It just wasn’t possible.
“Wait…why?” Last night, he had said that she didn’t fight for her job and…he was kind of right. She had pitched a fit to Avery, but…even Avery had bosses. Why didn’t she go to them? Why didn’t she demand that something be done? True, they could just fire her if she fought them too much, but shouldn’t she at least try? There was another job waiting for her, so she literally had nothing to lose!
On top of that, he was right about her being a runner. Funny how she never truly recognized that little fact about herself, but she couldn’t argue with the proof. If anything, it became clear that she’d been doing it for years–with even more examples than Gage knew about.
“Well, that shit ends now.”
Maybe her foot pressed down a little harder on the gas pedal. And maybe her heart started to race. Her fingers twitched with the need to pick up the phone and call Gage and tell him she was sorry, but…that would have to come later. So many things would have to fall into place for her to actually feel like she could handle everything and she was afraid to get her hopes up.
By the time she pulled into the parking garage at her apartment complex, she was ready to scream with frustration. It felt so good to climb out of the car and stretch her legs, but she needed to get inside and start putting all her plans into action.
The lobby was empty and Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to slow her down now that she was finally doing what needed to be done. She made a brief detour to pick up her mail and saw that she had a notice that there were packages for her in the office.
“I’ll deal with them later,” she muttered as she walked over to the elevator.
Up in her apartment, she tossed her luggage aside and ran to the bathroom to grab a quick shower and freshen up. She had skipped all of that this morning and had simply rolled out of bed and felt a little like she had the night she and Gage had gotten stuck in the elevator–barely a step above wearing pajamas.
“No wonder I got the rental so quickly. They just wanted me out of there so I didn’t scare anyone away.”
After she was done in the shower, Hannah quickly ordered some lunch and pretty much stayed in constant motion unpacking, starting laundry, getting dressed, and drying her hair until her food arrived. Already she was feeling a thousand times better. She checked her email and took care of a few business matters, and once she finished her lunch, she was more than ready to dive into her next task.
This one took a little longer because her body slightly rebelled at the thought of getting back in the car.
Even if it was for a fifteen-minute drive.
“You can do this.” And sure enough, she did.
Walking through the front doors of LLH with her head held high, Hannah waved to the receptionist as she made her way directly to Avery’s office.
“Hannah! This is a surprise! How was your holiday?”
“It was wonderful,” she replied, smiling. “It was probably the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”
“Ooh…what did you do?”
Still smiling, she said, “I fell in love.”
Avery’s eyes went wide as she smiled back. “I knew it! The way you and Gage were looking at each other at the Christmas party, I just knew he was the one for you!”
Nodding, she agreed. “He truly is.”
Motioning to the chair opposite her desk, Avery said, “Have a seat! What brings you in today?”
“Actually…” Reaching into her purse, she pulled out an envelope and handed it over. “This is my resignation.”
Avery’s smile fell. “Um…what? Why? I thought we were good and you were going to Tennessee. We’ve been making arrangements…”
Still standing, Hannah let out a long breath. “You know, Avery, I thought long and hard about the situation and…I deserve better. I’m a hard worker and I’m extremely talented. But more than that, I’m ethical.” Her heart started to race, but she refused to let it stop her. “I don’t want to work for a company that rewards cheating. I started job searching and had several offers. I’d rather pack up and move than be underappreciated.”
Slowly, her boss got to her feet. “Hannah, let’s discuss this. Please. I’m sure we can…”
“Is Dan still doing the medical complex?”
“Um…”
“The night of the Christmas party, every single person said I was robbed, Avery. Everyone knows Dan can’t handle a project of that magnitude,” she calmly explained, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Hannah, you have to realize my hands are tied. I…”
“So are mine. I don’t have a choice, Avery. You have to realize that.” She paused before adding, “That’s not quite true. I think I’d like to speak to George, Isaac, and Connie about this. I’d love their take on all of this.”
At the mention of not only Avery’s boss, but the two owners of the company, Avery paled. “I’m…I’m not sure they’re available.”
All Hannah did was glance at Avery’s phone and wait.
It took almost 30 minutes–time which Hannah took to pack up her desk and cubicle–but finally she was ushered into the board room and the door shut behind her.
Part of her job included standing up in front of her bosses and usually a room full of people and making presentations. Today she didn’t have any poster boards or a PowerPoint display. The only selling point she had was herself.
And for the better part of fifteen minutes, Hannah sold herself to the board without making it a smear campaign against Don.
Until…
“It is a well-known fact that Don Reese went behind everyone’s back to secure this project for himself. Is that the kind of behavior you want LLH to embrace? Is that what we want to be known for?” she implored. “This isn’t about me pitching a hissy fit because I didn’t get my way. If Don was the better man for the job and actually got it on his own merits, then I would completely understand. But he didn’t, and I don’t feel like it’s fair that I’m supposed to be happy with a consolation prize that disrupts my life.”
Four pairs of eyes stared back at her and she couldn’t seem to read what any of them were thinking.
“I’ve given Avery my resignation and I’ve been offered a job with a firm up in Chicago…”
“If you’re willing to move to Chicago, then I don’t understand why you’re fighting the temporary move to Tennessee,” George Brooks, one of the owners, commented.
“That is a fair question,” she replied. “It basically boils down to feeling appreciated and working for a company I have respect for. Do you think everyone on the other side of this door doesn’t feel like they no longer have to put in any real effort when all they have to do is know the right person and cheat their way to a promotion?”
“Hannah, sadly, that is how most people operate. Don didn’t do anything new,” George countered.
“So you’re okay with rewarding him for it?”
He didn’t respond.
Sadly, she knew she wasn’t going to change their minds. “I appreciate all of you taking the time to meet with me on such short notice. It has been a pleasure working for you and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of the LLH team.” Reaching for her purse, she smiled at them. “Thank you and Happy New Year.”