No Longer Alone

Chapter Twenty-Two

*Nicole's POV*

    As lunch ended for us and we all headed back inside still trading friendly insults and joking around with each other I saw our boss leaving the conference room and looking around like she was on a mission.  Seemed someone was going to suffer the wrath of Stone.  We all knew her first name, but most of us just tended to call her by her last name, just easier.

    "Wonder who did what to get boss fired up like that."  David muttered on one side of me, spotting what I had.  "Seems like someone is gonna get an earful."

    "All I can say is I hope it isn't me."  Bob commented on the other side.

    I just nodded and hummed an agreement.  Stone was probably one of the best managers I had ever worked for, she had a great sense of humor and was as down to earth as they came, but if you did something that put you on her s**t list, you would regret it.  She was never rude or mean, but she did have a way of making you feel absolutely terrible for letting her down. 

    She scanned the floor and her eyes latched onto our group walking back in, or more specifically me.  I was beginning to regret not checking my computer, but I tried to aim for a happy smile and carefree waive as she started walking towards us.

    "Where have you been?"  Stone asked, direct and to the point, but at least she is giving me a chance.

    "After class I was out on the floor helping some agents and then it was lunch time."  I kept a hint of confusion in my voice, I knew I wasn't on any of the planned meetings, and Stone usually kept it that way to since she had dealt with my sass enough to know I wasn't the best person to invite to meet any clients.  Sugar coating mixed with sucking up tends to make me sick to my stomach if I have to do it.  "I was trying to stay busy and productive like we were asked to."  I tried to smile innocently.  

    "So busy you forgot to check your messages after class?"  Stone smirked at me and I knew my attempt at looking innocent had fallen flat.  I caught Bob and David making a speedy retreat from the conversation out of the corner of my eye.  Traitors.

    "Well...I had promised the team a reward if they did well in class, and I didn't want to let them down..." I rubbed the back of my neck, a reflex action I did when I was stressed.  I didn't like bending the truth, but I also didn't want to tell her I was worried after finding out that my class had been listened to.  Hanging my head a little sheepishly I looked up at her and sighed.  "I really am sorry boss, you know that isn't normal for me and I am usually really diligent about checking for any communications..."

    "Yeah you may want to save those lines for someone who doesn't know you too well."  She started laughing at me.  "You aren't off the hook though girlie, you were supposed to be in a meeting 5 minutes ago with the visitors."

    "I checked the agenda you sent out this morning.  Andrew was supposed to be in the meeting now, not me, that's why I went to lunch when I did."  I didn't actually have to fake the surprise in my voice this time.  I was shocked.  Andrew had the technical title of being Stone's right hand, he was supposed to be our admin for our department, and was a great numbers guy, I was the unofficial left hand that kept the team motivated and feeling good.  He may be the brains, but in our department to our team, I was the heart, soul and backbone, or so they told me.  He also seemed to think he was more important than he was.  Him and I had dated for a while a few years back, and I still remembered clearly him saying that only a drunk or drug addict could love me.  Karma got him though, he was now stuck with a legit crazy chick and had even had to call the cops on her during their on again off again relationship. 

    "Oh Andrew is in there, but our guests have specifically requested to meet with the supervisor that was training todays class.  They evidently have some questions in regards to the training you delivered today."  I felt a stone in the bottom of my stomach at this. We started walking back towards the conference room and I started getting a bit worried.

    "Was there something wrong with the class?   I presented it the way I normally do and that is one of my best classes."

    "There was nothing wrong with it.  You did a great job as you always do, stop worrying so much!  I swear I don't know how someone as outgoing and confident as you are can worry so much about little things."  I guess she didn't know me as well as she thought she did.

    She opened the door to the conference room motioning me to go in while making apologies for the delay and covering for me, best boss ever.  I avoided looking at the visitors for a moment, first seeing a very uncomfortable Andrew, who shot me a bit of a glare before trying to look friendly.  Laura the site director looked to be in a pretty good mood, although it seemed like she was trying hard not to laugh at something.  I looked to my boss who motioned for me to take a seat between her and Andrew, and put on my best display of confident and in control supervisor before looking to the visitors.

    You've got to be kidding me!  I discreetly pinched the palm of my hand to check if I was in a nightmare.  Nope, pain is there, this is real, now if only I knew when I had broken a mirror to have this level of bad luck.