Janice steps out of the doorway and extends her arm as if to say, “right this way,” as if I don’t know where the HR offices are.
My foot breaks the plane of the doorway and I immediately notice something is off. My eyes dart from cubicle to cubicle. I can’t see over the tops, but I can see the ones that open up to my passageway. As I pass they’re empty. I look towards the open room and see they’re empty too. I look up at the clock on the wall and see it’s barely 4:32. No one is allowed to leave early, unless maybe they allowed it since we just finished a grueling month end accounting close. Actually it was a quarterly close requiring a lot of hard work so maybe they are showing some generosity. I smile hoping my people skills have softened up Carson into wanting to reward the finance and accounting teams.
That idea, and the smile on my face, are quickly wiped away the minute I see two long faces inside the HR room. They’re looking straight out, with a paper on the desk in front of them, facing my way. There’s a pen next to it, and in big bold letters against the top reads: SEVERANCE AGREEMENT.
CHAPTER 15
Amelia
One fucking week! They offer me one fucking week after three years of service to the company? I’m crying before I even get to the elevator. The severance contract is wadded up and in my purse.
Some asshole had the nerve to slide into my office and grab my personal belongings behind my back right after I walked out. All my stuff was waiting on a table on the way to the elevator just thirty seconds after they delivered the news. They had it all coordinated like some sort of SWAT team.
How do I know? Because thirty seconds is all the longer I stayed in there after they dropped their bomb on me. A couple head nods and I was out. No words. No nothing.
They don’t deserve it from me after the way they treated me.
And Carson. What the fuck?
Where is he in all this? I wake up this morning feeling protected and perfect and now I feel used and abused. It’s like he threw me to the wolves, if he wasn’t the wolf himself.
He signs off on everything so he must have known this was coming. What an asshole! He gave me the ultimate night of pleasure before taking that knife and sticking it right in my back, and twisting it for good measure.
I finally find the guy I really care for and now this. “Fuck!” I yell in the elevator. I don’t know if they have cameras in here or not. Right now I don’t care.
Carson sure gave me a climax all right. My first and my last. “What a dick!”
I pull my phone out and the minute the door opens on the first floor I press speed dial number one.
“We’re sorry. The number you’re trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service.”
“Fuck you too, bitch! Electronic robot asshole, not even a real woman!”
How cold can the world be right now? I spoke too soon when I walk out and feel the raindrops on my head.
It doesn’t rain in L.A.! What in the hell is going on?
I shake my head and stomp my foot. Oh my god! I’m wet for no reason! I push my way back inside the elevator and past the guard.
“Ma’am, once you leave the—”
“Leave me alone!” I growl and he takes a step back.
I enter the elevator and press the button for the downstairs parking garage. My car’s still there from a couple nights ago.
The button opens and I dig for my ticket. “Get it here in thirty seconds and I’ll give you fifty bucks,” I say to the attendant who sprints off like a cheetah.
I’m tapping my foot and staring at my watch. “Isn’t fifty bucks enough these days?” I say realizing it’s already been a minute.
The kid turns the corner of cars in a sprint, running up to me.
“I’m really sorry, ma’am. We seem to have misplaced your car.”
“How do you misplace a car!”
“I’ll find it right now,” he says, ducking into his tiny room.
Seconds later he reemerges handing me a piece of paper, that read’s Tom’s Towing.
“I’m really sorry, but your car was towed this afternoon.”
“Towed?”
He points to the sign that reads; Cars left over 48 hours will be towed. Please see attendant.
“Cars left over 48 hours are towed,” he says.
My mouth drops open, but somehow I restrain from saying what I want to say. No shit, Sherlock! I can read!
“You towed my car?”
“I’m really sorry.”
“This whole place is sorry,” I say stuffing the card in my purse and huffing my way back to the elevator. I press the button, and it’s already gone. Now I have to stand here in the garage, without my car, waiting on the damn elevator like a fool…scratch that a fired, unemployed fool…carless fool…until the elevator comes all the way back down.
It’s fitting that I’m underground because I feel like, look like, and am in…hell.
CHAPTER 16
Amelia
Three hours later I walk in my front door. I’m wet, tired, heartbroken, and every other type of miserable a woman can be.
