Big Ben

14. Changes

I got to work Friday morning a few minutes before 7:00. I hurried to my cubicle and got logged in to my PC and started working.

Around 9:00, I headed to the trucker's lounge to give some paperwork to one of the drivers. As I walked back to my cubicle, I noticed a group of three men enter the building. I recognized one of them was the owner of the company, 'Ace' Sinclair.

Not an hour later, we were all told there was a mandatory staff meeting and we were to report to the warehouse floor outside the trucker's lounge immediately.

"What's going on?" Mona asked me as we walked back to the warehouse.

I shrugged. I was feeling really nervous. All of the employees that were in the building gathered on the floor.

Ace stood in front of the crowd and greeted us. "Hey, everyone. It's good to see you all again. I'm gonna make this brief since I know you got work to do. Joe Boothe has left the company to pursue other career opportunities."

We all looked at each other, shocked and surprised.

"Warehouse manager Cole Ford will replace him, effective immediately."

Everyone was stunned as Cole moved out from the employees to stand next to Ace. Ace then went on to announce other changes. They were eliminating the warehouse manager position, but leaving the current assistant warehouse manager. He and a newly created assistant logistics manager would report to Cole.

Cole told everyone that he hoped that we would give him our support and he looked forward to the challenge of the new position.

As we all returned to work, everyone was murmuring and talking amongst themselves about the changes. Mona asked me what I thought happened to Boothe.

"It sounds like he got fired," I whispered.

I had just settled down at my desk when Cole Ford stopped in and asked to see me. I followed him into Mr. Boothe's old office. Ace Sinclair was sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk and I started to panic.

The only thing I could think was, 'Oh my god. I'm being fired.'

Ace stood and shook my hand. "It's good to see you again, Benji."

Cole sat down at his new desk.

Ace continued. "I understand that you and Joe Boothe had some issues in the past."

"Yes, sir," I said and swallowed nervously.

Ace pulled some papers out of a file folder.

"It seems that in your upcoming annual review, you were given an unsatisfactory rating in every category. He recommended that you be terminated."

I looked down at the floor and braced myself. I would not cry in front of Ace and Cole.

"After speaking with Cole and some of the other employees, this review doesn't seem to match up with what I've heard about you. Nor does it match up with your previous annual reviews. Given the reasons for Boothe's termination, which I will not discuss, I tend not to trust his judgment."

Ace ripped the review in half and tossed it into the garbage.

"Benji, as I discussed in the meeting, we are changing the management structure. Cole and I have talked about potential candidates for the assistant logistics manager position and your name was one that came up more than once."

I was shocked. "Uh, thank you, sir."

"So, what do you say?"

I looked between Ace and Cole.

"I'm offering you the assistant logistics manager position, Benji."

My mouth dropped open, but I quickly recovered. "I'm honored, sir. But, before I accept... Um... I should tell you that I am dating another employee..."

"We're aware of that, Benji," Cole said. "It's not a problem."

"Then I accept. I promise, you won't be disappointed."

We stood and I shook Ace's hand, then shook Cole's hand. I walked out of the office with a big smile on my face.

***

I was sitting at my desk that afternoon when I heard the clopping of cowboy boots approaching. I swung around in my chair and my face lit up as I watched my man strutting up to my cubicle. His snug jeans showed off his big package. He had shaved his beard, leaving only a horseshoe moustache behind. I looked him up and down as he walked towards me. He looked like a hot biker and I instantly got hard in my pants. He stepped into my cubicle and I jumped up and hugged him without thinking. He bent down and kissed me. I blushed as he leaned against my desk.

"Miss me, baby?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yeah. Lots," I breathed. "I'm so glad you're home."

"Me too. I need a fucking shower bad."

His armpits were stained with sweat and I leaned in and smelled him.

"Mmm. Sexy," I whispered.

"You are bad," he laughed.

"And I like your moustache," I told him. "It's sexy."

I stood up on my tip toes and gave him a quick kiss.

Ben chuckled. "You're playful, today."

"You missed all of the excitement," I said quietly. "Mr. Boothe got fired. They promoted Cole and he's gonna be over the new logistics assistant manager and the warehouse assistant manager. Guess who the new logistics assistant manager is?"

"Carl?"

"No," I laughed. "Me!"

Ben bent down and kissed me and hugged me.

"Congratulations, baby. I am so proud of you. No one deserves it more than you do."

He gave me another kiss, then gave me his paperwork and I sat back down in my chair and checked it out and updated the computer records.

I looked back at him and he had a smug, self-satisfied look on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothin'."

"Did you have something to do with Boothe getting fired?"

"You like Chinese food, don't you?" he asked as he ignored my question.

I narrowed my eyes at him and nodded.

"Good," he said. "Let's just go home and order Chinese and stay in tonight. I'll see you in about an hour."

I pulled his keys out of my pocket and held them out to him.

"Those are yours," he said and turned around and walked away. I watched his butt as he walked down the hall. As he turned the corner, he looked at me and smirked, knowing that I was watching him. I looked at the truck and house keys and smiled and put them back into my pocket.