I glance briefly at the box in front of me. “That’s correct. Often, there are mix-ups or last-minute changes, so stock here needs to be sent to the stores, and after more than one mishap, I worked myself into the warehouse circuit so that I have better ease in redirecting shipments. Everything I order gets sent to the warehouse, and then after I pore through the invoice every Friday, the shipments are split and sent either here or to the stores.”
“Can you detail me all of the steps?”
I stare up at him while a knot of confusion forms in my gut. “Sure. I guess.”
“Thanks.” Elijah’s smile is polite, but as Jane flashes me anI told you sosmile, my heart starts to race.
Why does he want to know all of these things? I can’t see how it will benefit him in any way unless he’s compiling a detailed list of everything he will be losing once he axes this department. Or worse, he’s learning everything so he can fire my staff and me and then replace us.
It’s difficult to keep the smile on my face as I work while my mind is running in a panic, but I manage it and through slightly gritted teeth, I tell Elijah everything. The Anderson delivery is the perfect example to use and over the course of the next few hours, I take Elija through every detail of how we track inventory, how I make orders, how to keep up with the stock in store and at the warehouse in order to make reorders on popular items, how to keep vendors happy so that we get first dibs on new stock. Once he’s clear on all of that, I take him through how we deal with any jewelry containing gems from Amber Limited in the hopes that the extra care we take for the more expensive stones will persuade him how useful we are.
This department is my baby and I will fight for her as hard as I can.
By the time we’re finished, Jane has long clocked out of her shift and we’re alone with the last few boxes.
“Thank you, Calliope, for taking the time to explain all of this to me.”
“It’s no problem. Anything to help.”
“You seem like a real gear in how smoothly this entire company runs.”
I hesitate slightly while placing a box down on the shelf, then nod. “I am, actually.” If this is where I can sing my praises to save my job, I will sure as hell do it. “A lot wouldn’t happen around here without me.”
“I’m coming to learn that,” he agrees, and his smile is warm, but it fades quickly. “Actually, there’s something else I need to discuss with you.”
My heart sinks as I brush cardboard dust from my dry hands and wince. Keeping the smile on my face, I head to the wall and squirt some moisturizer onto my palms. “Sure.”
Here it comes. The moment he tells me he’s axing this department and everything with it. That we’re not as crucial as I hoped.
“Calliope… about that kiss.”
My heart stalls faintly in my chest like I’ve been struck and I stare at him in surprise, suddenly angered that he’snottalking about work. “The kiss?”
“I know I overstepped and I am sorry.”
“Don’t even worry about it,” I reply with a wave of my hand as I walk around him to the table containing the invoices from the delivery. “It’s in the past. Forgotten.”
“Not for me, it isn’t.” His soft voice deepens behind me, and a tingle shoots down my back.
“It’s not?”
“Back when we first met at that conference… I really liked you. I know that’s silly to say considering how little we knew each other and we only had one day and night together, but you’ve stuck with me all these years. Everything about you back then drew me in like a moth to a flame, and I was willing to get burned up just for a chance.”
I stare hard down at the invoice as the numbers blur and dance across the page. Everything he’s saying sounds like a dream, but in truth, it’s a nightmare. I don’t need to know this. I shouldn’t know how he feels because then I’ll start to feel it too and I’ll end up justifying the awful thing he did as I walk right into a situation where he’ll surely cheat on me the next time someone catches his eye.
“I’ve regretted never getting your number ever since,” he continues softly. “And then I came here and you were here, and it was like fate was finally guiding me where I was supposed to be.”
“You don’t even know me,” I murmur, clutching the invoice in my hands.
“I know you’re kind and considerate of those around you. I know you're passionate about your work and your life, that you care deeply for your son and your family. I know you’re strong because in these few weeks I’ve seen what you deal with, and I admire how headstrong you are at facing things. I even know how determined you are to protect yourself.” He laughs slightly. “My forehead and cheek can attest to that.”
I spin around immediately. “I’m still really sorry about that,” I say as I glimpse his fresh scar peeking out from a faded bruise. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“I know.” Elijah smiles.
“But… me and you?” As much as my heart lifts at his words and my stomach flutters the second we make eye contact, I know the truth and his sweet words can’t change that. “We never would have worked out. You should stop this.”
His brows dip slightly. “You don’t know that.”
