Page 19 of Heart Like Yours
“Hey, Brandon,” I say with a polite smile. Slowly, he tears his disapproving gaze from Garrett to look at me.
“Hey, Paige-y! Lookin’ extra radiant today. Did you lose weight?” He slowly drags his gaze down my frame and I have to bite back the retorts that fly through my head.
All of them would likely land me with HR instead of him.
I’m definitely not given enough credit for not being petty or sassy when I want to be. Especially when there’s such a fine line between being called professional and being called a bitch just because someone doesn’t get their way.
“Mind if we have a word and catch up?” I say with a now forced smile that’s probably more like a grimace and wave a hand toward my office.
It’s best to ignore his comments.It’s easy enough to tell myself that, to hear the logical reminder. However, it doesn’t stop the old itch from creeping in to fluff out my shirt and make sure that my stomach is covered.
“Ooo, some one-on-one time with the boss lady.” He winks before standing, giving me what I’m pretty sure is meant to be asmolder but instead looks like he’s holding in a fart. I shudder, making sure to give him space and letting him lead the way.
“It’s a shame I don’t see you around the office more. Seeing you in those teasing skirts is always the highlight—” His gross attempt at flattery cuts off when he steps through my office door.
Brandon’s shoulders straighten as he blocks my door and he barely spares me a glance as he speaks over his shoulder. “Why is he here?”
Gone is Brandon’s flirtatious tone. In its place is one that does nothing to hide his distaste.
I clear my throat, not wanting to step any closer to Brandon than I already am.
“If you’ll go in and have a seat, we can get to that.”
Brandon finally moves, stiffly walking to one of the chairs in front of my desk but doesn’t sit. I peek at Garrett, who is leaning against the small, round table in my office while turning to shut my office door and almost hit myself in the process when I see him.
He’s visibly seething. Something I didn’t even know Garrett was capable of.
He glares at Brandon, who still hasn’t sat, while his fists clench at his sides. I briefly wonder if maybe I should have had Andrea sit in with me instead today, but it’s too late now. Garrett had insisted on being the one to do this with me, so I make a mental note to ask later what happened to make these two not get along and get this show on the road.
Clearing my throat, I cross my small office and attempt to ignore the building tension in the room.
“Why don’t we all have a seat?” I say, grabbing the back of a free chair and drag it to my side of the desk. “Garrett?”
His eyes snap to me, shoulders relaxing slightly, and silently waits for me to continue.
I motion to the chair. It’s not quite on my side, but it at least keeps a barrier between the two of them. He nods but doesn’t say a word as he sits.
Brandon finally lowers himself to the edge of his seat. “What’s up?”
Pulling out the file with the termination notice, I suck in a calming breath and push it across the desk toward him. After a long, awkward moment, he stops shooting daggers at the man beside me to look at the paper. His brows scrunch together in confusion.
Not that he should be at all confused as to why he’s being fired.
“During our last conversation, I told you that if your attendance and performance did not improve, it would lead to termination. I also offered you resources and asked how I could help, both of which you claimed you didn’t need.”
“This is bullshit. I’ve been working,” he stutters, that pissed off expression now directed at me.
“In the past month, you have clocked in for a total of just shy of twenty hours. Your last projects were all reassigned two weeks ago and you have had nothing on your docket since then.”
He scoffs. “I told you that my mom?—”
“Tread very carefully when playing the sick or dying mom card with me,” I warn, unable to keep the bite from my words. Brandon straightens his shoulders and clenches his teeth but doesn’t say anything further. After reminding myself to breathe, I continue in a calmer tone. “If that were the case, I also tried to give you resources to help with taking a personal leave, but you chose to decline that as well. Your lack of attendance and poor performance are not meeting the requirements. But while we’re on the topic, for your own future reference, may I also point out that your social media posts are all very public.”
I raise a brow in challenge, letting the silent implication that we all know how he is spending his time hang between us. Brandon’s nostrils flare, but still, he remains silent.
“You have been given multiple chances over the past few months, none of which you took. Given the multiple warning conversations, this should not be a surprise,” Garrett finally says, his voice much calmer than I had expected. “As of this moment, you are no longer a SweetHeart Publishing employee.”
“That’s all real rich coming from you of all people.” Brandon seethes, but his attention stays on me. “This is bullshit. I need this job.”