A Bargain with the Boss

“We paid him.”

“He didn’t do it for the money. And he didn’t do it to save the company. He has pride, Dixon. He had purpose. We won back half the clients and we signed up some more. He worked eighteen-hour days, threw his heart and soul into making sure the company didn’t fail while you were off sailing. He hunted far and wide to get Gena and Samuel. Yes, they’re both young. But they’re well educated. They have some experience. And they’re bringing new energy to the company. And that’s thanks to Tuck, who was thrown in here without a lifeline.”

Amber stopped talking. As she did, the magnitude of her outburst hit her.

“Amber?” Dixon began, clearly baffled by her behavior.

She was instantly overcome with regret. She knew she was about to get fired by the third Tucker Transportation owner. It was going to be a clean sweep.

“Yes,” she said in a small voice.

“Did something happen between you and Tuck?”

She ignored the personal implication of the question. “I got to know him.” It was an honest answer.

“You got to know him well?” Dixon was watching her carefully.

“Better than before. When he first showed up, I thought the same thing you obviously do—that he was a lazy playboy who was going to fall flat on his face and wouldn’t even know it when he did. I wouldn’t even help him. I mean, I helped him, of course. But I wasn’t going the extra mile like I might have been. But then I saw how hard he worked. He truly was dedicated. And I started to understand that he hadn’t chosen to stay away—your father had barred him entry.”

“He has an office,” said Dixon.

“That’s what I said. And he does. But nobody wants him. He understands that full well.”

“Amber?”

“What?”

Her fear was gone. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen. But she wasn’t about to turn her back on Tuck. He’d worked hard and she wouldn’t pretend that he hadn’t, even to please Dixon.

“That wasn’t my question.”

She hesitated. “I know.”

“What happened between the two of you?”

“Nothing.”

Dixon waited, looking unconvinced.

“Okay, something,” she said. “But it’s over and done.”

Silence settled thick in the air, but she refused to break it. She’d already said too much.

Dixon went first. “Are you in love with Tuck?”

She felt the world shift beneath her feet. “No.”

She couldn’t be. She wouldn’t be. She’d made mistakes with Tuck, but she wouldn’t make that one.

“I’m sorry,” said Dixon.

“For what?” Was she about to be fired after all?

“That Tuck hurt you.”

“He didn’t hurt me.”

And if he had, she’d get over it. She’d seen what falling for the wrong man could do, would do. She wasn’t going to do that to herself.

Dixon gave a considered nod. “Okay. Tell me what else you know about Samuel.”

“Why?”

“Because you just made an impassioned plea on his behalf. Do you want to drop the ball now?”

She didn’t. “He works well with Hope. And I respect Hope. She has her finger on the pulse of social media.”

“You think we need social media?”

“That’s like asking if you need telephones or computers. Yes, you need social media. Your father might not have seen it, but you need to think about the next twenty years, not the past twenty years.”

“I’ll give it some thought,” he said.

She couldn’t quite let it go. “It meaning social media, or keeping Samuel?”

Dixon coughed out a chuckle. “You know, Tuck went to great lengths to impress upon me how loyal you were to me. But what I’m seeing right now is how loyal you are to him.”

“I’m not loyal to Tuck.”

“Okay.”

“I’m only being fair to him.”

“Then, I’ll be fair to you.”

She swallowed. “You won’t fire me?”

Dixon looked puzzled. “Fire you for what?”

“Insubordination.”

“Is that a euphemism for offering your opinion?”

“In this case, it means offering my opinion forcefully and without provocation.”

“That’s not what I meant, but you’re not fired, Amber. I’d hire fifty of you if I could.”