Alphahole (Alphahole Roommates 1)

“This is awful. You must think I’m such a slacker.”

He chuckles, but doesn’t correct me.

“I thought you all were just letting me get adjusted. I’ve been getting acquainted with all the tools, going through reports. Look.”

I quickly click through folders on my desktop to show him I’ve actually been working the past two days, not just sitting here ignoring emails.

“No. We needed you here to hit the ground running. That was why we brought you here so quickly. Talk to IT, make sure things are all good. Ask them why that happened, and get yourself another coffee and just get through them one at a time. Mine first.” He winks.

I’m Miss Efficient. I always have been. I can’t believe this shit.

The only person I’ve had emails from are Alice and the marketing intern.

Why on earth are everyone else’s emails going into Spam?

Ugh.

“Don’t stress.” He smiles.

Yeah, that’s coming from the guy who is firing everyone in my old office for being non-performers. And easy for him to say now with me looking like a slacker. A slacker who shows up late and doesn’t read her emails. Ugh.

At least he saw they were in my spam folder, sees I have a defense.

Now, more than ever, I need to prove myself here.

Dreams of life in San Diego are feeling like they’re about to evaporate into a puff of smoke.

It’s like I jinxed myself by changing my profile on Facebook last night.

God.

I call the internal help desk and tell them my problem. The helpdesk guy tells me he’ll be at my desk within ten minutes.

Meanwhile, I start reading through the emails. A lot of them were just me being cc’d, thankfully. A few of them were important, though. Mr. C asked some information about my old job, which I answer quickly.

The ones from Aiden are curt.

“Action this”

“Stacy, go over this w/Carly. Get her up to speed.”

“Carly, Look @ this Franklin stuff & get me info on how we can do better than them @ this.”

“Fresh coffee?” Ally pops her head in.

“I can’t get away right now,” I whisper.

“I heard. Down it, sister.” She jerks her chin toward my cup.

I down it.

“Give it,” she reaches.

I hand her the empty cup.

She returns two minutes later with the cup, two granola bars, and a banana.

“Eat. Work. I’ll bring you lunch.”