Violet flinched and stepped forward instantly, her face inches from his. “Unprofessional? Well, let’s talk about unprofessional behavior, shall we? Because I’m not the only one to indulge in that. I’m not the only one keeping secrets around here.”
“Ahem.”
The loud noise of someone clearing their throat made them both jump.
The director was standing behind them both with a pile of papers in his arms, looking less than impressed. He pushed open the door to the boardroom. “Let’s take this inside, please, and stop entertaining the masses.” How much had he heard?
Violet’s jaw dropped and her head shot round to the office space where just about every member of staff was standing on their feet, their heads above their cubicle walls, staring at her and Evan.
How long had they been like this? And why hadn’t she noticed? She felt heat flood into her cheeks and hurried into the boardroom behind the director.
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. All the nerves that she’d felt a few minutes ago on the walk to the boardroom instantly returned.
The director seemed cool and unfazed. He walked around the desk and sat down in his chair. He placed his paperwork in front of him and gestured to the chairs on the other side of the desk. “Take a seat please. Violet, Evan.”
What was that paperwork? Was that the HR documentation he needed to fire her?
She swallowed. A tennis ball was sitting in her throat. Just get this over with.
There was a few minutes’ silence as the director looked at the paperwork in front of him. It was agonizing. The wait seemed to stretch on and on for ever. She couldn’t stand it.
Evan obviously couldn’t either. “Director, if you’ll just let me explain—”
The director held up one hand. “Enough.”
Evan tried to speak again, his face flushed. “But—”
“From both of you.” The director’s voice cut him dead. He pulled some papers out from the file in front of him.
Violet felt her chest tightening and she struggled to breathe. Was this it? Was she about to get fired?
The director looked her in the eye. He had pale grey eyes. She’d never really noticed before. She’d always been too busy keeping her head down and stopping herself being noticed.
“Dr. Connelly.”
She gulped. He was addressing her formally. This couldn’t be good.
He sighed. “Putting aside what I just witnessed outside, I actually came here today to let you know that your transfer request has been approved.”
“What?”
“What?”
Their voices rang out simultaneously, as if neither of them could really believe their ears.
He folded his hands in front of him. “But with hindsight it seems as if there are a number of issues we need to address here today.”
“Transfer request? What transfer request?”
Evan’s head was spinning. He’d had no idea why he’d been called to the boardroom. He’d assumed it was regarding the missing report. The report on her brother.
Now it seemed as if the director hadn’t even noticed the report was missing.
The director shot him another steely glare. He obviously didn’t like to be interrupted. “Dr. Connelly had requested to be transferred to the emergency operations center and join the stop transmission of polio program.”
His brain whirred. Violet Connelly had been driving him crazy for months. Ever since they’d kissed on that night out and both of them had pretended it hadn’t happened.
But the issues in the past few days had been serious. Serious enough for him to consider reporting her. No matter what their history was. As team leader he had a responsibility to ensure everyone pulled their weight.
Since when had Violet wanted to do field work? And why had she never mentioned it?
“I had no idea. She obviously didn’t see fit to mention it to me.” The hard edge in his voice was crystal clear and he could hear the way his words must sound to her—cold.
Did that hide the fact he couldn’t explain how he was feeling?
Was Violet leaving because of him? Was she leaving because of their mistaken, fumbled kiss?
And why did the thought of not seeing her any more drive him just as crazy as working with her every day?
He watched as she seemed to sag into her chair. As if all the tension had just left her body. Disbelief was written all over her face.
“Really? You’ve approved my transfer? When can I start? Where am I going? What will my role be?” It was obvious her mouth was running away with her and her brain had gone into overdrive.
Meanwhile, he was still getting over the shock that he wouldn’t be seeing Violet anymore. It almost squeezed the air from his lungs.
“Hold on.” The director raised his hands. “I think there are bigger issues here.” He looked between the two of them and leaned back in his chair. “I have to say that I’m disappointed in you both.” Evan felt his heart sink like a stone. This couldn’t be good.
