“I know, but this is important.“
“I doubt it. Crown’s trying to get his hooks back into you. He knows what buttons to push with you and he’s doing it.“
Irritation washed over Diana. “Don’t be ridiculous. He needs everyone he’s got on this project.“
“He doesn’t need you after four-thirty. Leave on time tonight, Diana. If you don’t, he’s just going to ask for more and more overtime.“
“How do you know?“ But deep down she was afraid Colby was right.
“I’ve got him figured and I don’t like him. He’s a user. He’s got a notion he can use you. I want to make sure he gets the message that he can’t. Not anymore.“
“But, Colby…“
“You’re a pregnant lady and you’ve got a husband. You’ve got other priorities now, Diana. Be home on time tonight.“
Her chin came up angrily. “Let’s get something straight, Colby. Just because you’re my husband, that doesn’t give you the right to tell me how to run my professional life.“
“Someone has to. You don’t seem to be able to run it on your own.“
She wrenched open the door and walked out into the hall, fuming. If she hadn’t been afraid of disturbing the neighbors, she would have slammed the door shut behind her. Instead she closed it far too softly. Then she strode angrily down the hall to the elevator and stabbed the call button.
This business of being married was proving complicated. Colby was getting much too dictatorial; that was all there was to it. He was arrogant, demanding and possessive. And he had taken a strong dislike to Aaron Crown.
What made matters so difficult was that Diana didn’t completely disagree with him about her boss. Crown was sliding quickly back into the familiar groove of using her skills and talents as much as he wished.
In the past she’d been cooperative because she had believed she was working for her own future at Carruthers and Yale. Diana knew now that she was not, but her sense of professionalism was ingrained. She had always been a hard worker, ever since school. It was difficult to tell the boss that she could not put in the overtime he had come to expect from her.
But it was proving even more difficult to call Colby each afternoon and tell him she would be a little late.
On the one hand, she had to admit Colby was right. But on the other hand Diana was not about to admit it. She had been running her own life too long to just casually turn over the reins to someone else, especially a man.
The situation was shaping up into a confrontation she badly wanted to avoid.
It was a twenty-minute drive from her apartment complex to the downtown high rise where Carruthers and Yale had its corporate offices. As she parked her Buick in the garage and stepped into the elevator, Diana thought about how easily she had slipped back into the routine of her old job.
It was as if everything had been on hold, waiting for her to return. The fact that a great many projects were almost two months behind was odd, to say the least. It was also one of the reasons she had been working late all week. The professional side of her nature hated to get behind in her work.
At noon, Diana glanced up from her desk to see a familiar face.
“Want to go to lunch, or are you going to work right through the lunch hour again today?“ Milly Sweeney asked.
Diana smiled regretfully. She had worked with Milly for nearly two years and liked her. The two women were about the same age and shared many of the same interests.
“I wish I could, Milly, but I’ve got to get through this summary today.“
“I don’t know why,“ Milly said bluntly. “It’s been sitting around since the day you left on your leave of absence.“
Diana sat back in her swivel chair and eyed her friend speculatively. “I know. Any idea why?“
“Sure. Come to lunch and I’ll tell you,“ Milly advised cheerfully.
Diana hesitated and then got to her feet. “It’s a deal.“
Fifteen minutes later when they were both seated in a crowded downtown restaurant that catered to the business crowd, Diana put her menu down on the table.
“Okay, Milly, let’s have it. Why are things in such a mess at the office?“
“Simple. I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.“
“I don’t want to play guessing games, Milly.“
“All right, I’ll give it to you straight. Things ground to a halt the day you left, and they’ve been barely squeaking along since then. Crown has been barely holding it together waiting for you to return. He let most of the really crucial stuff slide, hoping you’d return quickly. He never expected you to stay away as long as you did. He didn’t realize you’
d be so upset about not getting that promotion. It came as a great shock to him.“
Diana frowned. “But he must have known how I’d feel after I didn’t get that new position.“
Milly smiled pityingly. “You don’t understand the corporate male psyche, my friend. I’ll admit I don’t always comprehend it myself, but after you left a couple of the finer nuances of Crown’s mind-set became very clear.“
“Such as?“
“Such as the fact that he honestly thought you’d stick around after you got turned down for the promotion. After all, your present job is a good one. You’ve already risen higher than most of the other female employees of C and Y, and he figures you ought to be damned grateful. You’ve always shown every sign of corporate loyalty. You’ve always been more than willing to make the boss look good. You have, to be blunt, been the perfect corporate female. How was he to know you would take deep offense when you were turned down for a promotion?“
“What in the world did he expect me to do?“ Diana demanded forcefully.
“He expected you to go on playing the role of hardworking, faithful employee and be grateful to have gotten as far as you had,“ Milly said.
Diana stared at her and then, in spite of herself, a tiny, rueful smile curved her mouth. “It does sound a bit like playing the classic role of being a good, faithful wife while I thank my lucky stars I’ve got a ring on my finger, doesn’t it?“
Milly grinned. “That’s exactly how men expect women to behave in the corporate world – as wives. We’re supposed to dress nicely, be deferential to males, work hard and not make too many demands. And in some cases, the male bosses even get upset if you don’t agree to sleep with them. But above all, we’re supposed to know our place and stay in it. Come on, Diana, you know all this as well as I do. You’re not naive.“