“That is an interesting way of looking at it.” Wesley encouraged her new idea. “I think you might have something there, the more I think about it. There are tons of people in the office that don’t know Christ. And who knows how many you might be able to witness to just by being on a new floor.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” She paused, and then said, “If you want to tell Lisa what we talked about that’s fine with me.”

  Wesley smiled. “I was hoping to. But it does make it easier to know it’s okay with you.”

  “You really like her, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, actually I like her a lot. Who would have believed it of me? I can actually be a one-woman man and have no regrets.”

  At that moment, Lisa and LuLu returned from the bathroom. LuLu started complaining before she even reached the table. “I can’t believe it took you so long to wash your hands. Who ever heard of a grown woman singing the alphabet song three times in slow motion just to make sure her hands are clean?”

  “LuLu, haven’t you heard about that bad stomach virus? I mean, I don’t want to get that and take it to the little kids at Sunday school, now do I?”

  LuLu looked exasperated but she couldn’t help but agree. They all loved LuLu even though sometimes she could be so clueless about things going on around her. She took a bite from her sandwich then looked over at Elizabeth. She started at her toes and ended at her face. “You look good. Who did the design?”

  Elizabeth couldn’t help the answer that escaped her lips. “God did the design, then Monsieur Wesley helped decorate it.”

  The whole table laughed out loud, causing several heads to turn and stare. The four friends didn’t care. That was one of the things Elizabeth loved about her crew. They were able to have a wonderful time together, enjoying another day the Lord had given them. They weren’t about to be dismayed by negative vibes coming from around them.

  ****

  Yesterday Bruce had seen the woman. Today as he sat in the promenade he peered over the top of his newspaper. She wasn’t there. Even the people she’d sat with the day before had taken up with a new friend. The lady from yesterday may just have been in the building for legal counseling, nothing more. Bruce would probably never see her again. Why, after only one brief meeting, did the thought of that bother him so much?

  Looking back down at his lunch, he continued to eat. He really needed to get this one woman out of his head. There were many women in the office who already vied for his attentions. Why did he need to pursue one on his own? The answer was simple. He didn’t need to. What had he always said? Never date a woman from work. How many problems had been solved just by following that one simple rule?

  As Bruce sat there, a butterfly flew overhead. The wings spread wide, allowing the sunlight to reflect off the black spots. From leaf to leaf it flitted, landing gracefully on the colorful flowers. The creature reminded him again of the lady from the day before. He knew in his heart if ever he saw the mystery woman again, he would discover her secret no matter what it happened to be.

  Chapter Five

  Elizabeth’s optimism lasted until she reached the tenth floor, two floors down from her old office. Then those feelings of doubt began to creep in. She knew she was a decent legal assistant, or as some would say, “secretary.”

  She had mad skills when it came to typing briefs, researching legal cases, preparing notes, and making phone calls. Just about anything she was asked to do, she could figure out how to do it. She didn’t graduate from law school at the top of her class and not know how to do these things. No, her problem was in communicating with people.

  Elizabeth came from a large family, and oddly enough she was shy. For as long as she could remember she’d hidden behind her brothers. When she left for school, the books took her brother’s place. When she went to the work, there were baggy clothes to hide behind. Now with this new image, she felt exposed. Not exposed as in the sense of flesh, but exposed in the sense that her soul could be seen. Her face was extremely expressive and without all the excess hair, she was worried she would be read like an open book. If anything was to get her fired or dismissed from her newest position, her face would do it.

  Unlike most women, or so she’d been told, Elizabeth was excellent at holding her tongue. Maybe these people just hadn’t seen her at the right time, eh? With dishonor, she admitted her tongue had been unleashed as a weapon on a few too many occasions.

  Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator. She’d ridden all the way to the top with the others and then ridden the elevator back down to the tenth floor. Her new floor. Terror caused her to tremble. Why, she didn’t even know the name of her new boss! Elizabeth had been so distracted when she’d arrived and arranged her desk, she’d failed to notice the name plaque.

  What had possessed her to agree to this change? Elizabeth should’ve told Mr. Hampton that she quit. That was it. She would go find another job. In all honesty, how would that make it better? She would still be starting over, with a new job, and a new boss. And she might lose her home in between times. Then her parents would have been right all along. It would confirm to them she’d bitten off more than she could chew. As much as Elizabeth loved her parents and respected their opinion, she didn’t want them to be right in this one area. Her pride couldn’t help it. There was the need to prove she could provide for herself. At least until a husband was willing to do so for her.

  As Elizabeth stepped off the elevator, she noticed the door to the main office was open. Her new boss was sitting just inside. She peeped in, having to squint in her new contacts to get a better view.

  He was bent over his desk studying. On the edge of his nose sat little wire-rimmed spectacles. They looked as if they might fall off and onto the desk at any moment. His hair was jet black, thick and wavy. As she noticed the color of his hair, other things began to fall into place in her mind.

  “He is a new lawyer they hired.”

  “They call him blue eyes.”

  “Best defense lawyer in town.”

