“No, Selena will go,” I tell her.
El gives me a confused grimace. “You know her name?”
“She’s wearing a name tag.”
Selena stands up, smoothing her skirt, regaining some of her confidence.
“Triple espresso. Black,” I snap.
She steps out of the cubicle—one of four clustered in front of the frosted glass doors of my office.
I turn to El. “You. Go find an empty office. When Selena gets back, I have voice notes I need you to transcribe. You need a private space where you can concentrate. Selena will take your desk. She’s on phones after she gets my coffee and a plain bagel, toasted, with unsalted butter.”
“Blech,” I hear Selena mutter under her breath.
I’m in such a shit mood, I spin around. “What did you say?”
She turns to me. An ounce of fear flashes over her features for a second before she regroups and pastes on a very fake smile. It’s so fake, in fact, it actually lightens my mood.
She says, “I was just thinking that a plain bagel with unsalted butter sounds a little... joyless.”
She cocks her head, and I know right then and there: I’m going to fuck her again.
“Do you at least know what a bagel is?” I challenge her.
El’s face falls into a frown.
“Yes,” Selena quips. “A bagel is the breakfast of champions. It’s like a donut that gave up on its dreams.”
I have to fight a smirk. I should remember not to mess with women who bolt across the country on their wedding days.
“Selena!” El huffs, flustered. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Calloway. I’ll call Staff Savers and get us another temp immediately.”
“Don’t,” is all I say. I walk into my office and leave the door wide open.
“How dare you talk to him like that,” I hear El scold Selena in a harsh whisper.
“You might accept when a man in power calls you an idiot, but I don’t,” Selena fires back. “I’ll come back with Mr. Calloway’s joyless breakfast, and then I’ll go.”
The fuck she will.
“I think that’s best,” El says, all high and mighty.
I yell from my desk. “Selena! If you leave today before I dismiss you, I’ll make sure you never get another temp job in this town again.”
I walk back to the doorway and catch her eye. “Did you hear me?”
She looks at me, and tears are welling in her green eyes. I’ve pushed it too far. I always do.
“Yes, sir,” she says quietly. “May I be excused?”
I nod. She turns to leave, wiping a wayward tear.
God. I am an asshole.
“I can work from here, Mr. Calloway. I don’t think she can handle the phones,” El says, stepping into the void.
“I said to get an office, El. I don’t want any mistakes on that transcription. Joe,” I yell over the partition to my only male assistant. “Can you piggyback on phones today?”
