CHAPTER TWENTY
-:- CORK -:-
Watching Dallas leave this morning was a strange and unpleasant feeling. I know that this is real life and we’ve been fortunate to have so much time living in each other's pockets, but I’m wondering if I should give up on the wine shop and join her in the security business.
Even as I wonder, I know it wouldn’t work. I’d be too protective, and that would drive her nuts. She’s a strong woman, and having me hovering over her would destroy us in no time. No, there has to be another way.
She’s not sleeping well, but I don’t know why.
She’s restless all night, and although I haven’t mentioned it, I’m going to have to if it continues.
I’m a fine one to talk. I’ve not been myself since the ranch raid.
I had no hesitation in ending that thug when he was threatening to burn down the wine shop, and I recognized that as protecting Dallas, not so much the business.
Damn, I wonder if that’s why she isn’t sleeping.
I bet she has picked up on my mood and is aware that I’m holding something back.
We’ve never talked about the raid other than me being a supposed hero.
I asked a dumb question instead of taking action, and that makes me a hero? Not in my book, it doesn’t.
I’m going to speak to Target about getting some better training so that it doesn’t happen again. What if I were to do that when I was alone, or God forbid, when I was with Dallas? I need to understand what I’m seeing and the correct course of action to take.
It’s time for me to get fully reintroduced to the wine shop.
I’ve been in a couple of times while recuperating, and Ava has been fantastic by all accounts.
I hope she doesn’t mind becoming number two in the business after being number one for so long.
She doesn’t know it yet, but I want to promote her to assistant manager.
I’m giving her a bonus for the time she has been running the business, and I know she has made some improvements in the shop.
The window display has always been adequate, let’s say, but I noticed the other day that it pops right out at you now.
I don’t know who designed it, but it had to have gone through Ava to be approved.
There has been a subtle shift in the way the shop is laid out, too.
I haven’t put my finger on it yet, but it flows better as you walk around and browse.
As I’m walking around, Ava arrives. “Well, it’s about time you got your lazy ass back in the hot seat.” She walks over and gives me a hug. “Good to have you back, Cork. You’re looking well. All that lovin’ sure has paid off.”
“I can’t argue with that, Ava. I feel like a different man since Dallas and I got together. You should try it.”
“Nah, Dallas isn’t my type.” She grins and wriggles her eyebrows at me.
“Being the boss must have brought out the beast in you. At one time you wouldn’t have dreamed of saying something like that.” I laugh as she winks at me.
“Can’t be some shrinking violet when you have to shove people around. We need to have a chat once you have your feet back under the table, too.”
“That sounds serious. Let’s get the shop open, then we can discuss it when Penelope gets in.
She starts at ten, doesn’t she?” I ask because I don’t know what changes may have been made to schedules while I’ve been out of it.
I know TwoCents had joked with me about the sales being up slightly while I’ve been off.
“She opens up Monday to Friday now, nine a.m. sharp. I increased her hours slightly and moved her to mornings only. She works wonders with the female customers that come in while their kids are at school, and she had a problem with a couple of the guys that come in later.” I don’t like the sound of that but wait to see how Ava handled things.
“They were getting a little too friendly with her, so I had Emmett work that shift with her. He gave one his marching orders when he wouldn’t apologize for being crude, and although that seemed to calm things down, I didn’t want to risk losing her so I tweaked the schedule. Hope you don’t mind?”
“Hell, no. You did everything you could have done, and the calls you made were exactly what I would have done.“ I’m impressed I have to admit.
“I would have stayed with Penelope myself, but I think that would have escalated the situation rather than solved it. Emmett has a way about him that seems to calm troublemakers.” Ava laughs as she says this.
I know what she means. Emmett is not a small man, and moving stock continuously keeps him fit and toned.
He’s not the type of guy you go up against unless you’ve had a few beers or know how to handle yourself.
“I think there may be a budding romance there, too. Emmett is quiet and shy normally, but he sure as hell wasn’t quiet and shy when he showed that guy the door.
