Matter of Fact: A Hockey Romance (The Hart Series Book 7)

by M. E. Carter

  In hindsight, I’m positive there was. Welch and Associates is a family-owned business. If Mrs. Welch assumed I was going to marry Kevin eventually, she was probably grooming me to run the business upon her retirement.

  Well, she was. Until she decided there was a better candidate for daughter-in-law.

  I won’t think about that now. I have a new person to wow with my abilities and even if I don’t get the job, every interview is good practice for the next one.

  Smoothing my black pencil skirt down and ensuring my billowy white blouse is still buttoned properly, I blow out a breath just in time for the elevator doors to part.

  The office is wide open—no closed in rooms or cubicles. Just open desks so people can interact while they work. I like that.

  The sound of the chatter gives the room a different vibe. Glancing around, I notice mostly women working here—only one man. As people catch my eye, I get smiles in greeting.

  Wow. What a different feeling than at my current job where everyone keeps to themselves and any interruptions are treated with irritation. I wonder what it would be like to work in an environment like this one.

  Approaching the first desk I see, I’m greeted with yet another smile. I can’t tell how old the man is, although once people are over twenty-five, I have a hard time being able to tell anymore. His black-rimmed glasses make him look intelligent, but not pompous. I like his vibe immediately.

  “Good morning,” he says with a comforting smile as he rips up a piece of paper and tosses it in the garbage. “What can I do for you today?”

  “I have an interview with Annie Hughes and I’m not sure where to go. I’m Ellery McIlroy.”

  “Oh, of course.” He hops out of his chair, I mean literally hops, and waves for me to follow him. “I’m Jared and we’re so glad you’re here. Things have been a little tense without this position filled.”

  This is tense? Everyone seems so happy to be working here. It makes me wonder what it would be like when there isn’t an open position.

  People continue to smile at me while we wander around a bunch of desks.

  “Wow. Everyone seems so nice, though.”

  “You’re coming from an accounting firm, right?”

  I nod, not quite sure what that has to do with anything.

  “I used to work for a firm, too. The vibe here is nothing like that rat race. It’s much more of a family feel here. We have a job to do and we need to do it right, but I will never go back to that kind of office again if I can help it.”

  “That’s some high praise.”

  “It helps that Annie is such a great boss. Speaking of which…”

  We stop in front of an office door I didn’t notice before. Jared knocks on the door jamb and leans into the office. “Knock, knock. Ellery is here.”

  I can’t see who he’s talking to but I hear a female voice respond with “Oh good!”

  Jared backs out of the doorway. “Annie, this is Ellery. Ellery, our fabulous boss Annie.”

  The woman in question is easily in her fifties with curly, bright red hair pulled back with a clip. Her easy smile has my nerves immediately tapering off as she puts her hand out for me to shake.

  “It’s so nice to meet you. Come on in and have a seat. Thanks, Jared,” she calls to him as he retreats back to his workspace. “I need to apologize for the mess in here. I’m hoping things get back to some sort of normalcy once we get this position filled.”

  “Jared was telling me it’s a bit crazy right now.”

  She huffs a laugh as we both sit. “Let’s just say I’m so glad your resume was on the top of my pile and you were able to come in so quickly. I’m ready to pass payroll work back to someone else.”

  She settles in her seat and puts some reading glasses on, then glances over my resume.

  “Are you a hockey fan, Ellery?” Annie asks without looking up from the paper.

  “I hate to admit this but not really.”

  She looks up, her eyebrows raised just slightly. “Have you ever been to a game?”

  I shake my head. “I know a couple of the team members through some mutual friends.” Mutual friends being a bar we all frequent, and a bed that I slept in last night. She doesn’t need to know that part, though. “But team sports aren’t something I naturally gravitate toward.”

  She pauses for a few seconds, assessing me. It makes me nervous again so words begin pouring out of my mouth.

  “Not that I couldn’t learn to have team spirit, of course. On game days or whatever events we would need to go to. I can buy a spirit shirt…”

  My words taper off as she smirks, seeming amused by my word vomit.

  Picking up my resume, she ignores my nervous chatter and glances at the short list of my career accomplishments again. “I see you’ve been a junior accountant for Welch and Associates for the last few years. How many accounts do you oversee?”

  “About twenty, give or take depending on the month.”

  “Is that mostly payroll?”

  “Payroll, taxes, some accounts requisitions. Basically, anything money-related that the company needs me to do.”

  “So, a jack of all trades.” Annie leans back in her chair and tosses her glasses on her desk. “What we need is someone who can focus on payroll.”

  My heart sinks a little. While I can do payroll, it feels like a step down from what my goals have been. I was on track to be a senior accountant, in charge of margins and expenditures for some good-sized corporations. Still, I’m here in a very different kind of environment and I’m curious what Annie has to say.

  “The title of Payroll Manager sounds a little deceiving,” she continues. “Because of the kind of business we’re in, payroll means something different for almost every employee. We have hourly, salary, lump sums, bonuses. And that’s just the people under the Slingers umbrella. We also have international employees and contractors who require a whole different kind of payout. Nothing is cut and dry and paydays aren’t just locked into one or two particular days a month.”

