Chapter 11-Daddy Dearest
Jade went back to the couch, tempted to fall back asleep until the office closed for the day…which would give her about two hours. "Why did you go and do that?" Joan asked.
Jade sighed, and rolled over on the couch to face Joan. "What?"
"Hire that little girl. She is going to break like the last two people I had helping me."
"I have a good feeling about her. Just ease her into it, if I'm wrong I don't want her to leave the company with a bad taste in her mouth."
"Jade…I question your charity sometimes."
Jade thought about Shirley, the young girl scared and confused…but brave enough to face her. Her eyes gave the look of pure innocence and truth. "She reminds me of Marie." Joan's face softened as she looked at Jade. "Shirley is working to keep herself in college. Find out how badly she's in debt. What her tuition is. Make sure she at least gets a few good paychecks, alright? If I'm right, in a few years she'll graduate and might even continue working for me."
"Lord knows you could use another lawyer."
"If I'm wrong, we've given a young girl enough money to have a sweet party." Jade rolled over on the couch again, "Now let me get some sleep."
Jade's cell phone rang in her pocket, she groaned as she dug it out, "Hello?"
"Hey, how are you doing?"
Jade mentally slapped herself, "Hey! Sorry I didn't call you sooner, I was so busy."
"Sounds like it," Bruce said, "You sound tired."
"I can count how many hours of sleep I've had on one hand." Jade craned her neck to see Joan looking happily over her, "Go away."
"What?" Bruce asked.
"Oh…no, I'm sorry, not you. Hold on." Jade gave Joan a pleading look until she left. "Sorry, had an audience. How are you?"
"I'm feeling a lot better now that I can talk to you." Jade felt like she would melt into the couch. "I heard about what happened over there. Why didn't you tell me before you left?"
"Oh, it's just business stuff. Boring, really."
"Having your store blown up isn't business and not that boring, either," he said in a serious voice.
Jade closed her eyes, even though just last night she had been in his arms it felt like it had been weeks. Hearing his voice was making her miss him, something she had been too busy to do throughout the day to truly do. "You're right. It's absolutely chaotic. But I didn't want you to worry about it."
Bruce frowned into the phone, "Please don't pretend that you are cool and collected about what happened. After what happened last month…"
"Bruce, I'm not pretending anything. Really, I'm just too tired to be angry about it right now. Just let me worry about what's happening in LA."
"I'm worried about you."
Jade opened her eyes, hearing the sincerity in his voice. "I promise, you don't have to worry about me."
There was a long silence before Bruce asked, "When are you coming back?"
"In a couple of days. I figure I should visit…" Jade craned her neck as Joan walked back in. "I know, I'm in your office trying to sleep on your couch but I still own this company and building, Joan."
"Phone for you." Joan said seriously, not even taking a chance to snap back.
"I'm on the phone already…"
"It's Mr. Walters."
"Oh…"
Joan would talk back to Jade, snap at her and throw a tantrum, argue with her and even be rude…and Jade absolutely loved her for it. But Joan was terrified of Ruben Walters.
"Bruce…I have to go…"
"Something wrong?"
"You aren't the only person I forgot to call today. My dad must have found out I'm in town. I'll call you back once I get to my hotel."
Jade was surprised how rubbery her legs felt as she went to the desk phone. "Marie Clairie's, Jade Walters speaking." She said lightly.
"Cute." Ruben snapped. "You are a secretary now?"
Jade yawned, and let her forehead fall onto the desk. "I was earlier this morning. Nice to talk to you too, Dad."
"I was on the set of my new movie today. Imagine my surprise when one of my actors came up and asked me if I wanted to come to dinner with him and his fiancé, and that I should bring my daughter. And imagine my embarrassment when I tell him you are now living in Gotham…and he sets me right."
"Do you even know why I am in LA, Dad?"
"I got the bullet-points, why the hell didn't you call me?"
"I was going to, Dad, but I didn't have time."
"You'll have time over dinner tonight. It's at seven."
"Sorry, I can't, I'm beat…"
"Dinner with Brad Stigler and his fiancé Jennifer Garcia, you can't pass this up. It's good for you."
"Are you kidding? That's awkward for me, I used to date him."
"Really?" Ruben said, pausing a long time. "I thought you dated his brother, Thomas?"
Jade let a little laugh escape, "That's right. I dated Thomas publicly…Brad was something on the side."
Ruben let out a disgusted sound, "My god, how many more of your old boyfriends am I not aware of?"
"Oh, please, you did all you could to ignore what I was doing."
"Old boyfriend or not, we have reservations."
"I'm dead on my feet, Dad."
"Don't embarrass me like this…"
Jade sighed, "Seven, you said?"
"I'll pick you up at six."
