“Did the offer come through already?”
I nod.
“Is it as good as the ad promised?”
I nod again. “Double my current salary. Fantastic benefits…I can’t take it.” I shake my head.
Candice makes a face. “Maybe you can give it a try. You’d have nothing to lose.”
I turn her phone back towards her. Another picture of Steven ‘Wicked’ – I give an internal snigger – Bolt is on the screen. “I can’t be at this man’s,” I use his words, “beck and call for ten or twelve hours a day. It must be against some sort of code to harbor sexual fantasies about your direct boss. I wish I wasn’t this attracted to him, but I am.”
She groans. “You’re right…” She actually looks downtrodden. “You can’t accept the offer, but I think it’s fantastic that you were offered the job so we’re celebrating anyway.” She holds up her glass.
I smile even though I’m feeling down. This would have been perfect if it weren’t for my wayward libido. Oh, and maybe the fact that I’m not personal assistant material. I’m not sure what I was thinking. We chink glasses and drink. Although maybe, just maybe, it could work if—
No!
I put the glass down and pull out my phone.
“What are you doing?” Candice asks.
“I’m turning down the offer before I do something stupid like change my mind.”
She nods once, taking another sip of the sparkling wine. “Probably a good idea.”
I formulate an email where I thank the HR manager and Mr. Bolt for the offer, but then turn down the position. I decide not to give a reason. I keep it short and sweet. I pull in a deep breath, take a sip of my wine, and push send.
“There,” I say, putting down my phone and taking an even bigger glug of my wine. “Done!”
“Yep!” Candice says. “Hopefully, one of the other positions will come through.”
“I hope so,” I sigh. “Maybe I should drop my resume off at all of the local restaurants just in case something comes up.”
“That might be a good idea,” Candice agrees.
My phone alerts me to an incoming email. I look down. “It’s from him!” I gasp. “Why would he answer my email personally. The offer came from HR,” I mumble the last to myself when I realize it’s the same email with my original job offer.
“He must have been blind copied in the correspondence.”
“Blind copied?” I widen my eyes.
She looks at me funny. “Blind, as in, so that you couldn’t see he had been copied in. He obviously saw you turn the offer down. What does he say?” She looks excited.
I open the email. I notice he didn’t CC the HR Manager. This email is direct from him to me. My heart pounds when I read what it says.
Job Offer: Personal Assistant to the CEO
From: Bolt
Why? Was the offer too low?
A man of few words. I can’t believe this. “What?” I push out. I show Candice. “Is he upset?”
My friend laughs, covering her mouth. “He thinks his offer is too low.” She sniggers some more. “He thinks you’re trying to negotiate for more.”
“What should I say?” I shake my head. “This has nothing to do with money.”
“Actually, it does,” Candice says, taking my phone out of my hand. “The main reason we work is for money.” She shrugs.
Her fingers fly over the keys. “What are you doing?” I shout, trying to grab my phone back, but she holds it away. It doesn’t help that I’m tiny, and my friend is built like a giraffe – aside from her neck. Candice is tall and graceful with big, brown eyes.
“Done.” She smiles, looking all innocent. I know it’s a lie! A bald-faced lie! She’s anything but innocent.
“What did you just do?” I ask, my eyes wide.
She hands me the phone. “Yes?” I yell. “You replied with a yes. As in, yes, the offer is too low. Why would you do that?”
“I just want to see how he will respond. He obviously wants you on board, or he wouldn’t have replied in the first place.” She narrows her eyes. “Are you sure you didn’t suck him off…or offer to suck him off? What aren’t you telling me?”
“No, and nothing!” I gasp. “I would never.” I make a face. “Although I did offer him baked goods.” My phone makes another beeping noise and vibrates. It can’t be! I pick it up. “It’s from him,” I whisper, sounding shocked. This is unreal.
Candice laughs. “All I know is that whatever you said or did…it must have worked. Open it.”
“I almost fell on my face and then couldn’t talk. This shouldn’t be happening.”
“You impressed him despite those things. Open it already.”
My finger shakes as I push the button. “Oh, my god!” I put my hand over my mouth.
“What is it?”
“He’s offering me more money.”
“No!” Candice sounds shocked as well.
“How much more?”
I turn the phone so that she can see. I watch her eyes scan the email. “Another twenty percent. Holy shit, that’s a ton of money. He says you impressed him in the interview. What did I tell you? He goes on to say it doesn’t happen to him often. What are you going to do?” She looks over at me.
I feel my heart sink. I suddenly want the job. I want to try new things, maybe I’ll enjoy the job. The extra money would come in handy when trying to save Buns. Maybe I could learn a thing or two from watching him in action. We need to upgrade our facilities. We need…help. I can’t possibly accept this offer though. Everything still stands. I’m not a PA, and I can’t work for Steven Bolt. My heart beats faster thinking about him.
“Maybe you should take it. He seems to—”
I shake my head. “I’m not worth this much money.”
“He thinks you are.”
“Well, I’m not!” I pick up my phone and start typing my reply.