And since when can someone basically steal your car from your place of work, where you’ve been parking it every day in the same spot for three years, and then charge you five hundred and ninety seven dollars to give it back to you? And of course that’s after waiting in line for two hours, after you take a cab to the scariest part of town only to be scared some more by two ferocious junkyard dogs.
When it rains it pours, and it’s pouring.
I wish I never met that stupid jerk.
I fall into my couch and the tears come right back, but this time there’s no stopping them. I’m drenching my couch and I don’t even care. I need a good cry right now and nothing’s going to stop me. I need it more than a warm shower, and I’m already shivering.
But what I really want are some answers. What in the hell is going on? Why did he suddenly disappear? Why did he use me like that?
I bet he does that every time he comes into a new company.
Find the lonely, naive girl and screw her brains out for a week or two and then take off like nothing ever happened. No wonder he didn’t go after someone like Shari. She’s a professional just like him. In a city full of actors, he deserves the Academy Award.
The award for Best Asshole goes to…Carson Cash! He wouldn’t even look surprised when he accepted it, because he knows what a jerk he is. Oh me? Really? I would have never thought. Thank you. Thank you so much!
Prick.
I visualize the scenario playing out and suddenly I’m laughing hysterically. I have no idea why, but I need it. I feel a little better already and I rise up off the couch, as my boobies are hurting from lying face down on my stomach.
I go to the kitchen and pour a glass of wine, which I tip back like it’s a shot.
Time for a shower. At least my tears will wash away down the drain…joining the downward spiral of my so-called life.
CHAPTER 17
Amelia
The doorbell rings and I drag myself from the couch.
I open it and can’t believe who’s standing there.
“Don’t you have any shame?”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re coming here now?”
“But ma’am, if you don’t act now you could miss out on this incredible, limited time offer of a breathtaking time share in Mexico.”
“Leave,” I say shutting the door in the salesman’s face. How are they allowed to knock so late?
The doorbell rings again right away.
“What?” I say opening it.
“Your Szechuan chicken ma’am.”
“Oh sorry,” I say digging into my purse and paying the delivery guy.
He goes to leave but I’m still staring at him waiting for him to realize what’s missing.
“Have a nice night.”
“No fortune cookie?”
“We stopped doing those last year. We got sued when someone misinterpreted one
as a negative omen.”
“A negative omen?”
“Beats me. Sorry, have to run.”
I shut the door and head back to the couch.
I get a proper fork from the kitchen and plop down ready to gorge on Chinese food followed by a night of movies.
I lift the food to my mouth, finally feeling like the day is about to end and I can finally think clearly and put the puzzle pieces together.
Ring.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say.
I set my bowl down and huff and puff to the door.
“Yessss…”
I open the door, but the third time is definitely not the charm.
“Your fortune cookie says things are looking up.”
“Really, that’s funny, because they sure seem to be washing down the drain like everything else today.”
“That’s one thing I’ve learned from years of experience. Things are often not what they seem.”
“Ummm, yeah! You can say that again. I though I met a great guy, but boy was I ever wrong,” I say.
“Can I come in?”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“They wanted me to fire the whole department, Amelia. I refused.”
“Didn’t look like you refused by the time I got fired. Let’s see. It was a ghost town by then, and you were the one brought in to restructure the entire place. You’re the numbers guy. Tell me how your story adds up.”
“I was looking through the books all week. I figured it out this morning right before I walked into the meeting. They’d ask me to fire everyone, and then they’d fire me. They’d report the quarterly close numbers with an incredibly reduced headcount. That would convince the investors they wanted to sell to that the company was profitable.”
“What?”
“They fired you last right? Probably just after you finished your report? They were waiting on you to finish that report, or at least get it close enough where they could put on the final touches. They were going to take that report, remove all the staff salaries and expenses, and then present it to the board of the company that made them the offer.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Because they’re looking for a quick sale. A fire sale if you will. The other company would agree and then arrive to find they bought a company with no finance and accounting employees.”
“Is that legal?”
“Depends on the wording of the contract. More like immoral, unless the other company had their own staff they were going to merge into the new.”
