Page 7 of Wrapped Up with the Three Scrooges

I made my way toward the stairs, feeling every eye in the place on me. The walk of shame was made slightly less dignified by the fact that I was sucking on my paper-cut finger again.

“Good luck,” Maria whispered as I passed.

I climbed the stairs, trying to channel my inner Disney princess facing the dragon. Though in this case, the dragon wore a perfectly tailored suit and probably had a spreadsheet detailing all the ways I’d violated company policy in the last hour and a half since stepping foot in the building.

Well, at least if I was going down, I was entertaining someone. I squared my shoulders and followed Ronan’s rigid back toward his office, mentally preparing for my defense. Though somehow, the holiday spirit made me do it probably wouldn’t cut it.

Chapter Four

Ronan

Iyanked open my office door, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt. “Wait here.” I pointed at the chair outside. Emery’s brown eyes widened, and for a split second, I caught a flash of worry beneath her playful demeanor.

Good. Maybe she’d finally understand this wasn’t a joke.

I stepped into my office where Janet, Levi, and Max were waiting after I’d stormed out to put a stop to the madness in the wrapping area. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with the industrial scissors we used downstairs.

“I want her gone.” I didn’t bother sitting down, instead pacing behind my desk. “This is exactly what I was talking about. She’s been here less than two hours and already disrupted the entire floor.”

Janet’s nails drummed against her tablet. “Actually, that’s why I called this meeting. Our turnover rate this quarter is approaching twenty percent.”

“What?” Levi straightened in his chair, his face showing genuine concern. I could practically see the dollar signs flashing in his eyes. “That can’t be right. Those numbers would destroy our fourth quarter projections.”

“It is.” Janet’s face remained impassive as she swiped through screens. “We’ve lost fifteen employees in the past month alone. At this rate, we won’t have enough staff to handle our current clients through December, let alone take on new accounts or expand for the Valentine’s season.”

My pacing stopped dead in its tracks, my polished dress shoes squeaking against the hardwood floor. “That’s impossible.” My mind raced through our compensation packages. “We pay well above market rate, and our benefits are some of the best in the industry.”

The numbers Janet presented weren’t good. This couldn’t be happening, not when we were on the cusp of our busiest season to date.

“Money isn’t everything, Ronan.” Janet’s eyes met mine with that unflinching stare that came with years of putting up with all three of us. “Your iron-fisted approach is driving people away. All three of you have created an environment where people are afraid to breathe wrong, let alone take a proper lunch break or God forbid, make a mistake. The warehouse feels more like a prison than a workplace, and I’ve had exit interviews that would make your perfectly styled hair curl.”

“Structure is necessary,” Max argued, his normally calm demeanor showing cracks. “We can’t have people singing and dancing around expensive merchandise. People pay good money because they know their gifts are being handled with the proper care and attention.”

Even from our cramped dorm rooms a decade ago, when we’d worked through countless sleepless nights, we’d provided a level of service that was unheard of. The memory of thoseearly days, with boxes stacked precariously around our beds and Max’s constant complaints about dry hands, only reinforced my belief in our methods.

We’d built our company from nothing but raw ambition and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We weren’t about to let it spiral into party central where mistakes were made.

Levi ran a hand through his hair. “What do you suggest we do? Hand out participation trophies and have group hugs?”

“No,” Janet replied, “but maybe stop treating them like robots. What I witnessed downstairs? That’s the most engaged I’ve seen the staff in months. They were actually smiling while working.”

“They were being unprofessional and distracted,” I snapped.

“They were being human.” Janet stood, gathering her things. “Your choice is simple: adapt or watch your empire crumble. Because right now? You’re heading for a disaster. The holiday rush has started, and we’re severely understaffed.”

My hands curled into fists. “We’ll handle finding more employees.”

“Good luck with that.” Janet headed for the door. “Your reputation precedes you. Three different temp agencies have blacklisted us.”

“What?” All three of us spoke in unison, our voices echoing off the office walls with identical notes of disbelief and indignation.

“They call you the Three Scrooges.” Janet paused at the door, her hand resting on the handle as she delivered the crushing blow.

I bristled at the thought of our carefully cultivated reputation being reduced to such a childish nickname. The silence that followed was deafening, and tension radiated from Max and Levi beside me.

Her lips curved into a knowing smirk as she delivered her parting shot. “Fix it or start wrapping presents yourselves.”

The door clicked shut behind her with a finality that felt like a slap to the face. I could practically feel the weight of Janet’s words pressing down on my shoulders, making my usually pristine office feel suffocating.

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