Chapter 5

Tuesday morning was a sun-filled day and work was... well, it was work. Belle had plenty of projects to keep her busy, which always pleased her since boredom was not an option for her. In college she had had an internship with a small firm and had to find things to do. It was annoying because she hated having idle hands. Marcus Architects & Engineers continued to grow and she loved it, the busier the better.

Occasionally she put some thought into the future and what she would want to do if she and David had children. It was an easy decision for her. Even though she loved work and her career she remembered how wonderful it had been to have her mom home when she was growing up. It was what she wanted to give to her children as well, like a gift. She always knew she could go back to work in the future but children are only children once and she didn't plan on missing a second of it. For now she was enjoying the thrill of her career and the pride in her work; it satisfied her.

Belle was sitting at her desk, which sat amongst tall, panel-furniture. To her right was a window that looked out into the city and to her left was the exit from her cubicle of an office. She had a long desk, behind it was a drafting table and a guest chair that sat to its right. It was cozy and she loved it. There were potted plants and decorative features to give it a homey feel which made it easier for her to sit at the desk for hours on end. She was engrossed in drafting a floor plan for a new house that she had been collaborating with an architect on.

The little radio that sat on her desk was lightly playing music and she hummed along because the sun that streamed through the windows was encouraging her happy mood. While the office was busy, her corner of the work-world was peaceful and relaxed when the phone began to ring. The phones were programmed with special ring tones so she knew if a call was from within the office or an outside call. From the double-chirp, she knew that it was an outside call.

"Annabelle Daescher," she said into the receiver while she continued clicking away on the computer-aided drafting program.

"Hey sexy," the voice replied. She hadn't been paying close enough attention to the voice on the other end and realized that she couldn't identify it. Secretly, for a fleeting moment, she was hoping it was Jeffrey. Of course it had to be David; what was she thinking?

"Hey," she replied purposely not acknowledging who she thought it was.

"I heard from Jeffrey Winslow today... You know, the guy from the party who drove you home?"

"Yes, I remember him," she said with iron control, despite the racing of her heart.

"I sent him a proposal and a package about my company on Sunday. He called me a few minutes ago and said that he wanted to do some business with my company."

Yes it was definitely David. He had cut right to the chase of why he had called her; it was about business. He was excited about the new business dealings that the party had generated. Monday he had already received another new client's work and now it seemed that he could add Jeffrey to his list of conquests. She was ashamed at her disappointment that it was not Jeffrey's voice, but her fiancé's.

The idea of she and Jeffrey was absurd anyway. She was from a middle-class family and he was born into extreme wealth with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was not only rich but was also handsome and surprisingly engaging. He could be with any beautiful, well-to-do woman out there, a woman like Olivia Thompson. Her skin crawled at the thought of the cold, beauty queen. Olivia was undoubtedly a bitch without a humble bone in her petite body. As long as Jeffrey didn't end up with her, or a woman like her, she would be happy for him. Or would she?

"Are you still there, Belle?"

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry. I suppose I was focusing too much on this floor plan." She laughed away her little lie, although given her passion for her career it wasn't entirely a lie. There were many times she had gotten lost in thoughts of design and space planning and when she pulled herself back, found that hours had passed by.

"Cheating on me, huh?"

"Excuse me?" she asked with a nervous laugh. She hadn't been listening to what he was saying and feared that perhaps Jeffrey had talked about their kissing. She was startled by his question as well as the nonchalant way he asked it.

"With another house," he chuckled. "I swear I'll lose you someday to a beautiful, old house. I just thank God that I found my old house that helped bring us together, or we may never have met. Maybe my old house will help keep you around," he teased.

She leaned back in her chair and replied, "We would've met. When something is meant to be, it's meant to be. Nothing and no one can derail it. We would have met one way or another."

"That's a nice way to look at it. I'm just glad that I don't have to find out if that's true. Thank you again, by the way, for wooing Jeffrey. He told me you were a great saleswoman for my company, not to mention a delightful companion for the drive home. He went on to say that I was one lucky man."

"Did he really say that?" she asked. Her interest was perked up. "It was nothing. Your two businesses are a good match; I barely had to sell the idea."

"I was selling you and your firm to him. I think he's considering using your firm with future projects. Just make sure that you get the credit if he does. You've earned it."

"Yeah," she replied, staring out the window blindly.

"I'm serious, Belle. I think you're undervalued there."

"Perhaps," she replied and decided to change the subject. "Do you have anything going on this evening? Will I be alone for dinner once again?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. I have a dinner meeting with Robert Donovan."

"Really, I like him. Tell him hello for me and to pass on a hello to Judy."

"Will do. You have a good day, sweetie."

"I will. You, too. Don't work too hard."

She heard him laugh, brushing aside her statement. "You worry too much about me. Hard work never killed anyone."

"Actually..."

"I've gotta go, babe," he said, cutting off her retort.

"All right. Bye."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone with a sigh. He was always rushing around, so much so that she swore one day he would just drop from exhaustion.

There was a chirp from her phone that indicated someone was about to talk to her through the speakerphone on her desk.

"Belle, Mr. Marcus would like to see you in his office in five minutes."

She hadn't done anything wrong, at least not by her recollection. The order given to report to his office unsettled her yet she replied, "Okay, Mary Anne."

The project she had been working on needed to be saved before she could vacate her desk. If she didn't, and there was one slight flicker of the power, her work would be lost. The office computers saved the work she did on CAD every fifteen minutes automatically; still, it was safer to save it manually, so she did and closed the folder before she walked across to Mr. Marcus' office.

Brayden Marcus was in his mid-to late-forties. Belle couldn't tell exactly but that was her guess. He had jet-black hair that was being slowly invaded by white strands, starting around the temple. He was five-feet-eight, lean and fit with a thick mustache and a constant, stoic expression. She could never tell if he was pissed off, quietly contemplating something or in a jovial mood. He had the perfect poker face and a dry sense of humor making him impossible to read. She had been able to tune in to his timing over the years so she had an idea if something he said was a serious statement or meant as a joke.

There was something about his cool, standoffish personality that made her nervous so she was trying not to appear physically shaken by being called to his office. She respected him not only as a figure of authority but also as a talented architect and fair employer. Nothing would have pleased her more than to know the subject of the meeting, it being called so unexpectedly. Her only option was to see if Mary Anne knew anything.

"Hello, Mary Anne. How are you today?"

"Good, Belle, and you?"

"Good, thank you."

Mary Anne was on the younger side of the twenties. Her body was plump and rounded and she used to dress too provocatively at times, especially for the office. Her wardrobe had tamed some when Mr. Marcus promoted her to be his secretary; perhaps it was required. Her short hair was styled with a funky, messy look and the color could only be described as plum. While she looked wild, she was an extraordinary secretary, which was why she worked for the boss. They had talked in the past and Belle found her to be sweet and pleasant to talk to. Most people shied away from her because of her wild exterior, which was a mistake.