Whatever You Call Me (Best Friends Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Whatever You Say

  About the Author

  Whatever You Call Me

  Leigh Fleming

  Published by Envisage Press, LLC

  Copyright © 2016 Envisage Press, LLC

  Cover by www.spikyshooz.com

  ISBN: 978-0-9977351-1-6

  All right reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of a brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  For Pat…

  Also by Leigh Fleming

  Precious Words

  Acknowledgments

  This book wouldn’t be possible without the help and support of so many people.

  My amazingly talented editor, Rebecca Heyman, has been with me from the start. Her brilliant insight and keen eye for detail have helped me beyond measure. Thank you, Becca!

  Thank you to former congressman and governor of West Virginia, Bob Wise, for chatting with me about Washington politics.

  Thank you to Rick Patchell for sharing the story of his bootlegging grandfather.

  A special thank you to friend and fellow author, Jessica Peterson, for her advice and guidance.

  Thank you to friends and fans that have patiently waited for the release of this book. On days when I thought it would never make it to print, it was encouraging to know there were people anxiously awaiting its release.

  I based the fictional town of Shady Beach on my hometown of North East, Maryland. I hope the folks who I’ve known since childhood will recognize the similarities. Thank you for the memories.

  Finally, I thank my husband, Pat, and my children, Tom and Liza. I’ll never be able to express my appreciation of your support through this crazy process.

  One

  Annie shimmied onto the hip-high barstool and flagged the waiter. “Strawberry mojito, please.” She shrugged out of her business suit jacket, shedding the smell of metro grate steam, sticky humidity, and the political stink that permeated this city. Tears threatened as Annie secured the cardboard box on the seat beside her—a box which contained personal items that had adorned her office until about thirty minutes ago. Still fighting back tears, she glanced around the bar, hoping to see a familiar face, but only noticed a businessman sitting two seats down. She didn’t recognize him, and was relieved he was too absorbed in his phone to notice her disheveled arrival. When the bartender placed the sparkly pink cocktail in front of her she slid her platinum credit card across the bar. “Keep them coming.”

  A quick glance at the clock overhead showed it was eleven forty-five in the morning. “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” she muttered to herself. The clock was an antique replica not unlike those she’d seen in pubs in England during her trip last year with her best friends Kate and Emberly. So little had changed for her in the past year, until this morning.

  She drank the sweet concoction in two long gulps. A strangled sob followed, breaking the silence around her. She searched through her purse for a tissue and jumped when a handful of cocktail napkins magically appeared in front of her.

  “Having a rough day?”

  The businessman from two seats down smiled warmly and lifted his hand from the pile of napkins. His eyes were soft and caring, and intensely focused on her. The kindness she saw there, combined with a rather alarming dose of liquid courage so early in the day, prompted her to tell all.

  “The worst.” Sensing her need, the bartender set another cocktail in front of her.

  “Uh oh.”

  “I mean, it started out fine. I went to work like any other Monday, but was called into my boss’s office and…I…well, I still can’t believe what happened.” She picked up the wad of napkins and blew her nose enthusiastically.

  “Want to tell me about it?”

  With a heavy sigh and another fortifying gulp of mojito, Annie recalled her awful morning.

  Three hours earlier, Annie had been sitting in her office, brushing off a light coating of dust from her computer screen, when she’d received a call from John Wolfe’s assistant. She had felt the blood drain from her face. The managing partner in Howard, Wolfe, and Richards, the big-five accounting firm where she had been working the past four years, wanted to see her.

  “Sure,” she said, trying to sound nonplussed. “I’m available any time this morning.”

  After confirming a time, Annie had slowly returned the receiver to its cradle and leaned back in her chair, swiveling to look out the narrow window toward the building next door. Why would John Wolfe want to see her? She had always received excellent performance reviews and had even received a promotion last year. Before today, she had never had a one-on-one meeting with any of the senior partners. The only time she had interacted with them was at company-wide meetings or parties. Their offices were three floors above hers and she rarely saw them in the building.

  While taking a sip of tea from the floral china cup she drank from each morning, she glanced around the pretty office she’d decorated with framed photos, college memorabilia, and the fresh flower arrangement she purchased every Monday morning. The pictures showed her with her two best friends, Emberly and Kate, outside Buckingham Palace, and again in a London pub. It was hard to believe their dream vacation to England had only been a year ago. So much had happened since then for her friends: Emberly had met the love of her life and moved to Rome six months ago with her pro tennis player fiancé, while Kate had been asked to be the lead associate in a complex law suit at the prestigious law firm where she worked.

