more and more time in Jason’s room until I simply went there automatically in the evenings, our dynamic changed yet again. We’re still trying to learn how to live with one another…but we’re trying and that’s all that matters.
“How was work?” I ask as he leans down and kisses me softly, making me smile. I love his gentle, loving kisses.
“Fine,” Jason says with a nod. “I sent down the new project to marketing and finance this morning. The casual secretary is as useless as ever.”
“It won’t be for much longer,” I say with a laugh.
Jason despises the young man who came in to replace me while I’m on leave. It isn’t that the guy does a bad job. I think Jason is just missing me, but doesn’t want to come out and say it. This results in him spending his time insulting the poor guy to me.
I should be thankful that Jason doesn’t say any of this to the guy’s face. As it is, I don’t even remember his name because Jason is always calling him by anything else.
“Yeah, I know,” Jason says, scowling. “The idiot bungled up a memo today. I needed to call Shaun into my office, and I wound up with Maddie instead.”
I sift through the names. Shaun is the new recruitment officer while Maddie is from finance.
“You were checking in with Shaun?” I ask.
“We’ve got interns,” Jason reminds me. “It’s the first batch of interns we’ve had since I fired Sandra. I’m watching over Shaun to make sure there isn’t any funny business.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” I say, laughing.
After all, Jason and I went through the company with a fine-toothed comb. Jason was honestly distraught to realize just how many cases of corruption there were within the company, from Astrid in finance stealing money to Patrick in welfare doctoring reports to Alan in recruitment claiming sick days for three months straight while he was in Hawaii.
There weren’t a huge amount of cases, but there were more than there should have been. Yet, it’s understandable. McNamara Enterprises is absolutely huge. No one person can manage it all and see everything.
Which is why that won’t be happening anymore.
“Did you call the first meeting today?” I ask. “Please tell me you didn’t put it off again.”
“I would have preferred to wait until you get back, but we couldn’t,” Jason grumbles. “Yes, I called it.”
I grin. I’m pretty proud of our efforts on this one. Jason and I developed a committee, made up of employees that we personally screened and interviewed. The committee is made up of every division of the company. By creating this group, we have more eyes on everything.
Instead of micromanaging everything, Jason has handed some responsibility to the committee while committing himself to watching them to make sure the information they give him is correct.
On top of that, we’ve scheduled regular inspections of each part of the company. Only Jason and I know what day we go and where while the sections themselves will only get a day’s notice. We don’t want anything perfect. We just want to make sure everything is working the way it should, and giving them so short a time before we arrive means that they won’t be able to hide everything in time if they’re breaking the rules.
“How did it go?” I ask.
“Well, actually...” Jason says with a nod. I nudge him with my shoulder, knowing how anxious he’s been for this to go right. “Everyone was happy to be there and open to my ideas. I think we can really do this.”
“Are we going to introduce the committee to the company?” I ask.
“Soon,” he assures me. “For now, the committee members just want some time to settle into their new roles before I make the announcement.”
Understandable, considering how large a company it is. I wouldn’t want to be besieged by every employee with questions either.
“Good idea,” I say. “I hope that means you can relax a little now.”
The unfortunate thing about organizing all this with only a substandard secretary at his side meant that Jason has had to pull some long hours lately. More than once I’ve woken to him sliding into bed long after I’ve gone to sleep. I know he’s exhausted, but there wasn’t much we could do about it.
Well, now I can. Starting with a nice, long rest.
“We’re going to have the entire weekend to ourselves, all three of us,” Jason says with a smile, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Then we feel Princess