The Time of Her Life (9 page)

Pete had a boyish face that made him appear younger than his
mid-forties until one got close enough to realize what appeared to be blond hair
was gray. “Trouble breathing.”

“He started a new medication.” Kimberly turned to the display
where Mr. Jankowski’s medical chart was visible. “He had his second dose after
dinner then rang for the PCT around two o’clock this morning. I took a baseline
and have been monitoring him since.”

“A lot of trouble?” Susanna asked.

“I’m administering oxygen.”

“What did Jay say?”

“Haven’t called him,” Pete said.

Susanna naturally assumed they’d notified Jay since they hadn’t
contacted her. There were specific procedures in place to handle emergency
situations with the residents.

She was missing something. “Then where are we on this?”

“Debating whether or not to wait for the doctor to make
rounds.” Pete met her gaze.

Susanna saw the indecision in his expression, which offered
only one solution. “Mr. Jankowski should go to the emergency room.”

Pete frowned. “Actually, we were thinking of calling the doctor
to advise us.”

Following Kimberly’s gaze, Susanna scanned the display to
assess the extent of Mr. Jankowski’s respiratory distress. “You think waiting
for the doctor to make rounds is adequate?”

“Dr. Smith is usually in before nine, so it won’t be much
longer.”

She glanced at the time on the display: 6:15 a.m. “When do you
think you’ll see a change in his condition if the problem is the medication?
When the effects of the last dose wear off?”

“The side effects might linger,” Kimberly explained. “He might
need another medication to counter those effects. This also might be an episode
relating to his heart condition if the new medication the doctor prescribed
isn’t working. Only the doctor can make that determination.”

“Mr. Jankowski really hasn’t been here long enough to evaluate
with any certainty,” Pete added. “He arrived a little before you did. We’re
still in the process of getting to know him and becoming familiar with his
needs.”

All of which took time, as Susanna well knew. She also knew the
policy regarding the handling of medical situations was in place for a reason
and didn’t understand why there was so much hesitation about taking Mr.
Jankowski to the emergency room. Especially since they didn’t know him well.

As much as she didn’t want to second-guess the staff or give
the impression she didn’t trust them to do their jobs, she was a firm believer
in erring on the side of caution.

She respected liability, and explaining to a resident’s family
that every measure had been taken to care for a loved one was often the only
consolation the family would get.

“Do you think the doctor will order tests?” she asked.

“If this is an episode, he’ll likely order an EKG and an echo,”
Kimberly said.

“Which means the emergency room will be the most comprehensive
place to administer those tests.”

Kimberly frowned. “We administer those tests here.”

“There’s lead time involved with getting the mobile units. You
believe that’s in Mr. Jankowski’s best interest?”

“I’m reassessing every half hour, Ms. Adams. Ryan’s on the
second floor, and I’ve got him peeking in, too. Mr. Jankowski is fairly
comfortable at the moment. He needs to be evaluated, but he’ll be so much more
at ease here. And less compromised with all the airborne viruses this time of
year.”

Fairly comfortable?

Susanna wasn’t particularly reassured. Mr. Jankowski’s original
heart condition remained untreated if he wasn’t responding to the new
medication. She wanted the man comfortable, too, but not at the expense of his
health. Which brought her right back to erring on the side of caution.

“I’m not sure I understand what the problem is,” Susanna said
honestly. “Is there a reason you’re both reluctant to take him off the property?
If so, what is it?”

Kimberly didn’t get a chance to explain anything because Pete
said, “Jay’s here. Let’s hear what he has to say.”

There was no missing the relief in his voice, and Susanna tried
not to take it personally. She was still working to earn the staff’s respect.
That process would take time, as the caregivers acquainting themselves with Mr.
Jankowski’s needs took time.

Pete didn’t wait for Jay to enter the passcode, but took a few
quick steps ahead and pressed the door release.

Jay strode through the opening doors, a man with a purpose, and
Susanna was surprised by how relieved she was to see him.

One look at them, and the smile faded from Jay’s face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked in his throaty morning voice, joining
their huddle and overtaking it with his broad-shouldered presence. Suddenly, he
was all Susanna could see.

Pete explained the problem, and Kimberly beat a hasty retreat.
“Time to check on Mr. Jankowski.”

Jay nodded then tapped his radio. “Let me know how he’s doing.
We’ll go from there.”

Kimberly nodded then took off.

