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It’s bloody hard not to stare at the sway of her hips and her curvy arse as she walks me to the store manager’s office. It’s evident that she’s driven, focused, and wise beyond her years. She’s got big plans, big dreams, and an even bigger heart.
She had my undivided attention as she spoke about Sutherland’s. Her enthusiasm and love for the place were clear, and I was impressed with her knowledge of the programs available to her.
I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t know about the scholarship and training programmes, but I’m glad to hear that the structure is there to continue to support and draw enthusiastic and motivated employees into the diverse roles on offer. Sutherland’s needs good people to work up the ranks to keep the store thriving.
I know the value of having people I trust on my team, and even though we’ve just met, I get the sense that Eva is someone I can rely on. She’s a breath of fresh air, so open, honest, and bright. Being in her presence is like warming yourself around a crackling fire on a winter’s night. She’s already banished some of the cold and darkness that seeped into my soul following my father’s death.
Eva chats happily as she leads me to the office, introducing me to the layout of this floor and explaining what’s on the other levels. Periodically, she picks up things that aren’t in the right spot. She effortlessly replaces them or tucks them discreetly behind the sales counters to be dealt with by another member of staff later. She’s efficient and knowledgeable about the store.
“How long have you worked here?” I ask as we walk through Womenswear.
“Six years. I took a part-time job here when I turned sixteen which eventually led to a full-time position when Mum died.”
If I had to guess, I’d say Eva is about twenty-two or twenty-three—much too young for me at thirty-three. Besides, I’m sure she’d be more interested in the young studs gracing the company catalogue than an older man like me. I’m fit, but I’m not built or stacked like I used to be. Making mouth-watering pastries day in and day out has given me a little extra padding. Not that I give a shit. I’m happier this way.
Eva sighs heavily. “I love it here, but it’s a shame upper management doesn’t appreciate the hard-working staff who truly care about this place. No one on the shop floor ever saw Liam Sutherland, and the same applies to his son now he’s taken over.”
“He never visits the store?”
“Nope. By all accounts, he runs things from head office on the other side of the city. I met Liam Sutherland once, but I wouldn’t know his son if I fell over him.”
Guilt slams me in the gut. I thought I could come here and wave a magic wand, put everything right in short order, and disappear again. Why does it matter what Eva thinks about me, and why am I compelled to know more about her? I’m here to do a job, one job, and in four weeks’ time, I’ll be out of here and back in head office, devising a plan to get us out of this mess so I can get on with my life.
But it suddenly doesn’t seem that simple. Even less so now I’ve met Eva. Why does it feel like I’m betraying her?
We head up to the top floor in the lift. It strikes me as odd that the store manager would have his office up here and not somewhere more accessible to his staff.
“Here we are,” Eva says as we head through a door markedStaff Only.“Oh, this is the break room.” She pauses outside a room on the right with lockers, a small sofa, two chairs, tea and coffee-making facilities, and a vending machine.
I frown. The room is tiny, hardly adequate for the number of employees who use it.
“Eva, what are you doing back here? You should be on the shop floor. Get back to work,” a voice barks.
My hackles rise as I turn to see a lanky guy in his late twenties striding up the corridor towards us. His suit is wrinkled and his red tie is askew. His dark hair is slicked back, but it looks greasy and unwashed. The stench of his cologne hits me, and I resist the urge to waft my hand in front of my face.
Who does this guy think he is talking to Eva like she’s some kind of servant? My hands fist at my sides. I want to punch the sneer right off his face.
“You need to watch your manners when you’re speaking to another member of staff,” I bite out, forgetting the role I’m meant to be playing in my anger.
I see Eva’s shocked and curious gaze from the corner of my eye. Shit. I need to be careful. My instincts are to discipline the jumped-up twat, but I can’t blow my cover.
The little shit shrugs me off, turning his bored gaze to Eva. “You know the rules. Only staff. You shouldn’t have your boyfriend back here.”
Boyfriend?What the …?
“You must be Gerald Mason. I’m the new sales assistant reporting for my shift,” I inform him through gritted teeth. “And sadly, I’m not lucky enough to be Eva’s boyfriend.”
At least, not yet.
I push the thought aside, reminding myself why I’m here. She’s an employee, technicallymyemployee. It’s been a long time since I was involved with a woman, and making a mess of a working relationship isn’t something I should even be considering.
Still, at least I’ve identified one problem that needs resolving: the management in this place. Gerald Mason’s piss-poor attitude doesn’t have the markings of solid leadership.
To his credit, the store manager looks a bit sheepish as he realises his mistake. Still, he doesn’t apologise as he sends Eva back to work while I fill out some paperwork in his office. It takes everything in me not to pin the little dipshit against the wall and teach him a lesson with my fists.
Instead, I rein in my anger and paste a smile on my face as he tells me how he’s single-handedly made positive changes to the store. I swallow the acrid reply on the tip of my tongue. Jesus, this guy is a piece of work. Nothing like singing your own praises and taking all the credit. Those “positive changes” he thinks he’s made sure as hell don’t reflect in the financial report I studied the other day.
He strikes me as one of those people who behave one way with his superiors and another with his staff. It's a good job Gerald doesn't know who I am. Recruitment made sure all my paperwork checks out, so Gerald won't suspect anything. He's obviously someone I need to keep an eye on.
