Backing You Up Read online

  “You and I both know I’m not his little sister,” I said.

  He sneered. “I forgot. You’re the boss.”

  I turned my face when his breath washed over me. It had the faint smell of alcohol on it. I looked to my right and saw Rogan flinch. Did he know? I couldn’t imagine Rogan would approve of any kind of drinking on the job, especially this job.

  “I am the boss,” I said and focused on Derek again. “Rogan tells me you are one of the best foremen here. He says you’ve worked hard for the company the past two years.”

  “I have. I’ve worked my ass off for this place.”

  “Thank you for all of your hard work, Derek. Your services are no longer needed.”

  He stared at me. “What did you say?”

  “You no longer work here. You are welcome to collect your things and leave.”

  A pin drop could have been heard in the warehouse. The men that had been working were all standing still, watching and listening. I stood tall. As tall as I could anyway.

  “What the fuck did you just say to me?” he said, taking a step toward me.

  “I might be fairly new here, but I know we have a zero-tolerance policy on substance abuse. It violates all kinds of laws and puts us in a very ugly position with labor laws and things like that.”

  “Just what the fuck are you accusing me of?” he snapped.

  “I have not accused you of anything. I’m relieving you of your position here. My company has a way of doing things and this isn’t it.”

  “This? What the fuck are you all worked up about?”

  “Not a thing,” I said with a smile. “Goodbye, Derek. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Just who do you think you are?”

  “Uh, I guess I think I’m the owner. The CEO. The woman in charge.”

  “You can’t fire me!” he roared. He looked over my shoulder at Rogan. “What the hell is going on, Rogan? Is this a joke? Did you pick this one up at the bar? Are you filming this?”

  “I’m not filming anything, but I will remind you there are security cameras,” Rogan said.

  He looked at me again and then spit on the ground. “This is bullshit. This place isn’t going to last long without me.”

  “I think we’ll manage,” I said, not letting him get to me. I knew everyone was watching. They wanted to see the new girl stumble and fall. They especially wanted to see me fall apart. I was too strong for that. I was not about to let them see just how nervous I was inside.

  “This is a big fucking mistake.” He walked away, cursing at the guys and mumbling under his breath.

  I turned to the young man who had been the victim of his anger. “I’m Cora,” I said. “I want you to know I will never tolerate that kind of behavior from anyone in management or otherwise.”

  The guy looked confused. “Yes, ma’am.”

  He walked away, joining the other men who were all looking at me with a combination of fear and confusion. I gave them all a look, indicating I wasn’t a pushover. They were suddenly very busy and got back to whatever it was they were doing.

  Feeling confident in my decision, I turned around to face Rogan. He looked irritated. His arms were folded across his chest and he was staring down at me. He looked so much taller than he actually was when he looked like that.

  “What?” I asked defensively.

  “What’s your big plan now?” he asked. “You just fired the foreman. He’s the guy that makes sure the cargo is loaded and gets on its way.”

  “We’ll hire someone new. Even better, why don’t we promote someone?”

  He shrugged. “Great. Who? If you remember correctly, a lot of the experienced staff quit when they found out you were the new leader.”

  Now he was being a jerk. “I’m sure someone here knows enough to lead the team for a day or two.”

  “And when do you plan on training this new foreman? Who is going to do the training? Who is going to run the show while the new guy is learning the ropes?”

  “I’m going to leave that up to you.”

  He smirked. “Of course, you are. And today? What should I tell these guys to do for today? Should I send them home and call the clients and let them know we are going to be late a day or two?”

  He was testing me, and it was pissing me off. “No. For today, you can step in and get your hands dirty. Why don’t you take off that nice shirt you are wearing and go be the boss? You are a hands-on kind of guy, right? I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

  I walked away, leaving the man staring at me and on the verge of a tantrum. I was the boss. I had done the right thing.

  I walked to my car. The gravel crunched under my feet as I moved. I didn’t dare look back to see if he was watching. I was half-expecting to be pelted in the back of the head with a rock.

  I got in my car and only then did I give myself a quick look to see what was happening. Rogan wasn’t watching me at all. He had already stripped off his dress shirt. It was now lying in a heap on the ground. That seemed a little dramatic, but I wasn’t going to give in. He wanted me to make decisions. He told me the guy had been a dick. I smelled the alcohol on his breath. I didn’t care who he was or how important he was to the company. I would not tolerate that kind of shit from anyone.

  I started the engine and drove away. There was no denying the bit of adrenaline I felt zinging through my system. I had made my first executive decision. I didn’t falter in the face of challenge. I hoped the other men that witnessed the event felt better about my ability to run the company. I was also hoping I gained a few points in the loyalty department. I saved them from a tyrant. They would not be subjected to the rude, vile man again.

  I couldn’t help but smile, raising my chin as I steered the car back onto the highway. I had done a good thing. I could do this. I could run a company and earn the respect of the men that worked for me by playing a little hardball. I was going to have to be a little harder just so they would understand that my age, size, and gender didn’t make me weak. I could be a dick just as well as the rest of them.

