Kiss A Ginger Day: A steamy workplace romantic comedy

Chapter 15

Theodore rested his chin on his hand and watched Alice feed documents into a shredder inside her office door. Something was seriously wrong with her. He needed to talk to Suzy and Samuel and get them to lay off a bit with all the requests. Suzy was a drill sergeant, and Samuel didn’t understand the word rest.

They were corporate through and through, ensuring their employees never caught up. Down time was wasted time to them.

Theodore was late to a meeting with Samuel to download his latest interview findings. Edison had a lot of employees—more than 150—and a definite pattern was emerging. No one was happy to be there.

He rose, stretching his back. A yawn came out of nowhere, practically splitting his jaw. He’d swing by and get some coffee before heading over to the conference room where Samuel was camped.

Roger and Janie, a petite blonde, were hovering around the coffee machine. Upon seeing Theodore, the man straightened. “Theodore,” he said.

Janie stepped backward, averting her eyes as if she’d just gotten both hands, and maybe both feet, caught in Roger’s cookie jar. “See you gentleman later.” She scooted out.

Ah, Miss January, perhaps? She didn’t mention anything like that earlier, but he knew all about Roger’s office dalliances. It was Tricia who’d spilled the beans on that particular habit of Roger’s. She’d taken great delight in sharing the guy’s short-term office romances, which sounded more like a nineteen-year-old college student bar hopping. Roger’s extracurricular activities was something Theodore would eventually have to share with Samuel, who would make the man immediately pack it in.

Perhaps Theodore’s own guilt for hooking up with Alice had him hesitate. She certainly seemed to regret their time together by her behavior today.

Then again, her workaholic tendencies were starting to catch up with her. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, and her behavior was entirely too snappish.

Theodore cracked open a cabinet and retrieved a mug with gold letters emblazoned with Edison Tech on it. “Roger,” he said.

“How are the interviews?” Roger took a sip of his coffee.

Theodore popped in a K-cup, not even looking at which one he chose. “Productive.”

“We have good employees here.”

“You do. By the way, what happened to the CFO? And the office manager? Did they quit, or were they let go?” He knew they’d quit, but he needed to hear Roger’s version.

“Moved on to new opportunities. It happens.”

Theodore retrieved his steaming mug of coffee, not really wanting it now. Corporate speak always did kill his appetite for anything. “Yes. But where did they go?”

Roger shrugged. “Don’t know.”

Theodore leaned against the counter. “Really? No indication of these grand new positions?”

“People only ever leave a job for something better.”

“Think there’s something better than Edison?”

Roger thunked his mug into the sink. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never looked.” He winked at him, then headed out.

Strange. CEOs were notoriously headhunted. An O’Flannery CEO would most definitely be sought after. The fact that Roger hadn’t even thought about it was … odd. Then again, Roger wasn’t one for straight answers.

The guy didn’t trust Theodore, and it irritated him. He’d had enough therapy to know his kryptonite was other people’s uncertainty about his sincerity. Alice, too, was beginning to have doubts. It was all over her face, despite the fact she’d demanded the physical distance from him.

Edison—and his attraction to Alice—shouldn’t be so complicated.

He took his unwanted coffee and headed to Samuel—one man who did trust him.

Samuel stood at the large windows, staring down at the street. “Close the door behind you, will you?” The man didn’t turn around.

Theodore did what he asked and joined him at the windows.

“We suspect Roger’s been skimming,” Samuel said to the glass.

Surprise should have coursed through Theodore, but it didn’t. “So, he’s the one, eh?”

“Yes. Suzy was suspicious, and with Alice’s help?—”

“Alice uncovered that?”

“No.”

“But you and Suzy told her, right?” They’d conscripted her to help uncover the financial mess that was Edison Tech.

“Of course not. We need to find out if he has help. Alice?—”

“Spends all her day putting out fires. Haven’t you noticed?”

Samuel finally faced him. “Distraction technique?”

“It’s not her.”

Samuel eyed him, letting a beat pass between them. Then he sucked in a long breath and returned to the table. After sitting, he inched his chin up at the chair opposite him. “Sit. Tell me what you’ve discovered.”

Theodore then spent over an hour nailing the coffin lid on Roger’s career there. His dalliances, the unhappiness of his employees—it all came out.

Samuel eyed him. “Nailing an admin here and there isn’t the worst of his crimes.”

“Surprising you’d say that.” Maybe the man was softening his stance on office matches.

Samuel sighed heavily. “How else do we meet people, right?”

“True. So, you got an eye for someone?”

He shook his head slowly. “But you do, don’t you?”

One thing about the O’Flannerys, they didn’t miss a thing. “Jealous?”

Samuel chuffed. “Still into women, my friend.” His eyes sliced sideways to a group of women passing by the glass wall of the conference room. Patty, Tricia, and Stephanie were parading by.

“So, about this possible embezzlement.” He pounded the table with his fist. “Keep it sealed.”

That meant he couldn’t tell Alice.

“You’ve got no one to tell, right?” Samuel eyed him.

Theodore pursed his lips. “No one.”

He let his chair thunk upright. “Good. Glad to see the NDA is intact.”

“Wondering about my loyalty?”

“I’d never. Come on.” He rose. “Drinks on me.”

Shit. Samuel knew about him and Alice, and he’d been given the only warning he’d get. Talk about a rock and hard place.

He had to stay true to his NDA.

But it meant he’d have to keep Alice in the dark—a woman he very much liked and respected. She’d learn of the news eventually. He didn’t have to like it, but he was legally bound to respect the terms of the NDA. He was bound by years of friendship too.

Bloody hell.