Vanessa pushed her fork around her salad bowl. She wished now that she’d ordered both salads to go. She looked up to hail Lisa over to get another box, but Mike was standing there.
“So, you work for AGC.” Mike cocked his head.
“I do.”
“Why didn’t you mention that before?”
“You didn’t ask. We were having chicken stew and watching a football game.”
He gazed almost right through her.
“Didn’t quite tell the truth, though, did you? Visiting your cousin?”
“I wasn’t trying to hide the fact I worked for AGC. Believe me, I am quite aware that half the town knows my every move.”
“You avoided the layoff question last night. Then today you laid off two of the best employees. Good people who have put their life into that company.”
“Those were not layoffs. I offered those two longtime employees very nice packages. There’s no guarantee what would happen down the road. I promise you I did what I thought was best. I’ve seen situations where people with that many years of dedicated service get practically overlooked. This was something I had in my power, and budget, to do. They made out much better by taking those packages now, rather than waiting to see what the future holds.”
“So, you think you did them a favor?”
“I’ve seen the graying workforce get caught in the restacking of talent when factories are updated, or roles are changed, and it’s not always pretty. I’m not saying it’s fair… it’s just what happens.”
“I’m sure you believe that company line too.” He dug his hands into his pockets. “Did you really give them any choice?”
“Of course. There’s always a choice. You can’t make someone do something they don’t want to do. I discussed the package with them. It was their choice entirely.”
“I see.” But his expression said otherwise.
“Believe me, they were compensated very well for their contributions.” She pulled her lips together, sorry she’d let him bait her into a discussion about it. “I don’t owe you an explanation.” She picked up her bag and walked out of the diner. Her heart pounded as she walked down the street.
Adrenaline pushed her along. She didn’t bother to call Jimmy for a ride, instead walking all the way back to the warehouse, and wearing a blister on the back of her left foot.
When she got inside the apartment, she took her shoes off and then put the salad in the refrigerator.
What was it about this town that had made her break every one of her own rules? She shouldn’t have engaged with Mike. It would take a miracle to keep things moving smoothly if the gossip went wild.
First, no Paris. No fancy Christmas town and probably no bonus after the worst assignment ever. If folks around here dug their heels in, she’d never pull this off by the first of the year.
Her cheeks stung as her body adjusted to the warm room. She made a hot cup of tea, then pulled the quilt from the bed and wrapped up in it on the couch. Walking had been a stupididea, but Mike had really gotten under her skin. With each sip of tea, she yearned for answers.
She was too embarrassed to call Anna and admit to the chaos she was creating already. Buck’s comments hadn’t helped either, but his words, honest and patient, kept haunting her. She didn’t want to be the domino that disrupted life in this small town. There had to be an answer. Something that worked for everyone. Something she could be proud of.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Unlike last Thanksgiving, this year the weather was mild enough for Mike to walk over to Lilene’s for Thanksgiving dinner. Ever since Olivia had passed, Lilene had insisted he and Misty spend the holiday with her family, and they’d done it ever since.
He carried a box containing his homemade deviled eggs, as had become tradition, and a bottle of wine he’d been given as a gift. This year Misty had gone skiing with her friends. It was lonely without her. Probably the first of many changes to come now that she was driving.
As he walked up to Lilene and Norman’s house, Mike thought of when he’d been a kid and trick-or-treated the white Cape Cod with navy-blue shutters. The cool house on the block, they’d always given out the full-size candy bars. Norman was much older than Mike, but they’d become good friends over the last few years.
Mike knocked on the door, the scent of sage, turkey, and home cooking making his stomach growl.
Lilene opened the door wearing an apron with a stressed-out turkey on the front andTOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSEDunderneath it. She pulled him inside. “Hey Mike. I was afraid when Misty decided to go skiing with the other kids that you’d bail too.”
“No way. Happy Thanksgiving.” He gave her a quick hug. “You know me better than that. I wouldn’t miss a home-cooked meal from you.”
“You always say that, but I know you’re really here for the desserts.”
