Newlywed Games
her small measure of courage nearly evaporated. “What am I going to do with you?” The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
    Caught off guard by his question and light demeanor, she stared back at him. “Do with me?”
    “Do you know what this is?” He held up the file he had perused a moment before.
    She shook her head.
    “Next week’s schedule.”
    She frowned. Had he really called her in to discuss the schedule?
    “You’re working all week.”
    So? She
always
worked the day shift, Monday through Friday.
    “Do you have any time off while your mother is here?”
    Why did he sound so irritated? “Just…just my normal days off.”
    “Why don’t you take your vacation time while your mother is visiting?”
    “I took all my vacation days when my mom was in the hospital. I’ve also used up all my personal days and my sick days. I don’t have any time left to take.”
    Bruce shook his head. “I’m finding someone to replace you.”
    Meghann leaned forward. “Please, Mr. Halloway, I
need
this job!”
    “I’m not firing you,” he said gently. “Just getting someone to fill in for you this afternoon. You will have every day off while your mother is here.”
    “I can’t. I’ve already taken all the time I’m allowed.”
    “What kind of son-in-law would I be if I couldn’t get my wife time off while her ailing mother was in town?” He spoke as if he were addressing an errant child. She felt like an errant child. “No arguments. You will take the time.” He wasn’t angry with her for her lie, only irritated at her lack of time with her mother. A puzzling man indeed.
    Meghann bent her head down, then looked him in the eyes. She had to put a stop to this. “I can’t, Mr. Halloway. I can’t afford to have that much time off.”
    His expression changed from irritation to compassion. “You will be paid your regular wage. And what happened to calling me Bruce?”
    “Mr. Phenton would never allow it.”
    “Which, the pay or the name?”
    She grimaced. “Probably neither one.”
    His chuckle was low and resonant and filled her senses as completely as it filled the room. “I’ll talk to George. And I have the owner’s ear. It won’t be a problem, trust me.”
    This whole thing was already a bigger problem than she ever imagined. But the owner? What would Bruce tell him or her?
“The ding-a-ling we put in charge of the front desk needs a month off to straighten out her personal life.”
And he not only had met the mysterious new owner but also was evidently chummy with him.
    “Mr. Hallo—” she stopped at the abrupt raise of his brow. She couldn’t help it with him seated behind that huge mahogany desk, he just looked more like a Mr. Halloway than Bruce.
    “Bruce.” It felt strange to be so familiar with him at work. “Time off really isn’t necessary. My mom needs rest more than anything, not me hanging around. I don’t want the new owner to think I’m unreliable.”
    “A compromise then. You come in a few hours each day and we can tie up any loose ends on the masquerade ball. Then you can take the rest of the day guilt-free.”
    Guilt-free? It took all Meghann’s will not to laugh out loud. Not likely.
    The bell jingled over the door as Meghann entered the small computer repair shop where Jennifer worked. There was a computer and two monitors on the counter, and inside the glass front counter were computer guts she supposed. Various other computer parts and debris cluttered the floor along the far wall.
    A six foot, three-hundred-and-something pound sandy blond hulk with a beer belly hanging over his belt stepped out from the back room. This must be Dan.Meg had heard Jennifer speak of him and her other boss.
    Dan plucked the donut from his mouth and smiled. “May I help you?”
    “I was looking for Jennifer Zimmerman.”
    He disappeared into the back, and a moment later Jennifer popped through the doorway. “Meg! What brings you here? No, wait, it doesn’t matter.” She waved

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