Page 29 of About that Fling (The Can’t Have Hearts Club #2)

Focus, dammit, she commanded herself, tearing her eyes from the photo. Brett did the same, then frowned at her. “Why are you here?”

“Because in case it escaped your notice, this organization is in the midst of one of the most contentious labor battles in its history,” Jenna said, smacking her hand on the table. She meant to underscore the seriousness of her statement, but instead she sent the dick pic flying across the table.

It drifted into Adam’s lap, where he stared at it a moment as though analyzing the appropriate next move. Kendall stared, too, clearly unsure what HR protocol called for in this situation.

At last, Adam picked up the photo by one corner and set it gingerly in front of Brett. “Your penis, sir. If, in fact, it is your penis.”

Brett nodded. “Thank you.”

Jenna sighed. “Brett, you are a key member of the bargaining team, which means you’ve become a high-profile individual as far as the local media is concerned.”

She saw his eyes widen at that, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he looked back at the photo. “The news doesn’t have this, right?”

“We’ve been able to keep it quiet. For now.

” She let the words hang for a moment. The threat wasn’t real—there was no way in hell she’d ever let that happen—but Brett didn’t need to know that.

Jenna needed him nervous enough never to pull this kind of shit again.

At least not until negotiations were over.

“I believe what Jenna is saying,” Adam said, glancing at her, “is that we’re here to offer you a second chance.”

She watched Brett’s frown deepen, and she wondered if he was thinking about retaking the photo.

She couldn’t blame the guy. The lighting was all wrong, and the shadow under his balls made it look like he had a strange growth.

Honestly, why had Kendall printed the thing at this size?

It was practically a poster, though not one she could imagine hanging above her bed.

“A second chance?” Brett swallowed. “Like—I’m not getting fired?”

Adam cleared his throat. “Here’s the deal, Brett. We need to get through these negotiations fairly, legally, and with all parties bringing their viewpoints and experience to the table. As the president of this organization’s bargaining unit for nursing staff, we need you to be part of this.”

“Preferably with your pants on,” Jenna added, folding her arms over her chest.

Kendall pressed her palms against a thick file on the table in front of her. “We’ve already spoken with Susan Schrader, the intended recipient of your—uh?—”

“Artistic imagery,” Jenna supplied, willing herself not to look at the photo. Or at Adam. Or—Christ, was there any place safe to look?

“Susan does not intend to press charges,” Kendall continued. “Apparently the message, while not solicited, was not rebuffed.”

“Though not using the company’s email system,” Adam clarified.

“Or her stapler,” Jenna said, daring a glance at the photo again. “Though she did feel it was an artistic touch to position it like that.”

They all stared for a moment at the photograph, at the stapler that bore a strategically placed nameplate that read, ‘property of Susan Schrader.’ Jenna tried to imagine the straight-laced nursing manager responding with joy as she opened the message.

It was a mental picture she could do without, so she turned her attention back to Brett.

“Do you have any questions for us?” she asked. “Or anything to add?”

“Thank you,” Brett said, nodding at the photo with a sense of pride Jenna thought was sorely misplaced. But it wasn’t her place to say so.

It was her job to make sure this story didn’t get out.

To keep a lid on things so the local media didn’t turn this into a circus and distract the organization from helping patients and doing good work in the community.

That’s why they were all here, dammit. For the patients.

Not for bureaucratic bullshit or climbing corporate ladders or earning money or any of those other things.

At the heart of this, that’s what it all came down to. That’s why she did this job.

She was feeling good about her little pep talk until she glanced at the photo again. Good Lord, had the man never heard of manscaping? At least a little trim here and there, or some general tidying around his?—

“Everything’s under control,” Jenna said calmly. “We’re ensuring the story stays out of the media.”

Brett blinked again, jarred once more by the notion of news outlets seeing his penis. “You said the media doesn’t have this.”

“I’m doing my best to make this go away,” Jenna said. “The potential scandal, not your penis.”

Adam nodded. “Belmont Health System frowns upon castration as a motivational tool. Clinical studies have shown positive reinforcement is a much more effective form of inspiring employee performance.”