  He looked up, and just as she’d begun to suspect, his eyes were a crystal clear shade of blue. Straightening up, he removed his glasses and placed them on his desk. He smiled.

  Elizabeth felt as if she was fainting dead away.

  The smile remained on his lips as he walked toward her. What now?

  “Can I help you?” he asked, confusion lighting his face.

  Elizabeth couldn’t speak. He was even more striking at close range. His features held a sharp, chiseled look. The light hit his perfectly straight, white teeth at just the right angle, making them gleam. A white button up shirt was stretched taut across his broad shoulders which led down to a trim, tapered waist. He’d removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie, which made him look more comfortable and inviting. Contrary to friendly and welcoming looks he sent her way, Elizabeth’s pulse thumped wildly and the urge to flee grew. This was the man she had ogled downstairs in the promenade. He was her new boss! How could this have happened?

  Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth pointed at the upper floor with her finger. As she struggled to clear her throat, words slowly began to form and come from her lips. “I’m sorry. I’m not normally this inarticulate. Let me try again.” She took another deep breath to steady her nerves then started to speak once again. “I’m replacing Nancy.”

  There—she’d done it. She’d spoken to a complete stranger and gotten her point across. She was happy with herself until she noticed his confused look.

  “What was wrong with Nancy? I mean, I know she was a little slow with some of the things I wanted her to do. But…was that it? Did she complain that she didn’t want to work for me?”

  “No,” said Elizabeth, drawing the word out. “Let me try to explain. You see, a couple of days ago I was—well, I wasn’t stylish, and I went and changed my look, and Mr. Hampton thought maybe his—well, this is really hard to relay here, he thought maybe Nancy would be a better fit for him, and I would be a better fit for you, I think.”

  “Oh, I see.” He looked her up and down. “Have I seen you before?”

  “Yes,” she said, clamping her mouth shut. Elizabeth wasn’t about to reveal anything more.

  “Okay, then.” He didn’t question her further as to where they’d met. He continued to speak as she forced herself to look away from his lips and pay attention to his words. “Let’s start with your skills as an assistant. What are you used to doing?”

  “Well, let’s see. I can type over one hundred words a minute with at least ninety-eight percent accuracy. I, of course, can file, take calls, schedule your appointments, take dictation and type any legal document you might need— such as subpoenas, motions, or just a letter. I’ve also assisted with researching and compiling documents for cases. Plus, on the off chance you forget your mother’s birthday, I’m pretty good at locating a descent gift, wrapping it, and getting it to the appropriate place on time.”

  His brow rose to the air. “All that, huh? Can you use a fax machine, a computer, a cell phone, and make a decent cup of coffee?”

  “Oh, yes; of course.”

  “Okay, we should be good. How about being available for dinner?”

  Elizabeth backed up, her spine stiffened. “Dinner?”

  “Of course. There’s always the off chance I might have a late dinner meeting and I might need you along to take notes and the like. I guess, I’m asking if you have a significant other that might care if you do such a thing.”

  She shook her head. “No. No problems in that area.”

  Walking around his desk, he sat back down. “Good. I made a list of things I needed Miss Nancy to accomplish today and placed it on her desk. I guess that’s your job now. Welcome to the office. Before you go, I don’t think I got your name?”

  “Elizabeth, Elizabeth Smith.”

  Pushing back his chair, he stood, leaned over and held out his hand. “Very nice to meet you Elizabeth. I’m Bruce Malone.”

  Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Grasping his hand, they shook. Of course, she’d heard the rumors about him. Mr. Malone had defended some high profile thugs in the past. Maybe they were part of his family. Before she could ask, he answered her questions.

  “Just in case you haven’t heard, I defend only the innocent, and I never say no based on a name.”

  “Of course; you’re the boss.” Elizabeth smiled and headed to her desk. She sat down. Tension rested in her shoulders. It was time to get a hold of herself. Picking up the list, she perused the written words. The handwriting was neat, the thoughts well organized. Leaning back in her chair, she stared wistfully at the ceiling. She guessed she should feel relieved that he hadn’t notice her. If Bruce didn’t remember their first meeting then he would only know her this way. The longer she pondered the issue, the more she felt hurt. Do people ever like you for what is on the inside? Or are feelings only based on the superficial?

  Across the room sat a round table. Upon the table was a book with a black cover. Even from her position, she could tell it was a Bible. Within the books pages was the answer to her question. Humans were imperfect.

  Wishing that things could be different, she began to work.

  ****

  Bruce had remained at his desk until Elizabeth walked out of his office, then he’d followed. Leaning against the open door, he watched Elizabeth. After a time, he left her to the to-do list, and proceeded to close his door a bit and return to the desk.

  There sat an old letter. The print was small and eroded. Bruce sat back down and pulled out his specs to see it properly. He was hoping to use this old letter to assist his client with their lawsuit. However, if he was unable to find a reproduction, that might be impossible.

  Bruce had added finding another copy to Nancy’s list of things to do. He was fairly sure she would never be able to accomplish such a task. The poor woman barely knew where the on switch was for the computer.

