Chapter 8: Hot Coffee

The HR department didn’t waste any time when Rachel gave them the green light to set up interviews with the four candidates. Austin had an interview on Monday afternoon, two on Tuesday morning, and the fourth on Wednesday morning. When Austin realized a candidate could be made an offer within a week he looked at the work matrix he had been struggling to fill with his available personnel. He thought he had a solution, but wanted to confirm Jackie’s availability, and the proposed update. He called her via the messenger app.

“Good morning, boss, what’s up?” she cheerfully asked.

“Good morning,” Austin replied. “Not sure if you heard, but Rachel opened a couple of reqs for the team. I have four interviews by Wednesday.”

“That’s great! I knew Rachel was working on some openings, but didn’t know they were open, and certainly hadn’t heard that you had interviews scheduled.”

“Yeah, I just got the heads up on Friday, and the interviews are already set. Listen, I called with two questions. One, how much longer will you be available on loan, and two, if I make two offers, are you OK if I take your workload and split it in half, then you mentor each new hire until you need to go back to your team?”

“I think I can be available as long as you need me,” said Jackie slowly.

“You think? Is there something going on?”

“Yeah, my old team’s numbers are running a bit high. They did not have any layoffs, and they added two new roles. My boss told me, in so many words, if I could permanently transfer to your team it would put them well back into the green. I was going to bring it up with you this week.”

Austin didn’t react.

“Oh, is there a problem? If so, I can transfer back. If he needs to get rid of someone it won’t be me. I am one of his senior, most dependable employees.”

“It’s not that, but two open positions, I’m not sure how my numbers will look when they come onboard.”

“I get it,” said Jackie. “Conduct your interviews and see if you find two that you want to make offers. Whatever the outcome, I’m happy to help mentor as needed.”

“I appreciate it,” said Austin. “If you’re free, do you want to crash the interviews? Can’t hurt to have a second pair of eyes and ears on the candidates.”

“Probably,” she said, “forward me the invites and I’ll shuffle meetings if needed.”

“Thanks. First one is in a couple of hours.”

By lunch on Wednesday Jackie and Austin had interviewed the four candidates. At the end of the fourth interview Austin sent her a message telling her he was going to get something to eat, but he would schedule time in the early afternoon to review the interviewees.

On the kitchen counter was a note, “You’re on your own. Kids are asleep so going for a quick run before an afternoon call.”

Austin shrugged and opened the refrigerator. No leftovers for an easy lunch. He opened the meat drawer to find that their usually well-stocked supply of lunch meats was gone. There were a few slices of cheese left so he pulled them out and hoped he would find bread in the pantry. He did.

Lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich and chips. He ate and cleaned up before Tonya returned from her run. He started a fresh pot of coffee and added his own entry to her note. “Done with lunch. Going back to office.”

He returned to his office to collect his notes about the candidates. Minutes before his call he heard the door chime. Tonya back from her run. He went to the kitchen to get a coffee and saw her bare back as she pulled her shirt over her head while turning the corner into the bedroom headed for a shower. He offered a quiet whistle. She turned and animatedly covered her chest with an arm and hand, then blew him a kiss with her free hand.

Jackie and Austin were reviewing the spreadsheet he sent her before the first interview. It had four tabs, one for each candidate, with ratings for their impression of the candidates various attributes such as technical abilities, fit with team, and real-world experience.

“Really, you think he was a four on experience?” Jackie was asking.

Austin reached out to point at the cell in the spreadsheet when he realized that even though he was on camera Jackie could not see where he was going to point. He arced his arm back toward his mouse to point to the cell when his hand caught his coffee cup and turned it over for a direct hit of fresh hot coffee into his lap.”

“Ahhh, fuck,” he screamed.

He jumped up and desperately tried to get his pants off before the hot liquid seeped down the leg and scalded him any further.

Tonya heard the yell and ran into Austin’s office. She could see Austin pulling at his pants as she rushed to his side. She saw the spilled coffee cup and surmised what must have happened. She helped pull his shoes off, followed by his pants and boxers.

Free of the burning liquid the realization of the moment hit both Tonya and Austin simultaneously. They turned to the computer and saw their image on the video call. Austin was standing with no pants or boxers, his shirt short enough to not cover his exposed manhood. Tonya had just gotten out of the shower and was wearing nothing but a sheer light pink bra and matching panty. Jackie was staring at them taking in the sight.

Quickly sitting in his chair, Austin causally said, “Jackie, this is my wife Tonya. Tonya, this is Jackie.”

Jackie’s laugh was loud and raucous. “That’s great. You’re standing there bare ass naked from the waist down, with your wife in a see-thru bra, and you try and pass the moment off as if she normally stepped into our call and handed you a drink.”