“Oh, good. I didn’t get a response so I was afraid you hadn’t seen it yet,” I say with a nod. “Do you want me to send the note to HR? We can easily kill this before she ever gets started here. It’s only Saturday. We can probably still find someone to start training on Monday. I know the search wasn’t easy, but what about the temp agency? There might be someone in their pool who’d make a decent permanent hire if we just...”
I trail off as her eyes narrow into bullets.
That deep wrinkle in her forehead creases, and she tilts her head back and forth for a second. “Absolutely not. That’s hardly warranted.”
Come again? The coffee cup dents in my hands.
I don’t understand.
“Grandma, she was at the museum—on the architecture floor, no less—drunk as hell, roaring loud, and had some guy hanging all over her,” I venture. “If I hadn’t been there to help, there’s no telling what trouble she would’ve found herself in.”
She leans away from her computer, folds her hands together, and rests her chin on her fingers, looking at me like I’m this lost puppy.
“She caught your attention, I see. I understand why. Miss Holly is smart, youthful, and vibrant. And from what you’ve said, she sounds infinitely more fun than that Maria ever did.”
I wince at that name, stifling my gag reflex.
“She had everyone’s attention, Grandma. I wasn’t the only one concerned. People were staring, especially at the hell-date blundering around with her.”
“Are you sure you aren’t exaggerating?” she asks with a yawn.
I glare. “Your other grandson asked me the same thing.”
“Well, you have been known to exaggerate. It’s in your nature, dearie.”
“Not this time,” I grind out, anger-sipping the coffee. “When did this 'Ward exaggerates' crap happen?”
She looks at me blankly. “I don’t know.”
Her eyes say there’s some inside joke I just missed.
Look, I’m used to people talking behind my back—it’s only natural when there are times I’ll work them half to death—but damn if this is a running joke. Hard truths need no exaggeration.
“The whole room was staring,” I try again.
“When someone’s making a scene, that tends to happen. And with this dreadful man after her, she had good reason to lash out, didn’t she?”
I bite my tongue, giving a curt nod.
There’s no fucking argument there.
“But how did you find out she works here?” Grandma asks.
“She told me.” I roll my eyes and look over her shoulder, trying to plead my case. “I never got her name, but there’s only one EA we hired. She said she was out celebrating her start here next week. Told the whole room, too, with how loud she was being. I was relieved to be the one who rescued her from the asshat—” I realize I’m talking to my grandmother. “Jerk, sorry.”
Grandma nods.
“I’m glad I saved her from the weirdo she was with before he could do any damage,” I continue. “And I don’t regret bringing her home before half of Chicago found out she works for us, no thanks to her mouth.”
“Well.” A slow smile crawls over Grandma’s face. “You two certainly talked long enough for you to find out plenty about her.”
“She mentioned loving your Arboretum Office, too.”
Grandma grins, drops her hands to the desk, and sits up straighter.
“Ah, I knew she had good taste when I hired her. Now, Ward, what she does on her own time is none of my concern as long as she’s good here. It’s none of yours either,” she says in a motherly tone that’s like arguing against a wall.
“But—”
Grandma clears her throat before I get out a word.
“Truly, if the worst thing she’s ever done is force you to extract that giant stick from your rear, she’s okay in my book. You need to relax more, and get your priorities straight when you rescue a pretty girl from a walking pile of trash.”
Damn it all.
I stare at her, folding my arms. “That giant stick has done a lot for this place, Grandma. Nick does enough relaxing for ten of us.”
“Well, he could afford to relax a little less, couldn’t he?” Grandma laughs.
He could, but that’s not the point.
I can’t help the sigh rattling out of me.
“You’re not taking this seriously. We can’t afford scandals. Roland Osprey and his tabloid goons at The Chicago Tea are always pecking at Nick’s stupid flings, and what happened with the parentals years ago...say no more. We don’t need a new employee who creates her own trouble, especially right now