  As for Annie, she had returned from England to the same old job and same old routine. At least once a month for the past twelve, she’d asked herself if public accounting was what she really wanted to do. Did she want to go through another tax season working endless hours plugging numbers into a computer program? As for her social life, did she really want to go out to the same old bars every Saturday night with the same group of friends with the same result: a massive hangover on Sunday morning while she suffered through brunch with her parents? Sadly, she realized the highlight of her week—the only thing she didn’t want to change—was trivia at the Olde Towne Tavern on Thursday nights. Was she growing old before her time?

  Annie dropped her head in her hands as she considered ho
w pathetically boring her life had become. Whatever was about to happen in Mr. Wolfe’s office might just be the ticket to enlivening her dull, same-old existence. She stood and brushed imaginary wrinkles from her skirt, pulled back her shoulders, and marched out of the office, chin held high, as she went to seek her fate three floors up.

  She noticed John Wolfe’s commanding presence filling the doorway as she rounded the corner to his office. He was tall, dressed in a tailored gray suit, and his bald head glowed in the reflection of overhead lights. He welcomed Annie to his office with a large outstretched hand and a warm smile.

  “Would you like some coffee, Annie?” Mr. Wolfe asked, as he gestured for her to sit in an upholstered armchair situated in the sitting area of his office. She did her best to appear relaxed while her stomach roiled with fear.

  “I’m glad we could get together this morning. I’ve been meaning to get to know you better.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Wolfe.” Annie cleared her throat, forcing air through her tight vocal chords.

  “Please, call me John.” Mr. Wolfe smiled as he placed a company logo mug on the coffee table in front of her.

  Annie’s upper lip quivered as she smiled, bewildered as to where this conversation was headed. She crossed her right leg over her knee and covered her thigh with a tug of her black skirt. Still uncomfortable, she dropped her right leg and draped her left leg over top. No position alleviated the jitters she felt.

  “You know, I’ve heard a lot of great things about your work here. Many of the clients you’ve worked with over the past four years have expressed high praise for your attention to detail and your genuine concern for the success of their businesses. I’m really impressed.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’d like to make sure that you continue to be a part of the future of HWR. We wouldn’t want to lose you to another firm.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Annie lifted the mug and took a sip of rich coffee, feeling a bit more confident.

  “Annie, we’re bidding on a government contract we think will be very beneficial to this firm. I have a good feeling we’ll receive the bid if we have the right team in place.”

  “Oh? What’s the project?”

  Mr. Wolfe placed his elbows on his knees and studied his cuticles. “Several government agencies are going to start sub-contracting their auditing. If we win the contract, it will mean adding about twenty people to a newly formed department here. I’d like to offer you the position of director for that team.” His head remained tilted downward while his eyes lifted, seeking a response.

  Annie’s mouth flew open but no sound came out. Director of a new government auditing department? She hadn’t done auditing since her first year at the firm. “Well, Mr. Wolfe, I don’t know wh-what to say?” Annie fought to control her nerves. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very flattered, but you do realize I haven’t done auditing in a while. Surely, there must be someone else more qualified than me.”

  “Now, don’t be so modest. I know the fine work you’ve been doing with our clients and you have all the qualifications necessary to run this department. Let me see…” He opened a file that had been lying on the coffee table between them and began rifling through the papers. “You have your bachelor’s degree in accounting, your master’s degree in leadership development, you’re a CPA, and you have all your auditing certifications. You’ve worked hard and deserve this promotion. I don’t have to tell you that you will, of course, receive a substantial raise and a bigger office.” Mr. Wolfe chuckled as he picked up his coffee cup, taking a long sip while watching Annie over the rim.

  Annie’s mind was swirling. This was a big opportunity. A raise would certainly help her shopping habit. But auditing? The year she had worked as an auditor nearly drove her crazy. Some accountants might like that sort of thing, but not her. Why wasn’t she being offered a promotion within her own department?

  “Besides,” Mr. Wolfe continued, setting his mug gingerly on the table, “seeing as you’re the daughter of one of our most powerful senators, you should have a firm grasp on government affairs. You’ve probably met some of the heads of the departments we’ll be working with.”

  Annie shivered. She could feel her blood pressure rising at the mention of her father’s position as chairman of the appropriations committee. She hated when people made comments about her connection to him, or when they implied she could help them out in some way. Did Mr. Wolfe think that by listing her name as director on the bid they’d have a better chance of winning the contract? Was that the only reason she was being offered the job?

  “Actually, Mr. Wolfe, I prefer to keep my personal and professional life separate. I won’t allow my father’s connections to affect my career path here or give me some sort of upper hand. Whether or not I’ve met any of the agency directors shouldn’t be a reason to put me in this new role.”