“Can’t do a thing until Kimberly gets back, so I’m going to get
started on the end-of-shift reports,” Pete said.

Having been a duty manager herself, Susanna knew Pete wasn’t
going to get much done. She’d been abandoned.

Jay didn’t need a crystal ball to realize that he’d walked in
on some tension. “Anything I need to know?”

Susanna backed against the wall as a dietary aide approached,
maneuvering a tiered meal cart through the doors.

“Good morning,” she greeted the woman, dressed neatly in the
standard black slacks and white button-up shirt.

“Good morning, Ms. Adams.” She smiled at Jay while passing.

“I didn’t think we had policy discrepancies with emergency
procedures,” Susanna admitted. “But Pete and Kimberly were reluctant to consider
the emergency room as a viable option.”

Jay arched an eyebrow curiously. “Since when is the emergency
room the first course of action with Northstar? I don’t remember reading that
anywhere. Did I miss the fine print?”

“Not first course. But Mr. Jankowski started having difficulty
breathing at two this morning. I know Kimberly has been monitoring him, but
that’s quite a while.”

“The determination to send a resident to the emergency room is
made purely by the duty staff, as it should be,” Jay said.

“I agree. They were reassessing when I showed up. I appreciated
the chance to appraise their performance firsthand.”

“Then you’re questioning Kimberly’s assessment?”

“Only the reluctance. I was surprised they didn’t notify either
one of us that Mr. Jankowski was in distress.”

“They must not have thought he was in
that
much
distress or we’d have heard about it. Trust me. I don’t have
minimum wage workers. Everyone is well compensated for their certifications and
all the ongoing education. Kimberly is extremely qualified to assess medical
situations.”

“I understand, Jay. I’m conservative. Given the situation, I
thought the emergency room should have at least been considered.”

“Susanna, I’m not sure I understand the problem.”

That made two of them.

“Maybe we just had difficulty communicating. Maybe they thought
I was overly cautious and weren’t sure how to tell me.”

Jay folded his arms over his chest and considered her. “Do you
think so? No one ever has any problem telling me what they think.”

That almost made her smile. “As long as we take care of Mr.
Jankowski I don’t have a problem. I haven’t had any problems communicating with
anyone before now, so if I run into a problem again then I’ll have to look at
the issue.”

Jay inclined his head, trying to be as diplomatic as she was.
“That sounds like a good plan, but tell me something. How long would you
typically monitor a resident at your last facility? Was there a guideline?”

“Not really,” she admitted. “Each situation is so individual.
But we always erred on the side of caution, so we had more flexibility in the
nursing center, where we were outfitted to handle more demands than we did in
the ALF or independent living.”

Jay blinked. “Independent living? Really?”

One
really
and the world
shifted.

Suddenly Jay was drilling her with a stare as hard as emeralds.
“Independent living in a separate facility?”

Susanna suddenly felt as if she were standing under an
interrogator’s lamp. “Twelve hundred units. We also had an active senior
community. Two-bedroom, two-bath villas.”

“Sounds like quite a place.” His gaze didn’t budge. “I know
Northstar manages several memory-care communities, but that place you came
from—what was the name?”

“Greywacke Lodge,” she provided automatically.

“Greywacke Lodge wasn’t one of them, was it?”

That’s when it hit her. She wasn’t sure why it had taken so
long for her to put two and two together.

Northstar hadn’t provided Jay with her detailed and specific
work experience. He hadn’t a clue that her experience was in senior living and
not exclusively in memory care.

But he’d figured it out. Had Pete and Kimberly? Is that why
they’d vanished?

Susanna jumped in with evasive maneuvers and tried not to sound
defensive. “Greywacke Lodge consists of several facilities that cover all areas
of senior living, including memory care. We had Harmony House within the
ALF.”

“How many beds does Harmony House have?”

“Thirty-five.” Which sounded so vastly different from the one
hundred and twenty beds that made up The Arbors.

“Exclusively Alzheimer’s?”

“Dementia care.” Which included, but was not limited to,
Alzheimer’s care.

Jay didn’t say another word. He didn’t move. He didn’t take his
eyes off her, but Susanna knew he wasn’t happy. It was all over him, the sudden
stillness, the way he contained his response in such a noticeably physical
way.

“Nothing personal, Susanna, but that wasn’t what I was
expecting,” he admitted. “Northstar led me to believe they were sending someone
with memory-care experience.”

