Chapter 9
“We believe in providing constructive feedback that promotes growth, not just performance. Embrace challenges, encourage collaboration, and always strive for excellence.”
Entity Employee Handbook: HR Edition
“I’m guessing coffee is on me this morning?” Alexys perched on Natalie’s desk, grinning down at her. Natalie suppressed a yawn.
“You better believe it,” Natalie quipped. “You and your nightmares, I swear.”
Alexys shrugged apologetically and said, “It’s not like I have them on purpose.”
Natalie waved away her apology and rose from her desk.
“Come on, let’s go. I’ve earned a quick break.” They headed down to the cafeteria where dozens of Entity employees milled around, indulging in a late buffet breakfast or else holding their team meetings at the round tables.
Once they’d ordered, Alexys gave Natalie a light nudge. “I really am sorry for waking you. I feel silly now, if it’s any consolation.”
Natalie gave her a look. “Don’t worry about it. I’d rather you call me than sit in the dark and cry.”
“I didn’t cry,” Alexys grumbled. She had screamed, sure, but she hadn’t cried. She had a bit of bravery in her—she liked to think. “And I certainly didn’t sit in the dark.”
“I know, you’re an all-lights-on kind of girl.” Natalie chuckled.
“Not funny, and yes, you would be too.”
“What’s your energy bill like?”
Alexys shuddered. “You don’t want to know.”
“So, have you called Elliot yet?” Natalie asked.
Alexys cringed. “Actually, he called me. First thing this morning.”
Natalie smirked at her. Righteousness was strongly implied by her raised brow. “Was it Ghost Elliot or Alive Elliot?”
Alexys rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’m an idiot, and you’re always right.”
“And don’t you forget it.” Natalie winked.
Drinks in hand, they headed back to the second floor, stopping a few times to chat with other colleagues.
Almost everyone at Entity was pleasant to work with, so Alexys couldn’t complain.
The other HR leads were people she regularly spent evenings with, and the girls in marketing too.
The only people she didn’t particularly enjoy being around, or person, she should say, was Nic.
Nic Know-It-All Dyre.
And that was exactly who she was thinking about when she sat back down at her desk and roused her computer.
From: nic.dyre@
To: alexys.keane@
Subject: PoA Report
Keane:
Given time constraints, there will be a delay completing your Plan of Action report. I’ll have it with you by EOD Tuesday.
Regards,
Nic Dyre | Research & Cataloging | South Carolina
Office | Entity, LLC
“That insufferable …” Alexys ground her teeth together and snatched up her office phone. She dialed Nic’s extension. He answered on the first ring.
“Ah, Keane, I imagine you’ve seen my email.” It was so like him to screen his phone calls. Alexys wanted to reach through the receiver and throttle him.
“What the hell, Dyre? You knew I needed it by Tuesday morning at the absolute latest. And now you’re saying Tuesday night? That’s bull, and you know it.”
“Good morning to you, too. I’m well, thanks for asking. Yourself?”
Alexys could have screamed. “Not great, you glorified search engine.”
Nic tsked. “There’s no need for name-calling. It’s rather juvenile, don’t you think? Even for you.”
This man!
“I need that report signed off by early Tuesday morning. I told you. I’m flying out Wednesday and need to have enough time to review the latest sightings, Silver Giant file updates, and send the whole thing to Kristin.
” She could hear him typing in the background.
He wasn’t even paying attention to her. “You’re supposed to be the head of your department with an entire team of researchers at your disposal.
Why is a simple POA going to take you this long? ”
“I’m very thorough,” Nic chided.
She scoffed. “And I’m thoroughly annoyed.”
“You should try switching to tea instead of coffee,” Nic suggested. “It might temper your irritability.”
Alexys inhaled a deep breath. She couldn’t afford to lose her temper, that’d only fuel the fire—she needed to rein it in.
“You know what, don’t worry about it. I’ll call Zach and get his help instead.”
Nic’s response was immediate and stern. “Absolutely not.”
“Oh, I see, it’s not just HR you distrust, it’s your own research team too.”
He sighed, a sound of deep suffering. “If I allow you to bother my researchers, I will have to allow everyone else to bother them too, which, consequently, would render them completely useless to me.”
“Then give me the report on time, and I’ll leave them alone.” She hoped she also came across sternly—two could play that game.
“Fine,” he relented. “I’ll have it in your inbox Tuesday morning. But you’ll have to expedite sign-off from there.” That was good enough for her. Alexys said as much and hung up before he could change his mind.