“Somehow, I don’t think Nick Hart will view it that way.”
“Screw Nick Hart. There are plenty of people in this city who’d like to give him an unfiltered piece of their mind. I can think of five in my office alone.” She flashes me a knowing grin. “If word gets around you stood up to him, you’ll have job offers from here to Silicon Valley.”
“I should be so lucky.” Of course, there won’t be any job offers in my field if I fail my capstone class. I sigh and gesture at the laptop. “I’d better get back to it.”
“Relax, you’ve got this. Don’t go losing sleep over that pendejo.” Sofia climbs to her feet and saunters down the hall, margarita in hand. “He’s not worth it,” she calls, disappearing into her bedroom. “No man is.”
She’s right. I know she’s right. The sexy ass doesn’t deserve my time or headspace. I mean, who does he think he is demanding I stay late and crank out notes? Business hours are eight to five. I’m entitled to have a life outside of the office.
And would it have killed him to say please?
Probably. I doubt the word is even in his vocabulary.
No wonder he can’t keep an executive assistant of his own. He probably runs them all off with the cold shoulder and unreasonable expectations.
The man might be a walking thirst trap, but no eye candy is worth those working conditions.
I try to focus on Professor Donnelly’s lecture, but it’s a losing battle. It’s not until the end of class when he mentions the capstone project that my interest is piqued.
“Each of you is responsible for completing a research project with a local organization that leverages the industrial and organizational consulting skills you’ve learned in this program,” he says. “Per the syllabus, proposals are due one week from today.”
One week?
“If you have questions or need assistance, please email me after class to schedule an appointment during office hours.”
Shit. If I get fired, it’ll be back to square one. I’ll have to find another company willing to let me conduct my research project. Not that Miles has given his permission yet, but I’m optimistic he’ll approve my proposal.
After all, Triada just launched a virtual suggestion box, so leadership obviously knows there’s room for improvement.
No surprise there.
Triada Tech has grown by leaps and bounds in its brief history. Like a lot of startups, the company is growing too fast. The signs are everywhere—if you know where to look.
Low morale. High turnover. Poor training. Burned-out employees.
The campus might look shiny and bright on the surface, but under that pristine veneer, the foundation is cracking like Texas clay.
An Organizational Behavior Specialist could sort it all out, and I’m just the woman for the job.
Now all I have to do is convince Miles.
It’s the perfect scenario, really. I get to complete my capstone project, and Triada gets a free consultation with recommendations for improving the culture. If I nail this project, Miles is sure to see the value of adding a full-time OB Specialist to the staff when I graduate, which would allow me to continue working at Triada, albeit in a different—better paying—role.
Assuming I don’t get fired first.
Chapter Five
Nick
The walk back to the third-floor executive suite is long and quiet. Most of the staff have left for the evening, but there are still a few workspaces lit by overhead lights as the cleaning crew sets to work emptying trash bins and collecting the recycling.
The executive suite—three offices with a shared reception area and a private conference room—is utterly silent when I enter.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Miles and Beck will be here soon enough for our Thursday night ritual: dinner and decision making.
I breeze through reception and go straight to my office. Sunlight slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows as I drop into my chair, the buttery leather molded to my thighs from long hours spent poring over budgets, forecasts, and presentation decks. It’s a relief to be back in the tranquil solitude of my office where my eyes aren’t continually assaulted with bold colors and open-concept workspaces designed to inspire creativity, enhance teamwork, and stimulate aneurisms.