“I’ve been training since Northstar proposed the move and am
now certified in all areas of Alzheimer’s care.”

Certification wasn’t the same as hands-on experience.

He didn’t say it aloud. He didn’t have to. Skepticism was in
every hard line on his face.

And stupid, stupid woman that she was felt as if she’d
disappointed him with her inexperience. “I also bring a long career in health
care that makes me uniquely qualified to transition The Arbors from private to
corporate while retaining your standard of care.”

That sounded suspiciously like business administration and not
patient care. Jay had the patient care experience as well as the graduate degree
in business administration
and
a lifetime of
learning the ropes. She knew because she’d researched him. But Northstar hadn’t
extended him the same courtesy.

What had Gerald been thinking?

Especially since her lack of Alzheimer’s care wasn’t the only
hole in her experience.

Susanna inhaled deeply. She wanted to point out that they’d
been working side by side for over a month and he hadn’t had any concerns about
her performance until this minute.

But Jay kept staring, clearly reformulating his opinion. Then
another thought occurred to him. Susanna could see it as if a lightbulb went on
over his head.

God, don’t let him ask. Please don’t let
him ask!

His gaze narrowed. “You
were
the
property administrator of Greywacke Lodge, weren’t you?”

CHAPTER SIX

J
AY
STARED
INTO
S
USANNA
’
S
face, her eyes so blue they managed to distract him
from the hollow feeling in his stomach. Because he knew, before she ever opened
her mouth, a mouth that should be put to far better uses than this conversation.
Kissing came to mind. Moist lips parted around soft, excited breaths.
Definitely
better than telling him what he didn’t want
to hear.

And that’s what she was going to do. He could see reluctance in
the vivid depths of those too-blue eyes. He could feel her hesitation in the pit
of his stomach.

He couldn’t say why he felt so in tune with this woman that he
sensed what was coming, but when she opened that attractive mouth and said, “I
was the CFO,” he wasn’t the least bit surprised. Not at all.

Except maybe by the way her words filtered through him, a
matter-of-fact declaration delivered in a hush of a whisper, a silken sound so
at odds with her hard admission.

Chief financial officer?

He needed a clone of his late grandmother and Northstar had
sent him a replacement for
Walter?

No, Jay wasn’t surprised. He hadn’t been able to break free of
this place for his entire adult life. Why should he think now would be any
different?

There was never quiet in The Arbors. Even on third shift when
most folks were sleeping, there was always background noise—the chirping of
heart monitors, the huff and hiss of respirators, the blare of call buttons.

There were people sounds, too.

Caregivers whispering greetings or assessments as they moved in
and out of rooms during rounds.

Dietary staff, whose first shift started in the middle of
everyone else’s third, chatting as they prepped meals.

Mrs. Carlson mumbling to her long-dead husband while she slept,
voice carrying through her room’s open door.

Mr. Vincenzo in the north wing, growling whenever he clunked a
knee or elbow against the bed rails. They’d ordered an oversize bed and padded
the rails to make him comfortable, but he still slept as if he were trying to
break out of prison.

Right now all Jay could hear was the silence between him and
Susanna, so thick it dominated the hallway.

She finally said, “Please accept my apology. I had no idea
Northstar wouldn’t provide my history. I’m surprised.”

That made two of them. He’d figured Northstar had known its
business. He wouldn’t say that, either. “They provided your bio. You’ve been
with them a long time.”

“Over eighteen years. Started off in health care then moved
into senior living.”

“And you’ve been running the financial department.”

She nodded. “I was also a duty manager. All directors worked in
shift management, including the property administrator. She felt it was
important to stay engaged with our residents and staff, and the only way we
could do that was by working with them.”

Jay approved of that much. Administration that worked in an
ivory tower, or
administrative corridor
as it were,
certainly couldn’t understand the day-to-day needs of a facility from a working
perspective. No one benefited much then.

Okay, so she’d researched and prepared and gotten certified.
Bully for her. Jay didn’t feel he should congratulate her for that. Preparation
and experience were two different things and he’d insisted on both. The simple
fact was: Susanna wasn’t what he’d asked for.

He’d been so blinded by her pretty smile and so grateful to
have her here that he hadn’t interrogated as he should have. He’d trusted
Northstar to send him what he’d asked for. True, the situation had seemed very
promising...or had he only been determined to believe she’d fit right in at The
Arbors because he wanted out that badly?

