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Caroline sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Folding up the paper, she stuck it under her keyboard, then she grabbed the inventory list off the printer. It was Tuesday, so at least she'd have the joys of inventory to keep her occupied until closing. She'd start in the secret booze room and work her way forward.
About an hour later in the main bar's storage closet, she was digging through a case of Chivas Regal 14 Year, looking for what she hoped was a misplaced bottle of Chivas 18, when her cell phone rang. Reading the display, she saw it was an unknown number.
“Hello?”
“Hi. May I speak with Caroline Lundquist?”
“This is Caroline,” she answered carefully.
“Hi there. Kathleen Church. I got your message. How can I help you?”
Abandoning the paperwork, Caroline left the supply closet. “I'm sorry. I'm just heading back to my office. It'll only take me a moment. I was calling because, um. I had some questions about the piece you wrote on the restaurant recently.”
“Okay. Sure. I'm a little confused, though. Normally I only get phone calls when it's a bad review,” Kathleen answered.
“I'm sorry to bother you. I just wanted to verify some of the quotes. Did Magnus really tell you that he helped me with the drink menu? He said the flavors were uninspired?”
“I thought that was a little bit harsh when he said it, but the quote is accurate. He was a little distracted. He kept checking his phone for messages, and he had a work call during the interview. Maybe that's what it was,” Kathleen said kindly.
“Maybe,” Caroline answered doubtfully.
“I have the tapes if you'd like to hear them. I recorded the whole interview.”
“No, that won't be necessary,” Caroline assured her, her heart dropping.
“Are you saying that what he told me was untrue?” she asked, her voice perking up. “Would you like to share your side of the story for the readers?”
“Not at all.”
“Well. I hope I didn't get him in trouble,” Kathleen said. Then she amended herself. “Actually I kind of do. He was a little bit of scumbag. At the end of the interview, he hit on me. He's a good looking guy, so I was kind of flattered.”
“Did he?” Caroline asked, the blood in her veins turning to pure ice.
“Then he told me I was much thinner than his girlfriend. I have no idea who this poor woman is, but what a thing to say!”
Caroline asked, her face flushing. “That's really interesting because I'm his girlfriend. Or I was. He seriously said that to you?”
“Shit! I'm so sorry! I never would have shared that with you if I'd realized,” she said, her voice apologetic. “But he did. Ugh. What a creep!”
“Yep,” she agreed. “Thanks for talking with me. I need to go now. Bye.”
Caroline hung up the phone and slumped down in her desk chair. How the fuck could she have been so wrong about him?
She took a shuddering breath and got up. On autopilot she walked down the hall to Lilly's office and knocked on the door when she saw Lilly was alone. “I just talked to the reporter. She confirmed the quotes and even offered to let me listen to the tape.”
“Shit.”
“It gets worse. Apparently at the end of the interview he hit on her. He apparently told her that she was much thinner than his girlfriend. I swear to god, I'm going to punch him in the face, Lilly.”
“Can I punch him in the balls? Please let me punch him in the balls for you!”
“Get in line,” Caroline said sarcastically. “How could I have been so freaking wrong about him, Lilly? Fuck. I need to find a new place to live now. And get my stuff from his place.”
“Take the day,” Lilly said. “Go get your stuff, work out your housing situation. I'm outraged on your behalf, but please don't confront him at work about this.”
She winced. “Ugh. God no. I would never do that. I've embarrassed myself enough over this. Are you sure the bar will be okay?”
“It's fine. I promise you. Go. Get your stuff. Get started on the whole apartment thing.”
