Page 20 of The Boss
I wasn’t stupid enough to think that my employees didn’t gossip about each other and about me, and while I’d been angry enough to hear what Flora had said about me, her talking about Ashlee had been too much. I’d known women who used sex to get what they wanted. In fact, pretty much every woman I’d ever met was that way. But Ashlee wasn’t. Anyone who’d ever had a conversation with her could see that she was a hard worker who’d never take shortcuts, let alone use sex to manipulate.
There were limits as to what I could do, but I planned on doing what I could. I sent off the emails I needed to answer and finished up the last things I needed to do, then let my receptionist know that I’d be leaving. Anything important could be sent to my cell.
I could have waited until Flora came back on Monday to call her into my office, but I didn’t want her in my building again. I didn’t want her spreading that shit around anymore. I couldn’t stop her from talking to her friends outside of this building, but I could control her presence here, and I intended to do it.
I pulled up her file and put her address into my phone. It was time to pay Flora Watts a visit and terminate her employment.
I stared out the window as my driver dealt with the traffic. I hated this time of the year. Sometimes we had sun and warmth, but most of the time, the weather was dreary and wet, hovering at a temperature that could be snow one minute and rain the next. Today was rain, melting away the last bit of snow and slush that had come in last week’s storm. It was supposed to freeze overnight, but then temperatures would be going up, though not too much. That would be good for the event this weekend. Too cold and people would stay home. Too warm and people wouldn’t want to be indoors.
I didn’t need to wonder if Stu or Suzie had seen the weather. They kept three or four weather sites running in the background on their desktops and on their laptops just so they’d never be caught unaware. Granted, weather prediction wasn’t always accurate, but it was better than nothing.
“Do you want me to find a place to park, Mr. Lexington?”
I saw the apartment building in front of us and glanced at the clock. He’d made good time. “I shouldn’t be long.”
“I’ll circle the block then,” he said as he pulled up to the curb.
I nodded and stepped out into the rain. I pressed the button next to Watts, rolling my eyes at the sugar-sweet voice that came over the intercom as soon as I said my name. I didn’t bother with the elevator, jogging up the stairs to reach the second floor. I headed down the hall, wondering what Flora was thinking. I’d simply given my name, not why I was here. Going to someone’s house to fire them wasn’t exactly normal, but she’d almost sounded happy that it was me.
Maybe she thought I was coming over to offer her the same thing she’d accused me of offering to Ashlee. My gut said if I did tell her I’d end her suspension in exchange for sex, she’d accept. Everything I’d learned about Flora over the last two days told me she was going after Ashlee because she was jealous. I didn’t know for certain that her jealousy extended to me, but my gut said Flora was the sort of petty person who’d always think she was entitled to whatever she wanted, and if anyone else had more, she despised them for it.
She opened her door before I even knocked, and judging by what she was wearing and how out of breath she was, she’d changed her clothes and then run for the door. Unless she always lounged around her house in a mini skirt and halter top.
“Mr. Lexington, please come in.” She gave me what I supposed she meant to be a seductive smile. “Or should I call you Nate?”
“This won’t take long.” I ignored her question and tapped the video icon on my cell phone. “First, I need to make you aware that I’m videotaping this conversation.” Her gaze dropped to my hand, but she didn’t say anything. “And second, after conducting an inquiry into some work behavior that went against company guidelines, I’m here to inform you that your suspension has become a termination.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?”
“You’re fired, Ms. Watts,” I said. “Your things will be shipped to you, and you shouldn’t expect a letter of recommendation from me.”
“You can’t do that!” she sputtered.
I didn’t bother to dignify that with a response. I turned and walked back down the stairs while she cursed at me. Even as I tapped the phone’s screen to end the video, I didn’t care. She was done. Security had an email telling them to keep an eye out for her, and her badge had been deactivated.
One problem taken care of.
Now, I just had my ‘date’ to look forward to.
Thirteen
Ashlee
I’d thoughtthat meeting Nate at Manhattan Records before the event would make this feel like less of a date. I’d also assumed that it’d make me less nervous because I’d be able to psych myself up on the way. I was also thinking that the less time the two of us spent just the two of us, the better. I’d had lots of thoughts.
I hadn’t, however, thought that taking the subway in a dress and heels would be so problematic. I wasn’t wearing anything expensive, but the floor-length, off-the-shoulder dress was far from work wardrobe. For my ride home, I’d have to either call a cab or see if Nate could take me. I wasn’t getting harassed or anything, but I doubted I’d feel like standing in these heels on the way home. And there was no way I was going to sit in this dress. I may have found it at a thrift store, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t the nicest dress I owned.
By the time I reached Manhattan Records, I was shivering, my thin wrap not doing much to keep out the March wind. Despite that, the moment I stepped into the lobby, Nate frowned, and I was tempted to turn right around and go back to my apartment.
Then he shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and draped it over my shoulders. “Did you walk here?”
I shook my head, snuggling into the thick material’s warmth. “Took the subway. It was a little chillier than I’d imagined.”
“I would have sent a car,” he said, sounding annoyed. “Or I could’ve just picked you up at your place.”
“I’ll take you up on that for the homeward journey,” I said. “I’ve learned my lesson.”
Heat flared in his eyes. “Have you now?”