Job Offer: Personal Assistant to the CEO
From: A. Shaw
I lied on my resume. I can’t type even close to a hundred words a minute, and I’m not much of a people person. I’m too shy. Thank you, but I have to say no. You would regret hiring me.
I send the email before I can second-guess myself. I show Candice my response to him.
She nods. “I’m proud of you.” She rubs a hand down the side of my arm. “Most people would have lied through their teeth and taken the offer. I knew you wouldn’t be able to go through with it. You’re too nice.” She smiles at me.
“You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“It’s not a bad thing. It’s a good thing.” She looks at me strangely.
“What?” I ask, cocking my head.
“Maybe he had the hots for you as well. Maybe that’s why he’s so desperate to have you on board.” She winks at me.
“No way!” I snort. “Just no. Guys like that don’t have the hots for girls like me.”
“Stop! You’re gorgeous.”
I shrug.
“Look at you,” she says. “Long hair…the biggest blue eyes…you have tits and ass most of us would give an arm for.”
“I have junk in the trunk,” I throw back. “There’s a difference.” I’m not bad looking. In fact, guys try to pick me up when I go out – which isn’t often. I can attract them, but I can’t seem to keep them interested for any length of time. My ex broke up with me because he said I was more like a best friend to him than a lover. I guess I don’t have real sex appeal. I’m pretty but somehow not sexy. At least that was how Sean described it.
“Not from where I’m standing,” she tells me off. It’s something she does from time to time. “You lack confidence and belief in yourself. Otherwise, you’re perfect in every way. Mr. Bolt sure thinks so. I’m not only talking about looks. I was only joking about that, even though I think you’re hot. If I was a guy…or into girls, I’d be all over you.”
I nod and laugh. She’s right. Not the part about being perfect but the part about lacking confidence. My phon
e beeps. We lock eyes. A smile breaks out on Candice’s face while my heart beats a whole lot faster.
“Is it him?” she asks.
I pick up my phone, swallow thickly and nod. “Yes. He sent a reply.”
7
Bolt
“Can I get you a beer?” Night asks.
I move the little girl into the crook of my other arm and smile down at her cherub face. “I can’t believe how big she’s getting.” The muscles on my face pull. Smiling is uncomfortable, so I stop. “Yeah,” I look up at Night, “I would love a beer.”
“Let me take her,” Shannon says, her eyes on her daughter.
“I’m good,” I say, trying not to turn away. “I love cuddle time with my goddaughter. Hey, Harley,” I coo at the beautiful baby in my arms. “I still can’t believe how such an ugly fuck like you produced this little angel,” I throw at Night.
“Language.” Shannon wags a finger. She’s smiling, so she can’t be too upset.
“Sorry,” I mutter. “I sometimes forget. It’s not like she understands.”
“She’ll understand quicker than you think,” Night says, grabbing a couple of beers from the fridge.
“You’re right.” I wince. “I’ll have to try harder,” I say to Shannon.
“It’s her bedtime,” she says, holding out her hands. “You should visit earlier. That way you’d get to spend more time with her.”
“I’m swamped at work,” I moan. “I’ll drop by on the weekend,” I say, more to Harley than Shannon as I hand the baby to her mother.
“Will I see you in a bit…after I put this one to bed?” She looks down at Harley and then lifts her brows at me. “You should stay for dinner. There’s plenty.”
“Sounds good.” I nod. A crack of lightning sounds, and spatters of rain hit the roof and the windows.
Shannon looks up. “Looks like another storm.”
“Looks like it,” Night says.
“Check on the chicken,” Shannon says to Night. “It will need to come out in ten.”
“I will.” Night smiles at his wife. He kisses his daughter on the forehead and then brushes his lips over Shannon’s mouth. I feel this pang, and another bolt of thunder crashes above us.
I watch as she disappears down the hallway, the baby safely in her arms.
“Let’s go sit in the living room,” Night says.
I turn, and he hands me a beer. I follow Night and take a seat.
“Thanks for the donation,” he says as he sits as well.
“What donation?”
He narrows his eyes. “Only one person I know who would make a donation that big without giving their contact information. Don’t even try to deny it. I will be able to help ten more kids pay for their college tuition this year. Manny is going to upgrade some of the gym equipment as well.” He looks me in the eyes for a few seconds. “Thank you.”
“Sure.” I take a big swig of my beer.
“I knew it was you!” He grins.
“Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Night nods. “How are you doing?”
“Fine,” I answer too quickly. “Busy…which is good.”
“How’s your latest project going?”
“Which one?”
“There’s more than one?”
I nod. “I get bored otherwise. Everything is fully under control.” Everything except my personal life, which is a mess. I don’t want to talk about work. Problem is, I don’t have anything else to talk about. I’ve turned into a fucking loser. “I’m tired of work.” I rub a hand over my face.
“I’m sure, since it’s all you do. Dating anyone?” he asks, brows raised.
I shake my head. “I’m doing better,” I lie, taking another sip of my beer. I’m telling him what he wants to hear. It’s easier than the truth. It’s another thing I don’t feel like talking about.
Night’s eyes brighten. “That’s good.” He leans forward. “I’m glad to hear it.”
