Page 97 of I Saw You First

“Abs,” he says, “I can’t explain the missing application or why all those managers have passed on you, except that they’re idiots. This is a blip. A small stumble. Five years from now, when you look in that rearview mirror, this isn’t going to matter. Hell, you’ll probably leave us all in the dust before you know it. You’re meant for someplace better, bigger. Those other stores are too small for you, even Boston.”

“We need you here,” Eric says from behind me, and I startle. “You are not allowed to leave. I have spoken.” He salutes, grabs a tape gun from his desk, and disappears back into the warehouse bowels.

“Sam,” I say, “does this happen a lot? Rejection after rejection? I mean, I’d understand if I sucked, but I’m good at my job, and everyone seems to think so.”

He shakes his head. “It’s pretty unusual. Hometown is big on promoting from within. I do remember a few years back, this whiz kid from Mankato was trying to move up to the Cities, and his GM blocked every transfer because he didn’t want to lose him.”

“Sounds shady.”

“Yeah, that GM got demoted for it, actually.”

I chew on my bottom lip. “So, what, you think someone’s blocking me?”

He shrugs. “Anything’s possible.”

I frown and mentally compile my list of suspects: Jeremy (no, too transparent and not great in HEAS), Crystal (because she’s inherently evil), Mr. Wilshire (no, he can’t even remember my name).

Wil. The thought sends a shiver through me. I can’t imagine why he would do it, especially now that he’s moved out of the store. Unless, of course, he knows that he’ll be back at Woodlake as GM soon. Even that makes no sense. He told me that he wanted us to be together, and it would be easier if we were at different stores. But then, of course, that all changed, and I still don’t have a clear understanding of why.

“Listen,” Sam says. “Try not to worry, okay? It’s all going to work out.”

“Sure,” I say unconvincingly. “Everything’s always working out for me.”

When I walk back to the media desk, Felix is on the computer, a large bag from Einstein Bros. Bagels next to him.

“There you are!” he says. “I brought bagels for the team, to say thanks for a job well done this holiday!”

The holiday that was more than two months ago. I guess Kevin and Lavender and I won’t be getting our promised dinner out. And it’s late afternoon. By morning, when most of the team is here, the bagels will be stale.

“Wow, thanks. I’ll let them know.”

“How are things going?” he asks.

Oh, fucking great, obviously. I ignore the question, but since I have him here, ask, “Can you look into something for me? I emailed Zak a couple of days ago about a damaged listening station, and⁠—”

“Oh, didn’t you hear? Zak’s gone.”

“Gone? On vacation?”

“No, gone-gone. Kramer, too, plus a few from Kelsey’s team. The pink slips are falling from the sky like snowflakes over at corporate.” He gives me a rundown of names on the chopping block.

“What about the stores?” I ask.

He tilts his head and peers at me, eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Are the stores next? With layoffs?”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I didn’t hear anything. But I’ve been there—losing a job, I mean. I don’t want that for myself or my team.”

“It’s always a possibility,” Felix says slowly. “Between you and me, Wilshire’s hired an independent consulting firm to take a look at store-level labor models and related inefficiencies.”

“So layoffs will happen at the stores?”

“Most likely. But you don’t need to worry, Abbey.” He pats me on the head like I’m a child. “I’ve got to get to Riverview. Enjoy the bagels.”

Not long after Felix leaves, Collin, the other closer, pukes in the media warehouse and goes home, so I have to beg Crystal to find someone to cover my lunch break. Finally, she sends back Bianca, her TC, even though we close soon. I eat an already stale bagel with honey walnut cream cheese, put the rest in the fridge, and slam a Diet Coke from the vending machine.