Page 37 of My Heart Still Beats
“You must be Ms. Logan,” a young brunette says with a smile. “I’m Leona, the receptionist here in human resources.”
I paste on a smile. “Nice to meet you. Please call me Tessa.”
“Absolutely. One of our HR managers will be out to collect you in a— Oh, here she is now.” She gestures. “Barb, this is Tessa Logan.”
“Good morning, Tessa.” Barb, an older woman with dark hair graying at her temples, holds out her hand. “The misters Black told me a lot about you. They speak very highly of you, as does your previous employer.”
I shake Barb’s hand, attempting a smile once more. “That’s kind of them.”
“Come back to my office. We’ll get your paperwork filled out, and then I’ll take you to the accounting department where you’ll meet your manager.”
With a smile still pasted on my face, I follow Barb down the hallway to another office.
“Have a seat,” Barb says before firing up her computer and peppering me with questions.
I answer her questions robotically and sign all the papers she gives me.
I widen my eyes when I see my salary. Quite a hefty raise from what I was making before.
“Does everything look in order?” Barb asks.
“Yes, thank you so much. I truly appreciate this opportunity.”
“We’re happy to have you here at Black Inc.” Barb rises. “I’ll take you up to accounting now.”
Accounting turns out to be one floor up, and a few moments later I meet my manager, Luke Barr. Once Barb leaves, Luke asks me to his office.
“Let’s get down to business, Ms. Logan.” He holds out his hand.
I shake his hand firmly. “Tessa, please.”
“Tessa. Please call me Luke. I’ll be your immediate supervisor, but we all report to the vice president of accounting, Marietta Wilson. She’s not a micromanager, which we all appreciate.” He smiles.
“I’ll do my best to do an excellent job for you,” I say.
“I have no doubt.” He sits down behind his desk. “You come highly recommended.”
Something is a little off in his tone. He knows why I’m here. Nepotism at its finest.
But I need the job, so I’ll do my best to show Luke and the others that I’m a good addition to their staff.
“I’m going to ask you a few quick questions,” Luke continues, “just to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
“Of course. I can tell you about what I did at my last job, if you’d like.”
“No need. Mr. Black already talked to them and got a detailed summary of your duties. I’m interested in other things. For example, how do you keep up with current accounting laws and regulations?”
“I regularly read accounting journals and attend workshops, when I can. I personally subscribe toCPA Practical Advisor.”
He raises his eyebrows as if he’s surprised. He really does think this is a pity hire.
“Good.” He looks down at his iPad. “How do you manage tight deadlines?”
“By meeting them. I prioritize tasks and keep a detailed calendar. I work extra hours when necessary. I’ve never missed a deadline, Luke. I pride myself on that.”
He seems to warm up to me a bit. “Excellent.” He looks back down at his tablet. “I don’t think I need to bother you with any more questions for now. Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your faith in me.” I pause a moment. “I hate to be the person who gets a job and then asks for time off, but I’m scheduled to go to Jamaica on Thursday. I’ll be back Monday for work.”
