Haley's Hangdog Holiday Read online

  “That’s one good thing about canceling the wedding with Rachel,” he’d told his father.

  “One of many, in my opinion,” was his father’s humorless response. Gerard had never successfully hidden his dislike of Rachel during the time Gavin was dating her or during their short-lived engagement. He hadn’t been overtly critical, however, until Rachel “showed her true colors”—his father’s apt description.

  Gavin’s generous work ethic not only kept him occupied, with no time for a pity-party, but also instilled appreciation and respect in his team members. He had worried when his father appointed him as a division leader from day one. But his father had insisted, saying, “As part-owner of this company, you have increased responsibility already. You may as well have a position of authority. Reece will make certain you don’t make a fool of yourself until you get your feet under you.”

  Reece Starkey was an exceptionally brilliant supervisor and a dedicated Christian, to boot. He also happened to be Gavin’s brother-in-law, married to his sister Lisa, who had worked for Holiday, Inc. in the computer programming department until this year when she gave birth to their first child. Gavin’s new niece, Sage—a chubby, good-natured baby who’d already wound her uncle around her little finger—would certainly be the star at this year’s family Christmas celebration.

  “Hello? Earth to Gavin...” Reece’s voice broke into Gavin’s musings.

  “I’m sorry, Reece.” Heat flooded his face. “What were you saying?”

  “I was asking if you thought your team could handle the newest account—Barnes and Barnes. It’s a financial consulting firm, not too complicated. The description is at the top of page four.”

  “Sure. I’ll find the time to squeeze it in.” Gavin flipped to page four and scanned the report, wondering if Reece knew he was already putting in extra hours.

  Reece canted his head, narrowing his eyes. “I purposefully gave you this account because I thought it would be a great starting assignment for your new team member.”

  “My new team member?” His blood ran cold.

  Reece chuckled. “You really are out of it this morning, Gavin. Your father said he discussed this with you on Saturday. Have you already forgotten? It’s Haley Martin, of course.”

  HALEY FELT LIKE SHE had a mouth full of saltine crackers—there wasn’t a drop of moisture inside. Sitting at her new desk in the cubicle she hadn’t even decorated yet, she stared at the interoffice email on her computer screen. On impulse, she hit the refresh button, but the words didn’t change.

  Haley Martin—assigned to Division VIII—division leader Gavin Holiday

  Team meeting in conference room C-3—10:30 a.m.

  She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t possibly work on the same team with Gavin Holiday every day. It was one thing to run into him occasionally and have a civil conversation about work issues. She could even tolerate seeing him at the formal company Christmas party, no doubt looking incredible in a tuxedo. But to interact with him every day—take direction from him and work together on a daily basis—that would be impossible. She felt her stomach attempting to reject her hastily-consumed muffin, with no provocation from a finger in her throat. Hoping to calm her churning gut, she slurped at her peppermint tea, but only succeeded in scalding her lips.

  I can’t do this—I can’t handle it. If Mr. Holiday won’t reassign me, I’ll have to quit and look for another job.

  She dialed zero and asked to be connected with Mr. Holiday’s assistant. While she waited, her anger grew. Why did he assign me to Gavin’s division without telling me? Does he want to humiliate me because I humiliated his son?

  A voice answered, “This is Mr. Holiday’s office, Erin speaking. How can I help you?”

  “This is Haley Martin. This is my first day at work. It’s imperative that I speak to Mr. Holiday.”

  “Have you spoken to the personnel department? They usually handle employee issues.”

  “This is a personal matter. I think Mr. Holiday will agree to talk to me.”

  “Hold please, while I check his schedule.”

  The line went silent and Haley continued to fume. Maybe this was Gavin’s idea. We always competed before, and this is his chance to prove how superior he is. He gets to be my supervisor and wipe my nose in it. Well, it’s not happening!”

  “Mr. Holiday can see you at ten o’clock.”

  Ten o’clock—only thirty minutes before my team meeting. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to be reassigned or I’m quitting.

