“Did she say why?” Adam raked one hand through his hair. “Never mind. I’ll double her salary. We can work this out.”

He didn’t appreciate Marjorie’s dry chuckle. “Oh, really?” the HR manager asked. “How many times did Cheryl remind you that she needed a vacation and you convinced her she didn’t? She told you she was getting married. You brushed her off.”

“She never said a word. I would’ve listened.”

“She told you every day.”

“She didn’t,” Adam insisted, although he had a vague memory of Cheryl mentioning…something…about a wedding. Had she been talking about her own wedding? He couldn’t remember. It hadn’t seemed important at the time.

“She did,” Marjorie maintained defiantly.

Adam rounded the desk and faced the insolent woman up close. “You’re not supposed to argue with the boss.”

Marjorie’s laugh rang out. “Oh, Adam.”

Adam scowled. “Remind me again why I haven’t fired you for insubordination.”

“Let’s see.” Marjorie’s grin remained as she folded her arms across her chest. “Maybe because I’m so darn good at my job? Or maybe because I’m your mother’s best friend and I’ve known you since you were eight years old? Or could it be because I’ve never told your mother who really hit the baseball that broke her office window when you were nine or who trampled her prize tulips that same summer? Oh, and what about the time you were grounded and I caught you sneaking out to-”

“All right, all right,” Adam said irately, holding up his hand for her to stop. “There should be a statute of limitations on that kind of stuff.”

“Sorry,” Marjorie said with a grin. “Honorary aunties never forget.”

“Tell me about it,” Adam muttered. “Look, this is ridiculous. Get Cheryl on the phone.”

“She quit,” Marjorie said, enunciating the words so he couldn’t ignore them. “She won’t be back. She was three months’ pregnant and working around the clock. Something had to give.”