Flirting with the HR Girl

Chapter 40

Cynthia was still in the office when Jennifer returned. "I've been meaning to ask you how the policy went in orientation. Did you get any new questions?"

"No, employees not dating managers was pretty standard and since they're still allowed to date each other, no one in the room seemed to bat an eye," Jennifer said sitting down across from Cynthia at the desk.

"Good," Cynthia said starting to pack up her things. "I have to go to another store, but I'd like you to print out a handout for this store for the regular employees next week. I want the associates to know that even though their policy hasn't changed, the manager policy has."

Jennifer knew this meant that Cynthia wanted the employees to know they should be snitching on any managers who were dating. But she kept that little tidbit to herself and nodded, waiting for Cynthia to vacate the chair. She quickly sat down and logged in to get started.

"I hope your kitty gets better," Cynthia said as she slipped into her jacket. "Try to have a nice weekend. I'll be here on Monday."

"You, too," Jennifer said relieved that her boss was leaving. She could work on the handout in peace and call some of the new hires for Austin. She knew she shouldn't have offered to help him, but he had looked so sad in their meeting that she wanted to do something to help. The afternoon went by quickly and she was ecstatic to pick up Zack from the vet.

When she arrived at the animal hospital, she expected a lecture on taking better care of him. But the technician understood how tricky asthma in cats could be and took her back immediately to see her little fur baby. He was up and about, looking so excited to see her. He meowed the instant she walked into the room. Jennifer reached into the cage and pulled him out before the doctor even told her it was okay. Feeling his little warm body against her and his little heartbeat pounding against her chest, she knew that she had made the right decision. She had Zack and Kelly to keep her company until her true love could.

"Just make sure to give him his Prednisone every night at the exact same time for two weeks," the technician was telling her, and she hoped it was written down because she knew she wouldn't remember. She was so happy to have her cat back in her arms. "After that, the inflammation should be down, and his inhaler will be sufficient."

"Okay," Jennifer said still feeling guilty that she hadn't picked up the inhaler. She vowed that it would be the first thing she did the next day. She went home and brought Zack inside to the yowling happiness of Kelly. They immediately started to rub and snuggle and were so happy to see each other that it brought tears to Jennifer's eyes. She had never seen Kelly so excited. The two of them immediately started grooming each other.

Jennifer laughed and said she would give them some space. She went to the fridge and pulled out her cold pizza, eating while flipping through bad television. She spent her entire weekend this way with only a text here and there from Selena to interrupt her contentment. She had made peace with her decision and was happy that all she had to do was follow the status quo. Selena texted to say that Austin looked sad and for a moment Jennifer's heart constricted, but she pushed the thoughts of him from her mind. She told herself it was for her own good as well as his. Then Selena texted about what a butthead Todd was, and Jennifer laughed.