Accidentally Yours Read Online Free PDF Page B

a wedding band and because she found long, slim digits more appealing than short, stubby ones. She felt she did it subtly, not like some men who talked to her with their eyes fastened to her chest.
    “ Hi, Vivian,” Peter said. “I wanted to know if I was eligible to join the 401(k) plan. December twenty-seventh was my six-month anniversary.”
    “ Yes, you can join. You’re actually a little late; most of the people starting up got their paperwork turned in before Christmas.”
    “ It’s not too late, is it?”
    “ You might have to offer Glenda a bribe, but since we haven’t had a payday yet this year I’m sure it’ll be okay.” She wanted to put in a plug for her friend, who had said she thought Pete was “kinda cute.”
    “ Quite a lot of excitement around here this morning, isn’t there?” he remarked.
    “ Yes. It’s regrettable.” She handed him some printed forms. “This is what you need to fill out I would suggest you complete it as soon as possible and give it to Glenda.”
    *****
    She saw Pete again that day as she hand-delivered an envelope of employee change forms to the payroll department for Glenda to process. He was walking ahead of her down the hall, and she gasped when he walked into what she knew was a closet. He came out within seconds and immediately looked around to see if anyone had witnessed his blunder. “I’m still having a little trouble finding my way around this place,” he said sheepishly before disappearing into the men’s room next door.
    She merely gave him a smile, not trusting her voice to betray her with laughter, which she knew would be cruel. Still, she couldn ’t help thinking, The man’s been here six months and doesn’t know the closet from the men’s room?
    She and Glenda laughed heartily over the incident in the relative privacy of the payroll office, which Glenda shared with the two clerks she supervised. The confidential nature of the work they both did spared them from being assigned to those portable-walled cubicles so popular in offices nowadays. “So what if he’s a little confused,” Glenda said. “He’s a scientist. They always say they’re a little ditsy. It’s part of their intelligence.”
    “ Yeah, right. I’ll bet George Washington Carver was always walking into closets.”
    Glenda rolled her eyes. “How’s Gary’s arm?”
    “ He says it’s much better. It’s a little sore, but it’s not throbbing like it was when he first cut it. He’ll have the stitches taken out before the weekend.”
    “ Maybe you should offer to go with him to have them removed. You might get to see that fine Dr. Warner again.”
    “ I’m sure he’ll have the stitches taken out by his own doctor. There’s no need to go to the emergency room for something so minor, unless he doesn’t have a family doctor.”
    “ It was just a thought.” Glenda lowered her voice. “So are they going to get rid of me or what?”
    “ I admit I did know about the merger; Lisa told us last week. She swore me to secrecy. I hope you’re not mad that I didn’t tell you.”
    “ I understand that, but do you know about the future of my department? Carol and her husband just bought a house, and she’s understandably worried.”
    “ Well, the letter said no changes are expected right away.”
    “ All that means is that everybody’s probably safe for the next six months or so. I’m interested in the long term.”
    “ I honestly don’t know, Glenda. I guess nobody’s job is safe.” That wasn’t exactly the truth, either. Lisa told them that Human Resources would remain untouched. She would be commuting between the two locations, since the other company did not have a director, only a manager. When Harriet pointed out that they didn’t have a manager, only a director, Lisa had smiled and said Vivian would be in charge of the department in her absence. Not only would she keep her job, but there might be a promotion in it for her from administrator to manager.
    “