“Evan, I’m surprised that Dr. Connelly didn’t tell you about her application to transfer. As her line manager I would have expected you both to have discussed this.” The implication was clear. Why couldn’t Violet speak to him? He kind of wondered that himself. Was he really so unapproachable?
“And Dr. Connelly...” He turned his head back to Violet. “Unlike Dr. Hunter, I don’t really care that Matt Sawyer is your brother. I can’t think why you thought it necessary to hide that, but I’m very happy with the work your brother has done over the past few days for us. And I’ll be keen to work with him again in the future.” He tapped his pen against the desk, as if he was contemplating what to say next.
“It’s my opinion that your reaction to Dr. Hunter was unreasonable. He was just exploring every angle regarding the possibility of a smallpox outbreak. We would have checked up on anyone who reported a suspected outbreak, no matter who they were. But what’s clear to me is that Dr. Hunter didn’t explain his rationale for his request very well. But then again, why should he? He was in charge of the team.”
Evan had no idea where this was going. He could see Violet struggling to swallow. She was finding this as difficult as he was. One second he’d thought the director was going to come down on Violet, and the next second he thought his own head was going to be on the chopping block.
Something struck him. Was. The director had said he was in charge of the team. Oh, no.
Violet’s face had fallen again. And he hated it when she looked like that. One minute she was getting her dream transfer the next she was thinking she was being given her marching orders.
“What’s most clear to me here is that the two of you need to learn to work together as a team. I don’t care what your personal issues are. What I do care about is how the staff at the DPA work together. It’s one of the most vital components of our jobs.” His eyes narrowed, “And the display I’ve just witnessed gives me great concern.”
He turned on Evan. “You’re one of my most experienced and senior doctors. I would expect better from you. The exchange outside seemed unprofessional.”
This was it. He was going to be fired.
Unprofessional.
The word that he and Violet had just flung at each other. Hearing it come from the director’s mouth was an entirely different matter.
It was the most offensive word you could say to a doctor. Particularly when it hit home.
“You are two of the best clinically competent doctors that I have and it’s time to put your skills to good use. So I’ve come to
a decision. Violet, you will be joining the polio team in Nigeria. I’ve already approved the transfer. They are on the final push to try and stop the spread of polio. Your field assignment will last three months and you’ll be leaving in a week. Start packing.”
Evan swallowed nervously as the director turned to face him. “Evan, I think it’s time for a change of scene for you. And maybe a change of climate. I’m happy with the way you handled the potential outbreak. I’m even happier that it turned out to be monkeypox instead of smallpox, but I think it’s time you learned a different skill set.
“I’ve had no complaints about you—no complaints at all. I am conscious, though, that working in the same area of the DPA can make a doctor complacent. I need adaptable team leaders who can work anywhere, covering every eventuality. You need to work on your interpersonal skills. Specifically, your interpersonal skills with Violet.”
He tilted his head to one side, almost as if he was lost in thought for a moment. “I think, at times, you can be a little hard on your team.” A smile drifted across his face, “A little too alpha. I need a team leader for the polio program at short notice and was struggling to find someone appropriate—someone who could take care of the strategic work alongside the clinical. It seems like I’ve just found him.”
“Me?” Evan could hardly get the word out. This couldn’t be happening. This was like a bad movie.
The director nodded. “That’s why I was late for our meeting. I was taking a call from Africa. One of our team leaders needs to get back home in a hurry—his father has been taken seriously ill. I’m sure you understand.” The words hung in the air—along with the implication.
What a terrible position. There was no way Evan could say no now.
The director gave him a little nod. “You’ll be assigned to work with a national counterpart. The Healthly World Federation and Global Children’s Support Organization are our partners in this area. You’ll have to plan, implement, roll out and monitor the program in your designated area.
“You’ll have to manage a team of civilians and train them to help administer the program.” He almost gave a little smile. “That will take all your people powers. You’ll have to learn to be flexible, working under difficult conditions with people from different cultures.” He gave a curt nod. “It could be the making of you, Evan.”