  Never would he have complained about her, because quite frankly, she reminded him of his grandmother. His grandmother wouldn’t be pleased if he caused an elderly woman to lose her position. When she first came to work at the firm, Nancy was probably one of the finest secretaries a man could find. The problem was that without computer skills, a person in today’s world wouldn’t have an easy time. He smiled to himself, and wondered how Mr. Hampton was faring.

  All these flitting thoughts brought him right back around to his new secretary. He’d been able to read between the lines about what Elizabeth was telling him. The old man was afraid his wife would be upset if a young, attractive woman sat in the desk in front of him all day.

  Bruce leaned back in his chair, his hands resting behind his head. He’d been given free rein to decorate his office in any way he saw fit. He had received an exorbitant amount of funds to spend on the redecorating. Bruce chose to keep it simple, functional, and inexpensive. Most of the items like the desk, and the lamp had come from his grandmother’s attic. All except for his chair. His chair was made of the finest leather. His father would call it Corinthian leather, in his best impersonation of Ricardo Montalban. Bruce had tried to correct him several times and tell him there was no such thing. It had all been a gimmick for Chrysler cars, but his father never listened.

  As Bruce leaned back, he began to concentrate. Closing his eyes against the light filtering in through the windows, he tried to relax except something was bothering him. He knew that young lady outside from somewhere. She’d even said as much. Why couldn’t he remember?

  Then it hit him. It was the lady that had stared at him in the promenade. The one with the long, hippie-type skirt. He remembered she’d worn sandals with socks. She had big thick glasses and long, bushy hair. Where had that woman gone? This woman in her place had undergone a complete and utter transformation. Looking beyond the physical, the real miracle was the spark that now resided in her eyes. Gone were the glasses, gone was the bushy hair, and gone was the retro clothing. She looked like a classy lady. Confidence could be seen in the way she carried herself. Now she looked like the lady sitting in the group of friends during lunch today. So it had been her all along. It was simply amazing.

  An unexpected buzzing noise drew Bruce’s attention.

  “Your two o’clock has arrived, Mr. Malone. Would you like me to send them in?”

  “Yes, please,” he replied.

  The door opened and Elizabeth directed a little old lady to a chair waiting in the middle of the room. She waited until the lady was seated then asked, “Can I bring you anything?”

  Bruce declined, but the little old lady said, “Some coffee would be nice, deary. If it’s not too much trouble.”

  “Of course not. I’ll return in just a moment.”

  The lady made herself comfortable, and Bruce opened the file cabinet to retrieve her file. He wouldn’t start until Elizabeth returned. While waiting, his mind flooded with questions. Why hadn’t Elizabeth told him they’d spoken to one another? Was she embarrassed by her old look or her new one?

  Bruce laid the file on the counter and placed his hands together. He should have told his client he would give her money to purchase coffee on her way out. It had taken Nancy twenty minutes to figure out the coffeepot the last time someone had asked. They could be waiting awhile.

  Before he could turn around and get resettled in his chair, Elizabeth came through the door with a pretty little china cup atop a saucer and handed it to the client.

  “Here you go, Mrs. Tillman. Would you like anything else?”

  “No, deary. This will be all. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” said Elizabeth as she left the room, the door clicked closed behind her.

  Bruce sat there in a kind of shock. Mr. Hampton had done him a huge favor. Pulling out his papers and placing his glasses on his nose, he hem-hawed around. Several times, he picked up the stack of papers and made them straight. A couple of times he put them flat on the desk and pretended to be reading over the words. Honestly, he knew this case backwards and forwards. What he was really doing was thinking about his new secretary.

  The coffee from the china cup held securely in Mrs. Tillman’s hands sent a pleasing aroma throughout the office. The soft sounds of steady clicks could be heard from outside, indicating progress was being made. Clearing his throat, Bruce knew he needed to get down to business with the lady in front of him. Without success, he tried to forget how lucky he was to have been graced with his new assistant, but it was no use. Even while he spoke she remained on his mind.

  Chapter Six

  The day progressed. Clients came and went. The phone would ring almost constantly for a time and then be silent for almost as long. Elizabeth typed at a steady pace for most of the day. She was trying to catch up on Mr. Malone’s to-do list. Surely there wouldn’t be this much on the list every day.

  As the evening grew later, her belly began to growl and Elizabeth realized it must be dinnertime. Mr. Hampton was the boss of the whole firm, and he’d kept pretty consistent hours, allowing her to arrive at nine and leave at five. She’d forgotten what long hours young lawyers put in; and not only young lawyers, but the assistants of those young lawyers. Leaning back in her chair, she stretched out her aching back muscles. When she attempted to suppress a yawn, she noticed the time. Seven o’clock!

  Mr. Malone’s door was still closed. He hadn’t poked his head out of his office since Mrs. Tillman left. The daylight had already begun to wane and dusk was setting in. Elizabeth gnawed her lip. She’d been careful not to ride the buses at night, except it would seem this time, she would have very little choice.

  Since Elizabeth was already set to brave the night crowd, unless she wanted to spring the money for a cab, she decided to go ahead and attempt to accomplish the last task on her list.