▁which ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁st agn ant ▁d ating ▁life , ▁and ▁gets ▁comfort ▁from ▁H erman ▁in ▁this ▁regard . ▁Louise ▁eventually ▁finds ▁herself ▁attract ed ▁to ▁Jay , ▁who ▁indeed ▁returns ▁the ▁feelings , ▁and ▁with ▁H erman ' s ▁ur ging , ▁the ▁two ▁agree ▁to ▁a ▁date . ▁This ▁cul min ates ▁in ▁an ▁on - ag ain , ▁off - ag ain ▁relationship ▁between ▁the ▁two . ▁ ▁Mr . ▁Paul ▁Bra cken ▁( J ason ▁Bernard ) ▁is ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁research ▁at ▁Wat erton ▁Publishing . ▁A ▁strict ▁but ▁fair ▁man ▁who , ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁season , ▁is ▁celebr ating ▁twenty ▁years ▁with ▁the ▁company , ▁Mr . ▁Bra cken ▁often ▁has ▁for fe ited ▁vac ation ▁time ▁and ▁attention ▁to ▁his ▁wife ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁fully ▁serve ▁in ▁his ▁job . ▁Mr . ▁Bra cken ▁puts ▁on ▁a ▁gru ff , ▁hard - n osed ▁fac ade ▁and ▁takes ▁great ▁pride ▁in ▁throwing ▁around ▁his ▁weight , ▁but ▁can ▁soft en ▁up ▁and ▁offer ▁pra ise ▁when ▁it ▁is ▁due , ▁especially ▁to ▁H erman , ▁who ▁is ▁more ▁than ▁likely ▁the ▁hard est ▁working ▁fact ▁check er ▁in ▁the ▁department . ▁In ▁fact , ▁Mr . ▁Bra cken ▁is ▁so ▁partial ▁to ▁H erman ▁that ▁he ▁saves ▁him ▁from ▁getting ▁fired , ▁by ▁telling ▁company ▁executive ▁Mr . ▁C raw ford ▁and ▁other ▁chair men ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁never ▁known ▁H erman ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁heavy ▁drink er , ▁after ▁H erman