The Dakota Man by Joan Hohl

Author:Joan Hohl [Hohl, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, cookie429, Extratorrents, Kat
ISBN: 9781460311219
Google: EFsHdAZYPDgC
Amazon: 0373763212
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2000-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

Six

Moving back into the office quietly so as not to disturb Karla, Maggie slipped into a chair in front of the desk. Taking her checkbook from her bag, she wrote out the rental payment on the apartment. She was tearing the check from the book when Karla turned away from the screen to smile at her.

“Oh, I’m glad you’re back,” she said, pushing her chair back and easing out of it. “Now I have to go…urgently.” She grinned. “You can man the phone.”

“Mitch told me to give the rent payment to you,” Maggie said, holding up the check.

Already at the door, Karla said, “Lay it on the desk, I’ll take care of it when I get back.”

Man the phones. Great, what’ll I do if the darn thing rings? What’ll I say? Sorry, but I’m new and don’t know diddly about the business yet? Now, that would make a sterling impression, Maggie thought, grimacing as she moved around the desk and settled into Karla’s chair. She had just decided that her best bet was to pray the phone didn’t ring, when the darn thing did.

Maggie warily eyed the phone through the second ring, then recalling Karla saying that if it wasn’t answered by the third ring Mitch would pick it up, she grabbed the receiver.

“This is Maggie,” she said, in the same manner as Karla always answered.

“Maggie? What happened to Karla?” the caller, a woman, asked in an ultracool, rather haughty tone.

An old hand at dealing with all types of calls, from all types of people, Maggie was less than impressed, but scrupulously professional. “Karla is out of the office at the moment,” she responded pleasantly. “May I help you?”

“Yes,” Ms. Haughty snapped back. “You may put me through to Mitch.” Not a request; an order.

As if, Maggie thought, raising her eyebrows. “I’ll see if Mr. Grainger can take your call,” she said, ever so sweetly. “Whom shall I say is calling?”

“Natalie Crane.” The woman’s superior tones suggested her name alone opened all doors.

“Please hold.” Witch, Maggie added to herself, immediately hitting the hold button. She waited with calm deliberation for a full thirty seconds before buzzing Mitch.

“Yes, Karla?”

The sound of his voice reactivated the quiver inside Maggie. For an instant, her mind went blank, her throat went dry. Idiot, she chastised herself, clearing her throat.

“Karla?”

“It’s Maggie,” she quickly responded. “Karla’s out of the office.”

He chuckled. “Ladies’ room, huh?”

“Yes.” She had to smile.

“What can I do for you, Maggie?”

The ideas that sprang to her mind didn’t bear thinking about. Shocked at herself, Maggie rushed into speech. “There’s a call for you on line two…a Ms. Natalie Crane.”

A pause, then he said, “Get rid of her,” in a hard-sounding near growl, before disconnecting.

Oh, my, Maggie thought, so much for opening all doors. Happy to oblige, she released the hold button. “I’m sorry, Ms. Crane, but Mr. Grainger is in conference and can’t take your call right now. May I take a message?”

“Yes,” Ms. Haughty snapped. “Tell him I expect him to return my call as soon as he is out of conference.

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