Personal Shopper Page 3

  "You probably won't feel that way after you hear what I have to say," she said.

  "Well, have a seat and let's talk then," said Max, settling into a chair and motioning for her to sit on the couch.

  Laura sighed and handed him a folder before sitting down. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and started talking.

  "If you look in that folder, you'll find an accounting for everything I spent," she said. "There's receipts for everything. But there's also something missing." She felt the shame creep into her voice, and the tears. "A thousand of the fifteen hundred dollars you gave me."

  Max Greenway said nothing, just looked at the folder for a moment so intently that Laura wondered if he'd even heard her. "So where is it?" he finally asked.

  "I -- I used it to pay my son's school tuition."

  "You used my money to pay your bill?" Max Greenway was looking at her now, his eyes not exactly angry but certainly not pleased.

  "It didn't happen the way you might think," Laura said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "I was behind because....well, that's not important. But I was behind and when I went by to pick Evan up Monday - after I left your office - the finance officer told me that if I didn't give her $1,000 right then he'd have to immediately withdraw."

  A tear leaked from her eye and she brushed it away, embarrassed at her inability to hold her emotions in check.

  "I panicked," she said. "I had a credit card in my pocketbook but the school didn't take credit cards. So I used your cash to pay the bill and keep my son in school."

  Max Greenway said nothing. He just stared at her. It made Laura feel terribly uneasy. She stood and turned her back to him.

  "After I left the school I went to the ATM.."

  "Laura, sit back down and face me." Max Greenways' voice was stern. "I don't like people who turn their backs on me. Especially when they've done something to get them into trouble."

  Laura felt her heart jump into her throat. Max Greenway was a man who commanded obedience. She'd known that the moment she'd walked into his office. His order frightened her and she immediately submitted to his command.

  "Now go on," he said.

  "So after I left the school I went to the ATM to get a cash advance on my credit card, but it would only give me $120." She reached into her pocket, pulled out the $120 and put it on the coffee table between them, sliding the bills in his direction.

  Max Greenway didn't take them. "So how is it that a woman running her business and her household doesn't know her own credit card balance?"

  "It's complicated," she said. "It involves someone else and I'd rather not.."

  "I think you owe me a full explanation. I want to hear it." His gaze didn't waver.

  Laura looked at him, trapped. She ran her slim fingers through her the top of her long brunette hair and sighed. "The card was an emergency card, one of those high-interest cards that my husband and I never used. When we split up, we didn't even think to cut it up. We never used it when we were together and I sort of forgot about it until Monday. But I figured Monday was an emergency so I decided to use it. But apparently, he's already been using it, and not for emergencies, unless you consider dinners, movie tickets and lingerie emergency purchases."

  "Might I assume the lingerie isn't for you?" Max Greenway asked.

  "There's another woman now," Laura said. "Well, actually there was another woman when we were together. I just was just a little slow on the uptake."

  "You should have known better than to have retained any type of joint credit with him, Laura. You know now that if he doesn't pay it then it'll hurt your credit rating."

  "I know," she said miserably. "The credit card company said the first payment's due next month. I'm sure he won't pay it. I couldn't even get him to help me with Evan's tuition."

  Max Greenway shook his head. "And now you're worse off than ever. You have a new credit card bill plus you owe me the money you took. And of course, those tuition bills have a way of coming around again."

  "Yes, I know, Mr. Greenway." Laura replied. "You have every right to call the police on me or ruin my reputation by telling people what I've done. If you did, I'd understand. I brought this on myself. My purpose here isn't to ask you for mercy. It's to ask you to give me a chance to repay you. I've put my bill for my shopping services in the folder. As you can see, it's already marked paid in full. There's $120 on the table. So I owe you just a few hundred dollars. I was supposed to get paid today by one of your neighbors, but she made me wait. Her husband's going to be back in town on Monday. I can get most of the money back to you then."

  "Which neighbor?" he asked.

  "I'd rather not say," she said.

  "I'd rather you did." He was looking at her again with that hard, principle's gaze.

  "Mrs. Tighlman." she said.

  Max Greenway smirked. "That doesn't surprise me," he said. "She's all flash and no substance. I've never cared for her. She hired illegal immigrants to work for her because they're cheaper. I'm hoping the feds will eventually bust her."

  Laura said nothing. She was relieved to have gotten it all out, but still nervous that he hadn't addressed what he was going to do - if anything, regarding her actions.

  Max Greenway stood up. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked.

  "Oh, that's OK," she said, but when he returned, he carried two drinks - a beer for himself and a soda for her. "I'd offer you a beer but you're driving home later."

  She took the soda with a 'thank you.'

  Max sat back down and regarded her. "Tell me, Laura," he said. "How important was my account to you?"

  "It was huge," she said honestly. "I mean, every personal shopper dreams of getting her own Max Greenway." Laura blushed as soon as the words were out of her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said, mortified at herself. "You know what I meant."

  He smiled for the first time since they'd sat down. A small smile, but still a smile.

  "Is it important to you? To build a client base?" Max Greenway took a sip of his beer as he waited for her answer.