  Feeling rather good about my actions, I pulled through a coffee shop drive-thru and treated myself to a croissant and an iced mocha before heading back to the office. When I arrived, I strode down the hall toward my office like I belonged, like I was the queen bee.

  Chapter 13

  Rogan

  The moment the elevator doors slid open, I put my long legs to work, eating up the distance as I made my way down the hall. My jaw was clenched, and my eyes homed in on my target. I nodded to the few people who dared say good morning to me.

  I didn’t bother asking for permission to enter the chamber of our new queen. I pushed the door open and found Cora sitting at Ben’s desk. She had a cup of coffee in one hand with her perfect little manicured nails. Her hair was sleek and perfectly styled. She looked like a god damn movie star sitting there looking perfect and like she didn’t have a care in the world.

  “Uh, the door is generally where people stop and knock and wait to be invited in,” she said.

  “Not today, Cora. Don’t give me your shit today.”

  “Excuse me?” she asked, putting down her coffee and arching one very sculpted brow.

  “You don’t get to order me to be foreman for the day because you decided to fire the foreman on a whim,” I said in a raised voice.

  “I am not going to have this discussion with you with that door wide open and the entire office hanging on every little juicy bit of gossip.”

  I turned, grabbed the door, and slammed it shut. “Better? Should I lick your boots?”

  “That’s uncalled for,” she retorted, sounding very much like a mother chastising her child.

  “Is it? Because I think your attitude yesterday was uncalled for. If we’re going to call each other out, let’s make sure we cover all the flaws.”

  “You’re angry—” she started.

  I held up my hand. “You have no idea what I am. Maybe you would if you would have taken two seconds to talk
to me like an adult yesterday instead of one of your subjects to be ordered about.”

  She looked a little uncomfortable, her eyes going to the closed door. I wanted her uncomfortable. I wanted her off her game a little. I wanted her to know what it felt like to be bullied and pushed around.

  “Please, have a seat and let’s discuss this like adults,” she said in a low voice. “You are making a scene.”

  “Now, you want to be an adult after that shit you pulled yesterday? Yesterday, you didn’t make a big ol’ scene? You put on a show and then you strutted out of there like you were on the catwalk.”

  “I did no such thing,” she shot back. “I did what should have been done long before I showed up. I guess none of you had the balls to do it.”

  “It’s not about having balls. It’s about keeping this business running smoothly. Yesterday was a shit show. There is something to be said for tact and privacy.”

  “And there is something to be said about making a point.”

  “You left me to clean up the mess you made!”

  She shrugged one of her shoulders. “I trust you handled it just fine. After all, you are the one that said we needed to get our hands dirty.”

  I glared at her. “I’m not a fucking foreman. I have busted my ass over the last ten years to earn my spot in my office. You don’t get to demote me to foreman for the day because you are throwing a little tantrum. That is not how business is done.”

  “I wasn’t throwing a tantrum. I was doing what was best for the company.”

  I scoffed, flopping down in the chair and folding my arms over my stomach. “Really? Are you suggesting I’m best utilized flinging freight and being a grunt?”

  “No, but I knew you could handle it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you did it so well the day before.”

  I shook my head. “Why did you fire the man? Do you know his track record? He gets things done. He has never missed a deadline. His team busts their ass for him because he won’t take anything less.”

  “Did you not hear the way he was talking to the poor kid?” she asked. “He was belittling him and talking to him like he was worthless.”

  “That’s how Derek talks. Everyone knows it.”

  “That doesn’t make it okay.”

  “Look, princess. In this line of work, the guys don’t need safe spaces and kid gloves. They are there to break their backs and bust their asses.”

  “Really? That’s your idea of the job?”

  “I worked the job, so I think I would know.”

  “And is it normal to drink on the job?”

  “Excuse me?” I snapped.

  “Didn’t you smell the alcohol on his breath?” she asked.

  “On whose breath?”

  “Derek! The foreman I fired had alcohol on his breath!”

  I shook my head. “I rarely get within kissing distance of him or any of the other guys. You can’t know for sure it was alcohol. It could have been mouthwash.”

  “It was alcohol.”

  I wasn’t interested in backing down. She’d humiliated me and I was still pissed. “I don’t know if it was or wasn’t. What I do know is you fired a good man, a hard worker, and now you have jeopardized our operation. You reacted without thinking. Good boss rule one: think before you act. You can’t fire everyone that rubs you wrong. You are going to be left standing all by yourself. Your father knew about Derek. He knew he was brash, and it didn’t bother him.”

  “Well, it bothers me.”

  “And that’s all that matters, right?”

  “I’m the boss. The buck stops with me. I saw something happening that was wrong. I don’t care if it has been allowed to happen in the past. It isn’t happening anymore. That shit does not fly with me. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Derek wasn’t brash or harsh. He was being thoroughly disgusting, and I don’t care if he was holding the company up on his shoulders alone. I will not put up with that kind of behavior. I will not let anyone like him be associated with the good name of this company.”

