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She laughs, giving me a big hug. “No worries, sweetheart. I’ll just crank the holiday tunes that much louder in the car.”
Stepping onto the elevator, I glance to my right and see an older portly man with his nose buried in a newspaper. I didn’t realize people still read physical newspapers anymore.
“Hold the door!” someone shouts as the doors begin to close. I dart my hand out just in time and they bounce back open.
“Thanks, Sadie.” Alex winks as he comes to stand next to me.
“Good m—morning sir,” I stutter, shock probably all over my face.
“I know, I remembered pants this time.” He laughs and my head whips to my right at the man behind the newspaper. “Don’t worry about him. That’s Paul, our CFO.”
I look back at the man who is still unbothered, completely engrossed in his newspaper.
“You could tell him your head fell off last night and you sewed it on this morning with dental floss, and he wouldn’t flinch.”
I hear a small harrumph and Paul peeks around the edge of the paper to roll his eyes at us. With a shake of his head, he returns his attention to the news.
“Paul’s been here since my dad started the company.” He pats Paul on the shoulder.
“Paul, nice to meet you,” I say when the elevator reaches my floor.
He responds with a grunt, not bothering to look up. “Nice to see you again, sir…pants and all. This is me,” I hurriedly add before attempting to dash away from the awkward moment.
“I know, I’m coming with you.”
I stop in my tracks. “Wait, what? Why? Was something wrong with the contracts? Shit, did I screw up?”
“No,” he says with a laugh. “But something you said made me realize that I should make more of an effort to be seen around the office, to engage with people.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, sad, isn’t it? Took me this long to realize that I need to be more involved with my employees, make sure they know I’m here for them.”
I nod my head, eyeing him.
“What?”
“Well, it’s just that you walking around might actually make people more on edge.”
“Really? Why?” He seems genuinely surprised.
“Like you said, you’re not usually around a lot, so they’ll probably assume that you’re here to fire them or because something bad is going on that they aren’t aware of.”
“Hmm.” He rubs his hand over his jaw. “What if I make a quick announcement down here on the sales floor and just say hey, I’m not here to fire you, just being nosey and wanting to say hi?”
“Don’t do that!” I glance around, hoping our hushed tones aren’t carrying to the nearby cubicles. He laughs, and I realize he’s joking. “Very funny, sir.” I roll my eyes and start down the hallway toward my desk.
He falls into step beside me, earning stares from my coworkers. “You do realize you can call me Alex, right?”
We make it to my desk, and I turn to look at him, hands on my hips. “Everyone thinks I’m getting fired.”
“Seriously? Just because I’m talking to you?”
I give him an are-you-serious look and place my purse in my bottom desk drawer. “You have no idea the effect you have on people, do you?”
He opens his mouth then snaps it shut again, chuckling to himself like his thoughts are incongruous with the expression of surprise on his face.
“What?” I ask suspiciously.