  The more she explains what the job really is, the more interested I become. This isn’t just cutting checks every two weeks. This is part of managing an entire organization’s money. And this organization is larger than anything I would ever work with at my current job. There’s no way I could get bored here. And in an environment like this, it could be more of my dream job than a senior accountant ever was.

  Or maybe my dreams are just changing. And maybe that’s okay too.

  “I’m sorry I’m rambling,” Annie says with a small smile. “I want to make sure the job responsibilities are on the table. It’s not just about whether or not we want you. It’s about whether you want us, too. Do you have any questions for me?”

  Her words make me feel warm inside. I recognize how odd my reaction is, but for so many years I’ve just been a cog in a wheel that doesn’t care about their employees as much as I thought. To work in a place that truly thinks their employees are family is exciting.

  “Are there any kind of advancement opportunities?”

  “Yes and no. Obviously, there are a limited number of positions in this particular office, but this isn’t our owner’s only venture. He owns quite a few businesses that are always expanding and growing. So, if you ever feel stifled here and don’t want to move into managing benefits, working for him somewhere else is always a possibility as well. Speaking of which, I’m sure you’re curious about salary and benefits.”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything at this point, but it’s something that I’ve wondered about.”

  When she tells me the number, my jaw drops open in shock. I knew the players were well compensated but I had no idea the administration was also rewarded so handsomely.

  “Yeah, that’s the same reaction I had when I first started working here,” Annie admits. “And if you think that’s good, just wait until you see the benefits package. So let me ask you a question. Why are you trying to leave your current job?”

  I’ve alwa
ys been the girl who doesn’t quite know what to say in sticky situations. Do I tell the truth? Do I fudge things a little? What is the best course of action that won’t hurt me but isn’t just a bold-faced lie? I’m never sure I’m making the right choice. This situation is no different.

  How do I tell the woman I’m hoping will become my new boss that my old boss threw my life into a complete upheaval and has created a very difficult work situation? It’s not a hostile environment, per se, but it’s not ideal either.

  Still, I don’t want to come across as a potential problem employee so I opt to not say too much.

  “I thought I wanted to work in an accounting firm and work my way up the ladder.”

  “And that’s changed?”

  I stop to think because, after the short time I’ve been in this interview, I can definitely feel some different aspirations growing inside me.

  Carefully, I choose my next words. “I’m beginning to think opportunities arise in places we don’t always expect. And I think I’d rather have a great work-life balance while I keep my eyes open for those opportunities, than always be scrambling to prove my worth. I can be a hard worker and a strong asset to a team and still work in an environment that values me as a person, not just an employee number.”

  I watch as Annie’s eyes narrow. I’m not sure if she’s assessing me again or thinking, but soon enough a smile crosses her face.

  “That may be one of the best answers I’ve ever gotten to that question.”

  Sighing with relief, I can’t stop my own grin. I like Annie. I like this office. And I’m almost positive I could like this job. I just have to get it.

  “So.” Annie folds her hands and leans forward on her desk. “What other questions can I answer for you?”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Liam

  “It was amazing, Liam.”

  Ellery’s excited voice comes through the speaker loud and clear. She’s been chattering for several minutes and I’m not complaining. For someone who normally worries if she’s saying too much, I appreciate this new comfort level with me. But since there are no signs she’ll stop any time soon, I finally put her on speakerphone so I can keep peeling these zucchinis to make “noodles”. I’m not sure if I’ll like them yet, but it’s worth a shot.

  “Have you met Annie before?”

  “I have,” I say with a nod she can’t see. “Talked to her last week when I signed all that disability paperwork.”

  “She’s amazing,” Ellery gushes. “I feel like I could learn so much from her about how to manage people and an office. I’m in your driveway, by the way.”

  I hear her car door slam through my phone and out front at the same time. “Door is open. I’m in the kitchen.”

  “Seriously, Liam. I think I want to be her when I grow up. I mean I don’t want to do HR necessarily but maybe spearhead one of the departments, not just payroll.”

  The front door closes and I can still hear her talking a mile a minute as she walks down the hall. It’s like she’s in stereo. I don’t mind. The fact that she’s so excited she doesn’t want me to miss a word she says makes me happy for her.

  “The salary is more than I expected and the benefits package…” Ellery walks into the room and disconnects her phone but keeps talking. “…I had no idea the Slingers organization provides so well for their employees.”

  She approaches without hesitation and follows the instructions printed on my apron and gives the cook a quick kiss.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  “Sorry I’m babbling.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I like hearing you so excited.”

  She kisses me again then uses her thumb to wipe some lipstick off my lips. “I had to go to my actual job after the most amazing interview. Do you know how hard it was to stay focused and not want to tell everyone about it? It’s been trying to bubble out of me all day.” She glances around my counter. “What are you making, anyway?”

  “Currently, zucchini noodles. But I’m trying to pair it with a twist on chicken parm.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “We’ll see. I’m not liking the look of these zoodles so far.”