“What can we do?”
“Nothing. I made some calls and found out the deal’s already complete.”
“So everyone loses their jobs.”
“Everyone lost their jobs, yes.”
“That’s what I said.”
“But you haven’t heard what I have to say.”
“I’m listening.”
He pauses, looking deep in my eyes as a smile overtakes his previously somber face.
“I’ve been watching you. Watching how you work with people. Watching how you manage them. They respond to you. You showed me it’s not always all about coming in like a bull in a china shop and causing destruction and chaos. The shock and awe technique is the way of the past. The future of business is in understanding emotional intelligence. Workers are a lot more productive when they’re entrusted with responsibility and the freedom to make decisions on their own. If you allow them room to fail, they actually perform better. They don’t feel like they’re walking on pins and needles and can be more creative which leads to better long term profits, benefiting everyone.”
“That’s great that you’re experiencing a spiritual enlightenment moment in regards to business, but that doesn’t help me and everyone else who just got fired today.”
“Actually it does.”
“You could have fooled me.”
“The only fool is your old company.”
“How so?”
“They’re fools for letting you go, and treating you the way they did.”
I exhale, waiting for him to get to the point or get off my front steps.
“You probably tried to call me today after you got the bad news. Am I right?”
I don’t say anything at first, but he waits me out. “Maybe,” I say, trying to maintain what little dignity I have left after today.
“They took my phone. It was a company phone and I had to give it back immediately. I realized I never gave you my other number and your number was stored in that phone. It was synced to my old computer, which they also took. I had no way to get in touch with you other than coming here.”
“You sure took your time.”
“It did take some time, yes. I’m sorry about that, but I think I have a fairly decent reason why.”
“I’d like to hear it.”
“You know it takes a long time to form a company in California. All the paperwork that’s required. All the attorneys have to get involved. It’s really a mess.”
“So.”
“I made a bunch of calls. Got an entirely new company established in one day. It’s complete and ready to go tomorrow.”
“Congratulations. You’re off on your next project while I’m here on the couch hunting for a new job.”
“No you’re not. You’re going to join me. You’re going to be my partner, and we’re going to bring in your old team. Financial services are all the rage in all the BRIC countries.”
“BRIC countries?”
“Brazil, Russia, India, and China. We’ll start lining up the deals tomorrow and fly out to meet our new partners.”
“What?”
“We’ll provide financial services for large multinationals in those emerging markets. We’re going global.”
“So you’re telling me that you knew they were going to fire everyone, so you refused and then spent your day running around setting up a new company which will rehire everyone tomorrow morning?”
“We can start tonight if you want.”
“I think I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
“We’ll travel the world together, make money together, and continue to grow as a team…in business and in life.”
“I figured you were half way to St. Tropez by now.”
“Not without you. Never without you.”
“What about my old boss?”
“You don’t have to bring her if you don’t want. You’re in charge of the people. You’re better at that than me. I’ll watch you and learn to improve in that area, and I can show you some higher-level business stuff that you may not have had exposure to. You’ll certainly meet an entirely different group of people and learn how to negotiate and structure deals in the process.”
“But I’m not good at that kind of stuff.”
“That’s why you’ll be at my side, watching and learning, just like I’ll be doing right by your side. Just like the old Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.”
“How appropriate,” I say looking at my bowl of food on the table. I can’t help it anymore, as a smile overtakes my face.
“Like I said, your fortune cookie says things are looking up.”
“You’re my good fortune.”
“And you’re my cookie.”
“You and me. Whaddaya say?”
CHAPTER 18
Amelia
“Yes! I say yes!”
Just when I lost all hope, this incredible man goes and saves the best for last. Not only is he going to surprise me, but surprise a whole group of other people come morning, but tonight we have each other.
We really were yin and yang. I was young and more emotional. Sometimes those emotions helped me to understand and work with people, but they also caused me to lose my temper with him, and plenty of other people today.
He’s older and more experienced. His lack of emotion helped us all as he looked at the situation very stoically and got to work on the solution immediately. Only a man with experience
and a cool head could have done that. He was my rock.
Cocky CFO: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 21) Page 6
