A Woman's Touch

point out to her that the amazon who had led the resistance movement at the office had surrendered privately on the home front „Becky makes terrific coffee,“ Kyle added just to make sure he had made his point. He scanned the first page of the report, his mind switching gears as he started another working day.
    „I’m sure she does,“ Theresa murmured behind him. „Miss Wade does everything well.“

    Something in her tone stopped Kyle for a moment. He swung around, eyes narrowing in a ferocious frown. „Just what is that supposed to mean, Theresa?“ He was more than ready to jump down the throat of the first person who dared say anything critical about his relationship with Rebecca. So far he’d had no occasion to do so.
    Theresa continued to smile at him, unalarmed by the frown. Theresa had, after all, worked very closely with Kyle for nearly five years. She knew him better than anyone else in the company. „Only that you seem quite happy these days, Mr. Stockbridge, and we all know it’s because of Rebecca.“ She hesitated and then added in a soft rush, „I’m glad for you. It’s about time you found other things to do with your weekends and evenings besides spend them here in the office building your empire.“
    Kyle nodded, satisfied that her congratulations were genuine. „Thank you, Theresa.“ He turned and continued on into his office. Rebecca had been wrong, he thought as he returned to Harrison’s report. There had been no need for her to worry about what people at the office would say when it became common knowledge that she was living with him.
    The truth was, nearly everyone who worked for him was damned grateful to her. She was in a better position than ever to soothe the savage beast.
    Ten minutes later, however, Kyle’s pleasant Monday-morning mood had vanished in the flames of outrage. He stared at the figures and conclusions buried in Harrison’s report, certain at first that there had been a mistake or that he was reading them wrong. But a moment later he knew there had been no errors. He reached out and stabbed the intercom switch.
    „Yes, Mr. Stockbridge?“
    „Get Rick Harrison in here. Now.“
    „Yes, Mr. Stockbridge.“ Theresa’s voice slipped into the smooth tone of the professional secretary who knows that disaster has just struck.
    Kyle released the intercom switch and went back to the report. Then another thought struck him. He slammed the switch once more. „Theresa?“
    „Yes, Mr. Stockbridge?“ Theresa said warily.
    „Tell Harrison that if he stops by Becky’s office on the way to mine, I’ll have his termination papers cut in personnel before lunch. Understood?“
    There was a pregnant pause from Theresa’s end before she said carefully, „I believe Mr. Harrison is already in Miss Wade’s office, Mr. Stockbridge.“
    „The hell he is.“
    „Sir, it’s normal Monday morning procedure,“ Theresa explained hurriedly. „Mr. Harrison always consults with her first thing on Monday. They go over your schedule for the week and prepare recommendations for you.“
    „Every Monday?“ Kyle’s outrage went up another notch. „Every damned Monday? How long has this been going on?“
    „For about three weeks, sir,“ Theresa admitted and then tried frantically to do a little damage control. „Miss Wade has started a new program. She meets with the various department heads at different times during the week, Mr.
    Stockbridge. It’s one of the ways she keeps things running smoothly for you. Monday morning just happens to be Mr. Harrison’s scheduled time. I’ll call her office right now and have her tell Mr. Harrison that you want to see him.“
    „You will not do any such thing, Theresa,“ Kyle told her with grim menace. „It’ll be worth your job if you dial her office. I’ll go down the hall and get Harrison myself.“
    „Yes, Mr. Stockbridge.“ Theresa’s voice had moved from coolly professional to those special, frozen ranges only a good secretary can manage.
    Kyle wasn’t fooled for a minute. It would be a close race. He grabbed the report off his desk and headed for the door. Theresa was bent industriously over her electronic typewriter as he slammed through the outer office. He knew she would be reaching for the phone as soon as he cleared the doorway. He had about ten seconds.
    He made it to the closed door of Rebecca’s office just in time to hear the phone ring inside. Kyle shoved open the door without bothering to knock and