Page 70 of An Engagement for Erica

“I’m not sure,” she said. “I’m not one for telling my sister about a few dates.”

“Is that all that it is?” he asked softly.

“No,” she said. “But she’ll have a lot of questions.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re used to evading questions when you want to.”

“I am,” she said, snorting. “Maybe I’ll tell her tonight.”

“Or not,” he said. “I can see it on your face.”

“It bothers you,” she said. “I’m sorry about that.”

“I’m not sure what it does. And probably best not to talk about it. Let’s get back to work.”

It seemed to him she was more comfortable dealing with that.

“I don’t have my report in front of me. I can go get my computer. I just realized I left it in the car.”

“You know what it says,” he said. “Just give me a summary and email it to me.”

“The floor staff are still frustrated over a lot of things. A lot of them want more money but understand it might not happen. They are pleased about the bonus to volunteers to take more hours. The same with the referral bonus. Have you noticed an increase in applications?”

“Yes,” he said. “HR told me they’ve hired several positions and have more interviews set up. So I’m sure that is causing people who like the bonus to work OT to be pissed if those hours aren’t there.”

She laughed. “There is always something for people to complain about. You know that.”

“What else?”

“This is silly and the first it’s come up, but it’s good to talk to all levels when not many employers do. It’s an easy fix to make them happy.”

“But something my father obviously didn’t do if he even knew about it?” he asked.

“Many said he did know. They want better vending machines down there. They said the ones there have stale food and crappy soft drinks.”

Tucker snorted. “That’s an easy fix. Just get a new vendor,” he said.

“Exactly. Not sure the reason it wasn’t done. There might have been a rumor that the one you use was a friend of your father.”

“Not my problem or concern,” he said. “That can be fixed almost immediately. What else?”

“I think that will make many happy. Others said it’d be nice to not have to pay for coffee in the break room. I know it’s probably a big expense to have it there. Right now there are several machines that have pods in them. Staff bring their own in.”

“Those pods are wasteful and more so with that many people. There is no reason we can’t get a bigger industrial machine and ground coffee. It’s a cost, but if it makes them happy and keeps the night crew happy and awake, I’m all for it.”

“You can do all you want, but I wouldn’t advise you meet all their demands. Then they will start to think they can get what they want all the time.”

He laughed and reached for another slice of pizza. “I have no intention of meeting them all, but those two are simple enough. The bonuses were to not feel as if I was forcing staff to work when I needed them to be here.”

“Agreed. But it ruffled feathers with the office staff.”

“And you never make everyone happy,” he said. “My father made everyone miserable.”

“It sounds it,” she said.

“I found something out,” he said. He wasn’t sure if he should say this, but he could trust her.

“What’s that?”

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