Dale bridled with indignation. “Are you accusing me of stealing the money?”
“We just want to know where it’s going, Dad. The company is in serious financial trouble and every dollar needs to be accounted for.”
Dale pounded a fist on the table as he stood. “You ungrateful sons-a—”
Justin rose as well. “Jordan simply asked you a question, Dad.”
His father’s blue eyes bored into him. “He’s accusing me of stealing from my own family!”
“He’s asking for an explanation of some funds that you haven’t even bothered to look at yet. Seems to me, if you didn’t take the money, you’d be more interested in seeing what he’s talking about instead of name calling.”
Dale’s gaze narrowed. He sat down without another word. Justin followed suit and listened over the next ten minutes as they went over the financials. While his father explained each of the questionable withdrawals, Justin’s mind wandered—straight to Marley Wade.
Of course she would be the one to have designed such a beautiful and completely perfect building. It was just his luck lately. And, of course, their need for the Jenkins job was beyond desperate.
She’d never sell them the design after he’d fired her. He was pretty sure he knew her well enough by now to bet on that. But he couldn’t blame her. He wouldn’t, either. Besides, a design that good deserved the architect on hand for the creation.
He debated his next step, though really, he knew he had no choice.
****
Marley dropped her bags to the floor and collapsed on her bed. No wonder she’d never liked shopping; it was exhausting. She might have only purchased a few outfits, but the sales girl had insisted she try on countless items.
Still, the girl had been friendly and helpful, without a single condescending look or snicker at Marley’s lack of fashion sense. Marley was pleased with everything she’d bought. So far, this part of her journey into womanhood had progressed quite nicely. If only life were so easy.
The phone rang and she jumped to answer, praying it was Nate. “Hello?”
“Marley? It’s Bonnie. I swear, I didn’t know about the firing. I want to apologize—”
Anger quickly overcame her disappointment at not hearing her brother’s voice. She sat up straighter. “There’s no need. Forget it.”
“No, really. I’m sorry. I—”
“Apology accepted.” She hung up the phone. She didn’t want to hear excuses from a single person at that company. And if anyone really needed to apologize, it was Justin.
The phone rang again. She left her bedroom and started down the hall. She counted the sixth ring and heard the answering machine as she peered inside Nate’s empty room. He had to come home sometime, right?
By the time she reached the kitchen, the ringing began again. When the machine told the caller no one was home, she reached to unplug the entire thing.
Justin’s voice leapt from the speaker, making her jump. “Marley, I know you’re there. Pick up the phone.” Long pause, then a grudging, “Please?”
She glared at the machine.
“Fine, have it your way.” He slammed the phone down and the machine clicked off.
“That’s right,” she muttered. As if he had a right to be mad because she refused to talk to him? As if she’d wronged him.
The phone remained silent for the next hour. When she recognized a growing restlessness as disappointment, she stalked into her room to put her new clothes away. A light-weight, tan, scoop-neck sweater in particular was her favorite. It fit close, the solid material ending at her rib cage. The crocheted bottom extended to her waist, and the matching sleeves fell an inch below her elbows.
The sales girl had said she looked great and then handed her a pair of low-rise jeans that hugged her hips. Marley stripped off her tee shirt and pulled the sweater on. Looking in the mirror, she decided to leave it on for a morale boost. Besides, she could get used to dressing more like a woman in the comfort of her own home.
By the second hour of silence, after she’d emptied the dishwasher and done two loads of laundry, Marley switched on the radio and began to clean the closet she’d avoided on Saturday.
He sure gave up easily, the jerk. Proved he wasn’t worth her time moping around.
If you asked her, being a woman sucked.
Chapter 9