Dancing in the Dark Read Online Free Page A

than to have them speculate and start too many rumors. “He put me on the team directly. Not the usual runaround of the manager gets the glory and we get all the work. I can’t say anything more about the project. Nondisclosure.”
    Everyone in the room was frozen, listening with rapt attention, brushes poised in midair. She took a deep breath and took a calculated risk. “I think, ladies, we will see that Halford understands who really does the work in this company.”
    “Really?” It was almost voiced as one.
    She nodded.
    Immediately, the women began wondering what kind of changes would come to the company that would benefit them.
    Charity heaved a mental sigh, grateful that she’d found a way to take their interest off her. Jake had to really understand, she thought. Otherwise, why would he have given the job straight to her rather than to Dave?
    Her peeved boss was waiting for her when she returned from the lavatory.
    “Your
friend
upstairs called,” Dave said. He was a short man, slight dumpy, with pale skin. Charity always thought he had a frightened look in his eyes, as if someone were going to find out he was in over his head. She wanted to tell him he’d be much better at his job and at handling people if he quit reacting to office politics and just relaxed.
    “We don’t have an upstairs, Dave.” She smiled sweetly. “I take it you mean Ja—Mr. Halford.”
    “I think he’s crazy,” Dave said. “Why give this jobto you? I always do them. Besides, how can I get anything done if you’re always powwowed with him?”
    Charity resisted the urge to tell him off. If he always did the job, then why did he need her to get anything done? A little diplomacy, she reminded herself. He was hurting and, knowing him, worried about his position with the company. She could afford to live up to her name. Lest she forget, she still had to work with the man after the project was done. “It’s not a big deal, Dave. But Mr. Halford’s requiring a nondisclosure statement for the ‘unique solution’ Wayans comes up with. It’s just standard paranoia. We know how ‘unique’ these solutions really are.”
    Dave made a face that indicated his understanding and temporary defeat. “Halford’s still nuts. All the men have to attend a meeting this afternoon with him. It’s mandatory.”
    “Mandatory?” Charity echoed, her brain scrambling to digest this implication. The meeting had been mentioned in the bathroom, but not this little tidbit.
    Dave smiled smugly. “Just us.”
    “Oh.” She shrugged and pulled out her chair. Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to let it get to her, she decided.
    “Halford’s waiting,” Dave reminded her.
    She hit a button and called up a file on her computer. “I need to finish those orders for Bickman’s first and get them to the warehouse. It’ll take only a few minutes.”
    “Oh.” Dave looked stunned that she was doing her job.
    Charity shook her head and grinned to herself. It didn’t hurt to signal to everyone that she knew where her priorities lay.
    A short time later her second boss was nearly as crabby as her first.
    “I called for you hours ago,” Jake said.
    Charity decided to blow up the meeting that afternoon. Every male at Wayans would be there, but especially this one. She settled into the chair in front of his desk. “I had orders to get out for Bickman’s. You did instruct me not to neglect my job.”
    “I did.” Shoving a big manila envelope toward her, he said, “I’ve got the specs for you, so you can begin.”
    She picked up the envelope and opened it, scanning the materials inside. Her first glance told her more than Jake had. She looked up in dismay. “This is big. I don’t know if I can do this by myself.”
    He smiled. “You have me, remember? I know it’s a lot of researching of the components and getting the right manufacturer and price locked in. I’ll be doing the negotiating of that, don’t worry. And we have plenty of time, for