  “Thank you. I’ll be there at ten. Uhmm... where is his office?”

  “Up the elevator to the top floor.”

  “Thank you.”

  Running with her hand covering her mouth, Haley barely made it to the restroom in time.

  GAVIN DRUMMED HIS FINGERS on the table. The conference call with Barnes and Barnes dragged on, with no indication of finishing soon. The clock on the wall read nine thirty, and Gavin still hadn’t talked to his father. His dad’s assistant Erin had intercepted Gavin’s phone call, claiming his father had meetings scheduled the entire morning.

  Scribbling a message on a sticky note, he handed it to Reece.

  I have a meeting. Need to bow out.

  Reece rolled his eyes and made his hand into a talking puppet, apparently equally frustrated with the never-ending call, and pointed to the door with his chin.

  Mouthing, “Thank you,” Gavin slipped out the door, making a beeline for the elevator. But a team member intercepted him just as the door opened.

  “Gavin, I’m glad I caught you. There’s a glitch in the program for the CNC account, and the numbers aren’t matching up.”

  “Can you run it past the programming department, Stan? I’ve got this meeting—”

  “They’re already looking into it, but CNC called a few minutes ago. They have to produce an investor report by Wednesday. I thought we might be able to extrapolate from last quarter’s figures. But you were the one who formulated that report, and I can’t find the raw data anywhere.”

  Gavin sighed. “Okay. If you’ll put everything on my desk, I promise to look at it before lunch.”

  “Thanks, Gavin.”

  With a pat on the arm, Stan hurried toward his cubicle, and Gavin pressed the elevator button again. When he looked up, he spotted Haley coming out of the ladies’ room, patting her face with a damp paper towel. He couldn’t help staring as she stopped to get a drink of water from the cooler. Her legs looked amazing, her calves flexing as she stood in her high heels.

  She must still be running to have that kind of definition in her legs. But she looks pale and thin... too thin. Probably still has bulimia. I hope that’s not why she’s coming out of the restroom. She’s ruining her health. Although I guess that isn’t my business anymore.

  She unclipped her hair, finger-combing it with one hand, and the gleaming red locks that bounced to her shoulders mesmerized him. He could almost feel the silky strands slipping through his fingers. I like that she’s wearing her hair longer again.

  The elevator dinged, and Haley turned toward the sound. Her eyes met his. Poison darts flew from her sapphire eyes and stabbed him in the jugular. As her jaw clenched, she swirled away, heels clacking down the hallway toward the Division VIII cubicles.

  All of this is my Dad’s fault!

  Gavin used the elevator ride to practice his arguments. “Dad! What were you thinking? You can’t put Haley Martin on my team!”

  Spying his reflection on the wall to his side, he turned to glare at himself. That’s not a good scowl—I just look constipated. My eyebrows need to come down a little further. That’s better. I look stern, but proper.

  He lowered his voice and added a little gravel to mimic his father. “Is there a problem, Son?”

  “Yes, there’s a problem. I can’t possibly work with Haley, and you know it! She makes my brain turn into overcooked spaghetti noodles.”

  Hmmm.... Maybe I shouldn’t admit that. How about this? “It’s just too awkward, Da
d. I think it makes the rest of the team uncomfortable, too.”

  No, I’d better stick to the facts. “Look, Dad. If you’d explained your plan to me on Saturday, I would’ve told you Haley and I could never work together. Haley hates me. You should have seen the way she cut me to pieces with her eyes a few minutes ago.”

  The thought was so depressing he had to work hard to keep his anger from dissipating. He slammed his fist into his palm. I won’t put up with this kind of treatment. This is all about Dad not respecting me enough to consult me. He had to know this would hurt me.

  The elevator arrived at the top floor, and Gavin stomped off, pushing his way past Erin into his father’s office, ready with his opening statement.

  A few minutes later, after a bizarre discussion about women and hormones, the door closed in Gavin’s face.