  Mr. Wolfe’s mouth broke into a wide grin, but his eyes remained hard as he nodded his head. He pointed a finger at Annie and said, “I knew I picked the right person for this job. You’re assertive, won’t take any crap from anyone. I like it. Working with government agencies can be challenging and I think you’ll do a great job. That’s why we chose you. It has nothing to do with your father. I’d never insult your integrity that way.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  “In fact, you’ve been on our radar for some time now. When this position came along, I felt you would be perfect for it.”

  Annie glanced down at her lap, her mind spinning like a top as she twisted her fingers together. From the corner of her eye, she watched Mr. Wolfe surreptitiously check the time. He looked bored—almost as bored as she would feel as the director of an auditing team.

  “Would you give me a few days to think about it?” she asked.

  “Now you’re coming around. But I was hoping to wrap this up today. The bid is due tomorrow morning and I’d really like to see your name listed as the director of this new division. I’ll never be able to find someone else as qualified as you.”

  “That’s very kind.” She continued twisting and tangling her fingers together. Was it just her or was Mr. Wolfe beginning to sound an awful lot like a salesman?

  “Kind? Hell, it’s the truth. You’re just what we need in this position. I’m sure if you do the kind of job I think you will—you know, be a team player—there will a partnership opportunity in the near future.” Mr. Wolfe walked behind his desk to retrieve a piece of paper, which he then slid across the coffee table to Annie. “This is the agreement showing your new job title, salary increase, and additional week’s vacation. Just sign at the bottom and we can get this thing started.”

  Annie stared down at the letters and numbers blurring in front of her, unable to focus on any of the details. This just didn’t feel right. Why couldn’t she have a few days to think about it? She picked up the pen, rolling it between her manicured fingers. Would she have received this offer if it hadn’t been for her father’s influence in the Senate? Since college she’d worked hard to achieve her successes without the help of the great Senator George Cooper.

  “I will say,” Mr. Wolfe said, “I’m sure your father will be very pleased with your promotion.”

  Annie looked up at her boss and once more felt a spotlight shining on the situation. Daddy dearest had apparently made a call to John Wolfe asking for a promotion for his youngest daughter. Couldn’t he simply stay out of her life? He’d certainly been scarce for the first twenty years. A wry grin formed on her lips. She leaned over the paper, her mind made up, and with a flourish wrote, “I QUIT” on the signature line. They rose from their seats as Annie handed the paper to Mr. Wolfe.

  He took it and started to speak even before his glance reached the bottom of the page. “This is great. I’ll ask my assistant to get right on that new office for—”

  Annie watched as Mr. Wolfe finally registered what she’d scrawled in lieu of her name. His eyes bulged slightly and his cheeks flushed red.

  “What
the hell?”

  “Mr. Wolfe, I won’t be manipulated into accepting a promotion, no matter what my father promised you.” She formed a fist and lowered it like a banging gavel. “This offer is unethical—a backroom deal that gives government and this firm a bad name.”

  Mr. Wolfe’s mouth was pursed tight, his brows furrowed. “I don’t appreciate the accusation. You’re passing up an incredible opportunity. Regardless, you must realize in order to get ahead in this world you need to use your connections. That’s what networking is all about.”

  “This feels like more than networking to me.”

  Annie watched Mr. Wolfe’s charming façade fall away like a curtain being pulled off a cold marble statue. “Get real. Are you that naïve? People use other people to get what they need. It’s that simple. And for the record, I don’t appreciate being accused of shady dealings. There’s nothing untoward here. I was simply offering a loyal employee an opportunity, but clearly I was wrong about your…ability.”

  “Well,” Annie again cleared her throat and gathered the courage to look Mr. Wolfe directly in the eyes. “I’m sorry if we don’t see eye to eye on this. I don’t think I can work for a firm that would condone such actions. I’ll send an official two-week notice to HR as soon as I return to my office.” Annie reached out for the doorknob and pulled it open.

  She was about to step across the threshold when Mr. Wolfe said, “No need to write a two-week notice. Report to HR and let them know you’re leaving today. They’ll send you a severance check for the two weeks and any unused vacation time. Collect your things and go, Ms. Cooper. You’re done here.”

  A half hour later, Annie was tilting her face to the hazy sun and wondering if she had made a mistake. Who passes up a promotion like that? Moreover, who passes over a huge raise like that? She plopped on a bench outside the metro entrance, running her fingers through her hair as she pulled out the band gathering her thick curls at the base of her neck.