  She did have a point, but that didn’t negate what she had done. I was still pissed. “Maybe you should put out a memo,” I said, waving to the computer. “We all love memos.”

  “I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but that is a standard I will not budge on. If I need to put out a memo that specifically says not to drink before coming to work or while on the job, I will. If I need to put out a memo that says all employees are to be treated with a tiny bit of dignity, I will do that.”

  She wasn’t going to back down. I had to admire her conviction. “Now what?” I asked, throwing up my hands.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Am I supposed to play foremen for a week? Two weeks? Just how do you expect me to do my job here and plug the hole you made?”

  She smiled and it felt like I got kicked in the gut. Damn, she was pretty. “I have already taken care of it.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked, a little worried she had demoted me. I was being a little free with my attitude and language. If she demoted me, I would tell her where she could go. I would relinquish all responsibility to her and the Mallet family.

  “It means I’ve already handled the situation. The new foreman will be there today.”

  I frowned, wondering how that happened. “You just hired a foreman overnight? You don’t think you should have consulted me?”

  “I consulted Beau,” she said with a smile. She was purposely trying to goad me. “Beau moved him from one of the other sites. He is experienced, trained, and deserving of the promotion. I personally spoke with him and conveyed my expectations, including how I expect all of my employees to be treated.”

  I slowly nodded, feeling a little hurt that I was cut out of such a big decision. “I see.”

  “It’s a good move. It will keep the site running, and who knows? Maybe it will even run better. I imagine the turnover will certainly be lower.”

  “I guess you have it all figured out,” I said, looking her directly in the eyes. “You don’t need my advice or opinion. I’ll leave you to it.”

  I got up to leave. I wondered when she was going to serve me my walking papers. I had underestimated her.

  “Rogan, wait,” she said.

  I turned to face her, my hand on the doorknob. “What is it?”

  “This was a good move,” she insisted. “That man was a cancer, and even if he was making good numbers, that doesn’t mean he was a good employee. I want the people who work for me to be happy with their job.”

  “As do I,” I agreed.

  “Then I hope you can understand why I did what I did. It wasn’t a tantrum. It was necessary.”

  I shrugged. “So, you’ve said.” I moved to open the door.

  “Wait,” she said and got to her feet. “I need you to understand that I’m not some kid that doesn’t know anything. This company is the most important thing in my life right now. I will walk through fire to make sure it does not fail. I will do whatever it takes to keep it from faltering.”

  “Good for you.”

  “Rogan, you are an asset. I know that. My father made sure I knew it, and Beau has done nothing but tell me how valuable you are to the company.”

  That made me feel a little better. At least someone recognized my worth. “And?” I asked, knowing there was more to the story.

  She looked down at her feet before looking at me. “And as much as I do value your opinions and appreciate any help you can give me, I will not let you undermine me. I am the boss. I am the one with my name on the checks. I am stepping into my father’s shoes and I would appreciate you giving me the same respect you gave him.”

  I stared at her for several long seconds. There was so much I wanted to say, but something told me to keep it to myself. I did need the job and I did respect Ben. I would not tell the spoiled princess that respect was earned and should be reciprocated. I didn’t tell her she had treated me just as shitty as Derek had treated the kid. Somet
hing my mother told me floated through my mind. I had nothing nice to say. Therefore, I would say nothing at all, just like I was taught.

  I opened the door and left her standing in her office. She was right. She was the boss and I was her lowly employee. For now. I would need to have a very long talk with myself and figure out what it was I really wanted. I knew I sure as hell didn’t want to walk into work every day and wonder if I was going to be fired or demoted because the boss had a burr up her butt.

  I walked into my office and closed the door behind me. I wasn’t in the mood to hear the usual office chatter. Usually, I liked the door open because I hated the feeling of being locked away and out of the loop. Just then, I wanted nothing more than to be very out of the loop.

  I fired up my computer, still trying to wrap my head around the idea I was essentially being phased out. She said she needed me, but I could tell that was a temporary affliction. She was proving she needed no one. She had her own way of doing things and I could either get on board her moving train or get the hell off. The only question was if it would be me jumping or her pushing. I preferred the first. I refused to let her fire me.

  Chapter 14

  Cora

  I stared at the eggs sizzling in the pan. I wasn’t looking at the eggs. I was staring at nothing. I was so ready for a long weekend. I knew the job was going to be hard, but it felt extra hard. It felt like I was a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.

  I reached for my cup of coffee and sipped. It was hot, aromatic, and absolutely divine. There was something to be said for the good stuff. I hated to think I was pampered and spoiled, but damn if I didn’t like some of the finer things in life.

  “Good morning,” Oakley said, coming into the kitchen.

  “Hey,” I said with little enthusiasm.

  “Uh oh. Bad morning?”

  “I don’t know yet but I’m not counting on this morning going any better than the other morning.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t check in sooner,” he said. “I’ve been trying to take care of transferring titles and the estate taxes and all of that stuff. What’s going on?”