Page 50 of The Work Wife

“Sorry, you can’t go in there.” Anna jumped up and stood in front of the door.

The woman looked down at her as if she were fungus. “Excuse me?”

“Ben is on an important conference call. He can’t be disturbed.”

The woman’s gaze shot over to Anna’s desk, where the red light indicated Ben was really on the phone. Good thing she’d thought to be thorough.

“Please. It can’t be that important.”

Mrs. Archer reached around Anna and grasped the door knob.

“It’s a big firm in China. They’re looking to hire an American design team for their next office building. It’s going to be bigger than the Burj Khalifa.” That might have been laying it on a little thick.

“Why would they be speaking to Benjamin? He should have turned the call over to Richard. He’s not suited to handle something this important.”

Anger pulsed as Anna pushed against the door, using all her weight so Mrs. Archer couldn’t get through. If she had to tackle the bony woman to the floor, she would do it if it meant not having to see that pained look in Ben’s eyes.

“He’s the one who initiated the deal and the only one Mr. Liu wants to work with.” Her harsh tone surprised even her.

“This is ridiculous. Let me through this instant.”

Unable to keep her out, Anna sighed and moved to the side as the woman rushed in.

Ben was on the phone with his feet propped up on the desk and smile on his face. His hands moved through the air as he spoke animatedly in Mandarin to no one. He stopped abruptly and said something that sounded like an apology, then turned a frown on her.

“I said I was not to be disturbed while I was on the phone.”

“I know, but your mother—”

“Because of the time difference, Mr. Liu and I have only a small window in which we can speak.” Damn, the time difference. She did a quick calculation and relaxed, realizing it was just about six a.m. in Shenzhen. Normal business hours.

She never knew lying could be so difficult. Of course, she’d never done it on this scale before. And it was about to get worse.

* * * *

Ben hadn’t had this much fun at work since the summers he and his brother worked here. He had no idea his mousy assistant was so diabolical, but it was amusing to say the least.

“You need to get Richard involved, Benjamin. This is no time to play architect.”

“I’m not playing architect. I’m playing businessman. I do have a degree in that. Several, as a matter of fact.”

“We’ll discuss it when you’re finished. I’ll wait outside.”

“I have a dinner meeting after the call.” Apparently Anna’s scheming was contagious. He turned to her. “Can you make sure the car is here on time?”

“Of course. I’ll take care of it right away. We’ll let you get back to Mr. Liu.” She gestured toward the door and, surprisingly, his mother moved without argument.

With the door closed, he picked up the phone to listen to the conversation on the other side of the door. Poor Anna. Alone with the beast.

“If you’d like to set up a time to meet with Ben, I can put something on his schedule.”

Ben laughed, impressed by her boldness. She’d always seemed so shy, he didn’t realize she had it in her.

“I refuse to set up a meeting with my own son. I gave birth to him—not an easy birth, mind you—and I will not be written into his schedule like a common stranger.”

“His schedule is electronic. You would be typed in,” Anna added, causing Ben to spit coffee across his desk. Oh, she was good.

“I will wait here, and I’ll ride with him uptown for his meeting.”