by Ivy Nelson
He turned to his computer and began typing. “I need to get back on the phone, you can work from Jason’s old desk. I wasn’t sure of your tastes, so I haven’t ordered new furniture for that space yet. You’ll find catalogs on the desk. Just mark what you want, and I’ll have Regina order it. You’ve got a ten-thousand-dollar budget.”
Who is Regina, she thought as her eyes grew wide at the number he threw out. “That’s entirely too much.” The way he said it as if ten-grand was no big deal had her head spinning. She understood most of the members of Solitaire were wealthy, but sometimes their spending habits gave her anxiety.
Garrett gave another shrug. “Spend whatever you like. It just needs to look nice.”
Isabelle nodded as Garrett turned back to his screen. “I’ll get started on these calls then.”
Backing out of the office, she sat at the rickety old desk that had been there for years. It needed to be replaced, and she would definitely pick out a more comfortable chair if she were going to be spending any amount of time working here.
When she was done with the calls, she put sticky notes with details of the conversations on each folder and placed them in a neat pile at the corner of her desk before turning her attention to the furniture catalogs. She found a desk that looked nice and a chair with excellent reviews for comfort, along with new seating for visitors.
Garrett stuck his head out and motioned for her to come in a couple of hours later. She handed him the folders with notes and the catalog with furniture marked.
“You didn’t pick any art,” he said as he flipped through the pages with a scowl.
Isabelle gave a curt laugh. “I know nothing about art. It didn’t seem like anything I really needed.”
It has to look professional,” he scolded. “I can pick some things I find acceptable and you’ll choose from that.”
Isabelle squirmed. “OK. That’s fine. Whatever makes you happy.”
“Fine.”
She shifted back and forth on her heels. “Is that all?”
He looked up from his stack of paperwork. “For now. I want you to work on a list of things you think could be better around here from an average employee’s perspective. I’ll have other work for you soon. I’ll have Regina call you and give you a crash course in getting in touch with me. After that, I’ll catch you up on dealing with management stuff here because I have to get on a plane to Washington tonight. I’ll be back on Thursday afternoon.”
She still wasn’t sure who Regina was, but the last thing he said terrified her. Did he expect her to run the place?
“Don’t worry. I didn’t fire the entire management team. Most of them are on probation though, and I expect you to keep an eye on things and document any inappropriate behavior.”
Isabelle felt like the room was spinning.
“I’m sorry,” Garrett said, snapping a binder closed. “I’m overwhelming you. I work fast and expect the same of my employees, but you’re not used to this. You’ll assimilate, but I’ll try to slow down for today and help you get caught up.”
Isabelle blew out a breath. “Thank you. I’m sorry if I’m slow.”
Garrett picked up the phone and waved his free hand. “You’re not slow. Sit down. I’ll have lunch brought in and we’ll go over everything from the beginning.”
Turning his attention to the phone in his hand he said, “Regina, cancel my lunch calls please. I need to get Miss Alvarado up to speed with everything here. Has her email and calendar access been granted yet?” He paused. “Excellent, thank you, Regina. I’ll call you after lunch about my flight information.”
He set the phone down and began rearranging things on his desk.
“You’re being very stiff and formal,” she said, feeling bold.
He looked at her with a blank stare. “We’re at work, Isabelle. I’m not going to flirt with you in the office, especially not when you’ve asked for space. I can’t exactly disappear and not talk to you if we’re going to work together, but I can be professional.”
Isabelle gave him a sad smile. She missed his flirtation but was grateful for his respect of her boundaries.
“I’ll figure things out soon,” she whispered.
He lowered himself into the chair next to hers and leaned over to squeeze her hand. “Take all the time you need, Isabelle. For now, we’re just coworkers.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon going over everything Garrett thought she would need to know during his absence. Everything from truck schedules, to how to reach him in an emergency. He gave her the contact information for every remaining member of the management team. He also tasked her with reorganizing some of the filing cabinets and computer files that were a mess.
The job turned out to be one she enjoyed a great deal, and the rest of her week flew by without incident. Garrett had prepared her for a number of potential problems that could arise, but thankfully none did. Her shifts at the hotel had been fun and educational, and it gave her hope that she might one day fulfill her lifelong dream. But working two jobs were definitely taking a toll on her. Now, it was Thursday and she was back in the office where new furniture and art had been delivered and assembled.
The morning was uneventful, and she spent it sorting through paperwork trying to get the filing cabinets more organized.
When it was time for her lunch break, she decided to grab a bite from a nearby deli and bakery. She stepped into the cool Colorado air and breathed in deep, trying to give her senses a jolt of energy from the fresh air.
Her heart lurched into her throat as she approached her small car. Both tires on the driver’s side had been slashed and there was a note on the window. Instinct told her not to touch it, but she was able to read it even tucked under the windshield.
You’ll pay for ruining my life, BITCH.
She sucked in a breath and reached for her phone. It slid out of her hand and clattered on the pavement. Damn it, the screen was broken. A car pulled into the parking lot as she bent to retrieve it and she screamed and dropped it again as a door slammed behind her.
