5. Bit Of Information

5

BIT OF INFORMATION

“ H ello, Garrett,” Regan said. She wasn’t sure why Garrett Fierce just walked into her office, but since he was her landlord she’d stop and talk to make sure there were no problems.

“Hi, Dr. Philes.”

“It’s Regan,” she said. She’d told them that a few times. “Most of my clients call me Regan too.”

She’d found that being more informal helped them relax.

Sure, there were a few who wanted to refer to her as Dr. Philes because they wanted that formality. She was adaptable either way.

“That’s right,” Garrett said. “You did tell me that. In my increasing age, those things slip my mind.”

She didn’t think much slipped his mind but wouldn’t call him out on it.

“Is there something I can help you with today or is this just a social call? I’ve heard you like to pop your head in and say hi. I believe your brother was here not that long ago checking on things.”

“I was next door meeting with Zander on something and since you’re right by his door I thought I’d swing in. No worries about the noise or anything with your offices so close together? You both have about the same size space, but I believe your personal offices butt up against each other.”

She hadn’t realized that. Nor did she think much of it. There was no reason to.

All these offices were custom to the client’s needs, but she’d come into a space that was set up for someone else that needed a bigger spot and moved to the new building still under construction a few miles away.

Her office was big, she had another smaller one where she stored files but maybe could be another staff at some point. Then Miles was up front.

“I don’t notice any noise,” she said. “If that is what you mean. I’m going to assume Zander isn’t around much.”

“Have you talked to Zander?” Garrett asked.

“A few times,” she said. “Mostly coming and going or at night when we both find ourselves here.”

She saw Miles grin as if that bit of information was new to him. Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut on it.

“He’s not around much,” Garrett said.

“I spend time with Betsy,” Miles said. “She’s like an aunt to me.”

Miles was only mid-twenties. She was guessing Betsy was in her mid to late forties by the few times she’d seen her.

“We love it when all the offices get along,” Garrett said. “But we know that isn’t always possible. We do try to soundproof walls as best as we can, but in this situation, you both have clients that require confidentiality and I wanted to ensure everything met your standards.”

“Of course,” she said. “The space is beautiful. Miles did a great job decorating it and I’ve got an extra office if I ever want to take on another staff. For now, it’s just sitting empty with storage.”

“Decorations,” Miles said. “I do love to decorate for holidays.”

“You’d get along wonderfully with my wife, Carolyn,” Garrett said. “All those years as an elementary school teacher and decorating is her jam, as she likes to say.”

“She’ll have to stop up then when it’s time for me to decorate for Halloween. One of my favorites,” Miles said.

“I’ll be sure to tell her,” Garrett said.

“Looks like you two have this conversation covered,” Regan said. “If you don’t need anything from me, I’ve got to make a call before my next appointment.”

“Nothing more,” Garrett said. “Good to see you again.”

She sat behind her desk and picked up her phone to call her brother. He’d texted her last night and asked her to call today at this time. He didn’t normally do that and she was a little concerned.

“Hi, Kellen. What’s wrong?” she asked the minute he answered.

Her brother laughed. “You know. I’m positive you don’t talk to your clients that way. Jumping to conclusions that there is something wrong rather than maybe they just want to have a chat.”

“My clients aren’t paying me to be social,” she said.

“Good point,” her brother said.

“Is this just a social call?” she asked. She almost hoped it was since she didn’t have much time and worried she couldn’t give her brother what he needed in the ten minutes before her next appointment.

“Kind of,” Kellen said. “I got a new job.”

“That’s great,” she said. “I didn’t know you were looking.”

He had some rough years early on. He didn’t handle the divorce of their parents so well and started to hang out with the wrong people in hopes of getting attention.

The wrong kind of attention.

Drinking. Doing some drugs. Failing school.

He finally got his act together in college, but it’d been hard work on everyone’s part.

Her parents were just kind of...robotic at times.

There wasn’t any other way she could describe it, and to this day she still knew her parents' divorce would shock her like it had back then. Even knowing what she did with her career and education.

She’d moved past it, but Kellen couldn’t. That might be where she got her first taste of putting other people’s insecurities above her own. Being the strong one for them helped give her strength too.

“I liked where I was, but I felt stuck there. It’s been five years and I’ve only been promoted once. I should be moving up to the next level by now.”

Her brother was some kind of Business Analyst. She knew he got a promotion a few years ago.

“Do you know why you weren’t getting promoted?” she asked.

Kellen laughed. “I don’t need you to fix me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I didn’t say you did,” she rushed out to say.

He always got defensive too. It didn’t matter what approach she had with him either.

“Sorry,” Kellen said. “You didn’t. It’s just you always ask so many questions of people that it could get their backs up.”

She sighed. “Sorry. Nature of the job. It’s hard to shut my work mode off.”

“I get it,” Kellen. “I don’t ask enough questions.”

“It’s asking the right ones that count,” she said.

“And I did that in my interview and got the job. I left because there was nowhere else to move where I was. It was a smaller company and they promoted me to a position that didn’t exist. I was hired as a Business Analyst and they promoted me to a Business Analyst Two. It was a way to give me a bigger raise because I was taking on more work, but there isn’t anywhere else to go. I’m too young to stay in this slot.”

