“Good luck today,” Joss said. “Don’t take any shit from him.”
I smiled. “I won’t.”
I stopped by my favorite bakery and picked up two dozen donuts before heading into the office. I arrived about twenty minutes early. I was hoping to take a few minutes to settle in and see just how bad the mess was going to be. I carried the donuts and the bag of coffee pods I bought last night at the grocery into the breakroom.
The Keurig was stashed under the counter. I pulled it out, cleaned it up, and plugged it in. I arranged the pods and the donuts on the counter and took a step back to admire my work.
“What are you doing?” Nash asked.
I turned to see him scowling. “I’m giving the staff an incentive to work longer than exactly eight hours.”
“And you think that’s going to work?” He smirked.
“Yes. It’s about the little things. I’m here to get this train back on the rails. Please, let me do that. Give me the reins for just a little bit and I will get us over the finish line. You just sit in your office or go back to your headquarters and work there. I can do this. Do not get in the way.”
“Don’t forget who is really in charge here,” he growled before walking out of the breakroom.
I rolled my eyes. “How could I possibly forget?”
I knew it was hard for him to sit back and let me run the show. He was a proud man, and if he was still the same guy he’d been all those years ago, he needed to prove something to himself. He hated the idea of not being as good as he thought he was. I was not going to get in the way of him being great. I was here for me, my son, and the people I did care about.
I left the breakroom and weaved through the partition walls. “Saige?” I heard someone say.
I smiled when I saw Lana walking toward me with a small bag in her hand. “Hi,” I greeted. I was relieved to see she still worked in the office.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m back.” I grinned.
“You’re back?”
“Temporarily, but yes, I’m back. How are things going?”
She rolled her eyes and held up her bag. “I brought my usual bottled water, coffee, and my lunch. We haven’t been able to leave for lunch. I’m lucky if I get to scarf down a sandwich.”
I grimaced and shook my head. “I’m sorry. I brought in coffee pods and donuts.”
“Our lord will not like that,” she warned.
“He’s already seen them, and he didn’t say anything.”
A few more people trickled in. They were all surprised—and I wanted to believe happy—to see me. Some of them looked a little irritated to see me. I owed them all an apology for the way I left.
I turned to Lana. “Can you put out the word that I’d like to have a quick meeting in the conference room this morning?”
“Is he going to be there?” she asked with a slight sneer.
“I don’t think so, but he is the owner, and if he chooses to be there, we need to accept that.”
She didn’t look happy but nodded. “Fine. If you say so.”
“I’m going to see what my office looks like,” I said with a laugh. “Has anyone been in there?”
She shook her head. “Nope. We’ve all been piling our files on his desk, which he just loves.”
“I noticed that yesterday,” I said. “He looked a little overwhelmed.”
“Good. He’s overwhelmed us. We are so far behind. I don’t see how we are ever going to make the deadline. I see us filing a lot of extensions this week and next.”
“Let me get caught up and we’ll come up with a plan,” I told her.
“I’m glad you’re back,” she said with a sigh. “Seriously, this place is a shitshow right now. I think Lennie quit.”
“Lennie?” I asked with surprise. “Really? Didn’t he just have a new baby at home?”
“Yep, but he was actively looking for another job. Any job. He didn’t care. He just couldn’t stand to work for that man anymore. He said he was going to quit before he could get fired.”
“Is he coming in today?” I questioned.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He said when he got a job, he was out of here. I don’t see him or anyone here giving the dictator the courtesy of a notice. If he’s willing to fire people with little provocation,