My mind goes back to her. Not the harpy. For once, it’s not Gabby I’m thinking about, but her…the woman from today. The one I’ve just employed. My new personal assistant. The woman who looks just like Gabby. From her eyes…so fucking blue it’s scary, to her hair and features. So alike, I almost thought it was her walking into my office today.
Only, I could see it wasn’t Gabby…wasn’t the harpy. Her eyes, although the same vivid color, were different somehow. I’m unable to put my finger on how they were different, only that they were. Otherwise, Ashley Shaw, cake baker…is Gabby’s doppelganger. If I hadn’t have seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.
I should contact HR and have them revoke the offer. Having someone who looks exactly like Gabby working so close would fuck me up even more…I just know it. The harpy is dead and buried. I should leave this alone. I need to get over her. Get over what happened to me…only…I can’t. I guzzle more beer as the rain lashes at the windows.
“I’m going to check on dinner,” I hear Night say.
I realize I’ve been inside my head too long and look over at him as he gets up. “Sure.” I nod, drinking my beer, surprised when the last of the liquid hits my throat. I put the empty bottle down.
My phone buzzes for the tenth or eleventh time since arriving here. Might have been more times, I’m not taking note. I have nothing better to do, and since I don’t want to keep thinking about the fucking harpy, I pull my phone out of my pocket to check my emails.
“Fuck!” I growl as I read my latest one.
It’s from her. The doppelganger…Ashley Shaw. I can’t believe what I’m reading. I feel my brow furrow.
“Something wrong?” Night asks.
I shake my head. “I thought I had a new PA all figured out, but she’s turned down my offer.”
“She’s obviously in high demand,” Night remarks.
That’s the thing…she didn’t have the qualities I would normally look for in a PA. Being able to answer a basic question when I first meet someone is a high priority. She did snap out of it and come back relatively strong. That’s the thing, relatively strong isn’t good enough. I decided from the moment I saw her that I had to have her…employ her. I have this strange notion that she could help me purge myself of the harpy, although I’m not sure how that would be possible, since fucking my PA is out of the question.
“She must be,” I mumble back to Night. Maybe I’m reading this wrong. Maybe she doesn’t want to work for me, and it has nothing to do with money. I’m hoping that’s the case. I fire back a response.
“You responded to her.” Night is frowning when I look up. “Don’t you have someone to do that on your behalf?”
“I’m drowning in work. Sick to fucking death of answering my own phone and picking up my own dry cleaning. I—”
“Must be hell.” Night is smirking.
I roll my eyes. “I have better things to do with my time.”
“Of course you do.” He’s smirking even harder.
I clench my jaw for a moment. “You know what I mean.”
“Actually, I don’t, since I don’t have a driver, a housekeeper, and someone who wipes my ass.”
“I don’t have someone who wipes my ass, and when I’m in one of my sports cars, I drive myself.” I realize how I sound. “Fine…I’m spoiled, but it’s what I’m used to and how I live. Janet ran my whole life…I’m lost without her. I need a replacement.” My phone buzzes.
Job Offer: Personal Assistant to the CEO
From: A. Shaw
Yes.
It is money. Fuck! Money is an easy solution. I can throw more at her. “She wants more money,” I tell Night.
“She must be good.”
I think about how her tits filled her shitty, polyester suit. “Must be.” I push out a breath. Another thing that’s a little different from the harpy. Ashley Shaw has curves.
“She’s standing up to you…I’m assuming that’s what you’re looking for in a PA.”
I nod. “It is.” Screw i
t! I want Miss Shaw on my team. It’s not a good idea, but I don’t give a damn. I type out a new offer and send it. It’s more than any PA should ever earn. I don’t care. “Fuck it!” I say to Night.
“I take it you offered more, which surprises me.” He raises his brows.
“I’m in a generous mood.”
“Then again, when you want something, you do go after it.” He shrugs.
“Yes, I do.” I’m almost hoping she turns me down. I cannot fuck my PA. I can’t go there. It would be a human resource nightmare. I could end up arrested on sexual harassment charges.
“You don’t look happy about the whole thing.”
“Maybe I should just find someone else.” I’m of two minds.
Night laughs. “It’s not like you to be undecided.”
“We’re talking about my right hand here. I can’t hire the wrong person.” I rub my chin.
“Surely there’s a probation period…you can replace her if need be.”
“You’re right.” I’m overthinking this. If she accepts, I’ll see how it goes, and if she declines, I’ll look for someone else and forget about her. More importantly, if I’m tempted to fuck her, I’ll let her go. I’m not going down that road.
My phone buzzes in my hand. “Is it her?” Night asks.
I nod when I see her name. I open the email.
Job Offer: Personal Assistant to the CEO
From: A. Shaw
I lied on my resume. I can’t type even close to a hundred words a minute and I’m not much of a people person. I’m too shy. Thank you, but I have to say no. You would regret hiring me.
I can’t help it when a laugh is pulled from me. From somewhere deep inside. My voice is thick and corded, the sound foreign.
It must be infectious because Night laughs too. “Holy shit!” he says. “I can’t believe it. That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh since…in a long time. Too long. Is whatever you just read from her…your prospective employee?”
Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods Book 5) Page 5
