gave a prayer of thanks that they were on the same floor as Kane Haley’s office. Since Andy was in a wheelchair, he wouldn’t be able to take the stairs, as she always did between their three floors, and she didn’t want to arrive at such an important meeting with her wits scattered and her appearance less than professional.

      When they reached Maggie’s office, she warned them that Kane wasn’t ready for them yet, and asked them to wait, indicating the comfortable sofa and chairs near her desk.

      That was nothing unusual. Sharon took the sofa and Andy rolled his chair alongside her.

      “You’re not nervous, are you?” Andy asked, like a mother hen hovering over her only chick.

      “Not yet, Andy. I feel well-prepared for this job. Besides, if I find a problem, I can always bring it to you, can’t I? You’re not going to refuse to speak to me, are you?”

      He chuckled. “You know I won’t. And Mr. Waterton is a good man to work for. I like him.”

      A roar of laughter interrupted them, and they both looked at the closed door.

      Maggie, with a smile, said, “Kane likes him, too. I think they’re becoming true friends.”

      Sharon automatically smiled, but a frown replaced it as something in the two voices, fainter now but still audible, made her pause.

      “What did you say Mr. Waterton’s first name was, Maggie?” she asked.

      “It’s John,” Andy answered instead. “I told you that.”

      “Oh, yes, right,” she agreed, still worried.

      “But he usually asks everyone to call him—” Maggie began to add, when the door behind her opened.

      “There you are,” Kane called out, obviously feeling good. “Andrew Huffman, Sharon Davies, I’d like you to meet Jack Waterton.”

      Jack. The Jack of her dreams. The father-of-her-baby Jack. Thank God she was already sitting down.

      Jack Waterton liked his association with Kane Haley. His company was up and coming and eager to please. He’d talked on the phone to Andrew Huffman and liked what he’d heard. Now they wanted him to work with a woman, but he didn’t have a problem with that.

      He stepped forward and shook Huffman’s hand. They’d worked together before. He was a sharp man.

      Then he turned to greet the woman. Very attractive, his mind thought, and he felt his body following the same line. His reaction wasn’t abnormal for most men. The brunette had long, light brown hair dancing about shoulders that