Valentine's Day, 2014

Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the character. I just like to set them up on dates for Valentine's Day.

Chapter 5 – Trust

She nodded slowly. What was going on? Was this some kind of a set-up?

"Relax," Cleghorn said. "I heard about all of your company's troubles and knew something was about to go down. So I recommended my nephew to the new board. He's known for being a shark when he has to be, like any good man, and sent him in after you."

As Jasper reached their table, Mr. Cleghorn said, "Miss Swan, this is my nephew, Jasper Whitlock. I believe you two have met?"

"Yes, several times." He looked different tonight than he had in the office, more relaxed and confident.

Cleghorn looked at him sternly. "Boy, do I need to thrash you for your conduct with Miss Swan earlier today?"

Jasper grimaced. "You couldn't make me feel any worse than I felt when she bolted out of my office."

"You didn't try to stop her?" Cleghorn asked.

"She was fast. Half-way across the floor before I could get out from behind the desk."

Cleghorn snorted. "Then you should have just leapt over it."

Jasper looked at Bella. "I didn't get the chance to say I was sorry for earlier."

Bella blushed. This was very unexpected. "It's OK," she mumbled. Did I really misread that situation? What had he said to me again?

Her attempts to recall the conversation were disrupted when Jasper slid into the booth opposite Cleghorn, sandwiching her between the two men. He put the roses in front of her. "These are for you."

She pulled them toward her and smiled. But inside, her head was spinning. This was happening too fast. Were they serious? "Thank you," she said aloud.

Jasper bent his head and leaned toward Bella, adding in a low voice, "Whenever I'm around my uncle, for some reason, I always feel I should be wearing spurs."

Now she laughed. Jasper Whitlock was becoming more human.

Cleghorn smiled knowingly at both of them. Out loud, he asked, "Is it done?"

"It is," Jasper replied. "Done. Out of my hands."

The waiter approached. "Whiskey, straight," said Jasper.

The two men looked at one another and then Cleghorn nodded.

"They just put out the announcement, so I can talk," Jasper told Bella. "They're closing your office, and arresting Floyd Michaels. He had been engaged in some unethical dealings, bid-rigging. And your Home Office had some accounting irregularities as well. Looks like those crimes are separate. Neither one knew about the other. The Home Office was just someone who took advantage of a hole they found in your security."

Cleghorn snorted, and Jasper smiled

"One of my uncle's payments fell victim to that accounting scheme," Jasper continued, "and that's how I got involved. My uncle grew suspicious. We think the woman repaid it from another customer's account when she realized the money had been missed, and she has just been juggling funds ever since while siphoning from the corporation."

"And I'm going to take those funds out of that woman's hide," Cleghorn thundered, slapping his hand on the table.

Jasper leaned back into the booth and his smile grew larger as he watched his uncle.

"How is that possible?" Bella asked.

"It happens," Jasper replied. "There is supposed to be a separation of duties in key accounting functions, but someone got promoted and managed to keep her former job's passwords and system access. She was able to set up shell accounts so she could siphon off funds to a personal account."

"How did anyone figure out how she was doing it?" Bella asked.

"Miniver was the whistle-blower inside the company," Jasper said. "It helped to get cooperation before I arrived. I'm starved. Where's that waiter?"

Bella grimaced at the thought of Miniver, and Jasper laughed. "She's not a pleasant person, and once she found a problem, she started her own investigation of everybody. Look at it this way. She cleared you in her own investigation."

"She wasn't happy with me today," Bella said. "I kind of said something to her as I was leaving."

Cleghorn cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward. "What did you say? Tell Uncle Foghorn."

"I told her, 'If there's always something to steal, is it wise for me to leave you here with everyone else gone?'"

Cleghorn roared with laughter, slapping the table so hard the silverware clattered and one of the champagne glasses tipped over. Jasper grinned as a waiter arrived to mop up the spill on the tablecloth.

"Hellcat," Cleghorn said. "What'd I tell you, boy? Get her riled, and she brings out the claws. She's a keeper."

Jasper whispered, "I know," stretching his hands above his head. As he put his arms back down, he slid one along the back of the booth and put it behind Bella.

After the waiter finished cleaning up the spilled champagne, Cleghorn ordered for all three of them. The only question he asked Bella was how she liked her steak. When she said she was vegetarian, he raised an eyebrow and told the waiter to bring her a salad. When the waiter asked what kind of salad, Cleghorn snapped, "A real salad. Don't bother me with details. The kind with the little fish on it, but take those off because she's vegetarian."

Bella saw Jasper suppress a laugh and didn't say anything. A Caesar salad would be fine.

When the food arrived, they began to eat. They spoke of lighter topics, mostly laughing as Cleghorn made comments about their fellow diners. His eye was sharp as his wit, and he was soon telling stories about the romances that would blossom or flop after their neighbor's dinner.

"He'll be getting a slap at the door," Cleghorn said pointing to a sharply dressed man two tables over. "And that one, he's got a ring. He had it baked into the desert. He better hope she's not dieting," he commented, gesturing to their neighbors to their right. "Waiter told me that during lunch," he said in a low voice. "They were here then, too. He's still in the same outfit, but she has on a dinner dress."

Bella was surprised at how hungry she was. Jasper removed his arm from behind her when he began eating, then put it back when he was done. This time, he put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her toward him.

"What about this guy here?" he asked, tapping his chest. "Our fellow diners are probably doing the same thing we are. What do you think his chances are with this lovely lady?" He touched a lock of her hair, smoothing it behind her ear before continuing his meal.

What are his chances? What am I thinking? I'm getting carried away in the moment. But so, it appears, is he.

When Cleghorn put his fork down, Jasper continued the discussion of Miniver. "Doesn't matter what she's happy or unhappy about. She's being placed on leave before being transferred to another office. For her own sake and safety, I told her. She'll be happier, making new people miserable."

"But don't you worry," Cleghorn said. "You're being taken care of. We've rented another suite in the same building, a smaller office. As I said, I would like you to come work for us."

Bella was still puzzled over this offer. "Why?"

"Because, in part, of my big-mouthed uncle's insistence on getting involved," Jasper said. "Because I was entranced by the petite brunette who nearly fell into my arms in that copy room…" he continued, taking Bella's hand with his free hand, and capturing her eyes with his gaze as he kissed the back of her hand.

She returned the look and covered his hand with hers, never wanting to let go.

"Let's go someplace we can talk without my uncle giving me romantic advice," Jasper said.

Just then the waiter showed up. "Coffee or dessert?" he began.

"I think those two can skip the dessert," Cleghorn said. "You two run along now. "

As Jasper slid out of the booth and extended a hand to Bella, Cleghorn said, "Don't let me hear that she's unhappy, or I'll take it out of your hide."

"Oh, no worries there, Uncle," purred Jasper as he slipped his arm around Bella's waist. He picked up the roses with his other hand. "I'm going to make her happiness my top priority, from now on."

As Jasper escorted Bella from the room, Cleghorn waved the waiter back over. "They're going to need some champagne," he told the waiter with a grin. "Room 1863. Right away."

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS READ, FOLLOWED, OR FAVORITED THE STORY. I hope you've had as much fun reading as I have writing it.

I have to admit I've gotten really attached to these characters, as those of you who left me a note probably noticed.

I might continue with this story at some point.