until
you’re asked to work. Any questions?”
The usual suspects piped up to ask things they should’ve had
the answers to during their first week of employment. Spencer fielded the
inquiries with remarkable aplomb, but the minute Kelly indicated she wanted to
speak, his shoulders stiffened.
“Kelly,” he said tightly.
Clearly she’d worn out her welcome for taking the floor.
“I’m available for whatever overtime is necessary,” she said
in her sweetest voice, well aware of the tittering around them. Yanking
Spencer’s chain made any name-calling worth it. “The store’s my first
priority.”
“Don’t think that’s your first,” Tony muttered, eliciting a
chuckle from his ever-present pal Cale.
Kelly’s eyes narrowed. All at once she knew, just knew, her
PDA hadn’t simply been misplaced. They—or one of their cronies—had read her
personal information before passing it around. She was the biggest joke in the
store.
Shame burned her cheeks as she looked away. Why had she ever
made a list about something so private? She might as well have begged for
public humiliation.
“Tony, do you have something to say?”
Spencer’s sharp question grabbed her attention. If she
hadn’t seen it herself, Kelly never would’ve believed the glower Spencer aimed
at Tony.
“If so,” he continued, “I’d be happy to arrange a meeting.
Actually, I’d relish it. Your shift ends at five today, correct?”
Tony crossed his arms over his chest, his snigger
disappearing. “No, I’m finished.”
“Glad to hear it. And Mr. Griggs’ insubordination brings me
to the last reason for this meeting today. Causing trouble and spreading
gossip.” Spencer surveyed each of the employees in turn. “Some would say
there’s no stopping it, that any company has its share of troublemakers and
that’s just the way things are. Surprise, that’s not the way things are run
here. If you have a problem treating your fellow employees with respect, I
understand and will expect your resignation on my desk by close of business
today.”
His cold gaze swept the crowd. “Any questions?”
Chapter Six
The room remained blessedly silent. Since Kelly had taken a
sudden interest in the conference table, she didn’t see if anyone was looking
at her. Right now none of that mattered.
The only thing she cared about was her PDA. Did Tony or
Cale—so much for them being her friends—still have it? Or had they passed it on
to other employees?
Or —her head snapped up as the room started to
empty—did Spencer have it? Had he seen her list?
Oh God, had he seen his placement on her list?
She didn’t move as everyone filed out and the door thudded
shut. Why not make it really obvious she wanted to talk to Spencer privately?
She wondered what the chances were that her staying behind had been unnoticed.
Slim, meet none.
He dropped into the chair beside her. He didn’t speak, just
rested his hands on his stomach and waited.
“You have my PDA, don’t you?”
Something about the way he looked at her confirmed her
suspicions. She swore she could feel her skin blanch. How freaking
embarrassing.
“Don’t you?” she repeated. She didn’t know if it was pity or
sympathy she read in his eyes but both emotions were unfamiliar and unwelcome.
“Did you lose it?”
“No.” She swore under her breath. “Fine, maybe I did. I
don’t know. But I definitely didn’t intend for it to be passed around.” Her
eyes grew hot and she bit her lip, hard. “It contains personal stuff. Private
things I don’t want anyone to see.”
“Too late,” he said, his terse response momentarily stifling
her urge to snap at him. “Do you have my car?”
“It’s in the parking lot. Where else would it be? I left the
keys in the inbox on your door as soon as I got in this morning.”
“You borrowed it without permission.”
How did he do that so effortlessly? Somehow he knew just how
to switch gears so she stopped feeling depressed. “I
you’re asked to work. Any questions?”
The usual suspects piped up to ask things they should’ve had
the answers to during their first week of employment. Spencer fielded the
inquiries with remarkable aplomb, but the minute Kelly indicated she wanted to
speak, his shoulders stiffened.
“Kelly,” he said tightly.
Clearly she’d worn out her welcome for taking the floor.
“I’m available for whatever overtime is necessary,” she said
in her sweetest voice, well aware of the tittering around them. Yanking
Spencer’s chain made any name-calling worth it. “The store’s my first
priority.”
“Don’t think that’s your first,” Tony muttered, eliciting a
chuckle from his ever-present pal Cale.
Kelly’s eyes narrowed. All at once she knew, just knew, her
PDA hadn’t simply been misplaced. They—or one of their cronies—had read her
personal information before passing it around. She was the biggest joke in the
store.
Shame burned her cheeks as she looked away. Why had she ever
made a list about something so private? She might as well have begged for
public humiliation.
“Tony, do you have something to say?”
Spencer’s sharp question grabbed her attention. If she
hadn’t seen it herself, Kelly never would’ve believed the glower Spencer aimed
at Tony.
“If so,” he continued, “I’d be happy to arrange a meeting.
Actually, I’d relish it. Your shift ends at five today, correct?”
Tony crossed his arms over his chest, his snigger
disappearing. “No, I’m finished.”
“Glad to hear it. And Mr. Griggs’ insubordination brings me
to the last reason for this meeting today. Causing trouble and spreading
gossip.” Spencer surveyed each of the employees in turn. “Some would say
there’s no stopping it, that any company has its share of troublemakers and
that’s just the way things are. Surprise, that’s not the way things are run
here. If you have a problem treating your fellow employees with respect, I
understand and will expect your resignation on my desk by close of business
today.”
His cold gaze swept the crowd. “Any questions?”
Chapter Six
The room remained blessedly silent. Since Kelly had taken a
sudden interest in the conference table, she didn’t see if anyone was looking
at her. Right now none of that mattered.
The only thing she cared about was her PDA. Did Tony or
Cale—so much for them being her friends—still have it? Or had they passed it on
to other employees?
Or —her head snapped up as the room started to
empty—did Spencer have it? Had he seen her list?
Oh God, had he seen his placement on her list?
She didn’t move as everyone filed out and the door thudded
shut. Why not make it really obvious she wanted to talk to Spencer privately?
She wondered what the chances were that her staying behind had been unnoticed.
Slim, meet none.
He dropped into the chair beside her. He didn’t speak, just
rested his hands on his stomach and waited.
“You have my PDA, don’t you?”
Something about the way he looked at her confirmed her
suspicions. She swore she could feel her skin blanch. How freaking
embarrassing.
“Don’t you?” she repeated. She didn’t know if it was pity or
sympathy she read in his eyes but both emotions were unfamiliar and unwelcome.
“Did you lose it?”
“No.” She swore under her breath. “Fine, maybe I did. I
don’t know. But I definitely didn’t intend for it to be passed around.” Her
eyes grew hot and she bit her lip, hard. “It contains personal stuff. Private
things I don’t want anyone to see.”
“Too late,” he said, his terse response momentarily stifling
her urge to snap at him. “Do you have my car?”
“It’s in the parking lot. Where else would it be? I left the
keys in the inbox on your door as soon as I got in this morning.”
“You borrowed it without permission.”
How did he do that so effortlessly? Somehow he knew just how
to switch gears so she stopped feeling depressed. “I
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