“In my office,” she returned and exited, moving down the hall toward her office.
This wasn’t good.
I hurried from my office down to Nancy’s who was waiting at the door for me to enter. She closed it behind me as soon as I was inside and I just stood there, looking around her spacious corner office. Behind her desk was a wonderful view of the bridge that connected Williamsport to one of its major boroughs. I peered over at the balloons that sat on the circular cherrywood table, from an event we’d done the week prior.
“Have a seat,” she stated, in a formal voice I hadn’t heard used with me since I started working for the company nearly four years earlier. I took my seat directly across from her.
“Michelle, it has come to my attention that one of our clients was dissatisfied with your behavior at an event this past weekend.”
My eyelids lowered and my jaw tightened. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just say who the client was. She and I both knew she was referring to Aaron Townsend. Aside from the fact that he’d just departed her office, his event was the only one I’d worked over the weekend.
“Mr. Townsend.”
Nancy nodded. “Yes, Mr. Townsend. He stated that he caught you fraternizing with one of his family members. On company time.”
“Nancy, I know it looks bad but I can explain.” I held up my hands.
“Is it true that you were fraternizing while you were supposed to be working?”
“I was technically on a break,” I weakly defended.
“And then you spent the entire night at Townsend Manor?” She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
I lowered my head. Damn. He found out about that, too.
“I don’t have to tell you how unprofessional this looks. Not only for you, but for Save The Date Event Planners as well. When we take on a job, our clients expect the utmost in professionalism. That is why a high-profile client like Townsend Industries comes to us in the first place.”
“Nancy, I know, and I am so sor–”
She held up her hand and my stomach dropped. I was not about to lose it here in this office, but it felt dangerously close to the edge. I was about to lose my job, a job that I loved over a stupid mistake. Couple that with the fact that I’d probably be blackballed in the event planning industry because that’s how powerful types like the Townsends worked, and I’d never work in this capacity again.
Nancy shook her head. “I am disappointed in your behavior, Michelle.”
“I know,” I murmured.
“Mr. Townsend was all but adamant that I let you go.”
I grabbed my stomach. “I understand,” I stated, getting ready to stand and walk out while I still had some dignity intact.
“Luckily, I was able to convince him that you were one of my best employees.”
My head lifted.
“I am not letting you go. You have proven your loyalty to this company over the four years you’ve worked here. I will, however, have to demand that you take the rest of the week off, without pay.”
I wanted to protest, tell her that wasn’t fair, but after being scared that I was losing my job, a short suspension without pay sounded better. I knew it wasn’t easy for Nancy to go against Aaron Townsend’s initial request. To say the man was intimidating would be an understatement.
“I understand. Thank you, Nancy.”
She nodded her head, giving me a disappointed look. “Take this time to think about where you stand, Michelle. You have been a model employee up until this point and I’d hate to see this incident leave a mark on your career.”
I caught her subtle warning.Don’t let it happen again.
“I will,” I assured her, standing. She nodded and I high-tailed it out of her office before she changed her mind. I made a beeline for my much smaller office, grabbing my purse and my work laptop to keep in touch with my assistant over the week. I would be off but I could still be helpful. In the meantime, I let the anger I felt bubbling up inside of me propel me out the main office with my head held high. Once I made it to my car in the building’s garage, I made a decision. I wasn’t the only one who was going to get reamed out over what happened Friday night.
~ Chapter Five ~
Carter
