Valerie Hansen - The Hamilton Heir

D awn Leroux tensed the moment her boss pushed open the door of his private office and entered hers. She was hard at work, as usual, so no one could question her diligence. Just the same, there was always a niggling feeling of intimidation associated with being in the presence of Timothy Hamilton.

I left a short list of personnel on my desk, Tim said. Ill want their files updated and waiting for me when I get back. It shouldnt take you too long.

Yes, sir, Mr. Hamilton. Anything else?

Not that I can think of.

Fine. Ill take care of it right away.

Dawn smiled inwardly. She wished she had a nickel for every time shed told her boss that very thing. Being his administrative assistant wasnt a bad assignment as long as she was quick to respond to his ordersand do things his way. The man was predictable, if nothing else. Whatever he wanted done, he wanted it done yesterday.

Will you be out of the office long? she asked, pen in hand, as he breezed past her desk.

He pushed back his cuff to check his Rolex. I have a ten oclock meeting with Ed Bradshaw in the Dispatch office downstairs, then lunch with my mother at twelve. If you need me, well probably be across the street at Bettys. Mom prefers the Bakeshoppe.

I can understand why. The food is delicious. Dawn was making notes. Is that all?

For the moment, Tim said. He tapped the breast pocket of his immaculate gray suit. If I think of anything else, Ill phone you. He paused. Youll be here?

All day, Dawn said pleasantly, knowing exactly what he meant. I brown-bagged it today. She gestured toward a lower drawer of her desk to reassure him. Knowing Tim Hamilton, hed chain her to the stupid desk 24-7 if he thought he could get away with it! The man was so focused on business he made a normal workaholic look like a hopeless slacker.

Right. Tim was already striding away and disappearing through the door as he spoke.

Dawn heard the outer door close and sighed with relief. She stretched, fingers laced together, hands raised over her head. She loved her job, she really did, but ever since his older brother Jeremy had left town in a huff and Tim had moved up in the Hamilton Media corporate hierarchy, hed acted as if his every act was of monumental importance. He even drank his morning coffee with deliberateness. The poor man was more of a machine than a human being, although she knew hed be incensed if he suspected that anyone, especially a member of his staff, felt sorry for him.

Sighing, she breathed a quick prayer for her bosss mental healthand her ownthen rose and went into his private office to retrieve the list hed mentioned.

She paused at the window overlooking the meandering Cumberland River. Fall had already touched this part of Tennessee. The trees along the water were bright and bold, soon to lose their leaves.

Dawn wrapped her arms around herself and gave a little shiver. Her home state of Louisiana might stay hotter in the summer than a bowl of Mamas homemade jambalaya but it made up for it with mild winters. Though she loved Davis Landing and the Nashville area, there were still times when she longed for a cup of rich Caf du Monde coffee and one of their famous beignets dusted with powdered sugar. Thankfully that terrible hurricane had spared the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Her stomach growled. Thinking about food was making her hungry far too early in the day. She swung her long blond hair back with a toss of her head, smoothed her skirt and returned to her desk. At five foot three she didnt have a lot of room to store extra pounds and she didnt want to lose control of her eating habits. There werent many areas of her life over which she had complete control and she wasnt about to relinquish what little she did have.

The heavy, brass doors of the elevator slid open and Tim stepped out on the ground floor. He knew better than to pass through the lobby and engage either Louise or Herman Gordon in casual conversation so he whipped around and ducked into the newspaper office. The elderly Gordons took their jobs as Hamilton Media greeter and guard far too seriously to suit him, and both were terrible gossips. Unless he wanted to listen to their opinions on everything from the weather to their favorite TV shows, he knew it was best to avoid them entirely.

He waved to his sister, Heather, in passing. She absentmindedly returned his greeting with a nod and a smile while toting an armload of paper out the door toward the elevator. Tim figured she was probably headed back up to her Nashville Living office on the second floor. He was pleased to see her applying herself. It was never easy to manage staff and he sure didnt want to have to reprimand anyone in his own family. There were times when he secretly envied his fathers unwavering sternness. Wallace Hamilton was not a man to trifle with. All six of his children knew that, even Jeremy.

Thoughts of his older brother made Tims jaw muscles clench. Now that they all knew the truth about Jeremys parentage it explained a lot. No wonder hed never had the inherent drive or the business savvy of Wallaces other children. The biggest puzzle was why a perfectionist like Wallace had allowed a laid-back guy like Jeremy to run Hamilton Media at all.