Her office was right next to mine, and because she was in the process of reducing her hours now that she’d turned sixty-eight, it was usually used to meet with families while they completed paperwork.A few days earlier, she’d effectively handed me the reins of the shelter while she prepared for a two-week trip to Europe.
Day one of being in charge and I’dslappedour newest court-mandated volunteer.
It was going great.
The sound of clicking keyboard keys filtered through the cracked door, which was why I only gave a cursory knock before pushing it open.
The sight of whatever expression was on my face caused her to slowly arch an eyebrow. “Oh dear.”
“Did you know?”
Her face was all innocent patience, but I didn’t believe it for one freaking second. “Know what?”
“That he was coming here.”
“Ahh. That.” She folded her hands on her desk and studied me carefully. “How did you find out?”
“He’s out in the parking lot,” I answered through a tight jaw. “It’s hard enough to find volunteers, and those are people who are passionate about rescue work. He’s here as punishment. All he’ll do is get in my way and bitch and moan when I give him work to do.”
Her smile was brief. “You don’t know that.”
“Muriel, the man is a professional football player who’s not exactly winning any congeniality awards. They paid him millions of dollars last year to sit on a bench. You think he cares about how clean our kennels are?”
“He will if he wants us to sign off on his hours to satisfy the courts.”
I scoffed. “This is going to be awful.”
Muriel gave me an appraising look. “Then it’s a perfect challenge for the interim director, isn’t it?”
With a groan, I sank into the empty chair tucked into the corner of her office. On the end table set between it and a second, identical chair was a little vase of wildflowers and a business card holder with the rescue’s contact information. I plucked one out of the case and fiddled with the edges.
“Can’t we just ask the judge for a check and make him go away?”
“No,” she said around an amused smirk.
“Ugh. We need the money more than we need him lurking around.”
“Will he lurk?”
“Yes,” I answered emphatically. “Someone of his size can’t help it. Wait until you see him. It’s ridiculous.”
“I’ve never known you to be so judgmental right off the bat.”
“I’m not usually, but come on—it’s completely fair to judge him off what I know, and nothing I know speaks well of him. And that was before the DUI. And before he opened his asshole mouth.”
Muriel crossed her legs and let out a slow breath. “People make lots of mistakes. I have. You have,” she said gently. “But hopefully, we’re not always viewed with those mistakes as the standard for who we are.”
“Well, if you’re going to be rational about it ...” I grumbled. For a moment, I closed my eyes and let my head rest against the wall. “What would you do? If you were in charge of him?”
Probably not get into a situation where he finger-banged her in a club, but that was not a point I felt moved to make.
“Hold him to the same level of accountability you expect from employees or volunteers. You’re the boss, and you need to act like it.” When I opened my eyes, she was watching me carefully. “This is a big test for you, Remi. I expect you to set aside whatever distrust you might have and be a professional.”
I nodded slowly. “So no more hormone-induced temper tantrums? Even when he’s awful?”
It wasn’t like I could tell her what had happened out in the parking lot. That would trigger way too many questions, and I’d prefer to take that entire experience to my grave, where it belonged. Even Ness didn’t know what had happened at the club. I’d told her I danced with someone hot, we flirted, and I went home while she was busy sucking face with Christian.
“How do you know he’s going to be awful?” Muriel asked with a smile.