Bitter Accusations And A Surprise

"Train your people properly," Joanne commanded, the security manager, her tone brooking no dissent. "Effective immediately, Nolan is reassigned to the warehouse. He's too young and unprofessional to handle client interactions at the entrance. That's all."

She dismissed him with a flick of her fingers, watching as Williams stumbled over a half-hearted apology and shuffled out the door.

As the door clicked shut, Joanne's attention shifted to Brian, who stood with his arms crossed and his jaw clenched tight. Through the gaps in the blinds, she caught a glimpse of Jason, the office assistant, craning his neck to peer inside. Joanne exhaled slowly, her irritation mounting.

"Hire the one here for the interview for the clerk position," she said, not bothering to glance at Brian as she turned back to her monitor.

Brian's jaw slackened in surprise. "But I already hired a girl yesterday," he stammered, his tone laced with panic. "I asked Jason to get your signature yesterday, but he said you'd do it today. The file's here…"

Joanne raised a brow and tilted her head slightly, finally looking at him. "A girl?"

"Yes," Brian replied quickly, nodding. "She's fresh out of community college and wants to work as an intern to get a grasp on things."

"An intern?" Joanne repeated, her skepticism clear. Her sharp eyes caught the way Brian avoided naming the girl outright. She let the silence hang, daring him to continue.

"She'll work for free," Brian blurted, his face brightening as if he'd just delivered the solution to all her problems. He knew his boss loved money more than anything. "She said she wants to learn the business and gain experience."

Joanne's lips curved into a sardonic smile. "For free? My company has such a stellar reputation that young people are lining up to work for us without pay? How flattering."

She knew he came up with 'interning' right now. After just a month, she'd be hired as a temporary worker and then as a permanent worker with all the perks.

Brian nodded eagerly, oblivious to her sarcasm. "Of course! Other than Meyer Steel over in the next town, there aren't any companies of our caliber here."

"Mmm…" Joanne leaned back in her chair, letting a moment of pride wash over her. But her expression hardened just as quickly. "Hire the one here. Pay him the salary we agreed on."

Brian's smile faltered. "But Chrissy will work for free, and you want to hire someone else?"

Joanne's brows shot up. "Chrissy?" she asked, her voice deceptively light. "Would her surname, by any chance, be the same as your wife's maiden name, Mr. Cooper? Is her name Chrissy Nolan?"

The flicker of panic that crossed Brian's face was answer enough. Joanne's jaw tightened. Over the past year, Brian had filled her office with relatives—his cousin at reception, his wife's aunt as a clerk, the security guard and now this. Her patience with him was hanging by a thread.

Brian straightened, his tone turning defensive. "Are you accusing me of—"

Bang!

Joanne's palm slammed against the table, the sharp sound reverberating through the room. Brian flinched, his words dying on his lips.

With her head tilted slightly, Joanne fixed him with a glare sharp enough to cut steel. "Tell me, Brian—how fond are you of your current job? Because it might not last past today if you keep testing my patience," she said, her voice dangerously soft.

Brian's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but no words came.

"Do what I say. That's all." She waved him off dismissively, already turning her attention back to her screen as if he were no longer worth her time.

Brian hesitated, his jaw tight, before turning on his heel and storming out of Joanne's office. His murmurs echoed down the hall, a bitter litany about being underappreciated despite shouldering all the company's burdens.

He did what he was told to do. He interviewed JD.

In the break room, his indignation boiled over. "She's making me hire someone with no experience and no certificates," he vented, his voice loud enough to draw a sympathetic circle of workers around him. "Of course, she doesn't care about management. It's all about money for her."

The murmurs of agreement rippled among the staff. To them, Joanne was the cold, detached boss who lived by spreadsheets and profit margins, oblivious to the struggles of her workforce.

But Joanne wasn't oblivious.

Sitting in her office, she leaned back, closing her eyes to block out the whispers of the spring breeze. The accusation hung in the air, bitter but hollow. She had learned not to care; after all, she knew her worth—she pulled the company from bankruptcy to success.

She'd been surprised when Brian mentioned JD lacked educational certificates. He didn't look unqualified.

The way JD carried himself—the ease in his posture, the measured politeness in his gestures, his table manners, the faint confidence that slipped through even in his quiet moments—spoke of someone well-bred, perhaps even from wealth. She had thought as much when she first met him.

Yet now she wondered, Was I wrong?

Her gaze drifted to the stack of papers on her desk, JD's hiring form among them. Signing it had felt more like a gamble than a decision.

Prove to me you're not useless, JD, she thought, exhaling a slow breath as she signed.

By the time Joanne left the office, the golden hour bathed her fields in hues of amber. Dirt crunched beneath her boots as she stepped onto the driveway, relief washing over her. Home. There was no place like it.

Jeffrey, her playful horse, greeted her with a nicker, and Fluffy bounded up, tail wagging furiously. Joanne smiled, saddling up Mr. Darcy, her favorite horse, and set off to check the perimeter. The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves and the scent of spring wildflowers calmed her mind. The fields stretched around her like an embrace, the soft rustle of leaves and the distant lowing of cattle her sanctuary.

After ensuring the cattle were safe and instructing the farmhands, she lay in the meadow, watching the sky shift from blue to soft pinks and purples. Fluffy darted through the grass, his energy boundless, while Joanne let herself drift in the serenity.

It was her therapy—no expensive spa could replicate the quiet solace of this moment.

As twilight deepened, Joanne returned to the barn to settle the horses, the sounds of the evening wrapping her in a cocoon of peace. But just as she stepped outside, the grating rattle of an old car pierced the tranquility. Her dogs erupted into a barking frenzy, charging toward the driveway.

Joanne followed, her brows knitting as she saw the dilapidated vehicle pulling in. Its sputtering engine struggled to quiet even after the driver cut the ignition.

"JD?" she called out, surprised as he climbed out.

JD stood by the car with an exaggerated flourish, arms spread wide. "Behold, Goddess!" he declared, a boyish grin lighting up his face. "My first car!"

Joanne blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the title he'd just given her. Goddess?

She had been given many names throughout her life, but "Goddess" was never one of them. Not even close.