Page 27 of Wrecked

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I arrive at the bookstore with fifteen minutes to spare. I stand at the front door and wait for Beth to arrive. Right on time, Shane pulls up in a sweet silver vintage Jaguar. After giving him a kiss, Beth steps out of the front passenger seat.

I walk outside to greet her. “Hiya, boss.”

She gives me a beaming smile. “Hi, Sam.”

“So, what’s on the agenda this morning?” I ask as we step inside the store.

She frowns as she glances up the curved staircase to the second floor. “I should probably go upstairs and find Vanessa.”

“Do we have to?” From what Shane has told me about the woman, I could do without ever meeting her. “That woman scares me.”

As I hoped, Beth laughs. “Me, too. Come on, chicken. Let’s brazen it out.”

Since my job is to shadow Beth, I’m glued to her side as we walk up the stairs and down the hallway to the administrative offices.

There, we encounter an adorable, petite young brunette who greets Beth enthusiastically. The girl’s practically bouncing on her feet. “Hi. Are you Ms. Jamison?”

“Yes, I’m Beth.”

The two young women shake.

“Erin O’Connor,” the brunette says. She’s got a sweet, lightly freckled face and big blue eyes. Her shoulder-length dark hair is parted on the side and clipped back from her face with gold barrettes. “I’m one of the assistant managers,” she adds. “Ms. Markham told me to expect you this morning.”

As the two women chat, I survey the office, getting a feel for the layout. It’s a large open room, and there are a number of people in here, seated at their desks, all busy on their computers.

After Erin O’Connor hands Beth an engraved nametag, she turns her attention to me. “You must be one of the new security guys I’ve been hearing about.”

I nod. “Don’t mind me, ma’am. I’ll just blend into the scenery.”

As Erin gives Beth a tour of the back offices, the staff kitchen, and the employee lounge, I trail after them.

Beth puts her purse in her assigned locker, and then Erin shows her how to clock in for work.

Really?The owner of the bookstore has toclock in? Apparently, that’s The Dragon Lady’s doing, too.

I lurk in the background in an effort to stay out of the way and try not to think about Cooper ditching me last night. The more I think about it, the more my anger fades to hurt. I’m trying desperately to hang onto the anger because I figure being mad is better than feeling used. Or outright rejected.

When the girls head out of the admin office, I follow.

Erin is attempting to walk in a pair of three-inch black stiletto heels and doing a piss poor job of it. She’s going to fall and break her neck if she’s not careful. Beth notices, too. She keeps giving me worried glances.

When Erin does stumble, I reach out to steady her.

“Sorry,” she says. “I hate these stupid shoes.”

Then why the hell is she wearing them? It turns out, wearing heels is another company policy implemented by Vanessa, The Dragon Lady.

Beth doesn’t look impressed.

On our way downstairs, Erin bypasses the elevator, telling us employees aren’t allowed to use it. Apparently, Vanessa thinks using the elevator makes employees lazy. So Erin heads for the fancy curved staircase with the wrought iron railings.

Beth is pretty miffed. “So, you’re going to risk breaking your neck going down the stairs in those heels because someone thinks using the elevator is lazy?”

“Yes?” Erin replies hesitantly, flinching as if she’s the one in trouble.

Beth looks to me for backup, and I shrug. But she’s right. Erin’s going to break her neck on those stairs.