  "Well, of course," she said. "This is a great job for a single mom. I can work on a flexible schedule and even take my son with me if I need to. Until now I thought I had a shot of making it a success."

  "I don't know how you can expect to be successful at all if you're going to allow yourself to be taken advantage of," Max Greenway said. "It seems to me that you demand a lot of yourself while letting everyone else slide. That's bad business, Laura, not just in business world but in your everyday life. Weak people don't make it."

  "I'm not weak," Laura said, feeling offended.

  "No?" Max Greenway sat forward, ticking off points on his finger. "You're letting your son's father get away with no supporting him. You trusted him with your credit even though he proved to be a liar and a cheat. You walk away from a client without getting paid for services even though it clearly states on your contract that payment is due when the gifts are delivered."

  Laura shifted nervously in her chair.

  "Stop fidgeting," he ordered. She obeyed.

  "You've left yourself vulnerable," he went on. "And dealing with that vulnerability has had an unfortunate snowball effect that is only going to get worse. I assume you needed the money from my business?"

  Laura nodded.

  "And now utilities, rent, car payment...all those things may fall behind," he said.

  Laura looked away. "Yes," she said, and then stood. "But Mr. Greenway, this really isn't your problem. I took your money. What additional problem that causes me isn't your concern."

  "Perhaps," Mr. Greenway stood. "But I'm not just going to let you walk out of here with an IOU." He walked across the room to a roll top desk and began to jot things down on a piece of paper. He stood up and held it out to Laura. "Here."

  "What is it?" she asked.

  "It's a list," he said. "I have some more shopping I need you to do. If you want to settle your debt without my calling the police or spreading the word about how yo
u mishandled my money, then I want you to follow my instructions over the next few days to a tee. No matter how odd a purchase may seem, no matter where I send you to get it, I want you to go without question. Now here are your first items. I want you to be back at my house with them by noon tomorrow. Do you think you can do that?"

  Laura looked at him. Her eyes were filled with puzzlement. "OK?" she said haltingly. "But I don't understand some of this. What's 'The Enforcer?'"

  "Don't worry about what it is. Just go to Front Street Antiques and talk to Mr. Crane. He'll be able to help you." Mr. Greenway said. "The other things need little explanation."

  He handed her a wad of bills. "Are you sure?" she asked.

  "Yes," he said. "Consider this your second chance."

  Laura took the money and headed out the door, looking at the list.

  "Noon tomorrow," he repeated as she walked out.

  ***

  Laura had no idea what was in store for her the next morning. Tammy had at agreed to watch Evan for the next several afternoons, having enjoyed having a Nintendo partner, so she was thankful, at least that she wouldn't have to pick up her son from school.

  After bundling Evan off to school, Laura showered and prepared for her day, looking with concern at the list as she sipped the last of her coffee. The first thing would be easy - a simple flowy skirt and top, size 8.

  She headed to Nordstrom's for the outfit. Max Greenway hadn't specified what type, so Laura chose something she liked. Her favorite color was pink, and there was a beautiful set on display, sweater made of an incredibly soft cashmere merino blend and a skirt classic, a-line skirt that was modest but form-fitting. She used $300 of the money she'd been given to pay for it and headed out the door.

  The next stop was Borders, where she searched the business section for a list of titles - all on starting and running a successful business, and then she was off to Office Max, where she picked up several packs of good quality writing paper.

  She was congratulating herself for making good time when she pulled up in front of Front Street Antiques. Inside, there was barely room to walk amid the claw-footed couches and chaise lounges.

  She didn't see anyone else in the store and finally called out, "Hello!" until a tall, gangly man with a pencil-thin moustache walked out from behind a huge wardrobe.

  "Can I help you?" he asked.

  "Yes," she said. "Are you Mr. Crane?"

  "I am Mr. Crane," he said, looking her

  "I've been sent here to pick up an item. I don't really understand what it is I'm supposed to buy, but was told you could help me." She showed him list. "I'm supposed to pick up the "Enforcer?"

  Mr. Crane's thin lips curled into a smile. "Let me guess, Max Greenway sent you."

  "Yes," Laura said. "How did you know?"

  Mr. Crane turned and walked towards the back of the store, Laura at his heels. "Because Mr. Greenway is one of the most astute collectors of punishment implements."

  "Of what?" Laura was sure he hadn't heard right.

  "Punishment implements.Straps, paddles and the like." Mr. Crane stood aside and ushered her into a back room filled with boxes. "When I called Mr. Greenway to tell him we got a collection of items from an old Vermont schoolmaster's estate sale, he was particularly interested in this item."

  Mr. Crane pulled out a large paddle from the box. Burned on the side in crude letters were the words "The Enforcer."

  Laura didn't mean to gasp, but she did. "Good Lord!" she said.

  Mr. Crane laughed. "It's impressive, isn't it?" He turned it from side to side, admiring it. It was not especially large, about two-feet long including the handle, or especially thick, maybe a half an inch. But it looked like it was well worn.

  "I imagine this humble paddle frightened a lot of school children into their best behavior."

  "I can only imagine," said Laura. "It scares me and I'm 32."

