When Byron still didn’t call her into his office, she decided she’d best get at least some work done — something that wouldn’t require her total concentration. Looking down at her paperwork, she sank into the numbers and forgot about her woes for at least a few minutes.
When her phone rang twenty minutes later, it gave McKenzie a start. Her plan of not sinking into work hadn’t gone over so well, because she wasn’t the type of person who could do half a job. She took pride in whatever she did, and she always gave it her all.
When a familiar number showed up on the screen, she smiled her first genuine smile of the day as she picked up. “Good morning, Zach.”
“Morning, beautiful. How’s it going in the real world?” he asked, his natural humor coming through, making her really miss her office.
“It is what it is,” she replied, sending the file she was working on to the corner of the computer screen. “How are things going at our company?”
“It would be a lot better if you were here, and you know that, but I think I’ve got a handle on things. Did you talk the boss into letting anyone come in for interviews?”
Did Zach sound hopeful?
She shuddered. “Please tell me there isn’t a disaster going on that you’re too afraid to tell me about.”
“If there were a disaster, McKenzie, I’d tell you, even if I didn’t like it. I’d probably send flowers, actually, with a note that said our business is going down in flames, but since that isn’t happening, you have nothing to worry about. Again, did the boss agree to interviews?”
“Yes, sort of,” she said, though she had more than just a feeling it was a waste of time.
“Great. When can I send in Jim? I can do it now, if you like.”
“Let me talk to Byron. But I don’t think we should send in Jim. Let’s bring in Mary. I think her personality would be a lot better fit here.”
“Are you sure?”
Mary was sixty-eight, and she was a master accountant, flawless in her work. She was also a no-nonsense kind of woman. If Byron didn’t like her, he wasn’t going to like anyone.
“Yes, I’m sure. I think they would get along just fine,” she said. “Hang on.” Before he could reply she placed him on hold, took a deep breath and walked into the lion’s den.
Knowing that Byron liked to exert his dominance, she waited until he looked up before she spoke. He was well aware she was in the room, but he could be a real jackass if she interrupted, and she wasn’t going to chance it. He made her wait for a full sixty seconds before he finally looked away from his computer screen. Maybe she should have told Zach she’d call him back instead of making him listen to elevator music for minutes on end, a good chunk of his life that he would never get back. Oh, well. It was too late now. If he got busy he’d hang up and she would call back.
“I’m sorry to get in the way of your busy schedule, Byron, but I have Zach on the line, and Mary — I’ve told you about her — is available to come in this afternoon if you can make the time.” McKenzie was brisk and impersonal, matching the way Byron spoke to her.
His eyes narrowed just the slightest bit, and then a small smile tilted his lips. “Bring her in now.” He then looked back down at his computer.
He was dismissing her as if she were trash. Every time he did that, she felt her fingers clench into fists. She hated that he felt he needed to be so rude. She’d worked before in a business where she’d needed to keep her guard up at all times, but she’d never treated people as callously as Byron Knight treated her.
She hurried back to her phone and told Zach to send Mary over ASAP. She then paced the hall as she waited for her to show up, her nerves screaming until the woman walked around the corner.
If Byron liked Mary, this game could stop and she’d be free to go away and attend to her own business. McKenzie wasn’t foolish enough to think he’d stop tormenting her that easily, but at least it could be done after business hours.
Though Mary had arrived quickly, Byron made her hang out in the sitting area for nearly an hour before bringing her into his office. McKenzie didn’t even attempt to get anything important done while she waited for the woman to walk back out. If she had been a nail-biter, she would have been down to stubs. That she knew for sure.
Only fifteen minutes into the interview, when Byron’s door opened and Mary stepped out looking less than pleased, McKenzie knew this wasn’t going to work. She could send in a hundred people, but Byron wasn’t going to hire any of them. He was only wasting all of their time right now.
Still, she had to ask. “What do you think, Mary?”
“I don’t understand how you can work for that man. He sat there stone-cold and asked me a few questions, then stared at his computer screen for a while before thanking me and sending me on my way. I have never been so insulted, in my life.” Mary had one hand on her hip, and she was clutching her briefcase with the other one.
“He might just be having a bad day. You’re exceptional at what you do, Mary. Once he’s had time to think about it, I’m sure he’ll realize that you are exactly what’s required for this job.”
McKenzie was hoping and praying that she wouldn’t lose such a valued employee over this. Mary could have retired five years ago, but she worked because she loved to do it. She was a widow and said it was much nicer to be out with other people than to sit at home alone hoping for a visit from the grandkids.
“I don’t know that I would accept at this point,” she said. “I enjoy coming in to work. And the past two months at your business have been satisfying. I have a feeling, however, that I wouldn’t enjoy coming in here at all, even if it were only for a few weeks.”
And with that, Mary turned and walked out.
Crap! Going to the bathroom first to refresh her lip gloss and take some deep breaths, McKenzie then made her way back to Byron’s office, pausing outside his door before stepping inside.
This time she didn’t wait for him to acknowledge her presence. “That was sure a quick interview,” she said with too much false cheer in her voice.
“She wouldn’t be a good fit.”
Gritting her teeth, McKenzie counted to ten before saying “Why?” The bastard kept using the phrase a good fit.
“I can read people, and though she has an excellent curriculum vitae, she wouldn’t be a good fit for Knight Construction.”