Badly enough to leave folks who counted on him with an
inexperienced director? “Northstar told me they’d send the perfect person.”

Raising her hand, she smiled tentatively, testing the past
month of companionable working relations. “That would be me.”

“I acknowledge you’ve done excellent work since your arrival,
but I was specific about the job description. Experience in Alzheimer’s care was
the first item on the list. It was my only nonnegotiable requirement.”

So why had Northstar sent someone he wouldn’t consider leaving
in charge?

Jay had no answers. Only questions. And two CFOs, one of whom
wasn’t interested in retiring. And a qualified property administrator who was
more than ready.

Susanna didn’t say a word, only faced him stoically. He
couldn’t read anything behind the expression on her face. Which made the
situation that much worse. He’d wiped the smile from her face and made her feel
bad, and himself, for that matter. He wasn’t prone to tantrums because he didn’t
get what he wanted.

Fortunately for both of them, he had to cut short his reaction
when Kimberly reappeared, and said, “I’m back.”

Susanna stepped lightly in front of him and, if he were to
guess, he’d say she was even more relieved for the distraction than he was.

“How’s he doing?” he asked Kimberly.

She didn’t glance away from the display as she inputted data.
“No change.”

“Do we need to get him to the E.R.?” Might as well get that out
of the way.

Kimberly cast a sidelong glance at Susanna, whose expression
might have been carved from marble. “Not unless his condition deteriorates.
Otherwise, he’s stable. I can continue to monitor him until Dr. Smith
arrives.”

Good enough for Jay. She didn’t bother asking Susanna’s
opinion. Looked as if he was back on duty. “Do you want to move him to the first
floor?”

“Unnecessary. He’s comfortable in his apartment, and Ryan
offered to stay until the doctor gets here.” She smiled. “Ryan will enjoying
sitting and reading tabloids with no interruptions.”

“And racking up overtime to pay off that new bike.”

Kimberly chuckled. “That, too.”

“Okay, then. I’ll call Dr. Smith’s service and leave a message
so he doesn’t make any detours on his way in.”

“Let us know if anything changes,” Susanna said.

Kimberly nodded before turning back to the display.

Then Jay slipped the cell phone from the carrier at his waist
and scrolled through his contact list. He retreated into Kimberly’s office.
While he was leaving the message with the doctor’s service, Pete returned to get
an update. Susanna explained the plan of action in a voice as neutral as her
expression.

Pete acknowledged Jay with a wave then took off again, leaving
Jay with the woman who’d not only thrown a wrench into his day but his entire
life plan.

“So where do we go from here, Jay?” The past month of
companionable working relationship might never have been. She was by the book
right now with her brisk Yankee voice.

“I won’t make excuses for my company’s decisions, Jay. Not
without having all the information. What I can tell you is they offered me this
position because they felt I was the best qualified for the job. They could have
moved an administrator from another property, someone who had memory-care
experience.”

Leaning back against the desk, he folded his arms over his
chest and considered her. “You’re better than everyone else?”

Fifteen minutes ago, she would have smiled, but not now. “For
The Arbors. Yes, I am. You’ve got a unique set of circumstances here that call
for a unique skill set. Transitioning from private to corporate requires a
competent but delicate hand. You’re fiscally successful and well-known for your
quality of care. You’d like to see The Arbors remain successful and expand.
There are lots of factors involved. You know that.”

He couldn’t argue her point. He didn’t need to, not when there
were other things to argue. Northstar’s definition of
perfect
and his were two different things.

“Northstar felt whatever I lacked in direct supervisory
experience didn’t outweigh what I brought to the table,” she continued. “I’m
fresh off a hundred-and-twenty-hour training program to certify me in memory
care. They knew I’d learn the ropes, particularly as you’d be here through the
transition period. I’m sorry they didn’t present me in that fashion. I feel as
if they’ve undermined my credibility in the process.”

Inclining his head in acknowledgment, he was unsure what
bothered him most—she didn’t have experience or that he hadn’t been told. Both.
He honestly couldn’t say he was surprised by the corporate mentality, though.
Checks and balances. Pros and cons. Six of one, half dozen of another as the
saying went.

“I hear you,” he said, “and don’t disagree with any of it. But
I asked for an administrator with memory-care experience for a reason.”

