Page 32 of Indecent Secrets

“That’d be great, let me get you my email…”

With Bill’s resume in hand—figuratively speaking—I rode the elevator up and made my way straight to Jack’s office. As I’d suspected, he was already pulled into a meeting somewhere.

I went into his office anyway, forwarding him Bill’s resume and then typing up the ideas that I had to dismantle the company and slipping them into the list of the other ideas I’d been given by the various employees.

My prediction was that it would take Rebecca ten minutes to interrupt me and suggest I shouldn’t be in here. To her credit, it took her twelve. She must be feeling generous.

“Leigh, right?” Rebecca smiled at me. Jealous or not, she didn’t show it. She looked perfectly polite. “I’m not sure you should be in here while Mr. Lawton is out. Perhaps you’d like to use the open common area? Or one of our empty offices? I could set you up…”

“You’re very kind, Rebecca, but I’m fine here.” I smiled at her. “If Jack has a problem with it I’m sure he’ll bring it up with me.”

Rebecca’s lips pursed momentarily. I kept the smile on my face, then adopted a pensive look. “Rebecca, why are you just a secretary here?”

A startled look passed across her features. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I was looking at employee records like Mr. Lawton asked…”

She immediately frowned. “Why is he looking into employee records?”

I winced, like I’d let something slip. “It’s nothing. He just wants to get the lay of the land, so to speak.”

Rebecca’s eyes narrowed. “Is he downsizing?”

“What?” I made my voice go up a few notes to make me sound like I was lying. “Why would you…”

“I know your type. You’re going to tell him to downsize in order to save the company.” Her lips pursed in irritation. “That’s the opposite of what we need right now.”

It was very, very hard to hold in my smirk. “Well, if you have suggestions on what needs to be done, I suggest you tell Jack. I’m sure he’d be happy to hear what you have to say. And it might finally get you out of the secretary job. I think you could serve the company well in a higher-up position. Your employee record shows many years here as a personal assistant to various executives. You should’ve been moved to a management position ages ago.”

Rebecca blinked, apparently stunned by my encouragement. “Well. Thank you. I… well. Mr. Lawton is wonderful. His uncle was… old fashioned.”

“I’ve heard stories,” I said dryly.

“Sometimes,” Rebecca lowered her voice, “I think he dated men simply because he hated women so much.”

I snorted in amusement, then quickly covered my mouth. “Sorry, sorry, it’s not funny.”

“It kind of is, though.”

I laughed. “It is.”

Rebecca smiled at me, then sobered up again. “You’re not going to downsize this company. I’m going to speak to Mr. Lawton about it.”

“Of course. I’m sure he’ll take what you say into consideration. He’s very egalitarian that way.”

Rebecca nodded shortly, then hurried out of the room. I finally allowed myself to grin.

Downsizing would actually be a strong possibility to save the company. It would allow them more freedom to pivot and rearrange things as they pushed forward with a new vision. But Rebecca, and many others, would object to the loss of jobs. She’d now argue that there should be expansion in the company—that Jack should take on a bunch of new projects while promoting and hiring.

I could practically hear her voice in my head: It’ll really make your mark on the company and show you’re a strong leader who’s not afraid to make bold choices.

Once Jack was in over his head with overspending, trying to do too much at once, and the company finances in the red, my suggestions to dismantle the whole thing and go back to his peaceful former life would spring to mind.

And he’d be ready to listen.

Chapter 13

Bryce

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