  Mr. Crane pulled out a long narrow box from beneath the shelf and laid the paddle inside, carefully wrapping tissue paper around it as if it were made of glass. "You must have been spanked a lot as a child to have such a reaction."

  "Actually, just once," Laura replied. And it was true. The most memorable time had been when she was around six or seven. She and another little girl at their private Christian school had been caught passing notes, something the other girl told her "big girls" did, based on credible intelligence she'd received from an older sister, a seventh grader.

  Mrs. Wells, the teacher, determined that her class was not going to adopt the evil ways of the kids on the second floor, decided to make an example of the two miscreants. So Laura and her friend were forced to stand in front of the class, bend over Mrs. Wells' desk and endure three smacks with her paddle.

  In retrospect, Laura realized the woman hadn't hit them very hard. But the humiliation and discomfort was enough to cure her of note-passing for the remainder of her academic life.

  "Let's just say I'm glad to be an adult," she laughed as Mr. Crane handed her the paddle.

  "Oh, adults aren't immune from corporal punishment," Mr. Crane said. "It's still practiced in some societies and even in some traditional homes."

  Laura considered this for a moment. "Not here. Not in the United States," she said with certainty.

  Mr. Crane shook his head. "Don't be so sure. You might have friends whose husbands care enough for them to offer correction once in a while. A sound spanking is hardly the same thing as a violent slap or punch, you know. Most parents spank their children and love them very much. A man who spanks his wife likely does as well."

  Laura didn't spank Evan, but didn't tell the man so. In fact, she found herself very eager to end the conversation. She was blushing deeply and didn't know why. Hurriedly she asked Mr. Crane how much she owed him.

  "Oh wait," he said before he took the money. "Mr. Greenway may also be interested in this. He pulled out a leather strap. It was in the same lot. Apparently this was in the schoolmaster's home, although he didn't have kids. He was married, though. I don't know if Mr. Greenway has one of these." He handed Laura the strap. She accepted it as someone might accept a snake.

  "You can just put it in the box," she said.

  "Very well," Mr. Crane said, smiling his thin, mysterious smile again.

  Laura looked around uncomfortably as she waited for Mr. Crane to write out the receipt in precise, almost feminine penmanship.

  On the way out, she stopped to admire a few period pieces Mr. Crane had for sale. He stopped at each one she noticed, giving her a brief history, before walking to her car and opening the door for her.

  He made sure her taillights could be seen going around the corner before he picked up his cell phone.

  "Hello, Max, Crane here. How are you? Yes, yes, she's already picked it up. I'd say her reaction was charming. She was clearly unsettled by it but didn't exhibit any aversion that should keep you from moving forward." He laughed. "Yes, yes indeed. I agree she deserves to be punished. And protected. She's a pretty little thing. You two would make a nice couple."

  Chapter Four

  Max Greenway hung up the phone and smiled. Since Laura McCaffrey had walked out of his house the night before he'd been able to think of nothing else.

  He'd admired that she'd been straight with him about what had happened with her money. There were any number of lies she could have told. She could have told him her purse had been stolen or even that she'd lost the money. Both lies would have been unoriginal, but he'd have likely given her the benefit of the doubt given her fine reputation.

  But she hadn't lied. She'd told him the truth, in the process offering up more information than she'd intended to - information that led Max Greenway to one conclusion: she needed a man like him in her life.

  He wanted to be that man.

  Laura McCaffrey was no Prissy Able. She was committed to excellence and wanted to succeed not just in her business life but her personal life as well; that was evident through her devotion to Evan. But she was afraid - afraid to make
waves and ruffle feathers - even when she needed to do just that very thing in her own self-interest. And while he knew she had it in her, Laura needed a strong arm to lead on to help give her the courage she needed. She needed a guide, a protector. She needed him.

  And Max Greenway was a man who knew something about following his instincts when he saw something he wanted. All his life, he'd let his gut lead him. His gut had told him that dropping out of college and coming back to help his family was the right course. It was. His gut had told him that he could continue his dad's roofing business. It had. His gut told him that going with the security business would be his ticket to success. It had.

  Now his gut was telling him that Laura McCaffrey was a woman worth pursuing. But he didn't want to make the same mistakes with her he'd made with Prissy Able. He'd started out by bailing her out before he'd decided to establish himself as the authority. He wasn't going to do that with Laura. He wanted to establish himself as the authority from the get-go.

  He'd sought advice from Crane, his longtime friend, even as Laura had been on her way to his shop. Crane had been in the spanking scene for a long time, and while he was a slight, rather effeminate man that many people assumed was gay, he was a sought after heterosexual dominant whose silky voice and aristocratic demeanor belied a steely side that submissive women loved.

  Max had met Crane during a brief foray in the local scene, but even after he decided it wasn't for him, the two had remained good friends. He'd run the idea of his plans for Laura by Crane and the antiques dealer promised to give Max an accurate assessment of his feelings on it after he'd met her. Obviously, he still thought Max was wise to move forward.

  The only wild card laying how she'd react. He knew she might consider him a flake and walk out of his life once and for all. But Max wanted it all - the perfect woman in the ideal structure, with him as the leader. It was a chance he was willing to take.