Check out the CCTV when you get a minute.
I saved it especially for you to see. The guy's feet never touched the floor, and I bet his ass was sore for days after he landed on it in the street.” Ava shakes her head as she revisits the CCTV in her mind's eye.
“I thought Penelope was seeing someone?” I frown as so much has happened in such a short time, then I hear Penelope speak.
“I was, but when I told him about what the guys were saying to me, he tried to blame it on me. Said I dressed to encourage them and was probably flirting with them. When I argued he raised his fist to hit me. That’s the last thing he remembered before waking up in the hospital.
You shouldn’t try that shit on a woman with a hot skillet in her hand. ”
I stare open-mouthed at the woman before me. “The doctors said he’ll probably lose the use of at least two fingers, what with the damage and the burns, and all.”
“Are you going to be safe when he gets out of the hospital?” I would think a man like that won’t take it lying down and will want some payback.
“Oh, he won’t be coming near me. I pressed charges and got a restraining order against him. The judge wants him straight into court when he’s released from the hospital. Seems he’s known to the Sheriff for hurting women.”
As she turns to go, I tell her, “If you ever need anything, help, protection, a place to stay, I, or the Raging Barons, will have your back, Penelope. Don’t worry on that score.”
“I’m not worried, Cork. I have something way better than all that. I have an Emmett. He’ll make sure I’m looked after until the day I die, and me for him.”
“Wow. What have you been doing to these guys while I’ve been out of it?” I grin at her, but it’s Ava’s turn to frown.
“It’s not all been good. Let’s get a coffee in the office so we can have that chat.” Leading the way, Ava heads for the office.
When we get inside, she gestures for me to take the chair behind the desk, and she goes to a new small cabinet in the corner. On the cabinet is a flashy new coffee maker and all the trimmings. There are even mugs with the wine shop logo on them.
“You have been busy. Do you need to get reimbursed for all that? It’s not coming out of your salary, you know that don’t you?” Ava is like me in that respect.
“No, I guessed that would be your view on it, so I paid through the business account. I hope that’s okay?” She knows I wouldn’t have an issue with that, but had to ask anyway.
Sitting with our coffee, and it’s damn good coffee too, we take a moment to savor it, and then Ava begins to talk.
“When Axel asked me to step up, well told me more like, I held a meeting with the crew and told them what he’d said.
Everyone was okay with it, except Angelo.
He thought he should be the one to step up and said as much.
I told him if that’s how he felt, then he should approach Axel and put his case forward.
Axel called the shots in your absence, and if he wanted Angelo in charge, then I was okay with that. ”
I interrupt her at this point. “He was questioning Pres's decision? Pres has never mentioned anything, so I guess he didn’t approach him.” I’m amazed Angelo would act this way.
“I think he may have. He was quiet the rest of that day, but when he came in the next day, the stupid comments and the attempts to undermine me started. Nothing that I couldn’t handle, but if I’m honest, if the business had been in my name, I’d have fired his sorry ass by the third day.
” Ava’s look tells me she wishes she had, and I would have backed any decision she made on that front. As would Pres, I’m sure.
”You should have approached me or Pres. We would have backed you without a second thought,” I reassure her.
“Cork, you were out of it, remember? As for Axel, I wasn’t sure if he would fire him, or have him disappear if I’d told him what was being said.” Ava bites her lower lip and I know I’m going to have to ask her what he was saying.
“Spit it out, Ava. Let’s hear it.”
She won’t look me in the eye as she repeats what Angelo had been saying.
None of it in front of witnesses, I might add.
He accused her of getting on her back for Pres, performing other sexual acts for him, and some were downright disgusting.
My temper rises as she tells me, and I’ll be present when he arrives for his shift later.
“As soon as Angelo gets here today, you fire his ass. You do it in front of whoever is in the store at the time, staff or customers. I’ll be in the back in case he kicks off, but you fire him.
Tell him why, hold nothing back. Don’t let him get a word in either.
