Balancing Act. Laura Browning
Seth arched an eyebrow at her. “Something you learned at Smith?”
“High school.”
“Hmm. I suppose you were a straight-A student.”
Tessa slanted a sideways glance at him as she stood up and started to move past him. “Yes. Legitimate A’s.”
Seth locked up his desk and closed his briefcase. “I’ll be gone the rest of the afternoon. If you’d like to take the day off, you may.”
Tessa smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Barrett, but I believe I’ll get those reports finished for you before your trip.”
“Yes, right.”
Seth was in a better frame of mind the rest of the week. He left Thursday morning for Chicago and Minneapolis and wasn’t scheduled to be back in the office until Monday morning. So Tessa at last had a chance to become acquainted with her workspace. She learned her way around the filing system and reorganized it. The revolving door of secretaries had left things in a shambles.
She was tidying up her desk before going out to lunch when Brandon came out of his office down the hall. Instead of heading straight for the elevators, he strode toward her. Tessa glanced at him, finding him a less vibrant version of his brother. Though they were almost the same size, his eyes were hazel rather than the gold of Seth’s, and his hair was darker, as if his blond was attributable to the sun rather than heredity.
“I was going out to grab some lunch. Want to come with me?” His voice was pleasant, not the bark of his elder brother.
Tessa smiled. “I don’t think that would be a good idea, Mr. Barrett.”
His brows lifted. “Afraid of what others will think? Or afraid Mr. Cantankerous will bite your head off?”
Tessa arched a brow in return. “Neither. I just see no need to wave the red cape in front of any of the bulls in this building.”
Brandon grinned, then broke into a full-fledged laugh. “You are so exactly what my brother needs. Please don’t leave. Now, all kidding aside, I’m running down to the deli on the corner. Can I get you anything?”
“A chef salad would be great.” She started to reach for her purse.
“My treat. Call it a reward for putting up with Seth.” With a wave of his hand, he turned for the elevator. “Be right back.”
* * * *
By Friday, she was feeling much more secure in her office space. She had finished setting up workable systems and getting things organized when her personal line rang late in the day.
“Good afternoon. Tessa Edwards here.”
“Tessa. I’m glad I caught you.” It was her attorney. “The judge moved the custody hearing up. I at least got them to give me a time Monday afternoon. Can you make that?”
Tessa’s hand trembled. She had to catch her breath before she responded, “Yes. I’ll be there. What time?”
“One PM.”
Seth had rescheduled his supplier for that time and she knew he would want her in on the meeting, but this was more important. She would just have to convince Seth of that. After all, she didn’t have much choice, and she was not going to be the one making waves about the timing of the court date.
She arrived extra early Monday morning. Even so, he was already in the office. Sometimes Tessa wondered if he lived there. She knew he kept extra dress shirts and ties in his coat closet. She’d seen that one day over lunch when the dry cleaner showed up with laundered shirts to put there. She brought him a cup of coffee, but instead of leaving after setting it down like she did other mornings, Tessa stood in front of his desk.
Seth was working at his computer. He had a habit of hyper-concentrating like Zach. A bomb could go off around her brother when he was absorbed in something. Seth appeared to be no different. He grabbed the coffee, his mind still elsewhere, and that’s when he noticed her.
“What?” he barked. She’d already begun to realize some of his tone was sheer reaction to having his concentration broken.
Tessa kept tight control over her nervousness. She had yet to ask him for anything.
“I need to leave at lunchtime today.”
Seth regarded her out of hooded eyes. “You’re free to do as you please with your lunch hour.”
Tessa shifted. “I’m sorry. I expressed myself badly. I mean I will need to leave for the day.”
“You know I’ve got that one o’clock that I canceled last week, and I need you to take notes. It will have to wait.” A note of impatience threaded through his voice.
Tessa felt like a child being raked over the coals, but outside she was as cool and composed as ever.
“It’s a personal matter, sir. It came up without much warning. I have to go to court. It’s a custody hearing for my little brother.”
Seth leaned back in his chair and crossed one long, elegant leg over the other as he regarded her. “You currently have custody?”
“Yes.”
“Who wants him?”
Tessa raised one eyebrow at him, but somehow she knew she shouldn’t be surprised he asked such a personal question. If he wanted information, he wouldn’t let the fact he might be prying get in the way.
“Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Edwin,” she said. “Kathleen is my mother’s older sister.”
“What happened to your parents?”
Tessa avoided his gaze and looked out the window. “They were killed in a car accident a little over a year ago. I have custody, but no access until I’m twenty-five to the trust fund my stepfather left for Zach. You see, they didn’t expect it to be a problem.”
“But it is one.” His voice lost its inquisitorial tone and revealed only concern. The sudden change took her off-guard.
She nodded.
“Sit down, Tessa.”
She sat. Seth being nice threatened to dissolve her composure with far greater ease than his usual taciturn manner ever could have.
“Is it money?” he asked “Do you not have enough?”
Tessa shook her head. “I make more than enough to support Zach and me. I even make enough now I can send Zach to a school where he can get help with his learning disability.”
“Then what’s the issue?”
Tessa hesitated. She was still reluctant to air the family laundry. She started to tell him it was none of his business, but Seth being understanding was a lot harder to withstand. In fact, he was impossible to withstand.
“It’s Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Edwin. They don’t want Zach. They want access to his trust fund, which they would have if they had custody right now. I can only access it when I reach the age of twenty-five–or by getting married. Since my getting married isn’t a factor, they’ve been working to prove I can’t take care of Zach, trying to split us up before I come of age.”
Her voice broke at the end of the last sentence, the stress getting the best of her. She bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. As Seth continued to regard her, Tessa curled her fingers into fists.
“May I go?”
“To the hearing or away from me?” His voice was gravelly.
Tessa darted a glance at him, catching a soft expression on his face that was unexpected. Her nervousness left as fast as it had come. She smiled. “Both.”
Seth studied her. “Reschedule the supplier again. I’ll go with you.”
“There’s no need,” she began, but he ignored her.
“What