Chapter 6 #2
“I could make better at home, and I could definitely get better at the Deli down the street, but… they’re not bad.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” I take a bite.
“You are new, then.” He easily matches my smile. “I think I would remember seeing someone like you around here.”
He’s barely spoken, and I can’t explain why talking to him makes me want to shiver—like I’m shaking off the conversation. This stranger is the first person other than Theo to give me attention all day, and I desperately want to make friends in the office. I need to be open-minded.
Or maybe there are other people I should befriend. I’ve seen a few friendly women in pretty suits, and I would rather get to know them. But it’s essential to make connections in business, so I’ll start with this guy.
“I am.” I extend a hand across the table. “I’m Evie. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Rod. Welcome to the team. What’s your position?”
“I’m Theo’s assistant.” Oh no. I’ve already slipped up. “Mr. Roche’s assistant, I mean.”
He waves a hand. “Don’t worry about it. We all call him Theo.”
Theo does seem like a casual boss, so that adds up. It also makes it a lot easier for me. Calling him Mr. Roche would be weird, considering how casual our meeting was.
“Well, it’s great to meet you.” My smile feels more forced as the seconds pass. It hasn’t been a long interaction, but it’s dragging. All I want is to eat my sandwich in peace.
His salad goes untouched. “I can see why he hired you.”
What does that mean? This guy doesn’t know me, and I don’t think he’s talking about my good work ethic or personality. The shiver returns. It runs through me, filling me with a sense of dread.
My gaze shifts to the clock on the wall. Can I pretend to have a meeting?
“O… kay…” I let out an uneven, nervous laugh. “Thanks. I think.”
“I mean it as a compliment. It’ll be nice to have someone as pretty as you around the office.”
Any response I can think of, positive or negative, floats right out of my head. The comment is harmless, right? It’s just a compliment. There’s nothing to make a big deal of. I don’t want to make enemies so soon.
I really don’t want to lose this job.
“Rod!” A booming voice comes from over my shoulder.
I don’t need to turn my head to know who it is, but his voice is louder than I’ve heard—harsher and lower. This is the voice of a boss. I’m frozen in place, even when Rod scrambles to his feet.
He looks different now—smaller, weaker, apologetic. “Hey, boss!”
“What are you two talking about?”
“I’m welcoming her to the team.”
“Uh-huh.”
I close my eyes, willing myself to disappear.
It’s not the first time someone has been inappropriate to me in the workplace, but it’s usually customers. Maybe Rod wasn’t being a creep—but he probably was. Theo seems upset; he must have overheard.
Maybe I’m overreacting, or perhaps I’m not.
I haven’t known him long, but I have a feeling it’s rare to see Theo like this. There’s a harshness to his words and a commanding tone I’m not expecting to come from him. He certainly doesn’t talk to me like that.
“Go finish lunch in your office,” Theo says. “That’s an order.”
I don’t breathe until Rod leaves and Theo takes his place in front of me. Theo’s presence is usually so casual, but it’s thunderous now. I can tell he’s trying to hold it together, but a storm crackles beneath the surface.
He’s like Everett, I guess—the protective type.
“I was going to take you to lunch,” Theo says. “There’s a place down the street. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” I shake my head and smile weakly. “The sandwich is good.”
It’s mostly uneaten. The lettuce is wilted, the tomatoes aren’t exactly ripe, and none of that matters. It’s not why I’ve lost my appetite.
Theo narrows his eyes. “Was he bothering you? You can be honest.”
“No…” I pick the lettuce off my sandwich. “He probably would have if you didn’t come by, though.”
“What an asshole.” He rubs the bridge of his nose. “Don’t worry. I’m taking this right to HR. We don’t stand for that kind of behavior here.”
“No!” I grip the edge of the table. “Please. Don’t. I don’t want to start trouble already—”
“You’re not starting trouble. This isn’t your fault.” His jaw ticks. “If he’s willing to talk like that to you, he’ll do it to anyone. This is about keeping a safe work environment for everyone.”
He’s right. I’m being selfish. “That’s true.”
“It is.” His expression softens. “Don’t worry about him. Keep learning your job and leave this to me. This is my job.”
With Theo around, eating my sandwich is a little easier—but my stomach still feels uneasy.
“I’ll introduce you to other people after lunch,” Theo says. “There are better people around than that. I promise.”
THEO
“It will be nice to have someone as pretty as you around the office.”
In any other setting, the words would be harmless. If I heard some guy saying that to Evie at a bar, I would look the other way—as long as she seemed interested. Saying that shit in my office? No way. No way in hell will he get away with it.
I’ve been in business long enough to know women are constantly mistreated. Some men have even assumed my COO, who happens to be a woman, is my assistant. I’ve fired men for the kind of comments Rod made at Evie.
And he did that shit on her first day on the job. It makes me sick.
It’s hard to keep my personal feelings out of it. Hopefully, Evie doesn’t know how hard I’m struggling to keep my cool. I want to fire the guy on the spot, but that will land me in more trouble than he’s worth.
I've mostly calmed down by the time she’s finished eating her sandwich. I have only one mission—introduce Evie to someone who isn’t a dick. If she quits because of Rod, I’ll ensure he never hears the end of it.
“This way.” I guide her through the office and knock on a glass door.
Inside sits my COO. This company wouldn’t be able to run without Christine.
She’s a genius, but that means she’s a bit of a mess, with papers scattered everywhere and her auburn hair half falling out of its updo.
Chopsticks rest delicately between her fingers, and she twirls them in her bowl before scooping the noodles into her mouth.
There’s a reason she’s eating in her office—she’s always hard at work.
Christine lifts a hand in welcome.
I open the door for Evie, who smiles sheepishly as she steps inside. She hasn’t said much since lunch.
“Are you on your break?” I ask. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt the one moment of peace you’ll have today.”
“Moment of peace? Ha! I am on my lunch break, and I’m on hold with the lumber yard.” Christine lifts a copper brow. “I’m multitasking.”
“Good for you.” I chuckle. “We won’t take long. I wanted to introduce my new assistant. This is Evie.”
“Hi!” Evie bounces on the balls of her feet. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Christine crosses the room to shake Evie’s hand. “It’s good to meet you, too. I’m so relieved we could find someone on such late notice.”
And she knows I’ll be relieved, too.
“Christine handles the day-to-day,” I say. “She’s more important to the business than me—or anyone.”
“Oh, stop it.” Christine rolls her eyes. “You’re a flatterer. Isn’t he a flatterer?”
“He is.” Evie giggles. “He’s always doing that.”
I click my tongue. “I can’t believe you two are ganging up on me already.”
Static fills the air, and the elevator music that’s been playing stops. “Hello?” someone asks. “Are you still on the line?”
Christine’s eyes widen. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I have to take this. You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear those crunchy words.”
“No problem,” I say. “We have a tour to continue.”
“I’m here!” Christine calls loudly, scrambling to her desk. “Don’t hang up.”
Evie is already in higher spirits when we leave the office, which was my intention. She’s been around me all day, and the second person she met was a slime ball. I want to show her safe people, people I know I can trust—like Christine.
“She’s so cool!” Evie gushes once we’re outside.
“She is. We’ve been working together for about a decade now.”
“Wow…”
She would be a good mentor for Evie, but I keep the thought to myself and continue showing her around. She’ll meet everyone by the end of the day—and hopefully, with me introducing them, they’ll know to respect her.
They should give her respect automatically, but if they don’t, I’ll make damn sure that they will.