This is your show and not his. You should have had more faith in me and Pres. ”
“He has a wife and kids, so…” Ava tries to justify letting him carry on in that way.
“I don’t give a fuck. Do you think he dares to speak to his wife like that? I bet he doesn’t. He’d have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of his days if he did. No… You’re too soft in this instance, but you won’t be when he gets here later. Will you?”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t fire him. It should be me. I’ll do it in a professional manner so there won’t be any comeback on the business.” Ava still looks a little worried.
“Don’t worry about the business, Pres will be sure that we’re covered.
Now, leave me to catch up, and then I’ll let you walk me through things from top to bottom.
Oh, and while I remember, you’re now promoted to my assistant manager.
Now, get out.” Ava takes the mugs from the desk, blinking in disbelief, and leaves the office, shutting the door behind her.
Taking out my phone, I press the speed dial for Pres and tell him what’s been going on.
The morning passes quickly as Ava talks me through the sales, new lines, and the changes to the display and shelving.
She’s been busy, I can tell you. The display is all the work of Penelope.
She certainly has a flair for it, and it could become a permanent addition to her duties.
Talking with Ava, we think we could make a change every three months so it would be a seasonal change.
Offer Penelope and Emmett a weekend of extra shifts to do the change, and that way they could strip the window and clean it out on a Saturday, and redress it on the Sunday while the shop is closed.
If they agree, that would work out nicely.
The shelving has been reorganized so the wines are now by country and not just by type as they were. So, South Africa, for example, has its own area and is also displayed by red, white, rosé, etc. France, Spain, the rest of the world, are all done the same. It all looks very professional.
We’ve just finished our world tour, as it were, when Angelo walks in early for his shift. As soon as he lays eyes on me he knows that I know what he’s been up to.
“I quit,” he blurts out like a naughty kid caught out.
“Too late, Angelo. I fired your ass this morning. You’re no longer an employee of this business.
You don’t go around saying disgusting, perverted shit to females, and expect to have no consequences.
Get your gear and get out. Any outstanding salary will be paid into your bank at the end of the week.
There will be no severance pay. You were dismissed for gross misconduct with immediate effect.
” Ava says all this in a very steady voice, and I’m proud of her.
“Still standing there? Now get gone from these premises before I throw you out!”
“Very professional,” I mutter to her.
“He doesn’t work here anymore, so I don’t have to treat him as an employee. He’s just a trespasser now.” She grins, and it reminds me of a wolf watching its prey. I give an involuntary shudder.
The sound of motorcycles pulling up reminds me I’d spoken to Pres earlier. Angelo, I’m sure, will wish he’d left sooner. Pres walks in the front door and gives me a dirty look. “You started without us?”
“He turned up early, Pres. Sorry.”
Seeing someone step around Pres, I see a small woman with a helmet on her head that must belong to one of the brothers. She can hardly see out of it because it’s so big. Slipping it from her head, Angelo goes as white as a ghost recognizing his wife.
“So! You are out of a job again. Don’t think you are coming home to eat the food that you cannot provide for your family.
You had a good job here. You told me that you were going to progress.
That you were an employee they could ask anything of.
You were going places this time. But no!
You lied again. You have a filthy mouth that you cannot control and talk filth to the women.
You had better find another of your kind to provide a bed because you will not be spending any time in my bed.
If my children go hungry because you cannot provide for them, Mr. Axel here has my permission to find you, and make your sorry ass disappear once and for all.
Your children will do better without such a poor excuse for a father.
” Stopping to draw breath, she turns to Pres.
“Mr. Axel, perhaps one of your men is in need of a good woman who can cook well, and provide them with warmth and passion in their bed? You will ask them for me, perhaps?”
Angelo rushes forward towards his wife but crumples to the floor when he runs directly into her fist.
“Someone should take out the trash before it stinks up your shop.” Mrs. Angelo links her arm through Pres’s and continues, “Now, about these men of yours…”