Page 49 of Possessing Paisley
He holds up his hands and smiles, the lines deepening at the corners of his eyes. “Paisley, relax. And call me John.”
I peer up at him and give a timid nod.
“Let’s sit,” he says, motioning back toward the table.
When we’re both seated again, he leans back and sighs. “I have to apologize, Paisley.”
Huh? Okay, this is starting out weird.
“Until Kieran introduced you, I had never heard your name. I had no idea you were the one who secured the Callahan account. When it came up to my office, it had Chuck’s name on it.”
The muscles in my neck tighten. Should I tell John that Chuck is scum? I have no real proof that he’s shady other than what I’ve heard and seen. Why didn’t I keep records? Probably because I didn’t expect my boss to be slime.
When I don’t say anything, he clears his throat.
“On Monday, I emailed Chuck and asked him why it was his name on the file and not yours. He gave me some half-assed excuse, then suggested you weren’t fit to handle the account yourself and asked me to assign his son moving forward.”
That fucking bastard. Why didn’t I hit him with a stapler when I had the chance?
“He’s been bugging me repeatedly to let Adam work with me on it. I assured him I am fully capable of handling the Callahans’ account alone.”
John nods and holds up his hand. “I know you are. You were fantastic with them today, and after I spent most of Tuesday reviewing everything you’ve done with them, I was beyond impressed. So, then I looked over several of your other accounts, and I had no doubt in my mind that you deserve this promotion.”
Butterflies erupt in my tummy. “Really?”
He chuckles like he can’t believe I’m doubting it. “You’re a standup employee, Paisley. I know I’ll lose you once your makeup company gets established, but until then, I’d like you upstairs reporting directly to me.”
I bob my head and grin, and I’m sure I look like an idiot, but I don’t care. I’ve been working my ass off for this company since day one, and it’s paying off. He’s right about losing me once the makeup line is up and running successfully, but that could take a year or more.
“Thank you, Mr. Boldt, I mean John. Sorry, I’m just so excited. Thank you so much, sir. This means so much to me.”
“I can tell.”
I’ll no longer work for Chuck The Schmuck. That might be the best part of it all. “What about Chuck?”
John’s expression darkens as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Just between you and me, Chuck will no longer be working for Boldt Financial or any financial firm on the West Coast after I wrap up my investigation on him. He will be let go by the end of this week. HR is making sure we have everything we need to fire him with cause so he won’t receive any kind of severance package.”
“Oh, shit,” I murmur, then slap my hand to my mouth. “Sorry. That slipped out.”
He laughs, and it’s warm and relaxed. I think I’m going to like working with John.
“I hope it’s not all because of the situation with the Callahans,” I add.
“No. I’ve been keeping my eye on Chuck for a few months, actually. Turns out he’s been funneling small amounts of money into multiple accounts outside the firm. It took some time to trace it directly to him. I suspect he wanted Adam on the Callahan account so he could get his hands on some big money.Adam will also be seeking employment elsewhere as he’s been helping Chuck.”
Holy shit.
“Wow. Um, I’ll keep that between us, sir.”
“Thank you. I’ll let you get back to work, but keep an eye on your email for your promotion contract. Once you’ve reviewed it and signed it, bring it up to the top floor, and I’ll show you your new corner office.”
We stand, and as we shake hands, he smiles. “Oh, and Paisley. Congratulations on your business venture. It sounds like it’s going to be wildly successful. I’m a bit sad I’m not a woman right now, so I could invest in it too.”
I giggle, a giddy feeling bubbling inside my chest as we leave the meeting room. Once again, I’m surprised when he walks me back to my office.
“Great job again, Paisley,” he says before he turns to head to the elevator.
As soon as he’s out of sight, I close my door and dance around my office. This is the best day ever. I’m on top of the world, and I don’t think anything could ruin it right now.