Swag Bags and Swindlers Read Online Free PDF Page B

satchel. I could see how my fabulous taste in clothing might distract Mindy but, jeez, she should know I’m an employee and not a vendor or client.
    Maybe we needed a security camera with facial recognition software for Mindy.
    Or maybe some eyeglasses would do the trick.
    â€œMorning, Mindy,” I said. “It’s me. Haley.”
    â€œOh, Haley, it’s you.” Mindy giggled, then pursed her lips thoughtfully. “You know, a nice fine-tipped pen would really make my day fly by. I thought you should know.”
    I thought the tip of Mindy’s pen was the least of her problems.
    I forced a smile and headed for the breakroom.
    When I walked in I saw three large pink boxes on the counter filled with a delightful selection of doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, and muffins—a please-keep-hiring-us gift from a vendor, no doubt. The room smelled like baked goodies and freshly brewed coffee. Everyone was crowded around the microwave, chatting and heating up the delicious looking bakery treats. What a great way to begin the day.
    â€œWe’re almost out of paper plates, Haley,” somebody called.
    Everyone here was so nice, so considerate. Was this a great place to work, or what?
    â€œNo problem,” I said. “I’ll eat mine off a napkin.”
    I made my way to the coffeepot, prepared a cup—extra sugar and French vanilla flavoring to go along with the mega sweet theme of the morning—grabbed a doughnut from the box—chocolate, of course—and left.
    Really, how can a day go badly when it started with a chocolate doughnut?
    I found out when I walked into my office.
    A tall stack of event portfolios sat in the middle of my desk. Where the heck had they come from?
    I flipped open the one on top and saw that it was a birthday party Suzie had been handling. Then I remembered that Priscilla had said yesterday that she’d bring them to my office.
    I stepped back and eyed the stack. Wow, I hadn’t realized Suzie was juggling so many events. This was a lot—really a lot. Way more than I’d expected. How had she managed such a heavy workload while pregnant? Why had she even taken on so much? She must have been totally overwhelmed.
    Suzie had probably forced herself into early labor just to get out of doing all these events.
    I stowed my handbag and sipped my coffee. I’d have to hunker down, go through the portfolios, and get up to speed on every event—and I would, as soon as I attended to my more pressing matters.
    As I moved Suzie’s portfolios to my credenza, I noticed a number of file folders at the bottom of the stack. Had Priscilla brought me those also?
    I had no idea what they were all about, but I didn’t have time to check them out now. I had a lot to do today.
    I sat down at my desk and got started by checking Facebook, booking a pedi, and reading my horoscope while I ate my doughnut and finished my coffee. I was moving ahead with lunch plans and a possible shopping trip after work tonight with Marcie when my cell phone rang. My preprogramed DO NOT ANSWER flashed on the caller ID screen.
    Yikes! My mom was calling.
    I picked up my phone with two fingers and tossed it into my handbag.
    My morning seemed to have taken an unpleasant turn. There was only one thing I could do.
    I grabbed my handbag and an event portfolio and left.
    Â 
    A run of piano notes followed by voices raised in song greeted me as I walked through Hollywood Haven’s front door and into the lobby. The music came from the hallway that led to the residents’ wing of the facility. I’d been in that section of the building once, when I’d taken a wrong turn, and knew there was a large dayroom with a grand piano. Since the majority of the residents had been entertainers back in the day, it got a lot of use.
    Karen stood behind the front desk and favored me with a big smile. “Good morning, Haley. Welcome! It’s a great day, isn’t it?”
    Not exactly