Her third day in the office started promisingly. No hangover, which was always a plus, and no spilled coffee, which made her feel like she was finally finding her rhythm. It always took a few days to settle into a new job and Emma had become somewhat of an expert at it. She started a new job nearly every six weeks—sometimes less, sometimes more—so it was important that she get a good read on the temperature of a workplace early. The sooner she could settle in, the more she could accomplish in the time she was there.

So far, Wednesday was shaping up to be the day when everything just...