"I'm glad you told me," I replied, finally looking up at her as I mustered a facial expression that conveyed hurt.
"I'm sorry, Leah," she said with her fake sympathy. "But I thought it was better coming from me than for you to find out on your own."
"Yes, I'm sure you did," I nodded solemnly, trying to hide the fact that I wanted nothing more than to expose her for the liar she was. "Well, thank you."
"You're welcome," she said as she grabbed her purse off my desk and headed for the door. Once there, she stopped and turned around to look at me and added, "Don't feel bad, Leah. He's a good man, but he's just not someone who can slum it very well."
The comment hit the intended mark, and I winced. Sloan smiled again and then turned and clicked down the hall in her stilettos. I sat at my desk trying to recover from the low blow. Once the sting had subsided, I knew I had to do something to make sure that Riley and I weren't going to be at the mercy of a group of people who were clearly dysfunctional.
I shut the door and spent the rest of the day holed up in my office making calls, pointedly ignoring Jack.
Chapter Forty-One
Jack
I tried calling Leah to arrange a meeting, but she didn't pick up the phone. It seemed a little strange, but I figured that she was probably out on the warehouse floor helping the guys rearrange the inventory now
that the renovation was almost complete. I wanted to tour the space with her and find out what needed to happen, but I decided that it could wait.
"Hey, Norma, have you heard from Leah today?" I shouted through the open door.
"No, hon, I have not," she called back. "Y’all want me to run down and see what's what?"
"No thanks," I said. "But I do need all of those reports you've been compiling for me on the sales figures and the incoming accounts."
"Darlin', that saleswoman of yours has not given me the paperwork as promised," she said as she came into my office and dropped the stack of papers on my desk. "She's got her nose so high in the air when it comes to me that she'd drown in a rainstorm."
"Norma, where on earth do you get these sayings?" I laughed, thinking about how well that one fit Sloan.
"Darlin', I was raised poor in the South," she said giving me a disapproving look. “Folksy sayings were all we had."
"I see. Well, carry on," I said as she tossed her perfectly coiffed head and marched back to her desk in a fit of faux fury.
I spent the next several hours making phone calls to everyone on my list, and by the time I was done, I was satisfied that things were going according to plan. I wanted to tell Leah what was going to happen, but since I couldn't find her, I decided it would have to be somewhat of a surprise.
"Norma, I'm going out for a bit," I said as I headed to the car. I felt my pocket for my phone, and said, "If anyone needs me, call my cell, or tell them I'll be back in a few hours."
"Okay, hon," she smiled as she looked up from her computer. "I'll do that."
By the time I returned from running my errands, Sloan was waiting for me in the front reception area looking highly irritated. I hid a smile as I walked through the door and acknowledged her.
"Any messages, Norma?" I asked as I stopped in front of her desk and received a wide smile, letting me know she was enjoying this as much as I was.
"No, sir. Not a one," she shook her head. "It's slower than a Sunday afternoon 'round here today."
"Very well," I nodded as I turned and looked at Sloan. "You want to step into my office and have a talk?"
Sloan got up and gathered her things before strutting through the doorway. I could tell she was angry, but I didn't do anything to stem her ire. Instead, I sat behind my desk and looked up at her expectantly.
"What?" she huffed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" I said calmly.
"Like you're judging me or something," she replied as she dug through her purse. "I prefer it when you're doing things to make me happy."
"As do I," I said smiling at her. "That's why I want to invite you to dinner tonight at my mother's. It's going to be special."
"Oh, really?" she said looking up at me curiously. "What kind of special event are you planning?"