  What just happened?

  HALEY DID HER BEST to hide the effects of multiple trips to the restroom with dry heaves. Pinching her cheeks to give them some color, she dabbed a bit of gloss on her lips. Of course Gavin had spotted her at her absolute worst, coming out of the ladies’ room. She’d wanted to crawl under a desk when she saw him, but she held her ground, using her anger to camouflage her humiliation.

  “You can go in now, Ms. Martin,” said Erin, giving her a shrewd appraisal as if she might be hiding a weapon in the pocket of her skirt.

  Summoning her courage and confidence, Haley marched into the room, clanking the door closed behind her.

  “Mr. Holiday! When you hired me, you neglected to mention the leader of my assigned team would be your son!”

  “Did I? I must be getting absentminded in my old age.”

  Really? How old is he? I thought he was only fifty-something, but I guess he could be older. Still, that’s no excuse. This is a man who runs a major corporation.

  “Yes, you didn’t inform me I would be on Gavin’s team. And I find this situation unacceptable.”

  Mr. Holiday came around his desk, guiding her to sit in one of the comfy chairs in front of it, while he perched on the one beside her, his eyes wide and bright.

  “Haley, we’re so excited to have you on board. I’ll be honest—there isn’t a single division that wouldn’t benefit from having you on their team. So we can move you, if that’s what you want.”

  “I certainly do.” Wow, that was easy.

  “We only chose Gavin’s division because he’s shorthanded at this time, with one team member out on maternity leave. He’s been working so many extra hours, trying to carry it all, and I’ve been kind of worried about him, you know? Not that he ever complains—you know how he is. So I’d thought you could lighten his workload.”

  “Uhmm...” Gavin did look kind of tired. His eyes had dark circles underneath.

  “But I guess that was pretty inconsiderate of me, wasn’t it? I’m sorry, Haley. I guess I thought, after two years, all that stuff between you and Gavin was just water under the bridge. I didn’t know you still had feelings for him.”

  “I don’t have feelings for Gavin! Not at all!” She raised her voice to hammer home her point, but also to distract from her blushing cheeks.

  “Ah... that’s too bad,” he said, chewing on his lip.

  “Too bad?”

  “Yes, you see, when you came marching in here telling me you couldn’t work with Gavin, I thought maybe there was a chance you still cared about him. I have to admit, that wouldn’t bother me, if it were true.” His hand came up before she could protest. “I know, it’s none of my business, but a father can’t help wanting his son to be happy. Still, when I hired you I thought you and Gavin no longer had feelings for each other.”

  “We don’t,” she declared.

  He frowned, twisting his lips to one side. “If that’s not the problem, then why don’t you want to work on Gavin’s team? Has he done something? Said something rude, perhaps? Because I won’t tolerate such behavior, even from my own son.”

  “No! Gavin would never do that. We haven’t even spoken about it.”

  “Oh...” He rubbed his temples like he had a headache. “Then tell me again, what was the reason you object to being on Gavin’s team?”

  “I... uhmm...” Haley’s mind raced, searching for a reasonable explanation that didn’t involve her feelings for Gavin. “I don’t think Gavin wants me on his team... because we... you know... we’re too competitive.”

  “Competition isn’t an issue here if you work on the same team, Haley. But this position is quite demanding. I guess it might be too hard for your initial assignment.”

  “I can do it—I’m not afraid of the challenge.”

  His eyes narrowed, and she had the impression he was attempting to read her mind. “Is there something else you’re not telling me? Perhaps something that goes all the way back to the original reason the two of you discontinued your relationship?”

  “No,” she declared, wondering if her antiperspirant was going to stand up to this test. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  “But you’re not willing to help Gavin with his extra load? You’re making a formal request for transfer?”

  “No, sir.” I can’t believe I’m saying this. “I’m okay working in Gavin’s division.”

  The lines smoothed on his forehead as a smile broke out on his face. “Thank you, Haley! You don’t know how much it means to me that you’re willing to do this.” Lifting her elbow, he assisted her in standing and walked her to the door.

