Chapter 33 Magical All-Knowing Abilities

It wasn't easy but I somehow got through the next fifteen minutes without embarrassing myself. I presented the power point with little fanfare and focused on the details that I knew had been missing from Fern's. I didn't think about anything else and I never glanced at Pierce once. Right this minute work was my sole focus and I intended to be every bit of the professional that I knew I was.

As I worked through my last slide and made my concluding statement, Pierce and Mr. Jones began to clap their hands in approval. That had me lifting my head in surprise and I glanced at both men to see both of them sharing the same smiles of appreciation.

"Excellent! Exactly what we were looking for," Mr. Jones exclaimed.

"Agreed!" Pierce concurred. "Only one detail that I want was missing but we can work that in."

Feeling emboldened by their strong approval I found my voice enough to respond, "I did think of it but left it... it out."

Pierce cocked his head at me with a slight frown.

"If you thought of it then why would you leave it out?"

I looked around the table nervously but found the nerve to answer anyway. Speaking softly but firmly I answered, "Because I... I think it's redundant and adds a step that is n...not beneficial to the whole."

Silence met my response, but Pierce was nodding his head as if he were thinking over what I said. He didn't seem upset. He seemed like he was finding my point at least valid on some level.

"I understand what you're saying but I'm not sold. Can we do a work up both ways and see how they each play out? Redundancy is not always bad if it leads to higher accuracy. Not every person works the same and the extra step I think helps."

I cocked my own head in thought. I had never considered it from that point of view. Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency was my mantra. I had to concede though not everyone worked at my pace or abilities. The extra step could help regulate individual's in a way that I myself didn't need.

I nodded back. "You have a...a point I didn't consider. I think doing a m...mockup of both is smart. It won't add much work either."

I hated that I was still stuttering some. Though feeling calmer, the jittery sensations still lingered deep in my gut, affecting my breathing and my voice. My fingers were also still trembling noticeably and I was doing everything possible to hide that from the people in the room, though I wasn't so sure I had convinced Pierce so much as he kept darting looks my way every few minutes as if checking up on me.

I didn't dare make eye contact with him. I still couldn't believe he thought I was capable of such shoddy work. It hurt. It made me angry. And at the same time, I understood. Work was work. I would have been angry if he treated me differently just because of our personal relationship.

My contradictory thoughts were giving me a headache.

I gave a mental scream of frustration. This was so confusing. I wasn't sure what I expected from Pierce right now. I wasn't sure what I should expect or what I was allowed to expect. I only knew that his lack of belief in my capabilities bothered me deeply but that I completely understood his being upset at the presentation he was given by Fern.

Did I really expect the man to automatically know I was being set up? Did I think he had some magical all-knowing abilities to automatically see through Fern's setup? Did I have the right to be upset with him?

All I knew was that I was.

And gosh, I just didn't know what to do with it.

Pierce's voice brought me back to the here and now.

"Okay, Mr. Jones get this started," he said, pulling the thumb drive and sliding it down the table towards the older man. "Get a mockup of each done and let's meet when it's complete. As for what happened today," he stopped talking and held up his hand when Fern went to speak. "Save it." He looked over at me. "Jackson do you have your laptop with you?"

I nodded.

"Give it to me."

I bent down and pulled my laptop from my bag and handed it to Pierce. He powered it up and a minute later he turned it to me.

"Retrieve the email please."

I didn't have to ask which one. I accessed the email and turned the computer back towards him.

We all sat in silence as Pierce read through the message. His face remained passive but stern. Fern however began to fidget and looked more and more worried as the seconds ticked by. Amber looked close to tears and T.J., if possible, looked even more harassed. I myself just worked on my breathing, feeling more calm as the time passed.

"Okay," Pierce said, looking up his voice flat. "Everyone here is clear as to what happened. I am not going to waste my time talking about it here other than to say it is unacceptable and won't be tolerated. Mr. Jones, please do a thorough investigation and report to HR your findings. This meeting is adjourned as of now and I will see those of you still with the company once the test project is complete."

The silence that greeted his words was complete. No one even dared breath for several heartbeats before, Mr. Jones, taking the initiative began gathering his things. The others jumped, startled, and they too quickly gathered their papers and tablets and whisked themselves briskly out of the room.

As I reached for my laptop I was stopped by Pierce's voice.

"Jackson, please remain."

I nodded once, acknowledging and agreeing to his request but continued to gather my belongings together and stuffed them into my bag.

Mr. Jones was the last to leave the room with an apology and a good job in my direction. As I heard the door shut behind him, leaving only Pierce and I alone together at the table, I finally released the shaky breath I had been holding in and propped my elbow on the table, propping my forehead on my palm, closing my eyes.

I wasn't expecting Pierce to move quite as quickly as he did but in a second, he had pulled his chair in closer to mine and he reached out, his palm cupping the back of my head. I dropped my hand and started to look up but he was in the process of drawing me in closer and he suddenly lay his forehead against my own, his hand still holding me securely, his warm breath caressing my lips as he started to speak.

"Damnit Jackson, I am so sorry!"

He breathed in deeply and we stayed like that for a few moments more before he leaned back a bit to look me in the eyes.

