“Does anything ever get done?” My doubt is out of my mouth before I can catch it.
“Every day and before the deadline, I encourage freedom, play, and exploration. Highly motivated staff perform better. We have a juice bar, ping-pong tables, a basketball net, and a room you can use to meditate if you want. It’s what they asked for, so I give them what they want and need. Every one of them has been with me since I started. I’ve never had anyone hand in their resignation.”
People don’t leave her because she cares for them, and that’s a unique kind of enchantment that binds them without chains.
“You’re kidding?” I’m still surprised.
“I swear on my mother’s life, I am not.” She pauses to think. “People stay because I guide and lift them up. In return they give me their steadfast loyalty.”
We don’t have a high turnover rate with staff but it could be a lot less. Maybe she could help human resources with that.
Maybe she’d visit me when she was in the building and bring me donuts again…
Fuck, I’m so screwed.
With her pointer finger, Sapphire draws invisible circles on the table as she changes the subject. “I meant to book the retreat today, but I ran out of time.”
I think what she meant was she was hoping I had changed my mind but I’m glad she brought that up. “Ah, that’s the other thing I need to talk to you about. I can’t make it this weekend.” During our clash over the venue on Monday, plus the threat of her quitting, and the fact that she’s really gotten under my skin and is making me lose my mind, I forgot this weekend is off-limits. “My brother is getting married Saturday. I’m the best man. Well, my two brothers and I are best men.”
I still can’t believe this slipped my mind. Although I think I’m right about her being an enchantress. Every time I walk into a room, it feels like she’s placed me under a spell, causing me to loosen my grip on my control.
“The weekend after then, maybe?” she asks, sounding unsure, as if she’s secretly praying I’ll say no.
I like this game.
Part of me hopes there are no spaces left for that weekend because it’s such short notice, and to see what she’ll suggest next, while the other part is imagining what it would be like to spend a few days with her, away from work, just the two of us. However, there will be other people there, and that kinda fucks up my ideology of what the weekend will look like.
Spiders.
And strangers.
And spiritual exercises.
Oh fuck no.
“Count me in for next weekend. What’s the retreat called again?” I ask.
“Rooted in Trust.”
“Great.” I might call them myself and book every available space just to test her.
Stop being so childish.
Or maybe Sapphire will forget or run out of time to book it because she is so busy, like she is today.
Maybe I should just ask her out for dinner, because fuck, how long can we keep this up?
She holds my gaze as she lifts her hand off the table and mindlessly plays with the fabric at the neckline of her dress, then smiles tightly. “Perfect, I’ll get it booked, or, you know, if something else comes up then we can always cancel; not that I want to, it’s just, you know, in case you’re too busy or you have an important client who needs you urgently.” She stumbles over her response.
Sapphire is stalling, and her act isn’t fooling me.
She threw out that retreat invite on Monday, expecting me to shut it down. Hell, she probably counted on it. Now she’s backpedaling, bluffing her way out of something she never thought I’d agree to. But fine. I’ll keep my cool and match her move for move.
I’m not backing down just because she thought I would.
If I’m being honest, I quite like this game we keep tiptoeing around.
Two can play that game… and I intend to win.