Page 107 of Rich and Bossy

I want to see him so bad. I knew it would be hard, but it’s excruciating. I’m afraid to call or text him. I’m afraid to do anything knowing the truth might come out and sink everything. For all I know they’ve tapped my phone lines or hacked me somehow.

It sounds paranoid, but there are billions of dollars at stake. It’ll make people do insane things.

How much worse would I feel if we were married with a child and I hadn’t seen them in weeks?

That’s what Campbell is dealing with.

I need to focus. I have a long shift ahead of me. I take a long sip from my coffee cup, grateful for the way it warms me inside. It doesn’t matter that I’ve grown up in Minneapolis. Cold is cold, and winter is hauling toward us like a freight train, plus busy season.

And it’s certainly cold in the warehouse when we make it in, but we’re all used to that by now. At least the walls block the wind on our end, not like down at the loading dock where it can shoot in around the trucks.

I greet a few people on the way in, doing what I can not to shrink away from the attention. It’s getting easier, honestly, and I don’t feel so much like I need to look over my shoulder when it happens.

People are smiling.

A few people say something to me.

“Loved what you said last night.”

“Thanks, seriously.” I nod in passing, acknowledging them so I’m not rude. Right now, I want to get to work.

I have to be insanely tedious about doing every little thing perfectly, by the company handbook.

I’m more than happy to talk about unions all day long, but I need to set an example and earn my money, too. I don’t want to give Paul or anyone at corporate a reason to write me up.

“Hazel?” I turn with a smile at the sound of my name.

“Yeah?” I turn around to the sight of one of Paul’s assistant managers.

My entire demeanor changes, but I do my best to remain respectful. “What can I do for you?” It’s not easy, but I make sure to keep my voice light and friendly.

“Mr. Morrison needs to see you in his office.”

Now, heads start turning, fast. All over, like that meerkat show when they all stop at once and pop up to look at something. There’s murmuring all around us, but he ignores it. I don’t, and I can’t. I look around, trying to smile.

No reason to worry, everything is fine.

Something feelsveryoff though.

I keep my head held high, following him to the elevator and making sure to look full of confidence. I have no doubt Paul may try to write me up for something stupid, or he’s been ordered to do whatever he can to mess with me.

He’ll probably make veiled references to how I spoke about the warehouse conditions on TV, even though I didn’t mention any specific names, because Campbell said not to.

He’s at his desk, but he doesn’t look distressed or angry or anything like that. In fact, he looks like a man prepared to share good news. He looks way too comfortable, relaxed right now.

I steel myself, remembering everything Campbell has gone over with me, for every single possible circumstance. He can’t intimidate me. He’s not allowed to, for one, by law.

“Miss Strous.” He smiles, trying to be as formal as possible. “I would ask you to take a seat, but this won’t take long. This is a very busy day.”

“I’m sure we’ll be busy on the floor, too. Holiday season coming up.” Only just now I realize I never put my coffee down, and the cup is trembling in my hand. Not from fear, but from irritation.

He’s so smug, so infuriatingly sure of himself. I can only imagine how many asses he kissed to get into this position. Not that there’s anything wrong with working hard and moving up, he’s just so smarmy, self-righteous.

“Well, for now, you don’t need to be concerned about that.” He looks like he’s trying to hold back the widest grin of all time when he turns to me. “We’re going to have to ask you to go home.”

That, I didn’t expect. I’ve never been written up. I thought maybe that’s what this would be, but I figured my direct supervisor would do something about it. Maybe it was naive of me, but they have to take steps. “I just got here.”

“Yes, but you aren’t needed for your shift today.”

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