As she stewed in the kitchen, Dana concluded that Alex hadn't spent a single moment doing whatever he was supposed to be doing at these events. He'd been too busy inventing ways to get under her skin to have accomplished any real work. Replacing another of her prized Lenox Rose china plates in the pantry, Dana said a blessing that she'd controlled the impulse to sail one at Alex's head.

There was no way she could endure more of his aggravation today. She wasn't some minion who had to bow and scrape him. Let him abuse someone else for awhile. That settled, Dana asked Stephanie to take charge, then escaped upstairs.

"He's gone," Steph assured her a few hours later when she found Dana tidying a linen cupboard.

"Don't say anything else," Dana threatened, glimpsing Stephanie's smirk. Alex's shenanigans had her feeling like the recipient of a battering ram and she wasn't up to any of her associate's well-meaning platitudes. There was no comfort in the fact the workday was over and everyone was gone. Alex would be back tomorrow, even better armed.

As she thought about Alex's behavior, the harassment, the demands, she slowly began to comprehend that he was yanking her chain just as he'd done about Jenna. And she, twice the fool, was yanking back, causing grief only to herself. Well, it was time to even the score. Tomorrow's round would belong to her.

For Tuesday's session, Dana tripled the amount of coffee grounds so that the final brew resembled India ink. Volley number one. When she saw Alex walking toward the urn, Dana waited patiently for him to press the spigot and take a sip. Yes! she congratulated herself, as the movement of his throat gave evidence of his struggle to fight back a grimace. When Alex's eyes caught hers across the room, Dana feigned the most innocent of expressions. He boldly took another swallow, then saluted her with the cup. Hell's bells. Alex never behaved as anticipated.

The pencils were sharpened and she'd had Stephanie taste-test the orange juice, since she stupidly offered it to him as target. Not a single disparaging word came from his lips. Dana wondered whether Alex knew if all the pencil points were broken and the orange juice full of seeds. He was being the epitome of courtesy and goodwill. Reverse psychology, she suspected.

But just in case, she'd planned a simple lunch of pasta salad and sandwiches – a menu that would travel just fine no matter where Alex chose to eat, even in the park up the street. Score two for her side.

Her triumph lasted only until the group began trooping out the front door toward their cars. On their way, according to Alex, to a nearby restaurant. Dana counted to ten – she hadn't bested him at all. He was just biding his time before letting go with today's zinger.

"If you were planning this, why didn't you tell me sooner and save me the work and the money?"

"Perhaps I should have." His regret was unconvincing. "Let me make it up to you – why don't you and Stephanie come along?"

"Can't. I'll be too busy packing away the leftover food. But I'm sure Stephanie would like to go."

"Your choice," he said. "See you at two."

She carefully cartoned the salad and bagged the sandwiches. They would be lunch for weeks until she gagged on monotony. Speaking of gagging, she'd like to. . . You're doing it again. Letting Alex frazzle you. And for no good reason.

The more she reflected on Alex's antics, the more Dana realized what they really signaled. He meant no harm, just the opposite. Only a man who cared a lot would go to so much effort to penetrate a woman's indifference. Surrounded by packages of food, Dana suddenly broke into laughter. It was time to wave the white flag and admit that Alex had won.

Chapter 21
Chapter 19
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