Page 21 of An Engagement for Erica

“I’ll be here,” she said.

“And keep that smile on your face.”

Her hand started to lift and touch her lips, but she caught herself.

Not before he noticed and laughed again as he walked out of the room.

8

HE WAS IN TROUBLE

“I’m leaving,” Alice said an hour later.

“Okay,” he said. “Have a good night.”

Alice stepped forward rather than actually leaving for the day. “There is a lot of talk about the new consultant.”

“Oh?” he asked. He would open his ears to this since it wasn’t coming from Erica. “Bad things?”

“I’m not sure,” Alice said. “Do you mind?”

“Come in and have a seat.” Alice came in and took a seat across from his desk. “I hired her to try to help things. She is trustworthy. But I’d like to hear your thoughts on it.”

“I think it’s a good thing, Tucker,” Alice said. “I was close to quitting. I should tell you that.”

He sighed. Alice had only been employed for a year. It seemed his father didn’t keep assistants long. He didn’t blame them for having to work that closely with a tyrant.

“I’m glad you decided to stay,” he said.

“I had an interview the week after TC died,” Alice admitted. “They offered me the job.”

“Oh,” he said. “Can I ask why you didn’t take it?”

He would have doubled her salary if he had to to keep her at that point. She’d been invaluable to him in the short time he’d been here.

“Hope,” Alice said. “Your father wasn’t an easy man.”

He snorted. “You didn’t have to live with him as a kid.”

“I can’t even imagine. But your grandfather is a great man. He came to a lot of us and asked if we’d consider staying on before any changes were made. Told us that you weren’t anything like your father and you’d do right by us.”

He nodded, not surprised his grandfather played a part in things.

“I hope I can do that,” he said.

“You are,” Alice said. “I think it’s going to work out, but many are still going to leave. I won’t name names.”

“I don’t expect that you will,” he said. “You can’t make everyone happy. I understand that some have their minds made up and are just holding on and then will use other excuses to leave. Nothing I can do about it and I’m not going to stress.”

“You shouldn’t,” Alice said. “It’s no reflection on you.”

“Thank you for that,” he said. “I want you to know I’d be lost without you. I know you haven’t been here long, but when I’ve got questions, if you don’t know, you find it. I appreciate that.”

Alice smiled. “It’s nice to be appreciated. Sometimes kind words are all people need to hear at times.”

“I’m fully aware of that. You have a good night.”

“You too, Tucker.”

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