"I'll be working here tonight," Olafson said. "And Paul, you'll be flying the mail to Minneapolis this afternoon."
"Weather permitting," Gail put in.
"Weather or not," Olafson said, not wanting to. "You know what they say about how the mail has to go through."
"Piece of cake," Paul reassured his expectant wife. "I'll wear my long underwear."
"Then just you ladies and me?" Chet asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid not, thank you," Gail said.
Barbara felt very alone, and again Chet took her hesitation as an acceptance.
"Fine, then if you just tell me where you live, I'll pick you up at six o'clock and we'll go out on the town."
She still hesitated, until Olafson surprised her by looking like he encouraged the date. She caught his drift: it might be good for his airport business if she didn't embarrass his new business associate by turning him down. Olafson had been okay with her, until then. Now she was more than a little disappointed in him.
"Men!," Barbara remembered her mother saying years before. They weren't any different now. Except Paul. She was sure he wasn't in any way devious or manipulative, with women or anything.
Still, there was no way she would go out with Chet Armstrong after he tried to violate her the previous autumn when they had gone horseback riding together. She would not let her boss put her in a situation she might regret very badly. There had to be some way out.
"Call me, here at the airport, this afternoon," was all she could commit to him.
God, she thought afterward, while filing in Olafson's office. Why is such a fantastic-looking guy such a …?She couldn't find just the right word for what she thought of him. If just about anyone else looked that good and was as rich and wanted me so badly, I'd be jumping for joy. Instead, I'm trying to figure a way out of ever seeing him again. The solution to Barbara's dilemma came a few minutes later, from Paul. He came to Olafson's office and approached her as she worked at a file cabinet.
Paul spoke to Barbara loud enough so Olafson could hear. "When I took her home, Gail wasn't feeling very well. She wonders if you could stay with her tonight, while I'm away. She's very sorry you'll have to break your date with that... entrepreneur."
Barbara could have kissed him, but just smiled. Gail must have told him how she felt about Chet. She hoped he hadn't learned that Chet tried to take her. He didn't look like that was on his mind.