“Isabelle. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What happened?”
It was Garrett. His velvet smooth voice soothed her frazzled nerves as he helped her stand. Bending, he picked up the broken phone.
“What happened?” he asked again. Unable to speak, she pointed to the tires and windshield.
Garrett had his phone out and was already calling the police. When he finished telling the dispatcher what happened and where they were, he ducked his head into his car and spoke to the driver. “Wait here for the police. I’m taking Isabelle upstairs.”
Garrett wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked her inside.
“You look like you haven’t slept in a week, Isabelle. Are you not sleeping at night? What happened out there?”
She trembled as they stepped into his office, where he led her to the couch that sat along one wall.
“I was just leaving to get some food. I missed breakfast. Everything was fine when I got here this morning at seven-thirty. So, it had to have happened in the last six hours.”
Garrett nodded. “What about your sleeping problems? Why do you look so exhausted?”
She shook her head, not wanting him to know about her second job. “Just stressed about stuff at home. Nothing you need to worry about.”
He dragged a hand through his hair. “OK. Let me get you some food. I want you to stretch out and close your eyes until the police arrive.”
She didn’t argue, just drew her legs up onto the couch and laid down. When he woke her twenty minutes later, a turkey sandwich and a bottle of water were waiting for her, and a police officer had stepped into the room. She sat on the sofa eating her lunch while the officer asked her questions.
“Do you have any idea who this could be, ma’am?”
Isabelle shook her head. “None. I go to work, take care of my nieces, that’s it. I don’t really go anywhere else.”
The officer nodded and wrote something down.
&
nbsp; “How long have you worked here?”
She rattled off the numbers, leaving out that she’d been laid off for a weekend.
“Could any of your coworkers or former coworkers be upset with you? Maybe an ex or a family member?”
Isabelle shrugged. “Definitely not family. Two of my supervisors recently got fired. I guess maybe one of them could see it as my fault.”
The officer raised an eyebrow. “Why is that?”
“Isabelle helped me catch one of them in a lie and reported the other for sexual harassment,” Garrett said from his perch on the corner of his desk.
The officer whistled. “That seems like pretty powerful motive to me. I’ll need their names so we can follow up. You’ll need to fill out a police report form, and your car will be towed so our techs can take a closer look. We’ll get you a receipt and your insurance will probably spring for a rental.”
Isabelle closed her eyes. Her insurance was the cheapest liability she could find. There was no way they were going to pay for a rental. She would just have to rely on public transportation or her dad’s truck for now.
“I’ll loan you a car, or a driver,” Garrett said.
Isabelle shook her head as she took the police report form from the officer and filled it out. “I’ll be fine,” she mumbled.
He scowled as he waited for her to finish. When she handed it to the officer, he pushed himself off his desk. “Is that all for now?” Garrett asked.
“Yes, Mr. Oliver. I think we have what we need. We’ll let you know if we find anything in your security footage, though it looks like Miss Alvarado parked outside the camera’s field of vision.”
Garrett gave a terse nod and waited for the officer to leave. When she was gone, he turned to Isabelle and said, “My driver will take you home. I’ll see you in the morning unless you feel like you need a day off.”
Isabelle shook her head. “I’m fine. I promise. I’ll just get back to work.”
Garrett stalked to her and tilted her chin so he could look her in the eye. “You have dark circles under your eyes, and you fell asleep on my couch in seconds. Go. Home. Get a nap before your nieces get home from school. Everything else can wait until morning.”
Isabelle sighed. She hated that he was right, but she was running on fumes. Working two jobs this way was proving to be difficult. Thankfully, she was off all weekend and could catch up on sleep then.
Isabelle stood, still uncertain about leaving, as Garrett sat behind his desk.
“Isabelle, wait. Before you go…” He paused and waited for her to look at him. “We were supposed to go to a fundraiser together on Monday. Is that something you would still like to do?”
She swallowed, unsure of how to answer. Was she ready to spend time with him outside of the office? Perhaps she would see flirtatious Garrett. He’d been so gruff and professional since her weekend outburst. Had it really already been almost a week?
“Talk to me, Isabelle. I’m not going to pressure you, but I would like to know what’s going through your mind right now.”
Her voice trembled as she spoke. “I want to say yes. I’m still conflicted but you’re trying so hard to make things right, and today, when I was too terrified to move, you were there. Just having you there made me feel so much safer.”
He stood and came around the desk. When he reached her, he cupped her cheek in his palm.
“I’m only glad I pulled up when I did. Christ, Isabelle. When I saw you in the parking lot, looking like you did, I wanted to simultaneously spank the hell out of you, and just hold you. I’m not used to being affected by a woman the way I am you.”
The warmth of his hand soothed her still frazzled nerves and she leaned into his touch, letting her eyes drift closed.
“Go home, Isabelle. Before I break my promise not to pressure you.”
Her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a shy grin.
“I’ll go with you, Sir.”
He stared into her eyes, as if searching for something.
“Does that Sir mean you’ll be wearing my bracelet tomorrow night at the club?”
