The Reluctant Heiress (A Christian Romance Novel)

Chapter 10: On the Move

Telly attended the morning formation of the staff to their surprise as she had not done this for two weeks. She looked at them in the eye as the manager told them the highlights of the happenings for the day and the week.

The two staff who gave their resignation letters were there and she did not waste any time to talk to them. Very briefly though. She just pointblank asked them individually what the matter was.

After that, she spoke with the Accounts department about the supplier who called her.

And then she called in Don and talked to him about the declining sales.

After lunch, she spoke with the two managers who were obviously at odds with each others.

At the end of the day, she spoke with Greg.

"Wow, you've been running around the whole day, I could not even catch up with you for some signatures!" Greg teased her when they finally got the chance to sit down together.

She was thinking and suddenly blurted out. "Some things don't add up!"

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"I spoke with each one of them. With all of them. Someone must be telling a lie or this company is really in trouble," she answered cryptically.

"About the two managers? Oh, don't mind them! That's normal!"

"Well, not only that. This resignations. This supplier. The sales! That is unacceptable! The way people are looking at me. The ambiance has changed. Have you not noticed?" she questioned him.

"Whoa! Whoa! I think you're reading way too much Telly," he said trying to calm her down. "All these issues are common issues. Sometimes, Accounts department miss on payments. And resignations? These are just staff, we can replace them easily. And the sales? Well, it's only a month, so don't be too alarmed."

Was she really just being too sensitive? Was she really reading way too much? Don said the same thing to her. He was as calm as ever. And when she mentioned working on weekends, Don calmly told her not to worry too much, and that things are in control. She wanted to believe him.

"Maybe I am overreacting," she finally said sighing a deep breath. She was thinking. And thinking. She needed to know what was really happening. "Can you leave me for a minute. I'll call you back."

Greg left her office, a bit confused, but still understanding her need for space and time with her own thoughts.

Telly opened her laptop, and started to write something. One of her plans. As soon as she finished, she printed it out. 

"Greg, come on in," she said as she called him on his phone extension.

"Done with your thoughts?" he asked as he came back in to her office.

She sighed as she looked on her table, on the tons of documents that needed her signature. Under that was a resume of an applicant. "Here, a friend of Dad gave this to me. He said he would really be grateful if we can find a position for her daughter, even if only on weekends. So anything would be fine."

Greg took the resume from her and scanned the document. "Well, an answer to one of our problems!"

"But he said that if at all possible, she will only take in cash," Telly informed him. "Off the record. He is one of those friends of dad who have made bad decisions in life. They must be drawing disability already so they can't be paid check or be in our roster. I don't know. Just take care of that and I don't need to interview her, right?"

"Oh yeah, no worries Telly," Greg responded. "I will take care of this."

"I know I can always count on you," she smiled at him.

"Thanks!" he replied. "Uhmm..."

"This is not the time to uhmmm Greg," she said. "What is it?"

"Uhm, D-o do you want to go out after this, you know, breath some fresh air, besides the hotel air?"

He looked so cute, like a high school boy asking her for prom night. His deep blue eyes was more obvious this time because of his blue long sleeves, and it seemed like drowning her like a huge ocean.

"You know what?" she answered anti-climatically and Greg leaned over waiting for the rest of her answer, smiling. "Maybe I do need some fresh air." She winked at him.

He smiled, trying hard to keep himself from shouting. "I'll see you then in a few."

"Go! So I can finish all these works you gave me!" she said smiling and pointing to all the documents on her desk.

Greg walked away smiling and and did a silent 'yes' motion which he didn't know Telly saw. He knew the best place to suggest for tonight, and he hoped she would agree with him. 

Telly didn't know why she said yes. But maybe because, like what her dad said, she always wanted to know for herself. Maybe when she get to know him more and when the mystery is gone and familiarity slips in, all these little flutters in her heart would fade away. Maybe. Big maybe.

At around 4:30pm, Greg and Telly stepped out of the hotel and headed to the city.

Hotel de Lavi was OTP so going into the city was against the infamous Atlanta traffic. But when you are going out on a 'date', at least in the mind of Greg it was a date, the heavier the traffic, the better. The longer time together in the car, the better.

Telly was a bit anxious going out for the first time with a guy in her hometown.

Was it because he was her staff? Or she was afraid they'd bump into somebody they know? Was it because she's used to with dating guys from NY and she really did not know how to handle Atlantans?

Or, simply because she's a girl with a guy that, she had to admit, makes her heart skip a bit?

&&&&&&Author's Note&&&&&&&&&

Ohhhh, office romance! I don't know how you feel about it. And how about a boss and your staff? It's more complicated! 

(photo credit: AZmedia.com)