Fringe Benefits Chapter 6: Veronica
"You're here early."
Tom turned at the sound of Veronica's voice as he waited for the elevator. "You should talk," he replied. "What are you doing here at this ungodly hour?"
"Probably the same thing you are," Veronica answered. "There always seems to be more work than there are hours in a day."
Truth be told, the workload for most of the staff was usually overwhelming. The major regional arts organization they worked for was well known and busy but was actually run by a relatively small staff. As key people in their respective departments, Veronica and Tom bore the brunt of the demands from the board of directors, and their interlocking functions worked in unison to keep the organization afloat.
Today was no exception. It was 6 a.m., a full three hours before the rest of the staff arrived, on a cold and drizzly day in late November. "I swear," Tom opined with a wry smile, "the paperwork seems to grow by itself overnight." The limited means of an arts organization meant they were several generations behind technologically and perpetually short staffed. They boarded the elevator together.
"Well, if your people would do their jobs, we could buy that automated system and get rid of all that paper," Veronica lightheartedly chided Tom.
"Oh yeah, it's all my fault, huh?"
"I have to blame someone, and you're handy." Veronica smiled and gave a short laugh.
Tom couldn't help but smile back. Even wrapped in fall clothes, a long coat, and a knit hat, Veronica was appealing as hell. Thin and very tall for a woman - every bit of five nine - she had a smoky, sultry sexuality about her that had immediately caught his attention. Her height was complimented by her dark, deep set eyes and her longish face, which itself was surrounded by long, straight brunette hair and bangs cut straight just at eyebrow level. Her voice was a soft alto, so smooth and sexy. Her name said Eastern Europe, but her looks said a mixture of exotic cultures. Tom found her intriguing and had had a thing for her since they had met a year earlier.
They continued to chat about work in general as they exited the elevator and turned down the corridor. Arriving at her office first, Tom waited as Veronica unlocked and opened her door. She turned and asked, "You want some coffee? I have my own Keurig in here so I don't have to go all the way up to the break room for my caffeine fix."
"Veronica, you are a woman after my own heart." He followed her into her office and the door shut behind him. She snapped on a small desk lamp that illuminated the immediate area but left most of the office in shadow.
Veronica pulled off her knit cap and stuffed it in a coat pocket, then unbuttoned and shucked off the heavy garment. Under it she wore the kind of garb Tom love to see on women - a beige silk blouse tucked into a knee length, pleated wool skirt, with over-the-calf boots. A stylish watch adorned her left wrist, a Pandora charm bracelet her right, while a copper pendant on a silk cord around her neck added to her tasteful jewelry selection. Delicate stud earrings completed the package, enhanced by her long brown hair. Slim and long limbed, she was lightly built but with all the right curves and features; she was a sight.
Damn,
he thought.
She is one fine looking women. And I do love those fall colors.
Her voice broke his reverie. "Here. You hang this up while I make us some coffee." He took her proffered coat and walked to the back of the office to hang it. Returning to the front of her office, he saw Veronica standing at her desk, looking down at a printed report as the coffee maker gurgled in the corner.
"I was going to e-mail a copy of this to you later, but I keep paper copies as a backup for Gabe, who hates computers. I wanted you to see some stuff I found." Tom stepped up next to her and scanned the report.
"Look at this," Veronica said and pointed to a column of numbers. "These are the recent donations from the B and C groups. They're down over 40% from this time last year." The groups she referred to were the organization's key donors, the large core of modest contributors that kept the place going. A 40% drop meant significant reductions in revenue.
"Any idea why that's happening?" Veronica turned toward Tom slightly and placed her hand on his shoulder as her other hand pointed to different entries. "It's across the board."
Tom pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, seemingly frustrated at what the report showed. The reality was that he was having trouble concentrating on the report because of Veronica's proximity and scent of her perfume. Her right breast was actually pressing against his arm and he was becoming completely distracted.
Damn, boy, concentrate. This is no time to be a horndog. Does she know where her boob is?
Gathering his wits, he opened his eyes and finally responded. Turning his head to look at her, he asked, "Have you seen any patterns? Anything to help us find the source?"
