Justin (10 page)

She rubbed her temples. The reception was this weekend, and her name change hadn’t been done yet. How had she had the time to plan a reception for two hundred people and HR hadn’t had the time to change her name.

Justin walked up behind her. “What form are you waiting for?” He leaned against the wall watching her with his dark eyes. She never lost the little thrill she felt every time she saw him. She hoped she never would.

She shook her head. “My name change form from HR.” She’d kept the HR mess to herself. Why bother him with something trivial?

His eyes narrowed. “Why are you just now getting around to that? Are you ashamed to be married to me?” Her eyes widened. Justin had never been annoyed with her. Why was he upset now? “I’ve told the press. I’ve told my grandmother. I’ve practically taken out an ad in skywriting telling the world I’m in love with you and I married you. And here you are not even changing your name at work, when all it takes is a simple little form! What is the problem?” He was leaning over her, his palms flat on her desk, clearly furious.

She stared up at him, her face breaking out in a grin. “Did you just say you love me?” She could think of circumstance she’d rather get a declaration of love in, but she knew if he was saying it in anger, he definitely meant it.

“
Of course, I love you. Stop changing the subject! Why haven’t you filled out the form?”

She grinned, standing up and wrapping her arms around him. “I love you, too, Justin.” She rested her cheek against his shoulder, smiling happily.

He grinned for a moment, but then held her at arm’s length. “So why haven’t you filled out the blasted form?” He had to work to stay mad at her after her declaration of love, but what was the problem?

She looked down at the floor for a moment. She hadn’t wanted to drag him into her battle with HR. “I have. This will be my eighth form. I fill one out every Monday.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What are you saying?” His voice had changed, taking on a note of pure anger.

“
They still hate me down there. They’ve ‘lost’ or ‘spilled coffee on’ or ‘accidentally shredded’ all the forms so far. I fill them out and they don’t enter them in.”

“
They what?”

She nodded. “They ‘lost’ my benefits form for this year as well. I’m not allowed to have medical or dental coverage until next year. I typed that form into the system myself so I know it was there.”

His fury changed direction in that moment. “We’re about to lose another HR manager. We’re about to lose the whole HR department. Why would they think doing something like that is okay? What is wrong with those people?”

“
Angela and Melanie are still best friends. Angela is convinced that I set Melanie up to take the fall for the illegals working here, so she hates me. Everyone in the department is afraid of her, so no matter who I talk to, the form is lost again.” Sarah’s voice was matter of fact. The problems in the HR department had not even begun to be solved with Melanie’s leaving.

He sat down in the chair across from her desk. “When were you going to tell me?” She could see he wasn’t pleased with her, but he wasn’t nearly as angry with her as he had been. She felt sorry for Angela in HR, though.

She shook her head. “I wasn’t. I’ve come to you too many times over the problems in HR. I was going to handle this one myself. I just keep smiling and filling out new forms.” She shrugged.

“
Who down there is good and could manage the department?”

She tilted her head to the side thinking about it. “David Atherton is fabulous. He knows everything inside out. He should have gotten the promotion to assistant when Angela did, but Melanie promoted her buddies. Angela is a carbon copy of Melanie.”

“
Call down to HR and talk to David. Take him down to the cafeteria and feel him out about whether he wants her job. I’ll take care of Angela.”

He stormed into his office slamming the door behind him. Sarah picked up the phone and called David in HR. “David, it’s Sarah Owens. I’m buying you a cup of coffee from the cafeteria. Meet me there in five minutes.” She didn’t wait for his response, just headed for the elevator.

Angela stepped out when the door opened. “Bitch.” She deliberately bumped into Sarah as she went past trying to knock her over. Sarah smiled to herself. It would be good to have that kind of venom out of the company.

David was waiting for her inside the cafeteria. “I’m so sorry about the forms. I try to enter them, but she won’t let me.” He was wringing his hands together, clearly afraid he’d offended her, and in turn, Justin.

Sarah shook her head. “I understand. I know it’s not your fault.” She paused getting coffee for both of them, and leading him to a quiet table off in a corner. “Justin found out what she’s been doing this morning and asked me who I think should have the job. Angela’s gone. Do you want it?”

“
Are you serious? Yeah, I want it!” The excitement in his voice made her grin.

“
Can you help clean out the supporters of Angela and Melanie? We need to get rid of their nonsense.” She watched his face for a reaction. “It’s going to be your job to clean things up, and I don’t think it’s going to be easy.”

David thought about it for a minute. “I’ll have a list ready.”

Sarah smiled, standing up with her coffee. “Do it fast. Justin is going to be calling you into his office any minute. He wants to get this done.”

She could hear Angela yelling as she walked back into her office. “I can’t believe you’re firing me over that stupid little slut!”

“
She’s my wife. And it’s not just her. If you’d do this to my wife, then there’s no limit of your spitefulness.”

Sarah pulled up her computer and started typing out a letter that would soon go out to soccer teams worldwide, offering the services of SPI to make their teams better. Steven had been working on the software since they’d returned from the island, and it was finally ready.

Angela stormed out of Justin’s office slamming the door behind her. She didn’t even look in Sarah’s direction as she left.

Justin came out of his office, rubbing the back of his neck. “Please tell me David wants the job.” She could see by his face that he was worn out. He hated dealing with personnel problems. That’s why he had an HR department.

Sarah nodded. “He does. He’s going to make a list of the people who won’t cooperate because they’re Angela and Melanie’s buddies.”

“
Good. I’ll call him into my office in a few minutes.”

He walked up behind her, taking her hand and pulling her back toward his office. “I was really annoyed earlier, but I believe you told me something I’ve really been wanting to hear you say.”

She smiled. “I love you.” Her smile transformed her face. She was finally able to say the words freely, and she was sure she’d never stop.

He pulled her close. “That was it. I love you, too. I never would have married you otherwise.”

She buried her face in his shoulder. “I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else.”