Page 15 of Dear Grumpy Boss

I would welcome her to the company like I would anyone else.

It was the least I could do.

The day started off wrong and had only declined from there. I rubbed my temples after hanging up from a call with one of our suppliers in California. That wasn’t something I normally had a hand in, but I had been working with this particular factory since the very beginning and refused to relinquish my personal relationships simply because my company had grown beyond what I’d projected.

But those personal relationships could be a detriment. My supplier seemed to think our business friendship meant he could delay our delivery with a simple apology and a few stuttered excuses.

No.

I let him know that was not acceptable.

We were not friends.

I would find a new supplier if this happened again.

Now, I was rubbing my temples, not understanding why it was difficult for some people to do their jobs. Why bother doing it if it’s not done correctly? I couldn’t wrap my head around shoddy workmanship in any arena, much less when millions of dollars were at stake.

Renata knocked on my open door. “West.”

“Yes?”

“You have a half hour in your schedule. You should grab lunch.”

Exhaling, I glanced at my computer screen then back to my assistant. Renata would never dream of cutting corners. That was why she still had a job.

Tapping my forehead, I remembered what I’d promised a few days ago. “Do me a favor and call Ellie. Ask her to join me for lunch.”

Renata’s brow crinkled. “I have no earthly idea who that is. Is she in your contacts?”

It wasn’t like her not to know a name. Even a new one.

“She’s our newest employee. She started on Monday. I’ve been meaning to ask her to join me for lunch all week, but…well, you know…”

She rolled her eyes. Renata was the only person who could get away with that around me—and she knew it.

“You’re too busy for your own good. Yes, I know. What I don’t know is who Ellie is. The only new employee who started this week is Lise. She works on the creative floor doing copywriting.”

My head jerked forward. “Lise?”

“Lise Levy. Is that who you mean?”

Lise. Hmmm. “Yes. She’s Elliot’s sister. She was always Ellie to me. I suppose times have changed.”

Renata didn’t move. She stared at me. I blinked back at her.

“Yes?”

She folded her arms across her chest. “You didn’t mention Mr. Levy’s sister was working here. I wonder why.”

I glared at her. She didn’t flinch. “I don’t tell you everything, Renata.”

“Yes you do,” she scoffed, waving me off. “I’ll go call Ms. Levy for you, though it would probably be nice if you did it yourself.”

In her sixties, Renata had no-nonsense, short, silver hair and an impudent regard for my authority. Ten years ago, she’d shocked me with her blunt assessments of me and how I did things. Now, I counted on her to tell me the absolute truth, even if it was a blow to my ego.

I wouldn’t say she was like a mother. She wasn’t warm and cozy enough for that … and would probably storm out if I ever implied it. Renata was the aunt who came to visit once a quarter, pointed out every one of your flaws, then gave you the building blocks to make yourself better, all while cleaning up your messes.

Needless to say, I would have been lost without her.

---