And he was a tough boss. She had been in his office for hours these two days going over the projections. The logistics firm provided service both nationally as well as globally, and some of the larger accounts seemed to be slipping in areas of delivery and efficiency.
Unfortunately, the person who acquired the accounts and provided the less than sterling projections on them was none other than her former friend, Rebecca Harding's husband, Marion.
Marion was a nice enough guy. Smooth, definitely. Charming and sociable, if a little quiet. He always seemed to fade into the woodwork whenever Rebecca was present. He was an excellent associate with the company, though, and had brought in several major accounts.
Unfortunately, two of those accounts were about to be adjusted. The adjustments would save the company and the client a hefty amount of money. She doubted Marion was going to appreciate it, though, once he found out about the changes that would be made.
Which would have been close to an hour ago.
She glanced at her door at the sound of her secretary's voice rising and grimaced just before her door jerked open and Marion stalked in.
Kia leaned back in her chair and watched as he stamped to her desk. She couldn't say she had ever seen Marion angry. Until now.
"Would you like to tell me what the hell you're doing?" He slapped the files down on her desk, leaned forward, and braced his hands on the desk.
His hazel eyes glared down at her through the lenses of his glasses and his thinning brown hair had a decidedly mussed look. Which wasn't Marion at all.
"I think the files are self-explanatory," she said carefully. "As was the message that we could discuss them, Marion. You didn't have to burst into my office and cause a scene."
She rose from her desk and moved to the door, closing it gently as her secretary watched from her desk. When she turned back to Marion, it was to see his mildly handsome face screwed into a frown.
She had always liked Marion. He was nothing like his wife, and normally hard to upset.
"I didn't cause a damned scene," he responded irately. "You've been here two days, Kia, and you decide to start looking over my shoulder? If this is turning into some kind of vendetta, then let me know now, and I'll hand my damned resignation in."
She shook her head as she moved back to her desk and sat down.
"I don't do vendettas, Marion. You and I always got on well when I worked here before. These accounts are two of the largest Rutherford has. Once I clear these up, I'll start on two more." She stared back at him firmly. "This is my job, to look over your shoulder and run your projections. Remember?"
His lips tightened. "Look, I know you and Rebecca had a hell of a falling out, and whatever she did, I'll apologize now."
She raised her hand. "This has nothing to do with your wife and everything to do with your projections. If you'll sit down, we'll discuss them."
"You haven't been in this office in five years and you think you can walk in here and know everything we do as though you never left?" He stared at her incredulously. "Where the hell do you get your nerve?"
Timothy Rutherford opened the door silently as Marion Harding's question exploded into the room. His brows lifted. Two days, and already his senior sales associates were screaming? He wanted to smile as she glanced toward him before shooting Marion a warning look. That was his girl. All teeth. She'd been a hell of a worker before that damned Drew Stanton convinced her to quit.
"She gets her nerve from my side of the family, I believe," Timothy said as he closed the door behind him.
Marion flinched before straightening slowly and turning toward him. His jaw clenched and a flush of anger worked over his cheeks.
"Timothy" He nodded shortly. "You didn't warn me Kia was coming in here to tear our accounts apart."
"Kia's been tearing accounts apart since the day she left," he informed the other man as he moved to his daughter's desk. "Just because she didn't hold the title didn't mean she wasn't going over accounts, Marion."
He laid the file he carried on Kia's desk before turning to face the other man. "Are you going to have a problem working with her?"
Marion's lips were a taut, thin line. "My projections on that account are excellent, Timothy, and we both know it. You and I went over them ourselves. She hasn't been here two days and now she's moving everything around?"
Timothy nodded shortly. "Expect it. Are you going to have a problem with it?"
"Dad, this is the wrong time," Kia said quietly. "Marion and I can work this out."
Timothy restrained the urge to fire Harding on the spot.
"I asked you a question, Marion."
"If she's going to start nitpicking my accounts because of her problems with my wife, then you're damned straight. We're going to have problems," Marion shot back.
Marion was a good man, but that wife of his made Timothy wonder at her parents' parenting skills.
"Excellent. We have no problems then." Kia leaned forward. "You can leave now, Dad."
He glared down at her. "I want to sit in on this meeting."
"Too bad." Her eyes narrowed back at him. "We had a deal, remember?"
Damned girl. Her and her deals. He shot Marion a warning glance. "Fine. But we'll discuss this later."
"Later suits me." Kia hid her smile as her father stalked from her office. She turned back to Marion. "That wasn't wise. Daddy isn't nearly as neutral as I am where the damage Drew and Rebbecca caused before the divorce is concerned. Do you think I fought him for six months to preserve your and Drew's positions and reputations in this company so you could blow it all to hell by challenging my father now?"
She rubbed her hands over her face before pushing back from the desk and rising from her chair to glare back at him.
"Rebecca can take a flying leap into hell for all I care, Marion. Right along with Drew. I wouldn't have fought my father over Drew's position if I meant to walk in here and threaten yours." She flattened her hands on her desk now. "You can work with me or you can walk out that door right now and we can turn this into a feud. We worked well together once, Marion. Surely we can again."
They glared at each other before he eased back and narrowed his eyes, and, for just a second, a reluctant smile tipped his lips.