"God! I hope you know I never once doubted you or your work. Fern has been acting shady for a while now and not just with you. I wanted something concrete and used this moment but when I saw how stressed out you got; it wasn't worth it to me at all! I wanted to nix it all right there and just handle it another way but, my gosh you were amazing! You handled it yourself superbly. You took my breath away!"

I looked back at Pierce as he talked, his words flying out a mile a minute. As they registered a light blush tinged my cheeks. I had never considered that Pierce was acting all along, giving an opening for me to give him evidence in a sure-fire way to prove culpability for HR purposes.

Pierce started speaking again as he saw that I was finally starting to understand.

"Firing people isn't easy nor should it be taken lightly. Mr. Jones and I knew after the last meeting that he was no longer suitable for this company but knowing and proving are two different things. We both figured he would make another similar attempt to discredit you and you would be able to prove it."

"Why didn't you mention this to me?" I asked, still feeling a little hurt that he hadn't clued me in. Did he not trust me?

"I honestly didn't think about it. When I am with you the last thing, I wanted to talk about was Fern. I never once considered that you would take my words to heart. I've watched you and your work for three years. I know your standards are solid gold!"

I was startled by Pierce's three years comment but Pierce kept talking not giving me time to really let that sink in.

"All in all, I am the owner. I had to remain neutral during the meeting. I didn't show you favoritism because I really didn't think I had to. I was so shook when I saw the panic on your face. The thought of you having an anxiety attack because of this about killed me. I would never intentionally put you in that position. I just wasn't thinking. I promise I won't do it again!"

I couldn't help but give a light chuckle as Pierce continued to profusely apologize to me. His sincerity was really very sweet.

"You know, you could just tell me next time," I pointed out with gruff sarcasm. "I'm game with helping you but I can't really help if I don't know you have something you want me to help you with."

"Is this your nice way of saying I am an idiot?"

"If that's how you want to take it," I quipped back feeling it was the least he deserved.

Pierce chuckled and ruffled my hair before finally releasing my head and pulling back with a long, tired sounding sigh.

"That ass-hole!" he suddenly exclaimed. "You don't know how hard it was for me to keep my mouth shut while he was obviously trying to set you up for a fall. And those other two just sitting there letting him!" he continued, sounding disgusted.

My heart that had felt bruised only moments before beat with happiness now. Knowing he had never doubted me made all the difference. These extremes of emotions I had been put through in the last hour was yet another new experience I could chalk up to Pierce since meeting him. The highs and lows were somewhat exhausting, I thought ruefully.

But I couldn't let everything he just said slide. I myself needed to speak up.

"P... Pierce," I stuttered out.

His eyes, already on me, sharpened at my stuttered calling of his name. He abruptly sat forward again and grabbed my hand.

"Why are you stuttering?"

I shook my head at him. There was no good explanation as to why. I was a bit surprised myself as I felt rather calm. It just happened that way. I was used to it.

"Doesn't matter," I managed. "There's something m... more important to talk about."

"What?" he asked still holding onto my hand, his thumb absently rubbing across my knuckles.

I wasn't sure if he was even aware of doing it but I most certainly was. Trying to distract myself from the feelings his caressing thumb was creating I focused on what I needed to say.

"Don't be hard on T.J. or... or Amber. It's not like they really had any choice."

Pierce frowned at me. "Of course, they did Jackson. Everyone has a choice. They chose wrong!"

I nodded in agreement. "Okay. I maybe s... said that wrong. But put yourself in their shoes. Amber is j... just an intern. She is here to learn. This is a teaching moment for her, not a punishment moment."

Pierce gave a sudden quick jerk of his head in agreement. "Okay. I concede that. But the same doesn't apply to T.J."

I cocked my head at Pierce. He could be so fierce at times. I wondered if it was because I was involved that it was making him even more inflexible.

"Please, c... cut T.J. some slack, too," I requested softly.

Pierce abruptly released my hand and slapped his palm down on his thigh. "Damnit Jackson, why? He's a grown ass man that didn't have the guts to speak up. Do you think I want to keep someone like that around here?"

I sighed. I understood his point. He wasn't wrong. I just didn't think he was looking at all the evidence though without some bias.

"Look at T.J., Pierce. Since the first day I met him he has never looked h...happy or comfortable. He has never looked anything but stressed and I can only imagine the pressure Fern's put on h...him. The both of them. He's not a happy man. I would not be surprised to learn Fern threatened him in some way. That means a...a Team Leader in your company most likely browbeat an employee. Isn't that as much your responsibility to handle and fix and right the wrong done to him and maybe others? I don't think T.J. needs to be f...fired. Maybe just retrained."

Pierce grimaced as I spoke. I could tell he hadn't considered anyone else's feelings but mine. Though that made me happy in so many ways, it wasn't fair. I wasn't the only one Fern had messed with. I actually might even be his luckiest victim.

Pierce stared at me for long moments before he leaned forward in his seat, his forearms resting across his splayed legs, his fingers steepled.

"You're really cute all the time but you are totally sexy when you use that brain of yours!"

I didn't pull back when what followed his words was a long deep kiss that was the true definition of sexy!