  “I’m counting on you, Haley.”

  “I won’t let you down, Mr. Holiday.”

  The door closed in her face.

  What just happened?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Gavin had never stuttered so much during a team meeting. Unable to keep his eyes from straying to Haley, he finally resorted to focusing on his notes, reading them verbatim, and still he stammered over words, choking on his consonants.

  For the most part, Haley didn’t make eye contact, though she looked up like a deer startled by headlights when he asked her to introduce herself to the team. Though he had all of her information in front of him, he didn’t trust himself to talk about her without showing an excess of emotion. At least that was the excuse he gave himself. But in truth, he felt it was only fair that she experienced the same awkwardness he did. Why should she get off scot-free?

  “My name is Haley Martin,” she began, her squeaky voice giving away her nerves.

  “Hi, Haley,” chorused several of the group in a unison reply reminiscent of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. This set off a round of laughs, after which Haley seemed much more relaxed.

  “I’m a recent graduate of University of Texas with a BBA in accounting and a Master of Professional Accounting.” Her fingers fidgeted together on the table in front of her. “And I’m happy to say I got the results of my CPA exam last week—I passed all four parts!”

  This announcement resulted in a round of applause, and Haley’s smile broadened. Gavin found himself clapping with enthusiasm, surprised at how genuinely proud he felt, despite their prolonged estrangement.

  “Tell them about your skiing,” he encouraged.

  A rosy glow rose to her cheeks. “They don’t want to hear about that.”

  “Sure we do,” said Dax, one of only two unmarried accountants on the team. Having snagged a chair beside Haley, he took advantage of his proximity, resting a casual hand over hers. “I bet you’re a real ripper.”

  “I’ve been known to do a fair bit of ripping and shredding,” she replied, for some reason not withdrawing her hands from Dax’s aggressive touch.

  As a devious smirk appeared on his face, Dax squeezed her fingers. “I’d like to get a piece of that action. Are you up for a bit of friendly competition? A-Basin has been open for a couple of weeks already.”

  “Eh-hem! I think we’re getting off track a bit.” Gavin tried to keep his tone civil, while strongly considering whether Dax might be more compatible with Division II.

  Haley’s blush deepened, and she finally moved her
hands to her lap.

  “Let’s move on to the new company assigned to our division,” said Gavin, raising his voice as he sent a glare toward Dax. “Barnes and Barnes is a growing financial consulting company, seeking our services to assess their current tax liabilities and also to maximize their profitability by reducing future tax liabilities. In addition, we hope to sign them up for our customized accounting software.”

  “Aren’t we currently kind of maxed out, with Karina out on maternity leave?” asked Sheila, a ten-year veteran at Holiday, Inc.

  “Yes, but the bulk of the work will go to Haley, although she’ll obviously need some guidance if anyone has a bit of time to spare.” Gavin bent his head toward Sharon, Theresa, and JoAnn, hoping one of the other three females in the division might volunteer.

  “I should be able to help.” The offer came from Brent, the other single accountant, who ogled Haley from across the table, practically with spittle dripping from his mouth.

  “I’ve got plenty of spare time,” Dax quickly countered. “In fact, I’ve got time to come over tonight and give you a rundown on all the software.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Gavin must have spoken a bit louder than usual, judging by the fifteen pairs of wide eyes that turned his direction. Ignoring the heat in his face, he hurried to explain his outburst. “I simply meant that I know how busy everyone is, and I wouldn’t expect anyone else to put in overtime during this holiday season. I’ve decided to take care of Haley’s training myself.”

  As the team members traded nervous glances, the uncomfortable silence grew.

  “Let’s go on to the next item on the agenda,” Gavin muttered, looking down to the notes, which were wadded up inside his trembling fists. “Ah... it looks like we’ve covered everything for today. I’ll send an interoffice email if you need to know anything else. Thank you for coming.”