Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Adam has avoided me this entire week. How do I know?
Because I haven’t seen him. Which just goes to show all those times we ran into each other or were forced into close proximity in conference rooms were orchestrated for maximum annoying Hayden purposes.
But I don’t like the alternative. Because I need to be close to Adam.
The facility manager’s office was a huge step in the right direction.
I know where I’m looking now. But if I want to learn more about Bliss, I still need someone on the inside.
I tried to return to the facility manager’s office, armed with my phone to gain photo evidence, but the office was locked.
Which wasn’t a complete deterrent. However, by the time I got the door unlocked with the help of my trusty assistant Mira the locksmith, I discovered the cabinet that housed those interesting Bliss files was gone.
Completely removed from the dang office.
It’s all Adam’s fault. He’s on to me, and he must have given the facility manager the order to remove the cabinet. But I’m not letting that stop me. I know about Bliss now—know where it’s located. And would bet money that’s where Blackwell moved his illegal suite.
Bridget packs up her folder after the marketing meeting we just finished for the burlesque show. “Do you have a minute?” I ask her.
“Sure.” She smiles, then bites the corner of her lip. “Do you mind following me back to my office, though? I’ve got a quick email to shoot off.”
I tell her that’s fine, and we make our way down the hall. Adam and Blackwell may have warned me away from Adam’s new assistant as the HR director, but that doesn’t mean I can’t talk to her as a coworker, right?
Bridget and I chat about the meeting, and Mark from IT scuffles by, his face shiny and a tad red. “Hi, Bridget,” he says quietly.
I’m impressed. Mark usually avoids eye contact.
Bridget greets him and I nod hello, and we resume our discussion about the promo for the big event.
Not two seconds later, another employee passes, an equally smitten look on his face.
“Good afternoon, Bridget.” This time, it’s one of the building engineers. An insanely shy man. The only reason he’s said two words to me is because I sign his paychecks.
What the hell? I do a double take. “Looks like you’ve got fans.” I smile. If Bridget is pulling people out of their shells, that’s great.
“Oh yes. Everyone has been so nice.” Her expression is unassuming, and I realize I actually like Bridget.
She’s pretty, so I can see why the guys like her, but she’s just as friendly with the women, from what I’ve witnessed.
And Adam hasn’t said a single bad thing about her performance.
I’m going to assume that’s because he’s happy with her and not because he’s hiding something just to win our bet.
Damn. I can’t believe Adam is going to win.
I was certain he wouldn’t be able to hire a suitable candidate.
This is going to make learning about the other people he’s hiring more complicated.
I promised to keep my nose out of things if he wins.
Of course, I’ll still stick my nose in his business, but now I’ll have to be stealthier about it.
We enter Bridget’s office, and I close the door. “We haven’t had an opportunity to sit and talk, and I wanted to make sure you’ve settled in okay. See if you need anything from human resources?”
I’m totally breaking the rule about not talking to Bridget on official human resources business, but I need an excuse to talk to her, and it’s a silly rule anyway.
Bridget may need something from my department, and how’s she supposed to get help if we’re banned from speaking to one another?
Besides, I need a reason to ask probing questions about Adam.
He’s avoiding me. Desperate times and all that.
She shrugs happily. “All settled. Though I do have a question about health benefits. Can you wait one sec while I shoot off that message I mentioned?”
“Of course. Unless you’d rather come to my office when you’re finished?”
“Oh no. This will just take me a moment.” Bridget pulls up her email and clicks quickly through the screens.
She glances over and smiles nervously. I realize I’m staring, so I glance around the room to give her privacy.
“There,” she says, and minimizes the screen. “All set.”
Bridget asks me a few questions about company health benefits. All things Mira and I would have gone over had Adam let me brief Bridget when she started, but I’m happy to help her now.
“Thank you so much for the information,” she says. “That really cleared things up.”
“Oh, good.” I stand to leave. Maybe I shouldn’t say it, but I want to be available to every employee—screw Adam and Blackwell. “Come by anytime if you have more questions.”
Bridget smiles broadly, and I know meeting with her was the right move. Yes, I had ulterior motives, but she’s still an employee and deserves what her human resources department has to offer.
