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staff stating your new name and position?" His voice became the brisk, efficient one of the man she relied on to keep the office running smoothly.
    The last part of his statement caught in her mind. "New position?"
    "According to my source, not only did you marry McLain, a promotion to Vice President of Acquisitions is yours as well. Congratulations. Looks like you’re moving upstairs." With an almost military crispness, he turned and left the room.
    As soon as the door closed behind him, Miranda picked up the phone. How dare Drake promote her without her permission? She punched the numbers that would put her through to his office. What was he thinking?
    "Mr. McLain’s office. This is Nicole. How may I–-"
    Miranda cut her off. "This is Miranda Symons. Put me through to him."
    A full three seconds of dead air vibrated across the telephone line before Nicole said, "I’m sorry, Mrs. McLain. Mr. McLain is unavailable at the moment."
    "Tell him I need to talk to him as soon as he becomes … available," Miranda snapped.
    The minute she returned the phone to its cradle she regretted being so irritable to Nicole. After all, it wasn’t Nicole’s fault if McLain was busy. But, what if he’d told Nicole to tell Miranda that so that he wouldn’t have to talk to her?
    "Arrogant, son-of-a –" She stalked across the room. If the mountain wouldn’t come to her, she’d take herself to him.
    She got as far as the door before she realized what she was doing–-giving him the advantage. The action of seeking him out rather than waiting for him to come to her implied need. Or at least, she considered, his arrogance would interpret it as such.
    Her hand twitched on the doorknob. No. She added up the scores, his and hers. The marriage itself, his. The consummation, she grimaced. His, if that videodisk offered proof. Living arrangements, at last a point in her favor. She smiled at the vision he’d presented just that morning. Sprawled across her living room couch because she refused him her bed, he’d been distractingly sexy …. Until Pumpkin had licked Drake’s chin. His expression of wide-eyed horror had brought another giggle to her throat.
    She relaxed her shoulders as she strolled back to her desk. Letting the office know before she had a chance to break the news was a non-issue, no points. The people they worked with would have to know sooner rather than later.
    So far, Drake led two to one. Time to get busy.
    "Kevin," she called into the intercom. "Let’s get to work."
    She’d start by ordering that new stationary and making sure accounting knew about her promotion. It may not be permanent, but she intended to make as much use of it as she could. An office on the penthouse level … that had a nice ring to it.
    Kevin entered, folders and steno pad in his arms. Miranda rubbed her hands together and grinned at him. "Let’s look at those samples; after that, get me the manager of space in the executive suite. You and I are moving up."
    Kevin hesitated for just a second, and then sat in his usual chair. He gave her a small salute. "Whatever you say, boss."
    Several hours later, Miranda rubbed the back of her neck. Boxes and papers covered her desk and the surrounding floor. Moving the contents of her office was proving to be more of a headache than she had anticipated. More so when it coincided with juggling phone calls, faxes, and personal visits of congratulations.
    Flowers from business associates held sway on the credenza. She’d have to hold a moratorium on accepting any more until she moved. Flat surfaces were at a premium.
    Compound that with interviewing the several people in her division she thought deserving of the promotion to her current office, and keeping business going as usual …. No wonder she pulsed from her head to her toes.
    She closed her eyes and wondered if it was too soon for another couple of ibuprofen. She heard the door open behind her; it rustled as it brushed against cardboard boxes.
    Without