But I liked working at Moss Logistics. I liked being a personal assistant to Henry. It kept me busy without stressing me to my limit, which I appreciated, because my priority was Alexis. I didn’t want to work long hours or be so worried about deadlines or overbearing bosses. When I left the office, I left my job behind until I walked through the door again the next day.
Going to my desk, I fired up my computer. While it was starting, I made my way to the little kitchen we had, whichwas basically the size of a storage closet and only contained a refrigerator, microwave, and a sink. And a coffee pot, of course.
I started up a fresh brew and returned to my desk, checking over my boss’s schedule for the day. I arranged all of his meetings and appointments, so I already had it memorized, but I liked to be thorough.
There were a couple of emails in my inbox I would have to address later—requests for consultations and referrals from companies he had a good relationship with.
I’d just returned to the kitchen area to grab coffee for my boss when I heard him arrive. Henry liked his coffee with just a splash of cream, so I added it and headed for his office. He was already behind his desk, just settling into his chair, when I walked into the room.
Henry Moss was in his early fifties, as was evidenced by the white streaks throughout his dark hair as at his temples. He was short and stocky, with a gut that hung over the belt of his slacks. His face was clean-shaven, and I knew he kept it that way because he thought it made him look younger.
“Morning, Sarah,” he said as I placed the coffee on the corner of his cluttered desk.
It always drove me a little crazy to see how messy he kept his workspace. I was neat and organized. It was one of the things that made me so good at keeping Henry’s life in order.
But even my best efforts to clean up his office had proven to be a waste of time. Henry was too messy. So, I did my best to keep an orderly filing cabinet and make sure the rest of the office was in good shape. Ignoring the mess of papers and knick-knacks on every surface in the office wasn’t easy, but I had a lot of practice.
“Good morning, Mr. Moss,” I said. “I’ve sent you your schedule for the day. You have a conference call in thirty minutes, and Mr. Harper, the CEO of the sporting goods company looking for a new shipping company, will be here this afternoon.”
Henry had been working on getting a contract with Mr. Harper for weeks, and I knew he was hoping to seal the deal soon. We were still a pretty small operation but growing every year. If he could secure the contract with the sporting goods company, it could mean great things for Moss Logistics.
“Thank you, Sarah. I’m going to take a few minutes to go over my notes about the conference call.”
I nodded and left his office. All I could think about was asking for a raise, but I didn’t think it was a good idea to do it first thing in the morning. So, I kept myself busy with other things. Henry closed the door of his office while he was on the conference call, and he didn’t open it again when he was done. I knew he was going over financial reports and maintenance requests for some of our trucks that needed to be serviced, so I left him be until almost noon.
Then I took a deep breath, pulled on my big-girl panties, and knocked on his door.
“Come in,” he called out.
“I came for your lunch order,” I said. This was something I did every day, using the company credit card to pay for lunch from one of the many restaurants in this neighborhood for Henry and myself. “I was thinking it might be nice to go to the diner on the corner. It’s been a while since we ate there.”
Henry smiled. “Good idea. Get me a pastrami on rye with fries.” He patted his big stomach thoughtfully. “Forget the fries,have them give me a Ceasar salad instead. Oh, and get it with extra dressing.”
I didn’t bother to point out that choosing a salad wasn’t exactly a healthier option if he was going to drown the thing in salad dressing. I didn’t want to insult the man right now. I needed him well fed and in a good mood.
“No problem, Mr. Moss. But before I go, do you have a moment to talk?” I asked.
In the beginning, he’d tried to insist that I call him by his first name, but I’d never been fully comfortable with that. Eventually, he gave up on arguing about it and accepted that I would always be a little more formal than he wanted.
“Of course.” Gesturing to the single chair in front of his desk, he closed his laptop to give me his full attention. “What can I do for you?”
Nerves made my stomach feel uneasy, but I didn’t let that stop me. Straightening my spine, I held his gaze.
“I’d like to talk about a raise.”
There was a moment of silence as that statement settled between us, and Henry’s expression gave nothing away. My heart was pounding in my ears, and I bit my bottom lip nervously.
Henry let out a long exhale, his shoulders slumping, and he ran a hand down his face with a groan. I suddenly knew what his answer was going to be and disappointment washed over me.
“I’m sorry, Sarah.Shit.”
That shocked me because Henry rarely cursed, especially in front of me. He was old-fashioned and considered it rude to use that kind of language in front of a woman. It was one of his more endearing qualities.
“I knew this might happen soon,” he said with a sigh. His eyes were fixed on the desk in front of him. It was almost as if he couldn’t stand to look at me right now. “But I hoped you wouldn’t ask. At least, not yet.”
My heart sank. “You won’t give me one?”
I hated that my voice sounded so weak. I couldn’t hide that I was hurt. I might not have ever called him by his first name, but I considered us to be friends. How could he deny me this when I’d worked so hard for him?