“Agreed,” she said. “But if you were happy?”

“I was happy enough in the job and the people I worked for, but again, I want more of a challenge. I wanted more money.”

She just hoped this wasn’t Kellen wanting attention or trying to make up for things he thought he should have.

She’d dial it back though. “I’m happy for you if you’re happy.”

“I am,” Kellen said. “I was hired with the same title at ten thousand dollars more. There is a Senior Business Analyst I could move up to, and a Lead. Not to mention management. Goals. How many times have we been told we need goals in life?”

She laughed. “Too many,” she said. “Dad’s famous last words.”

“No clue what their goals and plans are or were, but there you are. I asked to talk at this time because I needed a pep talk.”

“Oh,” she said.

Kellen laughed. “Now you could have asked me a question.”

Regan felt as if she couldn’t always win with him. “Why do you need a pep talk?”

“I’m going to my boss to give my resignation. I like MaryJo and it’s nothing against her. I’m afraid she’s going to be mad and say she went to bat for me two years ago.”

“She might,” she said. “But remember, you can’t control other people’s feelings and emotions. That isn’t what this is about. This is about you and your life and career advancement. Are you going to another industry?”

“Yes,” Kellen said. “I was in finance at a small investment firm. Now I’m going to a large nationwide energy company.”

“That’s wonderful. So you state facts. You appreciate everything she’s done for your career. You’ve learned a lot from her. This is about career advancement and growth. Do you think they will try to give you more money to stay?”

“Yes,” Kellen said. “But I won’t take it. It’s not about money. Not completely. And you gave me all the keywords I was planning on saying anyway.”

“You know what to do and say,” she said.

“I do. I guess I still need my big sister to guide me and be in my corner. Even if I mess up.”

She’d been his biggest champion and defender for years. She never judged him and helped him when she could. She didn’t always defend him fully though. She made him see and accept his mistakes and own them like she would anyone else.

“You didn’t mess up,” she said. “And I’m always here for you.”

“I know,” Kellen said. “So maybe you can let Mom and Dad know that this was a good decision when they give me crap over it.”

“They have no right to give you crap over your career choices,” she said. “You’re an adult who is independently living on your own. You don’t ask them for anything either. Just say it was your five-year plan, they will eat that up.”

“That’s right. But you know, they always have something to say.”

“They do,” she said. “But you have a bad habit of picking everything they say apart looking for something that might not exist.”

“You know why,” Kellen argued.

“Let it go, Kellen. And don’t get yourself worked up. Congrats on the new job. Go in there and be proud of all you’ve accomplished and be excited over this new opportunity. If MaryJo can’t feel that way for you, then it’s best that you leave too.”

“Thanks, Regan. I appreciate it.”

“And I’ve got to go,” she said. “My next appointment should be here soon.”

She hung up and took a deep breath.

Regan did know why her brother was the way he was. The same reason she’d gone for this career.

She could never understand what happened in her parents’ lives and to this day they acted like it wasn’t a big deal. They just decided to move on as if it didn’t affect them or their two children in the least. Twenty years of two people acting like they were roommates and just needed to split. It was baffling.

She’d learned one thing quickly back then, if something looked too good to be true or was perfect, chances are it was anything but.

“Well?” Grant asked Garrett an hour later. “What did Zander say when you asked him?”

“He’s going to look into it,” he said. “We should get some information within a week.”

“Do you think he’ll find anything?” Grant asked.

“If there is anything to find, I’m sure he will. I feel kind of bad using him this way.”

“Stop,” Grant said. “No reason to feel bad. We are paying him for his services and what we want him to do is a fact. We need to know this before we move further.”

“But it gave us an in to see him and try to drop some hints. I get it. I didn’t have a chance to talk to Betsy, but I’ll be able to call and see what is going on or get an update.”

“That’s right,” Grant said. “Let Betsy and Miles do the work for us.”

He laughed. “That was my second visit. Miles is more than on board. When Regan went into her office to make a call, Miles said it was news to him about Zander and Regan talking.”

“What news?” Grant asked. “What did I miss? You need to lead with important information.”

“Sorry,” he said, waving his hand. “Nothing that important. You know the reason I was stopping in to talk to Regan if she was available and she was. When she mentioned Zander’s name I asked if they talked much and she said they crossed paths in the building later at night.”

“That sounds promising. When no one is around to know what they are doing.”

He grinned at his twin’s smirk. “I doubt it’s that. I didn’t read too much into it, but I’m willing to bet any amount of money that Miles will find out if there is anything juicy.”

“We couldn’t get that lucky,” Grant said.

“No,” he said. “But at least we can report back to the women we are trying. It’s not like they are getting that far with Dane though they are enjoying the time they are spending at Sloane’s spa.”

Garrett and his brother laughed. Their wives thought they were so sly in mixing their personal hobbies with matchmaking. It was better to attack it through the guise of business and then get others to do the work for you.

Work smarter, not harder.