Conflict of Interest (Employee Relations Book 1) by Teresa Michaels Read Free Book Online Page A

the staff leans forward, their attention volleying between Lucas and the presentation. He eyes it, hmms , writes notes and then announces he’s good.
    Mike comments on the sales strategy that’s been put in place until the final decision regarding divesting is made. He throws out a few numbers, which Lucas flips into percentages. Observing the room it’s obvious everyone thinks he’s some kind of genius. They’re eating out of his hands when all the man has done is apply wisdom from an article on things to do in a meeting to look smart.
    Rephrase someone’s sentiments, ask to review a previous slide, take copious notes... Must be the accent.I bet if he said “dog shit tastes like chocolate” they’d all agree, but I’m not having it. I discreetly take out my phone and do a quick Google search. When I find the article I’m certain is driving his behavior, I send him a text with the link along with a message.
    Me: What’s your next move? A Venn diagram?
    His phone vibrates and he takes it out. I watch him open the link and scroll through the article. The corner of his mouth twitches briefly, though he doesn’t look my way. Quickly, he types back a response.
    Lucas: Thinking about pacing the room.
    I bite my lip to keep from laughing. He has a sense of humor. Thank God the man has at least one redeeming quality. How interesting that he actually replied.
    “If all goes well, Gabby will join me in the UK a few months from now to kick off due diligence. Each of you will have a role in the process, but there’s nothing more important than ensuring that employees are taken care of.”
    “Agreed.” Nearly everyone echoes the same sentiments.
    “Gabby, is there anything you’d like to add?”
    Turning to face Jack results in my leg pressing into Lucas’s thigh. Butterflies swarm my insides when instead of moving away, he presses his leg right back. Clearing my throat, I try to ignore the heat created between us.
    It’s just his leg.
    Everyone’s watching me yet it’s only Lucas’s stare that I feel.
    “I’m in the process of putting together our strategy for due diligence. While Jack is traveling I’ll be reaching out to all of you individually to discuss talent among other things. I understand everyone’s busy but you’ll need to make this a priority,” I reinforce Jack’s sentiments.
    Heating under Lucas’s gaze, I steal a sideways glance at him. His forehead creases under the weight of his concentration as if he’s processing a complicated equation. I wonder if he’s surprised that I actually do serve a purpose here. That or he’s constipated.
    Realizing that I’ve caught him gawking, he purses his lips and shifts in his chair. He then removes his leg from mine before returning his focus to the meeting.
    “Shifting gears,” Jack announces. “As you’ll recall, Gabby has been doing excellent work on a recommendation for a new Elder Care Program. In a few weeks I’ll pitch the program to the board. I’ve asked Gabby to give us an overview of her findings. Gabby.”
    I begin my presentation with a statistical overview on the aging demographics of the American population, drawing correlations to the age of the company’s workforce to drive home the point that the majority of our employees are impacted by aging parents or grandparents. The slide builds out to then show the average cost associated with caring for an aging relative. I’ve included data and pictures of affordable facilities, be it nursing homes, rehabilitation centers or specialized centers that deal with conditions such as Alzheimer’s. When I describe the types of “care” these places give—one shower a week, twenty minutes of rehab a day, and meals that make high school cafeterias look appealing, it’s astounding the number of gasps I hear.
    And it’s exactly the reaction I’d hoped for.
    “We think this program will serve as an incentive for our employees as it’s unique and allows all of our employees to participate,