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But I wasn’t.
“Oh no,” I said to Kai. “Is someone in your family sick?”
“Someone isalwayssick,” Sandra whined. “Our chef missed all last week with strep throat. Everyone has excuses. He doesn’t need his voice to poach an egg.”
I kept my eyes intently on Kai. Partly because I was goading him to clap back at Sandra Trout… and partly because I wanted to know if the cancer story was true after all.
“It’s my mother,” he finally said.
“Oh? Is she all right?”
“Lung cancer, I’m afraid. Her prognosis is good.”
“Oh my God,” I said, resisting the urge to touch him. I had only just met him thirty seconds ago, after all. “I’m so sorry. I hope she has a full recovery.”
He gave me a small smile. “That’s kind of you to say.”
“My first husband had cancer,” Sandra interrupted impatiently. “A few treatments and surgeries and he was fine. Cancer isn’t a big deal nowadays. Just keep it to yourself and do your job, am I right?”
She glanced at Michael for confirmation. He looked uncomfortable. “Shall we step into Ms. Hanover’s office?”
The room was cramped with four of us, but Michael remained standing so the other two could sit across from me. Kai’s emerald gaze moved around the room, studying the details. Noticing every photograph and item. I couldn’t blame him. With him sitting across from me, I felt like I was meeting Superman’s alter ego.
“The November grant cycle,” Sandra said. “We have a long list of charities to receive grants. Kai has all of the details.”
“Of course,” I said diplomatically. “I’ll add them to my list. We should have them sent out by the end of next week.”
“Not next week,” Sandra said simply. “Allison always had it done within a day.”
I knew that this woman wielded immense power over me and the foundation. I had heard horror stories about the things she did to people who crossed her. But after the way she flippantly blamed Kai for taking time off to visit his sick mother? I took great pleasure in saying what I said next.
“We have over a hundred grant requests awaiting processing,” I said with a too-sweet smile. “Of course we have to process those first.”
“Allison always prioritized mine,” Sandra said, a little more forcefully this time.
“We have a process to follow when it comes to processing grants.” I laughed. “A process for our process! Isn’t that funny? But no, we always do them in order of when they are received. First in, first out. Some of these were submitted to us weeks ago.”
Sandra abruptly seemed to realize I wasn’t going to give her what she wanted. “Yes, but my grants—”
“A week isn’t long!” I said happily. “I promise they’ll get done next week, long before the holidays.”
“Next week should be fine,” Kai told his boss. “Most of them won’t even use the funds until after Thanksgiving, so—”
Sandra cut him off with a raised palm. “You’re my assistant. I’m the one who decides what is and is notfine.”
I glanced at Michael. He looked like someone who had been tasked with defusing a bomb without any tools.
August appeared in the doorway with a grin on his face. “Sandra! I thought I heard your harmonious voice. What brings you to our humble foundation on this lovely Friday?”
Sandra smiled sweetly at me. “Your new intern is being less than cooperative. I’m not sure she understands how things work around here.”
“I understand just fine,” I replied curtly.
Michael stepped forward to interject. “Ginny is prioritizing the grants that came in first, per foundation guidelines.” He glanced at Sandra. “And I agree with her in this regard.”
Sandra looked absolutely shocked that Michael had not immediately leapt to her side. “August, darling,” she crooned. “Surely there’s something you can do to expedite the process. Or if not you, perhaps your father? Should I speak with him?”
Now August looked like he was holding a bomb in his hands. “Is there any reason your grant requests need to be processed ahead of the others?”
