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“Financially, it doesn’t make sense to keep all this.” Charlie gestured to indicate the expanse of the office. Justin’s desk only took up one-quarter of the space, if that. The rest was wasted on a lounge area with a sofa and a conference table she didn’t think he ever used.
Brooke knew exactly why Justin was resisting, and it had nothing to do with where he worked every day. This office was a status symbol. It established him as a successful business leader at the peak of his career. Anyone who visited this office knew right away that this man was on top.
It was the exact attitude she’d been talking about when she’d advised him to find a little humility. If he refused to give up this office, it would be the type of behavior that would hurt him moving forward.
“You’re too far from your team,” Brooke blurted.
She had both Charlie’s and Justin’s attention immediately. That put pressure on Brooke to flesh out this idea that had just popped up.
She set her planner on her lap and folded her hands over each other to hold her pen in place on top of it. “There are only thirty-five of us now. Having you way up here makes no sense. By getting rid of this and moving downstairs with your employees, you’ll send the message that we’re all working together. It makes total sense.”
In other words, nobody could possibly see it as a failure if he was doing it for good reason. Instead, he’d be seen as a guy who was committed to whatever it took to make this business work.
“I think we should move everyone into the HR area on the second floor,” Charlie said. “We have this view, plus there’s an office in the corner that would be perfect. It has a door and everything.”
Justin narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re talking about your office, aren’t you?”
“I don’t need a door anymore. It’s all about teamwork.”
Brooke watched Charlie out of the corner of her eye. She liked this woman. She’d felt intimidated at first, but the fact that she was willing to give up her office… This was the humility she was trying to describe to Justin. Maybe it would be contagious.
“I suppose I should change my flight from first class to coach.”
“Yes,” both Charlie and Brooke said at the same time.
Justin sighed. “Okay, give me a little time to adjust. At least a day or two. A week ago, I was making reservations at Baumé and now I’m having to think about every dollar I spend.”
“Just here,” Charlie said. “You can still spend big in your personal life.”
He smiled, and Brooke was struck, yet again, by how his face transformed when he smiled. Maybe it was his dimples. Or maybe it was the way his eyes lit up. It was a complete change from the exhaustion she saw in his expression when he wasn’t smiling.
Without warning, Charlie hopped up. “Staff meeting, ten minutes.”
This time, Brooke resisted the urge to panic. Things were changing on a dime around here, and she had to figure out a way to keep up. Even if the spontaneity had her frazzled, she couldn’t let it show. She had to look like she had it together at all times.
“Brooke, could I speak with you a moment? Charlie, we’ll be right there.”
Again, she tried to keep it cool. She returned to her seat, pen poised over her planner, sure he was about to give her something she needed to write down. This time, she’d be fully prepared.
“Thank you for all this. I know it’s been a bit…overwhelming, but I need all the help I can get right now.”
Brooke nodded. She hated to put pressure on herself, but this was her big moment. If she succeeded in helping Justin, maybe this company would start growing and she’d be at the top.
“That branding thing you mentioned.” He leaned forward, as though doing so would keep anyone else in the world from overhearing. Like they were sharing some big secret. “I’m going to need that.”
“Of course. I’ll send some emails out and make a few calls after our staff meeting. I think I can get you coverage in at least a few local media outlets by the end of the week.”
“No, not that. I mean, that’s great.” He stood and started pacing. He looked stressed. More stressed than he’d been Friday when he’d been tasked with firing a bunch of people. She didn’t know what to make of that. “I’m talking about everywhere, even here. I need help making sure my team doesn’t see me as a…what did you call it? Douchebag?”
She gasped. “No. I didn’t call you a douchebag. I called your friends douchebags. Not your friends, I mean… You know, the people you try to impress. And that was before I knew I was speaking to you rather thanaboutyou.”
Now she was rambling. Could shebeany more obvious that she was completely humiliated by the fact that she’d called the CEO’s friends douchebags to his face?
He stopped and placed his hands on his desk, leaning on his palms. “Let’s pretend someone called me a douchebag because, really, that’s what I am. If ‘douchebag’ refers to someone who takes private planes to conferences—”
“Helicopters,” she corrected.
“If the people in that room think I’m one ofthoseguys, what can I do to change their minds?”
