Page 126 of As The Shifter World Turns

TIME TO MAKE THE CALL

Ryder

“I’ll be deciding on second interviews by the end of the week. You’ll hear from me either way.” I outstretched my arm to shake the poor guy’s hand.

He didn’t have a shot at the job. He was worse than the last guy and he was pretty horrible. In fact they all had been awful and I had a lot of applicants. The job paid decently and the requirements were not overly intense.

I was just picky.

People at Sunshine Manor probably thought I just hired anyone and that Ivor got the job because I wanted him. And it was true, I did want him. But that wasn’t why I hired him. I mean, I probably would’ve hired him for something when he was so down on his luck, but it would’ve been a made up job that was just me helping him out. And he had needed a job, any job when I offered it to him. That was true, but the job I hired him for, that one I was picky about, Ivor filled it beautifully.

Our friends—his friends, too—loved him, but they didn’t see how gifted he was at multitasking. He could manage the office better than I could. I didn’t have to worry when I was out. Ivor had everything under control and without being stressed to the point he was going to burn out and leave like the three people before him.

I needed to find another Ivor, one who didn’t hate me.

Wanted: Someone as amazing as Ivor. Must be able to master all the office tasks, juggle them like they were a circus performer with twenty rings in the air, and not think I’m the second shittiest person on the planet. Apply in person.

“Pretty sure that wouldn’t work.”

What I really needed to do was suck it up and call Ivor, beg him to come back and offer him extra money and the promise of staying out of his hair.

But really, was the last part possible? His job required communicating with me on a regular basis. That was hard to do when the person you are working with broke your heart and as much as I hated Kellan, it was me who did that.

I gave him the reasons to believe that Kellan’s lies were possible. Me. When he needed it most, I didn’t alpha up and show him that he mattered above all others.

This was all on me.

I took out my phone and pulled up Ivor’s contact information. He had blocked me. It didn’t work anymore, but I couldn’t bring myself to delete it.

Scrolling up, I found Daire’s name and called.

“Ryder? Did you butt dial me?” It was a fair question. We were text only friends most of the time. In fact most of my friends were. I kind of hated talking on the phone.

“I need your help.”

“Nope.” He popped the p. “I am not getting in the middle of shit between you and your omegas. Don’t even ask.”

Your omegas.They weren’t mine. He had to know that, but also I needed his help and couldn’t chance pissing him off by arguing about it. Some things just weren’t worth it.

“This isn’t about that.” Not directly, anyway. “Can you come by the office and help me? I need to hire someone and I hate them all.”

“Then put another solicitation out there.” That sounded much more sensible than it was in practice. I was coming to the conclusion it wasn’t just the applicants that were the problem. It was me.

“Please?”

“Fine, but you’re buying me a muffin from the place across the street. Go get it now before they run out. Blueberry or chocolate chip and for the love of Pete, don’t bring me one of those full of seed good for you ones as a substitute. I think I still have one in my teeth somewhere.”

I agreed and ran across the street, buying him one of every kind.

When he showed up and looked at everyone and the notes I took on the interviews, he removed two from the pile and wrote all the rest of their names on a piece of paper and put them in a mug.

“Pick one and that’s your new employee.”

“I could’ve done that.” I rolled my eyes.

“But you didn’t.”

He was right. I didn’t and his plan was better than the one I had, which would’ve destroyed me emotionally and resulted in the office still being employee-less .

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