Executive

…32

"Let's allow the lady to order first," Steve said, inviting the waiter to break the old etiquette and pay attention to his guest.

Blushing slightly, Alex picked up the menu.

"I'll have the controfiletto al pepe nero, medium well, please."

"Umm… nice accent!" Steve smiled and continued, "I'll have the lombatina di vitella alla griglia, if you please. Oh, and could we have another bottle of this wonderful wine?"

"Yes, sir, I'll bring another bottle of Chianti."

"So, how's everything going for you?" Once the waiter was gone, Steve's voice had come down to a pleasant, intimate whisper.

"Well, I've met almost all the senior executives, met with my team, but I am yet to meet with my boss for more than five minutes. The guy hates me. I never had that happen to me before. But the feeling is mutual, he gives me the creeps."

"It's normal to have feelings of all sorts regarding the people we work with, but you have to remember not to let those feelings cloud your judgment. On the other hand," Steve continued, not allowing Alex to reassure him, "these feelings can be strong indicators of potential problems, or, as Tom would call it, the voice of your gut. Listen to your gut, but find proof before drawing your conclusion." He took a long, appreciative sip of wine. Then, as he put his wine glass down, he reached and touched Alex's hand.

She almost jolted from the unexpected emotion she felt from the contact with his warm hand.

"What I want to know, first and foremost, is how you feel."

"I feel that with every day I spend there, I am descending lower and lower into a snake pit. The head of operations, Walker, is cynical and aggressive from what I've seen, but I haven't spent too much time with him yet. Kramer, the CFO, is tired and preoccupied. It's as if her mind is constantly on something else, while she struggles to pretend she's there with you. Chandler Griffiths, head of sales, is the only one who behaves somewhat along the lines you'd expect; very driven, very energetic, yet not pushy or intimidating. Prescott, the human resources executive, is the fashion leader of the company, showcasing high-end suits, jewelry, and shoes. As a business leader though, she seems to do exactly what's expected of her, nothing more, and nothing less. I think this woman is beyond politically correct, even in her sleep."

"Most HR people are like that; it's ingrained in their natures. Because they usually have to terminate the employees who make mistakes of all kinds, early on they learn the lesson of acceptable, corporate behavior, and they get reminded daily."

"I get that, but here's what I am noticing. All of them, I mean all the employees, not just the leaders, are stressed in an impersonal, business-only type of behavior. They all seem to want to demonstrate just how professional they are, and how well they can behave. This tells me there is an artificially created stressor at play."

"Good call, Alex, do you know what that is?"

"Wait for it," Alex said, in a playful tone of voice, "I've only been there three days."

"You're right." Steve paused, as the waiter set their plates in front of them. "Looks yummy. So let's shift gears. How's your new home?"

Alex's face lit up. "I absolutely love it! You know, this is my first house since… since I left my parents' home. It's peaceful and quiet, the neighbors are reasonably far away from me, I don't even see them, and it's great! You should come visit sometime," she said, then stopped abruptly, blushing at the thought of how Steve might interpret the invitation.

"I will," he responded quickly, unperturbed.

Silverware clattering and casual conversation flowing with ease, they started exploring the exquisite taste of Tuscan cuisine at its best, oblivious to anything else but each other.

Two tables away, munching casually on a selection of cheeses from his plate of festival di formaggi, a man watched every move they made.