Alpha Billionaire Series
Baby Surprise Chapter 8

ALICIA

I sat slack jawed and stared at the HR manager. The sneer on her face was not what I was expecting when I had been called down to her office.

I knew things were bleak. My boss, Thomas Dorset, had been caught taking kickbacks from certain firms. The odd corporate gift wasn't unusual. After all, the industry worked on relationships. You followed sales reps from location to location. You followed pressroom floor managers from job to job because you knew they would get the job done.

I hadn't known that he was exchanging proprietary development secrets for some of those kickbacks. At least not until now. I hadn't even known that Thom had been removed from his position. He hadn't said anything when he called me in the morning. "Alicia, it's going to be a bit of a shit show at the office," he hadn't sounded terribly stressed. At the time I thought it was because he was going to be there to have my back.

It wasn't until I got into the office that I found out he wasn't going to have my back. In fact, he had thrown me under the bus.

My first hint that something was wrong was when the receptionist said she was surprised to see me there. And then the call from HR.

"You really have some balls showing your face in the office today," was the first thing out of Cindy Arbuckle's mouth.

"What?"

"You know that Thomas Dorset has been let go, right?"

I hadn't. I sat with a thump into the chair across from her desk. "Oh shit, what happened?"

Her cackle didn't hold any mirth. "I wouldn't play dumb Alicia. He told Larry that he caught you preparing documents divulging corporate secrets. And that he would handle it. But it appears he did not handle it. Didn't he call you this morning?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he just said it was going to be a bit of a mess. I thought he was referring to the problem with the supply chain pushing our delivery dates back, yet again. I know Larry had been on Thomas about replaceing some more reliable resources, but..." I shook my head. "Alicia, you've been let go. Thomas was supposed to tell you. You aren't supposed to be here."

I blinked a few times. "Oh, oh. I guess that means I need to clear off my desk." I stood up. I was in a bit of shock.

Cindy flipped her wrist at me. "I need your card key."

I pulled my lanyard until it snapped and handed the key over. "I'm going to need it to get back to my desk."

Cindy shook her head. "Security is already clearing your desk of all non-company property as we speak. You can go sit in the waiting area until they come to escort you from the building."

"I don't even get to clean out my own desk?"

She fussed with putting the card key into a folder. She pulled an envelope out from the same folder and handed it to me. "Your last pay check. All PTO and vacation pay we owe you have been calculated and are included." I took the envelope. "That's it?"

I expected to have to sign something, but she nodded at me and pointed for me to leave her office.

I stepped out into the small waiting area she had. It reminded me of the few chairs the school always had outside the principal's office. No one wanted to be sitting in those chairs and waiting for their turn in the office.

I didn't have time to sit before a tall man in a generic blue blazer, with a security emblem embroidered over the breast approached me. He carried a cardboard box, and I saw the framed picture of my son smiling up at me from under my jacket draped across the top. "Alicia?"

I nodded and followed him out of the building. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to any of my co-workers. It was the ultimate walk of shame. He didn't even let me carry the box with my own things, something that totally emphasized the shame in my situation. Once outside he handed me the box. I set the box down and shrugged into my jacket. What the hell had just happened? Picking up the box, I made my way back to my car. I felt numb. I tossed the box into the trunk and then sat and stared at the building. I tried to call Thomas to replace out what the hell had just happened, but he had blocked me. My call wouldn't go through.

What a fucking coward!

I stormed out of the car and popped the trunk open again. I pulled the envelope from HR and returned to my seat behind the steering wheel. I tore into the envelope and stared at the check. I let out a sigh. I had almost three weeks of vacation and PTO accumulated, it was all there. The check in my hand was almost a full month's worth of pay. But what the hell was I going to do for next month?

I tried not to hyperventilate. I had never been fired. I was a good worker. I was smart and competent. I thought Thomas was going to be my boss for a very long time. He was the kind of man that took his assistant with him when he changed jobs. But he hadn't valued me at all.

Well, they could go through my desk and computer all they wanted. There wasn't anything that would implicate me, because I hadn't done anything.

I folded over the wheel and began crying.

I don't know how long I wallowed in self-pity before I pushed up and wiped at my eyes. I was going to have to make a list of everything that was going to need to happen. F**k. I was probably going to need to get another roommate. I had finally started making enough that I could afford my apartment with just my income.

For now, day-care, rent, and getting a new job were my priorities. I had enough money in my hand to cover rent, day-care, and the rest of my bills for the month. That gave me a few weeks to replace a new job before I needed to panic.

I gathered my wits about me and started the car. I needed to stop at a drug store and buy a notebook. My next stop was the coffee shop, and time to develop my strategy. I was going to indulge one last time before buckling down on the expenses. With a large hot chocolate and a muffin, the size of my head, I opened the notebook and started taking notes and making lists.

This industry was built on connections, and in my three years here I knew a few people. That was where I needed to start. And then I was going to need to update my resume. I would need to check the library's hours for that. I could tackle my resume tomorrow while Ceejay was at day-care.

Hopefully, my job hiccup would be just that, a hiccup. But if it wasn't, I really hoped whatever happened didn't disrupt his schedule too much.

I made a list of who I could call.

"Dorset kind of screwed us over when he pulled the Jordan Press contract. I'm surprised you didn't think about that before calling to see if I would be willing to help you."

I apologized and ended the call. I really hadn't known what kind of a jackass my boss had been. But I was learning. I drew an X through another name on my list. I was running out of people I considered industry contacts. And I was running out of names I still had phone numbers for on my phone. When Security cleared off my desk, they had not given me the Rolodex that I had so painstakingly curated and developed. I thought about calling Cindy Arbuckle, but I knew she would say that was a contact list developed for Jordan Press, not for my personal use.

It was a shot in the dark at this point. But I still had Hannah's number on my phone from the paper mill. Hopefully, Thomas hadn't screwed up that connection too. I sucked in a deep breath and hit her number.

"Hey Hannah, this is Alicia from Jordan," I said when she answered.

"Alicia! Oh my gosh, how are you?" It was such a relief to hear the genuine pleasure in her voice.

"I've been better," I explained my situation, letting her know there had been a turnover at Jordan and as result, I was out on my tushy looking for a new job.

"We don't have anything, but I'll keep my ear to the ground for you. Oh wait, I did hear something. Are you familiar with Hayes Imaging Solutions?" Was I familiar with Hayes? They only were industry leaders when it came to press plates.

"Yes, I'm familiar with Hayes."

"One of the print buyers mentioned they were expanding. I'd give them a try."

"Hannah, thank you so much. Finally, a lead. I didn't realize how bad Thomas' reputation was. It's been a nightmare getting anyone to talk to me."

"I never worked with Thomas. But you've always been a delight to deal with. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "You don't know anyone who is looking for a roommate, do you?"

"Funny you should mention that. Where do you live?"

"I'm in Decatur. You know someone?"

"I sure do. Me."

With one phone call, I managed to get a solid job lead, and I had a potential new roommate. We made arrangements to meet and have Hannah check out the apartment and meet Ceejay.