“To make sure The Arbors will be cared for?” she asked.

“Yes.” He couldn’t leave without a clear conscience.

Jay squelched that thought. He was done with feeling obligated.
He’d lived his entire life obligated to this place, and the time had come to let
go.

So how did he politely explain to her that he didn’t feel
corporate know-how and her transitioning skill set could make up for years of
experience with Alzheimer’s patients?

How did he explain to Susanna that he didn’t want her pretty
blue eyes distracting him from doing what he had to do?

* * *

C
LUTCHING
THE
PHONE
, Susanna let her eyes flutter shut and reined
in her emotions before making the phone call. She needed to steel herself for
the conversation ahead because she refused to present as anything but a
professional. But emotion rode so close to the surface, waiting to overstep the
boundaries of business and demand answers from a man she considered a
friend.

She’d given up her job, her home, her
life
to make this career move. Everything important depended on her
performance, from her family’s finances to Northstar’s acquisition. Yet Gerald
had sent her into a new work environment, knowing she didn’t meet the basic job
description. Northstar had sent her in to do a job then undermined her
credibility.

Why would they set her up this way? There was no real chance
her inexperience would go unnoticed, particularly as Jay had been involved in
every area of the acquisition. The omission of her work experience had been
deliberate, of that Susanna had no doubt.

Northstar was a management company, for heaven’s sake. They
staffed businesses, not just senior living facilities, but health care
operations, industrial properties, hotels...businesses across the board. If they
were going to staff a property administrator who didn’t meet the fundamental
criteria for the position, they should have told her
before
she’d arrived on the property. Cleared the way for her to do
her job before she sacrificed her life in New York.

So why had Gerald sent her in unprepared to tackle this job
with a control freak? How could anyone think Jay wouldn’t notice her
inexperience? The only surprise was how long it took him to notice. She supposed
that spoke highly of her job performance.

And worst of all was how much she felt as if she’d disappointed
him. God, even the memory of today’s exchange made her wince.

Jay’s expression dominated her memory, his surprise, his
displeasure, the way he’d finally reined in his reaction. And he had. She knew
him well enough to know how much. He’d been angry, but he’d expressed his
displeasure during that horribly awkward exchange in a way that was forthright
but not hurtful. In a way that wouldn’t corner her into a defense.

Not that she could have defended herself. There would be a
learning curve. She’d known it. Her bosses had known it. The only person who
hadn’t known was Jay.

Opening her eyes, Susanna leaned back in the caned rocking
chair and gazed into the clear night sky, the rising moon casting the silhouette
of her new yard in silver.

Her new home. For how long?

Susanna didn’t want to make this call, disliked confronting
Gerald as much as she disliked admitting her inexperience had been exposed to
Jay and he might call Northstar and insist they send someone he considered
qualified. And she was hurt Gerald would position her this way without any
warning.... She never would have concealed her inexperience.

Just the thought rubbed Susanna the wrong way. Was that why
Gerald hadn’t told her?

Inhaling deeply, a breath filled with the sweet scent of
night-blooming jasmine, she tried to calm the tension that had her nerves on
end.

Then she depressed the speed dial and waited for the call to
connect. Unless he had a nighttime engagement, Gerald should be settling in to
relax after a long day.

He picked up on the second ring. “Susanna,” he said in his
hearty voice. “Good to hear from you. How are things going?”

“We’ve hit a snag, Gerald,” she said simply.

“What kind of snag?”

“Jay asked Northstar to provide a property administrator with a
specific level of experience, which I don’t come close to having. I assume
there’s a reason you sent me here without sharing my credentials with Jay. Or
preparing me.”

To her astonishment, Gerald chuckled. “You’re such a diplomat.
Your credentials are need to know. You work for Northstar. Not Jay Canady.”

Maybe it was the laughter. Or maybe she was just upset enough
to throw caution to the wind, but Susanna didn’t mince any words when she said,
“I don’t agree. You sent me here to reassure the man, not upset him. But how am
I supposed to do that when I don’t have all the information? I can’t reassure
anyone when the rug gets pulled out from under me.”

No more laughter. “What happened?”

Susanna gave him a bare-bones overview of the day’s events. To
her credit, she kept her voice steady, kept to the facts. She didn’t hint at how
mortified she’d been that her work history had been concealed from Jay, how
helpless she’d felt because he’d felt as though he’d been lied to by
Northstar.