questioning look, he continued. “It’s not about the hearings, it’s on a totally different
matter. Is it okay if I call you tomorrow?”
“Sorry, I’m off tomorrow. But I’ll be here Monday. You can call any time after eight.” Although Jaci arrived at seven, she
used the first hour each morning to organize and focus on whatever she had to accomplish over the course of the day.
J.P. pulled a business card out of his pocket, scribbled some numbers on the back, and handed it to her. “Well, if you get
some time over the weekend, give me a call. If you don’t get me at the office, try the home number or the cell anytime. Just
leave a message; if I don’t answer, I’ll get right back to you.”
“Okay,” she answered slowly, with a puzzled look.
J.P. waved good-bye to them, and as he walked away, he turned and pointed to the card, saying, “Please don’t throw that away.”
Jaci blushed, realizing he must have observed her doing just that with others. Turning away in embarrassment, she rushed to
catch the contractor to talk to him about her roof.
“Girl, what is wrong with you?” Gloria asked minutes later as they walked down the hall to their offices. “That hunk wants
to talk to you and here you are acting crazy. You’d better call that man tonight!”
“Pul . . . lease!” Jaci said, rolling her eyes. “You know that guy probably has a wife and hundreds of women after him. No
thanks! I can do without that kind of drama.”
Gloria shook her head. She couldn’t figure Jaci out. She was not only beautiful, she was a kind, caring person as well. She
tried to get along with everyone, but refused to let people get too close. She had problems with both the men and the women
in the department. Gloria knew it was because of the reserved way she carried herself. People who liked gossip and mess couldn’t
handle that.
In the years they had worked together, Gloria knew of only one man who had gotten to first base with her. Evidently it hadn’t
worked out well, and since then, Gloria watched as several other men around the department tried, but failed. Jaci would often
comment about a man being fine or a hunk, but she rejected the many flirtatious advances she received, so she had earned the
reputation of being a cold fish and was often the target of unkind words and jokes.
After quickly putting things away, Bill and Gloria called out, “Good night” to let Jaci know they were leaving. Jaci kept
working to clear her desk and pondered J.P. Gilmore’s request that she call him. She had no intention of calling him over
the weekend, but was admittedly very curious. What could he possibly want to talk to her about? He was probably just living
up to his reputation as a playboy, she concluded. Maybe she should throw that card in the trash, she admonished herself.
Jaci was the topic of her coworkers’ conversation on their walk to the parking lot. “What do you think makes Jaci tick? As
far as men are concerned, that is,” Bill asked Gloria.
“I don’t believe she thinks much of them. I think maybe she’s been badly hurt at some point.”
“Yeah. She’s had some bad experiences,” Bill said thoughtfully. “How long have you known her?”
“About ten years, since she became supervisor of hearing coordination and hired me as her assistant. Why?”
“Well, I’ve known her ever since she came to the Housing Compliance Department—more than twenty years. She’s worked all over
the department, from clerical to administrative positions. Did you know she made history by becoming the first woman investigator
in the Dangerous Buildings Section? I give her a hard time sometimes, but I have a lot of respect for that lady. That’s a
dangerous and uncomfortable job, even for a man, but for a woman, doubly so.”
“Yeah,” Gloria said. “She told me about some of her experiences when she first became an investigator. She said the biggest
problem wasn’t the
matter. Is it okay if I call you tomorrow?”
“Sorry, I’m off tomorrow. But I’ll be here Monday. You can call any time after eight.” Although Jaci arrived at seven, she
used the first hour each morning to organize and focus on whatever she had to accomplish over the course of the day.
J.P. pulled a business card out of his pocket, scribbled some numbers on the back, and handed it to her. “Well, if you get
some time over the weekend, give me a call. If you don’t get me at the office, try the home number or the cell anytime. Just
leave a message; if I don’t answer, I’ll get right back to you.”
“Okay,” she answered slowly, with a puzzled look.
J.P. waved good-bye to them, and as he walked away, he turned and pointed to the card, saying, “Please don’t throw that away.”
Jaci blushed, realizing he must have observed her doing just that with others. Turning away in embarrassment, she rushed to
catch the contractor to talk to him about her roof.
“Girl, what is wrong with you?” Gloria asked minutes later as they walked down the hall to their offices. “That hunk wants
to talk to you and here you are acting crazy. You’d better call that man tonight!”
“Pul . . . lease!” Jaci said, rolling her eyes. “You know that guy probably has a wife and hundreds of women after him. No
thanks! I can do without that kind of drama.”
Gloria shook her head. She couldn’t figure Jaci out. She was not only beautiful, she was a kind, caring person as well. She
tried to get along with everyone, but refused to let people get too close. She had problems with both the men and the women
in the department. Gloria knew it was because of the reserved way she carried herself. People who liked gossip and mess couldn’t
handle that.
In the years they had worked together, Gloria knew of only one man who had gotten to first base with her. Evidently it hadn’t
worked out well, and since then, Gloria watched as several other men around the department tried, but failed. Jaci would often
comment about a man being fine or a hunk, but she rejected the many flirtatious advances she received, so she had earned the
reputation of being a cold fish and was often the target of unkind words and jokes.
After quickly putting things away, Bill and Gloria called out, “Good night” to let Jaci know they were leaving. Jaci kept
working to clear her desk and pondered J.P. Gilmore’s request that she call him. She had no intention of calling him over
the weekend, but was admittedly very curious. What could he possibly want to talk to her about? He was probably just living
up to his reputation as a playboy, she concluded. Maybe she should throw that card in the trash, she admonished herself.
Jaci was the topic of her coworkers’ conversation on their walk to the parking lot. “What do you think makes Jaci tick? As
far as men are concerned, that is,” Bill asked Gloria.
“I don’t believe she thinks much of them. I think maybe she’s been badly hurt at some point.”
“Yeah. She’s had some bad experiences,” Bill said thoughtfully. “How long have you known her?”
“About ten years, since she became supervisor of hearing coordination and hired me as her assistant. Why?”
“Well, I’ve known her ever since she came to the Housing Compliance Department—more than twenty years. She’s worked all over
the department, from clerical to administrative positions. Did you know she made history by becoming the first woman investigator
in the Dangerous Buildings Section? I give her a hard time sometimes, but I have a lot of respect for that lady. That’s a
dangerous and uncomfortable job, even for a man, but for a woman, doubly so.”
“Yeah,” Gloria said. “She told me about some of her experiences when she first became an investigator. She said the biggest
problem wasn’t the
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