Love Finds You

Love Finds You - Part 1

Chapter 1

That was the end of the conversation as far as Jennifer Berkley was concerned. She hung up the phone and placed it in her designer handbag, sighing in frustration. "Employees," she muttered to herself as she hurried across the busy street.

The day was bright with the colors, smells and sounds of spring in New York City. Even the air seemed unusually clean and Jen breathed deep. It was going to be a good day, despite having to deal with Maria and her needy husbands' injury. A torn ligament – why would he need surgery? It seemed ridiculous to her, but she did realize that some people's jobs meant nothing to them. This would be a test for Maria to find out how serious she was about her job. Jen really had no reservation about firing her the minute she had asked for the day off but had decided to wait, wanting to test her loyalty and devotion to the firm. The truth would come out tomorrow morning. Jen had absolutely no room in her life for uncommitted employees, and neither did her business.

Her high heels clicked as she walked briskly and deliberately. She stopped in front of a beautiful hotel with rounded swinging doors and turned to go inside. The young woman at the desk nodded to her, "Good morning, Miss Berkley."

Jen nodded but kept walking. Making her way through the lobby, she turned down the hall toward the hotel's restaurant. In one corner was a small table next to a window overlooking the courtyard. Sunshine streamed in and the smells of the restaurant were beginning to make Jen hungry. She sat down and smiled at the man sitting across from her.

"You're a little late," he said with a teasing grin.

"Sorry Daddy, I was late leaving this morning." Jen glanced at her father.

Graying slightly at his temples, Roger Berkley was striking. Even at fifty-six years old, his piercing blue eyes and firm jaw attracted many women, some of which he had married, and then divorced. Jen often wondered which attracted the women more, her father's looks and charm, or his money. Regardless of which it was didn't really matter. Jen knew when it came down to it, she would inherit everything anyway.

"One of our employees seems to think she needs the day off tomorrow to be with her husband during his knee surgery," Jen continued.

"Surgery?" Roger said, frowning thoughtfully. "No doubt he is getting put under, and if that's the case there's no need for her to be there; he won't even be awake!"

"That is exactly what I said," Jen agreed. "She might as well be working, rather than pacing back and forth worrying about him."

"There are some people in this world who are run completely by their emotions. There is no rational thinking at all," Roger mused as he shook his head in disgust and sipped a cup of coffee.

Jen nodded and ordered a latté from the waiter who had just arrived at their table. "So," she said after ordering her drink, "what did you need to talk about?"

Mr. Berkley smiled. He loved his daughter; in fact, she was probably the only person in the entire world he felt true emotion for. He had raised her practically on his own after her mother left. And even through his five marriages since, she had been his main comfort. She was quick and witty, smart and straightforward. Everything an aspiring lawyer should be. He had groomed her from the time she was a child to be a partner in his firm, Berkley Law and Associates. She had been around the firm for years and now that she had taken the bar exam, which they were both completely confident she had passed, it would only be a matter of time before she became one of the finest lawyers in New York City. He was as proud a father as anyone could be. He knew he could count on Jen for anything, and he needed her cooperation now more than ever. He had a task for her, and he needed to be able to explain the situation fully, without interruption. This was why he had asked her to meet him for coffee at the hotel instead of just talking at the office.