Free A Deeper Dimension by Amanda Carpenter Page B

going to fire me?” It was asked in a matter-of-fact way, almost cheerfully, as if it didn’t matter at all.
    One side of Alex’s mouth curved upwards. “No, I’m not going to fire you, you little idiot.” Diana’s back relaxed and she sagged in her chair, relieved. His gaze sharpened at the movement and he asked incredulously, “Did you really think I would?”
    She shrugged, a small movement of the shoulders, trying to seem unconcerned. Alex was watching her face. “I didn’t know what to expect, I guess,” she watched the ceiling as she spoke. “To me, I couldn’t see any other action to take; it was the only thing we could have done. But I didn’t know if it was what you wanted to do.” She rolled her head a little on the chair. “I didn’t know if you wanted to resolve it another way.” I didn’t know if you wanted to talk to Alicia instead, she thought, but didn’t have the courage to say.
    His face hardened. “What else could I have done?” he asked sharply. “Go to them and ask them if they might change their minds, maybe reconsider?” Diana winced at his tone. “No, there was nothing else to do but that. Now we can only wait and see who cracks under the strain first, Payne or us. I only hope that the Pittsburgh plant can handle the extra work load until the Philadelphia plant is repaired. Otherwise Payne just might win.”
    She moaned, “I can just see it now. Late hours, hard work, no lunch breaks, no weekends relaxing at home…”
    He continued the line of thought, “…no dinner dates, no days off, no theatre, no picnics until this is all resolved! Lord, it makes me tired just to think about it!”
     
     
    Mason Steel had a hard time in the next few weeks. The Pittsburgh plant was worked to the limit, filling in for the Philadelphia plant, and also taking new orders for steel due to the price war that waged between Mason and Payne. Alex transported workers from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh so that the plant could be manned in three shifts until the other plant was operable. He was often gone from the New York offices to manage working conditions in Pittsburgh, and from time to time to check up on repairs in Philadelphia. Diana was indeed promoted to the proud office of Operating Manager, a title which gave her authority to make decisions in case she was unable to get in contact with Alex in case of emergency.
    The price war was, in the meantime, waging strong. Payne lowered their prices two more times, but each time Mason Steel was able to beat them with even lower prices.
    Diana, becoming too tired to commute from her apartment to the New York office, began to stay in Alex’s apartment at his insistence while he was away. She was too tired to even feel nervous about the situation or to care if he were to come home unexpectedly. She was working an average of twelve hours a day, and sometimes more than twelve, so when she finally got to the apartment she barely took time to strip off her clothes before she fell into bed. It was a big relief when Alex called her one night to let her know that the repairs on the Philadelphia plant were finished, and that it should be producing normally within the next three days. That meant that he should be home and able to take over most of the decision-making within the next week. Diana felt a surge of triumph at his words. With the Philadelphia foundry back in operation, there was no doubt. Mason Steel could beat Payne at the price war.
    Diana made a mental note to herself, as Alex was talking, to be out of his apartment in the next few days. That way, she would be able to avoid any unforeseen contact with him and keep things on a comfortable and businesslike basis. Circumstances had been a little unusual, but in a short time things would be back to normal. She hung up at the end of the conversation, telling herself that she was only pleased that he was coming home so that he could take some of the work load off of her hands. However, that did not