Slipperless Series (Book #2)(26)

Balls.

After repositioning my purse on my shoulder, I thinned my lips and marched towards them. I watched as their expressions changed from smug certainty to bewildered doubt. Without a word, I continued across the room until I stood between them. Once I did, I turned and faced the rest of the team.

Where the strength came from, I had no idea. Perhaps it was a case of temporary insanity. Or perhaps I was channeling Gabe or, maybe, my grandmother.

No matter, because as I glared at them all chatter in the lab ceased.

“Everyone, to the break room, please,” I said, in the most solemn tone I could muster after clearing my throat. “Drop whatever you are doing and go. Right now.”

I stood to one side and gestured for them all pass by me. As they did, I trembled, almost to the point of shaking. How the hell was I going to get through this? I didn’t even know what I was going to say. I waited until the last of them turned the corner. After a deep inhale, I reminded myself of my mantra and followed behind.

I walked in after them, and as I did, one by one, they grabbed seats in the plastic chairs that dotted the interior of the break room. After a final hard swallow, I decided that since I didn’t have the experience I needed, I’d have to fake it. At the last instant, my mind hatched a fantastic plan. I’d handle this situation just like Gabe. You know, I’d mimic him. After all, I’d been around him enough times now to at least give it a shot.

Soon enough, everyone settled into their seats. As they did, an unexpected flutter erupted in my stomach, threatening to derail me. I thinned my lips.

No, no, no! Go Fiona! Do it! Do it now!

With that, I cleared my throat and began. “I’m not going to waste a lot of time here. There’s an awful lot of work to do and not much time to finish it. I’ve been told some of you have a problem with my leadership, me as a person or both. I’m not interested in getting into a series of disagreements. What I am interested in is finishing our work. I realize you don’t like me. I wish I could do something to change that, but I can’t. Be that as it may, we need to pull together for the company’s sake and for Gabe.”

I paused for a moment, drawing my hands behind my back. For an instant, I ran my fingers over the stones on my charm bracelet before I interlocked my digits tight, hoping that would ease the shaking. Moisture wicked from my mouth as I paused, and so before I spoke once again, I tried my best to reverse that as well.

For the moment, it worked. I continued.

“Here’s what I will offer you though. If you’ll just fight through this with me, I’ll promise any of you that when the project is over, I’ll get any of you who want to transferred out of the lab and into another department. I don’t want you to work under me if you find the pressure to be too great. Does anyone have questions?”

I turned my head in the direction of the problem’s source… Amanda and Melissa.

“Anyone?” I asked.

To my complete shock, everyone in the room remained silent. I couldn’t believe it. I’d built this moment up in my mind for nothing. A surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins as I spoke once again.

“This is the only time we’re going to discuss this matter. If you have something, anything, to say, now is the time.”

As before, everyone remained quiet. I waited for a few more seconds before nodding in the direction of the wall clock in the break room.

“All right, then. Let’s get back to work.”

In less than a minute, everyone stood and returned to the lab. Left alone with my thoughts for a moment, I only had one. I wished my grandmother, and perhaps even more so Gabe, could have seen me.

I smiled.



GABE

My confidence in Fiona ebbed and flowed. At the moment, it was low tide on the beach of her fledgling career.

The simple facts were that her victory in the competition held less importance than the position she was in now. This was even more the case considering I intended to have her do the corporate presentation in St. Barths. And so once again, I’d turned to Andrew to give me details about her behavior. I simply couldn’t risk not knowing.

I’d taken him out of the loop since Fiona won the competition, not sensing a need to have him involved with reporting back to me. I tasked him instead with prep work for the upcoming presentation in St. Barths. However, distraction though it was, I found it preferable to more surprise meetings from the lab staff.

The first thing I wanted an update on was how she handled the strict orders I gave her to get the team in line. I had to know, once and for all, if Fiona was indeed capable. If not, this would likely be my last chance to find out with any degree of confidence before the meetings. As much as I didn’t want to do it at this late stage, if she couldn’t pull it off, I’d have to replace her.