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“Don’t cry,” he said quickly. “I’m not sure what your position is or what your name is, but I’m only axing a few people and seeing as only one is female and she’s over fifty, you’re safe.”
“You’re axing Dora?” Those perfect bow lips wavered and wobbled and two huge crystal tears trickled down her too pale cheeks. “Why? She’s been with this place forever. She’s barely making ends meet as is. She’s supporting her granddaughter because her mother couldn’t cope with having a kid and ran off and left her behind. She’s been doing it for three years. Angie’s only six.” She finally stopped to take a breath. She swallowed hard to compose herself and damn him, she’d struck him speechless.
He had no choice but to pull out one of the fossil-like chairs and sink down across the table from her. She slayed him with those wet lashes and that dimple he noticed in her left cheek and with her quivering lips that looked far, far too soft and tempting.
God damn her.
He should fire her on the spot just for existing.
Was that too harsh? Should she pay for all the sins of the gold diggers from his past? Yeah. Probably not fair of him at all. She seemed nice. Here she was, defending someone he wanted to fire, crying over it.
She was probably just overly sensitive.
Or putting on a hell of a show.
Women, in his experience, were all pretty damn good actresses.
“Okay.” Ross gave his head a literal shake. He didn’t give two shits how stupid it looked. “This is not personal. It’s a business decision. I know it’s hard to let go, especially when you’ve built relationships over the years-”
“No!”
He was right. The woman, who was beautiful at peace, transformed into a raging, fiery goddess of vengeance when provoked. Shit on a stick, she’s so much more incredible than I thought she’d be. He did his best to fight the raging hard-on testing the durability of his suit. He hoped like hell those seams had been sewn well.
“No?”
“No! You can’t do that. You can’t just come in here and fire people willy-nilly as you see fit.”
“Last time I checked, I could. I’m the owner now,” he deadpanned. Which was exactly the wrong move.
“You’re a real bastard to think that just because you bought this company, you’ve bought us. You’d be lucky if any of us stay on when we find out about who is being forced to leave. I’ll personally make sure that you don’t have a single person left in this office to train any new staff you might send down here, if you fire Dora. I’ll personally see to it that the community who has always supported us, the artisans, the people who roll through this town, everyone on this side of the country, I’ll make sure that the word gets out that people should boycott this place since it’s heartless and doesn’t believe in giving back to the community who has always supported it. I’ll make sure that your name, Ross Day, that’s right, I know who you are, becomes mud.”
Ross slowly crossed his arm. His suit jacket creaked with the movement. He hated suits. Hated them with a passion, but there was the look the part dress the part shit that he felt the need to abide by. “Don’t worry. You’re not the first person who has threatened me over the years. I’m sorry. I have to make cuts. It’s a business decision. I have people that know my company who have to come in and replace those in upper-management and accounting positions. Those jobs are redundant. I don’t have time to do months and months of re-training.”
Those gorgeous green eyes narrowed dangerously, and the woman’s full lips thinned into what he could only term a snarl. “Oh really? Redundant? I’ll show you redundant! We’ll see how you do when the entire world is against you and your shelves are empty. The reason this place flourished is… well- you don’t even half understand the meaning of family. But then again, I guess you wouldn’t. All you care about is profit. It’s just business to you? We’re people. People make a business what it is. Enjoy not making any profit from now on. I’ll make it my life mission to see this store close.”
Okay. So, there wasn’t anything like a good old threat from a pissed off nameless employee that Ross just happened to want to ask out and bang senseless after a good wining and dining. Consequences, broken hearts, and gold digging be damned.
“You said you didn’t know my name.” The woman’s lips pursed, and she’d probably be even more pissed if she knew how damn temping she looked at the moment, all lively and revved up and raging. “It’s Teela McDaniels. I’ve done reception here for a very long time. People tell me I’m the backbone, the person who holds everything up behind the scenes. I promise you, I’ll bring it all down.”
