came, he and Danielle had been making a
list of all the rare parts she'd need to order. They'd been in the
middle of Charlie's list and needed to finish. If he was going to
restore the man's cars in time, Danielle had to hit the phones
tomorrow.
She wasn't in her office, nor was she in the
reception area. But a parts list was. One that she was supposed to
have taken care of last week. Whenever Danielle completed an order,
a note was made on the list, and the paper filed in the proper
client's file. No such note was on this list, and R.J.'s deadline
for the car was one month away. He picked up the paper and went
into the shop looking for his manager. There, on the other side of
the large space, was Danielle shaking some pills out of a
prescription bottle. She downed a couple, or maybe just one, since
he couldn't really tell, without using water. Since when did she
take prescription medication? Was she ill and he wasn't aware of
it?
"Are you sick?" he asked her when she spotted
him.
Two slashes of red colored her cheek bones.
With a pinch of her lips, she tucked the bottle in the back pocket
of her jeans. "No," she answered with a quick shake of her head. "I
uh…" she rubbed the back of her hand across her nose. "I've been
having problems with migraines, so I had to go to the doctor."
He watched her carefully for a moment, not
sure if she was telling the truth. Danielle had never been a liar,
and he had no reason to doubt her explanation but… something nagged
at him. She didn't seem like herself, but he couldn't put his
finger on what it was.
Shoving the thoughts aside, he walked close
to her. "What's the story with this?" he asked, holding up the
paper in his hand.
She came toward him, her high heels making
annoying clacking sounds on the concrete floor. Why did she insist
on wearing those God-awful shoes? "What do you mean?"
"These parts were supposed to be ordered last
week. I found it sitting on the desk in reception with no note that
they'd been ordered. Please tell me that you ordered them, but
forgot to file the work order."
Her blue eyes zeroed in on the parts list,
but no sign of recognition flashed across her features. She took
the paper from him and scanned the information. "I don't remember
seeing this. Are you sure you gave it to me?"
Was she for real? How could she not remember?
"Positive. We stood right in that room and talked about it. You
said you'd get right on it. Don't you remember?"
Her dark brows pinched together, as though
trying to remember the conversation. She shook her head. "Well,
maybe I did order them, but I just didn't make a note of it. I
honestly can't remember."
When he lifted a brow, Danielle rushed on.
"Look, it's too late tonight to call them. I'll come in early in
the morning and call them first thing. If, for some reason I
overlooked this order, I'll put a rush on it, and you can take the
charge out of my paycheck. I'll get it straightened out. Okay?"
Was that desperation he heard in her voice?
Danielle was never desperate. She'd always been the epitome of
professional and efficient. One or two mistakes, he could overlook.
But if she continued on this path, her days here would be
numbered.
"All right," he found himself saying. "But if
you cost me this deadline, so help me, Danielle, you'll see a side
of me you'd wish you'd never seen."
He left the discussion at that and walked
away from her. The mistakes she'd been making were befuddling to
say the least. R.J. couldn't wrap his mind around the Danielle he
knew being forgetful and absentminded. On the other hand, maybe she
was overworked. The hours she pulled could rival his. In fact,
tonight was rather late for her to still be here. And lately she'd
been coming extra early. He had no clue where she found stamina,
plus being on her feet all day.
Maybe the problem wasn't really her. Maybe
putting everything on her shoulders was asking too much. Perhaps it
was time to hire some more help. Someone who could answer phones
and
list of all the rare parts she'd need to order. They'd been in the
middle of Charlie's list and needed to finish. If he was going to
restore the man's cars in time, Danielle had to hit the phones
tomorrow.
She wasn't in her office, nor was she in the
reception area. But a parts list was. One that she was supposed to
have taken care of last week. Whenever Danielle completed an order,
a note was made on the list, and the paper filed in the proper
client's file. No such note was on this list, and R.J.'s deadline
for the car was one month away. He picked up the paper and went
into the shop looking for his manager. There, on the other side of
the large space, was Danielle shaking some pills out of a
prescription bottle. She downed a couple, or maybe just one, since
he couldn't really tell, without using water. Since when did she
take prescription medication? Was she ill and he wasn't aware of
it?
"Are you sick?" he asked her when she spotted
him.
Two slashes of red colored her cheek bones.
With a pinch of her lips, she tucked the bottle in the back pocket
of her jeans. "No," she answered with a quick shake of her head. "I
uh…" she rubbed the back of her hand across her nose. "I've been
having problems with migraines, so I had to go to the doctor."
He watched her carefully for a moment, not
sure if she was telling the truth. Danielle had never been a liar,
and he had no reason to doubt her explanation but… something nagged
at him. She didn't seem like herself, but he couldn't put his
finger on what it was.
Shoving the thoughts aside, he walked close
to her. "What's the story with this?" he asked, holding up the
paper in his hand.
She came toward him, her high heels making
annoying clacking sounds on the concrete floor. Why did she insist
on wearing those God-awful shoes? "What do you mean?"
"These parts were supposed to be ordered last
week. I found it sitting on the desk in reception with no note that
they'd been ordered. Please tell me that you ordered them, but
forgot to file the work order."
Her blue eyes zeroed in on the parts list,
but no sign of recognition flashed across her features. She took
the paper from him and scanned the information. "I don't remember
seeing this. Are you sure you gave it to me?"
Was she for real? How could she not remember?
"Positive. We stood right in that room and talked about it. You
said you'd get right on it. Don't you remember?"
Her dark brows pinched together, as though
trying to remember the conversation. She shook her head. "Well,
maybe I did order them, but I just didn't make a note of it. I
honestly can't remember."
When he lifted a brow, Danielle rushed on.
"Look, it's too late tonight to call them. I'll come in early in
the morning and call them first thing. If, for some reason I
overlooked this order, I'll put a rush on it, and you can take the
charge out of my paycheck. I'll get it straightened out. Okay?"
Was that desperation he heard in her voice?
Danielle was never desperate. She'd always been the epitome of
professional and efficient. One or two mistakes, he could overlook.
But if she continued on this path, her days here would be
numbered.
"All right," he found himself saying. "But if
you cost me this deadline, so help me, Danielle, you'll see a side
of me you'd wish you'd never seen."
He left the discussion at that and walked
away from her. The mistakes she'd been making were befuddling to
say the least. R.J. couldn't wrap his mind around the Danielle he
knew being forgetful and absentminded. On the other hand, maybe she
was overworked. The hours she pulled could rival his. In fact,
tonight was rather late for her to still be here. And lately she'd
been coming extra early. He had no clue where she found stamina,
plus being on her feet all day.
Maybe the problem wasn't really her. Maybe
putting everything on her shoulders was asking too much. Perhaps it
was time to hire some more help. Someone who could answer phones
and
Similar Books
