They stood in an awkward triangle, with Hailey’s back pressed too close to the snack machine.
Dan cast his eyes down. “So here’s the thing, Hailey. You’re a great little worker. Exceptional, in fact. You’re my poster child for how dedication and efficiency can transform a department.”
Hailey’s warning systems had already come online, but now they screamed to life like a submarine under attack in a World War II movie. Was Dan building her up to knock her down? She braced herself.
He fidgeted with his glasses. “We brought Cliff in to help, and now that he’s been here a while, I have a better understanding of the pressure the department’s been under. It’s a big workload.”
As if Hailey hadn’t been telling Dan that herself—for years!Shewas the one who’d lobbied—hard—for more inspectors. But now thatCliffwas telling him the same thing, he was all ears?
Seriously?
Dan darted Cliff a look. The two men exchanged a head bob so subtle she would have missed it if she’d squinted. Then Dan slid his eyes to the side once more. “So, effective January first, we’ll have a new full-time position that Cliff has agreed to step into. He will co-head your little office with you.” Dan finally met her gaze and offered a wobbly smile.
She blinked. Twice. “Excuse me?”
“There will be two of us running things, Hailey,” Cliff interjected, smooth as an eel’s skin. “Two heads are better than one and all that.”
Is this a joke? Am I having a dream, like the ones where I’m standing at the head of the class naked during a final and I just realized I haven’t attended a single lecture?
“I don’t understand,” she blurted. “Why do we needtwodepartment heads?” Could they do that?Whywould they do that? Who now had the final say in her office? Questions streaked through her mind like a meteor shower, and her mind spun so fast she nearly lost her balance.
Cliff patted her shoulder, and she instinctively shrugged it off. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, Hailey.” Where had she heardthatbefore? “Dan and I have all the details worked out, and I’ll fill you in next week. Why don’t you run along and enjoy the party? Forget about business for now.” There was that smile again—the one that dazzled so bright it hid all the calculations streaming behind it.
She splayed a hand across her belly as if it might settle the shrimp colliding in her stomach. “Cliff, would you give Dan and me a moment to talk privately?”
Cliff’s smile remained fastened in place as he turned toward their chief. “Dan?”
Dan cleared his throat. “I’ll join you in a minute, Cliff.”
Cliff hesitated a beat before leaving, but Hailey had to hold her tongue because a hotel guest squeezed between them to get himself a soda. He looked from Dan to Hailey. “Everybody having a good evening?”
I will be after I strangle the department head.She cinched her arms across her chest. “Everything’s peachy, thanks.”
He likely saw the steam cloud rolling off her head because he gave her a quick nod, got his drink, and hurried away.
“Dan,” she gritted out, “why wasn’t I involved in this decision? This ismydepartment and has been for far longer than Cliff’s been here.” In that moment, it smacked her that her so-called assistant was now herequal. How long before he became herboss?
“You’ll want to take that up with HR, Hailey. I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer.”
“What?You’re the head of the entire ball of wax! How are you not qualified?”
He made a calming gesture with his hands. “Please lower your voice. I can see you’re upset, but trust me when I say we felt this was the best way to help you.”
“Exactly who is ‘we’?” She was ninety-nine percent sure she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear Dan admit it.
Dan’s battleship-gray brows knotted together. “I had to consult with other budget makers so we could find the funds for this new position. And did I mention? You’re getting a five-percent bump in pay.”
Not exactly answering my question.And she already knew about the raise being handed out across the board becauseallthe county employeesknew.“Exactly how much did you ‘find’ in the way of funds?” How much was Cliff getting paid? Couldn’t that money be used to hirerealinspectors who’d pull on the latex gloves and do the actual work?
“That will be public soon, Hailey. I’m sure when things settle down, you’ll see it for the positive change it is.”
She stared him down for several beats in an impromptu game of chicken. He lost. “Dan, do you know of any job openings similar to mine in any other counties that haven’t been posted yet?”
His eyes widened behind his glasses. “I thought you loved it in Montrose. You’re doing such a great job, and you’re always saying how beautiful you find the San Juans.”
When I’mlookingat them, not driving through them in a blizzard to reach a four-block town with a population of a hundred.
“You’ve probably also heard me mention how much I’d like to get assigned to an office on the Front Range so I can be closer to my sister, like Colorado Springs or Boulder or Loveland. I would even be willing to look at something outside of public health.” She was still reeling, still processing the bombshell, and wasn’t sure if she’d stepped over the wrong line in the game of office politics, but she didn’t care.
