Page 20 of Help Wanted

When the uncooperative appliance finally burbled out its last drop she filled the cup that said World’s Greatest Uncle—a gift from Sidney in anticipation of his new role—and then froze.

She didn’t know how he took his coffee. She should have asked Sidney. Now she was going to need to ask him, and she would seem incompetent.

Zane walked in and looked surprised to see her holding his mug.

“Sorry. I don’t know how you take it.”

“I take it myself, thanks. It’s not nineteen seventy, where I expect you to bring me coffee.” He smiled.

“Fair enough.” She smiled back. Her stomach fluttered with nervous energy. “So what do you want to do first?” she asked.

“I’m guessing we have quite a list.”

“A bit.”

“Sidney always just told me what I was doing.”

“Do you want me to do that? Maybe we could have multiple choice?” she suggested. “Would you like to start with incoming bids, payables, or marketing?”

“I would like to do payables first, because I hate them. Then incoming bids. I’ll let you deal with the marketing because I hate that even more than payables.”

“Good call. I actually like the marketing. I’ll need a budget.”

“I can do that. After I see how much money I have left when we’re done paying everyone.”

She smiled and gestured toward his office.

He picked up the pile and flipped through it. Then he pulled a file folder from his drawer to double check the copy was where it should be.

It was time for her to shine.

“What is this number?” He held up the bill for lumber and pointed to the number on the corner.

“Yes. I wanted to go over that with you. I made a change I think might streamline customer billing.”

“I handle customer billing,” he said immediately.

“I know. But this is a step that can make it easier for you. May I?” She pointed to his laptop.

He moved away so she could sit at his desk.

“So let’s say you were ready to bill out the Murray job. You would pull it up in the system, and enter the line items manually. But your software already has the ability to integrate the two. When I enter the invoice to be paid, I simply code it to the corresponding job and it enters the line for you there.” She pointed, feeling a little like Vanna.

“It enters the actual cost on the line. Then when you adjust it, it calculates the markup directly to the side. So you can easily see your profit on the job.” She tapped the keys, showing him what happened if he made it lower or higher. “Also, once you’ve finished, all you need to do is click this button that says post, and it will be sent to my computer where I can print it out and mail it. This means you would be able to do it from another location, not to mention the time you’ll save not having to keep track of copies in a folder.” If she had a tail it would have been wagging.

“Don’t you think you should be here a little longer before you start changing everything?”

The harsh tone in his voice caught her off guard. She expected him to be excited, maybe even pick her up and carry her around the room, cheering her name. But he was clearly not happy about the new efficiencies.

“I’m sorry. I was trying to make things easier.”

“Meaning my sister was too stupid to find ways to make things easier?”

“God no. Of course not.” How had he come up with that?

“But yet, here you are only a couple of weeks in, and you’re already improving on everything.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend—forget it.” She was flustered and upset, almost to the point of tears. She’d wanted to impress him, instead she’d offended him.