He choked a little on the word performance, and Jenna had to look away so she didn’t lose it completely. She stood up, deciding it was time to call a halt to the meeting before things took a turn for the worse.

“Brett, I hope you’re able to use this as a learning tool.”

“A valuable tool, yes,” Adam agreed, getting to his feet as well. Jenna avoided his eyes.

Kendall stood as well, though she looked a little uncertain.

She glanced from Jenna to Adam, then back at Brett.

“Mr. Lombard, I have some paperwork I’d like you to fill out.

This will become a part of your permanent personnel record, which is a confidential document.

It will, however, be made available to your supervisor, which could have an impact on your career in the event that you decide to change departments. ”

“I understand,” he said, joining the rest of them on their feet. “Is, uh—is the photo going in my file?”

“A detailed account of the incident will be recorded in your file, and we’ll make a note of the fact that you’re treading dangerously close to the company’s policy about fraternization among co-workers,” Kendall replied.

“Since you and Ms. Schrader work in different departments, you’re not technically breaking company policy, though the fact that you’re members of the same union and bargaining team complicates the matter. ”

“But the photo? What happens to that?”

“The photograph will be destroyed,” Kendall said. “Both the file and the printout.”

“I see,” he said, looking down at the image. “I understand.”

“If you’ll meet me in my office, we can take care of that paperwork.”

Brett nodded as Kendall reached across the table and snatched the photo. She folded it in two, creasing it sharply down the middle. Brett looked a little forlorn, but he turned and walked out of the room. Kendall watched the door close, then turned to Adam and Jenna.

“Thank you for being a part of the discussion.”

“I appreciate you including us,” Jenna said. “Your instincts were spot on. This is the sort of scandal that could derail the whole negotiation process. Probably worse than if the nurses went on strike.”

“That was my thought,” Kendall agreed. “The last thing this organization needs right now is bad PR with the community or the staff. Even a small scandal like this could make everything implode.”

Jenna nodded, swallowing hard. The words hung there between them like bubbles, and she fought the urge to reach out and pop them. She thought of her secret liaisons with Adam, of Gertie’s book.

Adam stood up and pushed in his chair. “You know, at some point, this organization is going to need to review some of its more antiquated policies.”

Kendall blinked at him. “Are you suggesting employees should have free rein to use company email to send photos of their genitalia?”

“Of course not. But the policy manual hasn’t been updated for six years, back when the old CEO was still here. From what I’ve learned in my short time with Belmont, the company culture has shifted significantly since then.”

Jenna stood up, not sure where Adam was headed with this. Was he talking about the fraternization policy, or puritanical views in general? Either way, she couldn’t risk Kendall catching on.

“This is certainly a valuable discussion,” Jenna said, straightening her chair with a little more force than she intended. “Perhaps we should table it until we’ve gotten through some of the meatier topics we’re covering in the negotiations?”

Kendall nodded. “Agreed. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to Mr. Lombard.”

She hustled out the door, the poster-sized dick pic still gripped in her hand. The instant the door closed behind her, Adam turned to look at Jenna. “There’s a photo worth adding to the family album.”

Jenna groaned and shook her head. “Good Lord, this is not what we need right now. Scandal on the bargaining team? Dick pics and co-workers bumping uglies? The news would have a heyday with this.”

Adam regarded her curiously for a moment. “But you’re making sure they don’t.”

“That’s right.” Jenna swallowed hard. “Everything’s under control.” She’d already said that, hadn’t she? “Making sure of that is my job.”

“You’re very good at it.”

“I know.”

Neither of them said anything else right away. Jenna glanced around the room, wondering if they were being watched or recorded. She doubted it—was that even legal?—but she couldn’t be too careful. She could never be too careful.

“Well,” she said, meeting Adam’s eyes at last. “Thank you for being here. I think it helped give Brett a better sense of how this whole thing fits with the big picture.”

“Big picture,” Adam repeated. “Could Kendall have printed that thing any larger?”

Jenna snort-laughed. “I couldn’t look away.”

“If she was trying to make a point, I think she succeeded.”

“You mean like keep your pants zipped at Belmont or else?”

“Something like that.” Adam’s eyes softened as he looked into hers. “We should use that in the company mission statement when we work on that next week.”