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all that traumatic for Jessie,” Hatch said calmly. “After all, she's used to getting fired. Happens regularly, doesn't it, Jessie?”
    She shrugged. “I've had my share of shortsighted, old-fashioned bosses,” she informed the table loftily.
    Hatch nodded. “Poor bastards.”
    Jessie glared at him, wondering if he was actually trying for a bit of humor or if he was serious in his sympathy for the long line of managers who had preceded him in her life. She concluded he was serious. Hatch was always serious. “As I said. I was getting along fairly well in personnel. Admit it, Hatch. Most of the people I recommended for employment have made excellent employees.”
    “Your hire recommendations were not the problem.”
    George turned directly to Hatch. “So why in hell did you toss her out of Benedict?”
    Hatch put down his menu. “Let's just say that Jessie is not cut out for a happy life in a corporate environment.”
    “Translated, that means I tended to be on the side of the employees, rather than management, when there was a dispute,” Jessie explained. “The new CEO did not approve of my approach.”
    George Galloway gave a muffled snort of laughter. “What did Vincent say?”
    “Vincent,” Hatch said, “was profoundly grateful to me for terminating Jessie's employment with Benedict Fasteners. He'd been trying to figure out a way to get rid of her since the day after he'd hired her. It took him about twenty-four hours to realize he'd made a major mistake when he'd put Jessie to work in personnel.”
    “I must admit it all turned out for the best, however,” Jessie assured the Galloways. “A month ago I landed a terrific new position with a wonderful firm called Valentine Consultations. I feel that I've finally found my true calling in life. Mrs. Valentine says that if things work out the way she believes they will, she'll make me a full partner in the firm.”
    “What sort of consulting work does Valentine do?” George turned to her with a businessman's natural interest.
    “You don't want to know,” Hatch warned softly.
    “Nonsense. Of course we want to know, don't we, Ethel?”
    “Certainly,” Ethel confirmed. “We're always interested in what Jessie is doing. You do lead an adventurous sort of life, my dear.”
    “Mrs. Valentine is a psychic,” Jessie explained with a broad smile.
    “Oh, Lord.” Ethel rolled her eyes.
    “No wonder Benedict's praying you'll marry her,” George said, leaning confidentially toward Hatch. “She's getting worse.”
    “I'm sure it's just a phase,” Hatch said imperturbably as the waiter approached.

    Two hours later Jessie breathed a sigh of relief as Hatch brought his gray Mercedes to a halt outside her apartment building. She reached for the door handle before he had finished switching off the engine.
    “Well, there you go, Hatch,” she said, infusing her tone with a false note of good cheer. “The Galloway deal is signed, sealed, and delivered. Tell Dad I did my duty. Now, if you don't mind, I've got to run. Big day tomorrow at the office. I'm sure you'll understand.”
    Without glancing to his side, Hatch touched the button that locked all the doors.
    Jessie heard the solid click and sat back, resigned to the inevitable. “There was something else you wanted?”
    Hatch turned slightly in the seat and draped his arm over the wheel, one long finger idly stroking its smooth surface. She found herself staring at that finger, hypnotized by the oddly erotic gesture.
    “I think,” Hatch said finally, “that we need to talk. Please invite me in for tea.”
    Jessie jerked her gaze away from his gliding finger and shot him a sharp glance. There was just enough light coming from the streetlamp to reveal the determination in his expression. The request for tea was more like a demand. Well, he had a point. Maybe it was time they talked. They had played cat-and-mouse long enough.
    “All right,” she said.
    Hatch released the locks and Jessie opened her door