  “Zoodles?” she asks with a laugh.

  I shrug. “I have no idea if that’s a real thing but it sounds good so I’m running with it.” I gesture to the glass of water I have waiting for her on the large island. “Have a seat.”

  She makes herself comfortable on one of the stools and takes a long drink. Ellery may switch to wine or something later, but I’ve learned she prefers a large glass of water when she gets home from work. I wouldn’t be surprised if she forgets to hydrate during the day, getting too engrossed in her work. I should get her one of those giant water bottles that mark off what time you should have certain amounts consumed. She’d probably get a kick out of it.

  “So did Annie offer you the job yet?”

  “No. And I’m trying not to get too excited. I’m not the only person she’s going to interview. It was just so eye-opening to see a different way of doing my job. That I don’t have to work in a place that doesn’t care about me as a person. It feels like there are so few places like that anymore.”

  Finishing off one zucchini, I eye my future zoodles skeptically. I know they aren’t going to look like regular pasta but the color and shape are throwing me off.

  “What?” Ellery asks.

  “I’m just trying to figure out how these things aren’t going to fall apart when I boil them.”

  “Have you never made these before?”

  “Nope. And suddenly it seems like a bad idea.”

  Ellery smiles with amusement. “You’ve already gotten this far. You may as well keep going with them. If they turn out terrible, you know not to bother doing them again.”

  She’s got a point. Picking up my peeler and the largest zucchini of the bunch, I get back to work. I’m sure she’s hungry after the day she’s had and I’m ready to feed her.

  “What did you think of the office anyway? Is it as chaotic as it was last week?”

  “I don’t really have a reference point, but it didn’t seem that bad. Now that you mention it, though, they were really happy to see me.”

  That causes me to laugh. “I’m not surprised. Annie’s office was a mess when I was there and that’s not like her at all. She showed me her stack of resumes and mentioned the first person in the pile who meets her qualifications was basically hired.”

  A strange look crosses Ellery’s face, one that I can’t quite decipher. “And mine happened to be the first one?”

  “It was in the middle but when she walked out of the room I happened to see it so I put it on top. I knew she’d love you.”

  “Wait.” Ellery holds her hand up, her demeanor completely changing. “You put my resume on the top of the pile?”

  It’s at this moment that I realize I’ve made a huge mistake. My happy, chatty girlfriend who was excited about a new opportunity just flipped personalities and looks like I kicked her puppy. I’m not sure if my error was moving her resume or telling her about it, but either way, I know I’ve screwed up royally.

  “Why would you do that, Liam?”

  “I… I didn’t know it was wrong. Annie was stressed and having a hard time finding a good candidate. I knew you were a good candidate. It seemed like a way to help you both.”

  Ellery stands up, hands on her hips. Her legs are planted wide and her whole body is tense. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her this mad. Oddly, it makes me happy to see her showing intense emotions like this and standing up for herself, even if I’m still not quite sure what I did wrong.

  “You realize my last boyfriend got me a job too and look where I’m at now.”

  And now I’m slightly offended. “What the hell does that dick have to do with me?”

  She throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “The minute that relationship went south, it’s become a nightmare to go into work. I’m the laughing stock of the whole office. A
nd let’s not forget the promotion I was passed over for. I don’t want that to happen again, Liam.”

  Now I understand. This isn’t so much about what I did. It’s about her fear of what could eventually happen. I hate that she still doesn’t trust my intentions and that even if our relationship did end, she’s still afraid my integrity is only short-lived. Even worse, I hate that she thinks there’s an expiration date on what we have.

  “I’m not even going to comment about the fact that you’re already planning on us calling it quits.” Putting the zucchini down, I wipe my hands on a towel and round the island. “That stings, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m also sorry, Ellery. I never thought of it that way. I promise I never spoke your name. Annie has no idea we know each other or that we’re dating. All I did was put one piece of paper on top of the stack so she’d see it first. Her phone call to you, the interview, that was based on your accomplishments, not anything I did.”

  “It doesn’t matter Liam. Don’t you see?” she pleads. I hate seeing that look in her eyes. “I can’t go to another job because my boyfriend got me in. I can’t have you assuming I need your help. I have to be able to do this on my own, otherwise…”

  Her words taper off and her eyes get misty.

  “Otherwise, what?” I whisper.

  She looks away and takes a deep, steadying breath. “Otherwise, I’ll never know I can stand on my own two feet.”

  “Ellery…” I take a step forward and reach to her, hoping to convince her that she’s one of the strongest people I know. But she steps back, out of my reach.

  “No. I’m serious. I can’t be this weak pushover anymore. I need to be able to do this on my own —get my own jobs and pick my own apartment. I’ve let other people’s opinions influence my life for way too long. I can’t do that again.”

  My heart starts pounding at the implication of her words.

  “What does that mean for us?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I take a step back, wiping my mouth with my hand, shock running through me. Seconds ago, we were discussing noodles made out of a vegetable and now she’s questioning our whole relationship?