She instinctively gripped her left wrist in her right hand. “I think it does,” she murmured.
His hand trailed from her cheek to her neck and she sighed.
“Damn it,” he bit out. “Go home, Isabelle. Before I lose it and take you on my desk.”
She sucked in a breath but slowly backed out of the office, not wanting to leave his warmth.
Garrett’s driver was waiting for her downstairs and she told him where she lived. Her dad was sitting on the small porch in front of their apartment when the car pulled up to drop her off. Crap, she really didn’t want him to see a driver bringing her home.
To make matters worse, the driver jumped out and opened her door for her. Her dad just sat with his arms folded, watching her.
“Sure is a fancy ride,” he said when she stepped up to the door.
Isabelle sighed. “Someone slit my tires at work. My boss just had his driver take me home.”
He huffed. “My boss doesn’t have a fancy ride like that.”
Isabelle gave an annoyed chuckle. “No. But your boss’s boss, the education secretary probably does.”
The old man rolled his eyes. “Just don’t want you getting a big head is all. Doesn’t do any good to forget your place in society, Isabelle.”
Ah yes, her father’s insistence that poor is all they would ever be. It would be a disgrace if she ever forgot that because she would just be setting herself up for disappointment.
“It was just a ride, Daddy. Please don’t make a big deal of this. I’m working two jobs. I’m not going to forget how poor we are. I gotta go take a nap.”
The older man reached out and grabbed her hand. “You sure do remind me of your mom sometimes. God rest her soul.”
Isabelle smiled. It was a high compliment coming from her father. “I love you, Daddy. We’ll talk later. Can you get the girls started on their homework if I’m still asleep when they get home?”
He nodded with a grin. Even with all the chaos in their lives, his granddaughters were a never-ending source of joy for Jacob Alvarado.
In her room, weariness overtook her, and she sank into her mattress where she soon fell asleep trying to figure out the best way to balance both of her new jobs. When she woke, it was nearly seven. Her shift at the hotel was in two hours.
She hurried through getting ready for work and went to say hi to the girls before asking her dad if she could borrow the truck. When she stepped into the kitchen, Catarina handed her an envelope. “Some guy dropped this off a couple hours ago while you were sleeping.”
Isabelle took it. It was heavier on one side than the other. Opening it, she pulled out a note. It had a car key taped to it.
This is yours until the police return your car.
Outside, in the spot where she normally parked, sat a newer model of the car she drove. At least it wasn’t something so flashy it would annoy her dad.
With a sigh, she slid into the driver’s seat and drove to the Glenview, trying not to think about how strange her life was sometimes.
Chapter Eight
Garrett stepped out of the shower in his Glenview suite and wrapped a towel around his waist. His hair dripped water down his face, and he grabbed a hand towel, wiping it through his hair and across his face before using it to wipe the steam away from the mirror.
It had been a trying week, and he could see the exhaustion under his eyes. He hoped a weekend spent getting back in Isabelle’s good graces would help. The voice in the back of his mind told him to stick to his rules about not pursuing people who worked for him, but he desperately wanted her in his bed, so he squashed the voice as he balled up the towel and tossed it into the corner.
In the bedroom, he picked up his phone and found a text from Isabelle.
Where should I meet you for dinner?
He chuckled into the empty suite. It was cute that she thought he wasn’t picking her up.
>
I’ll come get you in a little while.
There was no response, so he tossed the phone on the bed and pulled jeans and a black button up from the closet. As he was zipping his jeans, she called.
“You really don’t have to pick me up,” she said when he answered.
“I insist.”
She blew out a breath. “Are you sure? I have this cool new rental car to drive.”
He wasn’t about to tell her it wasn’t a rental. He was just going to make sure something terrible happened to the old thing she’d been driving while it was in the police impound lot.
“Save the gas. I want to pick you up and take you on a proper date.” What was he saying? He didn’t date.
She sounded nervous when she finally answered. “Yes, Sir. I’ll be ready.”
He gave a low hum, pleased that she was acknowledging their dynamic at the club. “Good girl. I’ll see you soon.”
He hurried through getting dressed and called his driver to pick him up out front.
“Take me to Miss Alvarado’s apartment, please,” he said when he slid into the backseat of the sleek black SUV.
Jeff, his longtime driver, gave a solemn nod and pulled out of the hotel parking lot. The drive passed in silence as Garrett read on his tablet.
When the car slowed, he looked up to find they were driving into a rundown apartment complex. “This is where she lives?” he asked, looking around. There wasn’t even a security gate. It looked as if the buildings hadn’t seen fresh paint in years and most of the cars in the lot had seen better days as well.
They pulled into a space next to the car he’d given Isabelle. She was waiting on a tiny porch and he recognized Uncle Henry sitting in a small lawn chair. There was a look of disdain on the old man’s face as Isabelle scurried to the passenger door.
“Hurry before we attract any more attention,” she said as she pulled her seatbelt across her slender frame.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean this fancy SUV is going to be the talk of the complex, and people will drive my dad and uncle crazy with questions.”
