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Gramps wasn’t wrong when he said that, but there was a problem.
Who was I outside of the office? It’d been years since I’d done anything but work, and the past two years especially had been nothing but a grind to show the noisy people in this company that I’d earnt my place in this office.
“Yo.” Harvey strolled into my office, pushed the door shut, and threw himself down on the sofa with a grin. “What’s so important that you’ve called me over here when I’m so busy?”
Yes. He was so busy he could waltz up here on a whim.
I rested my elbows on the desk and looked over at him, bringing my hands together in the prayer position in front of my face. “Am I a bad boss, Harv?”
He blinked at me, and for a moment, I saw a flash of familial resemblance with Chloe. “I think ‘bad’ is subjective.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
He rubbed his fingers across his jaw. “You can be a bit hard sometimes, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I’m sure half the PR department would say I’m an arsehole, too.”
“Yes, but do any of your staff have you down in their phone as ‘The Bastard?’”
“Ha. You saw that?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t want to face Chloe’s wrath. Plus, it’s funny.” He shrugged. “Why are you so suddenly insecure? Is it because of this trip you’re both going on?”
I paused. “Do you know why she wants to resign so badly?”
“I’ve asked, but she wouldn’t give me a reason other than she wanted to do something else, but she does complain about you bugging her outside of working hours a lot.”
“So, I am a bad boss.”
“Well, not really. She says herself it’s not like she doesn’t get paid well for it, and she often had to help your grandfather out outside of office hours. Not as much as your demanding self, though.”
“Absolutely nothing you just said is an argument against me being a bad boss.” I sighed and dropped my hands to the desk. “If I become a better boss, do you think she’ll still leave me?”
He laughed, throwing his arm across the back of the sofa. “Man, you really don’t want to lose her, do you? Is this just about her being your secretary or is there more to it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“So, it is.”
It was irritating how well he knew me.
“I can’t believe she agreed to go on this trip with you. What was she tempted by?”
“My grandfather abusing his authority to accept her resignation,” I grumbled.
Harvey’s jaw dropped. “No way. She’s actually willing to spend six weeks with you on the other side of the country just to get her resignation accepted? Mate, you could probably offer her ownership of a private island somewhere nice, and she still wouldn’t stay as your secretary.”
“Harvey.”
“Yes, sir?”
“You’re not helping. Go back to your own office.”
He laughed, throwing his hands up. “You’re the one who brought me here. This could have been an email, you know.”
It was a conversation that should have stayed in my head, never mind gone in an email.
“You know, if you’re that serious about becoming a better boss, it’s pretty simple to do. All you have to do is give them a compliment every now and then.”
