“Now, let’s see…” I set my coffee on my desk and walk over to them. “Maria, are you spreading rumors?”
“No,” she says.
The brunette with the round face and big blue eyes, Sharon, huffs, folding her arms. “She’s lying
.”
“Sharon,” I interject, using my softest voice possible to ensure no one’s hackles get up. “You’ll have your time to talk. Please respect Maria’s time.”
The look she gives me basically tells me to go fuck myself. Which I pointedly ignore, because truthfully, I don’t really care about workplace drama. I’ll referee it. I’ll also be the big bad bitch, because I’d rather be that than the topic of discussion at the watercooler.
I focus solely on Sharon, noting her scowl. “Maria says she isn’t spreading rumors. Unless you have a recording of her doing so, we have no way to prove otherwise.” I see a little twinkle of vindictiveness in Sharon’s eyes. Clearly, I’ve given her a plan for the future. “So,” I say to Maria, “we would offer you a stern warning to remind you that we do not tolerate bullying here at Bennett.”
“Yes, of course,” Maria says.
Honestly, I get the feeling she’s the one telling the truth. But I’m not here to make those kind of assumptions. I’m here to ensure that this ridiculousness stops and the higher-ups don’t need to get involved. None of us want that type of hell to rain down on us. Something these three don’t realize, apparently.
To Sharon, I smile my most professional smile. “Are there any other problems that need discussing?”
“No.” Sharon lifts her chin, all but flipping me off. “At least now I know what to do if it happens again.”
I want to roll my eyes, but of course I don’t. “Great. Please feel free to come back and discuss this again if you need to.” I give them all a gentle smile. “Minus the yelling, if possible.”
Sharon spins on her heels and charges out of my office.
“Thank you,” says Maria, and she leaves, too.
Malcolm gives me a high five, his cute blue eyes twinkling. “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how a pro does it.”
I laugh as he exits my office because I suspect that he’ll compliment me until he’s blue in the face as long as he doesn’t have to deal with office politics. I spin on my heels and return to my desk just as a soft knock comes on my door.
“Um, excuse me, are you Taylor Erickson?”
My heart skips a beat. A reporter? “Yes,” I say hesitantly.
“Oh, hi.” The young brunette, dressed in a stylish yellow dress and white cardigan, gives a bright smile. “I’m your eleven o’clock interview.”
I blink, then nearly laugh at myself for being so foolish. “Yes, yes, I’m sorry. Please come in.” I move around my desk, meeting her halfway, and shake her hand. “Sorry. You’re…” Dammit, Sharon and Maria made me unprepared.
“Hannah Harper,” she says, handing me a copy of her resume.
I don’t need it. I have a copy on my desk, but I like that she’s prepared, unlike me. “It’s nice to meet you, Hannah.” I wave at the chair in front of my desk. “Please take a seat.”
Once she does, I return to my desk and sit down, giving her a look without making it seem like I’m examining her. She’s young, probably nineteen at most, with gorgeous long dark hair. Her age concerns me. I’m expecting another Sally Higgins disaster when I ask her, “Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?”
She crosses her ankles, placing her hands on her lap. “I’m a bookworm, who also loves sports. I think that’s the best way to describe me.”
I’m beginning to like her. She’s not a party girl, clearly not another Sally. I examine her resume, looking over all the major points. “I see here that you interned at Holt Enterprises”—Micah’s company—“for a time.”
“Yes, my high school required we do that for one of our credits.”
“Ah, I see.” I smile, peeking at her, waiting for her to say, It’s you. She thankfully doesn’t. And by the way she’s blankly watching me, she has no idea who I am. “Might I ask what happened with the internship?” Usually they lead to a job, so I’m curious.
She shrugs. “To be perfectly honest, I want to work for a company that hopefully I can move up at. With Holt, the position they offered me just didn’t leave room for advancement.”
“So, you turned it down?”
She nods. “I did.”