It’s going to suck once Bridget’s two weeks are up.
Adam and I will need to establish boundaries around this no-questioning-my-new-hires rule, because it’s obvious the employees he hires will have questions he can’t answer.
At least, I think they will, unless Blackwell contracts them out.
Bridget isn’t a contract employee, but I don’t know what Blackwell has planned for the others.
I stop near the door. “Before I go, how is Adam? I haven’t seen him at the meetings lately.” Hopefully my light probing isn’t too obvious, but darn it, Adam’s been MIA, and I’m so close to figuring out this Bliss thing.
“He’s been busy with the new suites. Blackwell has him working late to make sure everything is up and running in time for the burlesque show.
It’s all hush-hush, but just to reassure you, everything is going really well.
You should see what I bought for the rooms. Those suites are going to be amazing. ”
I haven’t heard anything special about the suite remodel, other than that it was taking place.
Nor did I realize Blackwell wanted them ready for the burlesque show.
Bridget’s comments confirm that the suites under construction are more than the casino is letting on to the public and the rest of the employees, and that both she and Adam are involved. No wonder he doesn’t want me near her.
“What sorts of things did you buy—”
“Interrogating my employees?”
I spin around, my heart hammering. Adam is standing in the doorway, and he looks pissed.
“Just getting to know your new assistant.” No way am I letting him intimidate me.
“She had a few questions about benefits.” I glance back.
“Bridget, I’ll let you return to work. Remember what I said about coming to see me anytime. ”
She smiles, and I walk toward Adam, stopping in front of him. “Can I talk to you in my office?”
He steps aside and I pass him. Once we’re out of the office, and out of earshot of Bridget, he catches up to me. “Blackwell gave you specific orders not to interfere with the hiring of my assistant.” His voice is not his normal elegant cadence, but hard with a steely edge.
True, I’m guilty, because I asked Bridget questions I knew Adam wouldn’t want me knowing the answers to, but there’s something going on in this place and I’m going to find out what it is.
I shoot him a look. “Blackwell didn’t say anything about not talking to new people once they’re hired. Your employee had specific questions about her benefits. I highly doubt you would have been able to answer them without coming to me.”
“You were asking her about my work.”
I walk into my office, and Adam closes the door behind us. “That’s not a crime. Whatever projects hospitality has going on should be known to every member of management,” I say sweetly.
He lets out a breath of frustration. “Hayden, there’s what, one—two days left until Bridget’s been here two weeks? Our bet is nearly up. And I didn’t take you for someone who reneges on a bet. Admit you lost, so that we can move on from this.”
“No. But even if I lose the bet, we need to establish terms. The deal was for me to stay out of the hiring process. You can’t expect me to never talk to new employees. I’ll need to be accessible to them for benefits and other HR needs.”
Instead of sitting in the guest chair, Adam walks to the side of my desk, hand tucked in his pant pocket. He stares out the window. “The others are being hired as contractors. No benefits. They can come to me with any questions they have.”
Blackwell said in our last meeting that the burlesque dancers would be hired as subcontractors through a special account.
I’m not surprised Adam is hiring employees through a similar process.
But it pisses me off. This is wrong. Human resources is designed to protect the company and its employees.
But we can’t do that if they don’t use us—if they go outside the walls of our jurisdiction.
And I don’t know how to stop them.
I cross my arms over my chest. “That is a ridiculous waste of everyone’s time. You seriously want to be the go-between?”
He looks at me as though frustrated. “If I must.”
Okay, I’m not making things easy, but it’s for a good reason.
I study the hard edges of his handsome face. “Why is everything here so secretive?” My voice is filled with judgment. I want Mr. Iceberg to admit what we both know. That Blue Casino is doing something illegal.
His gaze narrows. He parts his lips to say something, and my cell phone buzzes. A half a second later Adam’s cell phone buzzes too.
He breaks eye contact and reaches in his pocket. I grab my purse and reach for my phone, because if we’re both receiving messages, it’s probably something important.
The text is from Bridget, along with a series of images. For a moment, I don’t know what I’m looking at. “Is that a cucumber…in her…? Oh. Ohhh!”
“Son. Of. A. Bitch.” Adam shoves his cell in his pocket and storms from my office.