“No, Callie, you have everything you need already.”
On the Sunday of the benefit the house was in an uproar. While the charity was providing catering, Mrs. Griggs was the self-appointed head of all operations and her voice could be heard bellowing throughout the house. Walter was quietly and efficiently seeing to any details not connected to food, while Callie and I chose to quietly keep to our rooms before the storm hit. I was doing some research and calculations on my laptop when she knocked at the door.
“Got a sec?”
“Sure, come in.”
“I’m a little nervous about tonight, I don’t mind admitting.”
“Why, Callie?” I patted the corner of my bed where she came and eventually sat.
“Your world is so different from what I’ve known. I understand you’re self-made, but I’m the opposite. I’m educated in the classroom sense, but I don’t think I have a tenth of the common sense and understanding of people that you do.”
“Which is why you wanted me to mentor you.” I finished her comments for her.
She nodded. “Exactly. I mean, what do I do? Do I introduce topics, and if so, what kind? Do I let others do that and just respond? What if they ask me personal questions, especially about… us?”
I immediately saw her confusion. “Honey, first of all, you’re a beautiful woman and that will invite all sorts of conversation, whether you like it or not. Beauty can be a burden, or so I’m told.” I teased her, and she slapped my leg.
“I’m serious,” she protested.
“I know, sorry. Okay, seriously, men will be drawn to you and women will resent you. This can’t be the first time you’ve run across that?”
“No, I suppose not. But before, it didn’t matter so much. I could choose whether I wanted to respond. Not this time. This is your show and your business associates. I can’t just decide I don’t want to respond.”
I set aside my laptop and leaned toward her. "Come here, you," I said, pulling her by the forearms toward me. Kissing her heartily, I put my arm around her and pressed her cheek against my chest. "First of all, this is a charity event and they're very lucky to get any of us to attend. Secondly, I'm far more concerned about you being comfortable in my world than I am with the people I know being comfortable in theirs. So, I want you to be yourself, but I hope you will remember the lessons we talked about and use them to your benefit. If you don't feel you're ready yet, don't worry about it. If one comes to mind and feels appropriate, use it. I'll always be nearby, maybe not right at your side because I want you to fly your own. You understand?"
I felt her chin move up and down against my chest. “I like costume parties.”
“See, there? You’ve already put a good spin on things. There’s so much about you that is already perfect, honey, and I wouldn’t change any of that. In many ways, my mentoring you is more protection for you. People in business have one thing in mind: winning. Money is just the way of keeping score. I’ve already won. I have all the money I could ever want, so there’s no way they can hurt me. The one thing I want that money won’t buy me is someone like you. That makes you the most valuable person in the room. Now then, have you gotten your costume?”
She lifted her head and looked at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes! I hope you like it.”
“I don’t think it’s possible for me not to. Now, go into the kitchen and ask Mrs. Griggs to make you a luncheon tray, and then take it back to your room. I’m going to take a little nap and I suggest you do the same. It will be a long evening and one I really hope you’ll enjoy.” With that, I lifted her to her feet and patted her bottom to put her on her way. She looked over her shoulder at me, a devilish grin lighting her eyes. If I could have just one photograph of Callie, it would be that split-second. I nodded as she waved goodbye.
The guests began arriving early. The weather was iffy; sleet was predicted so I assumed many of them gave themselves extra driving time. I didn’t blame them. The estate was very remote and there were few options for help if one got stranded. Just in case, I alerted Mrs. Griggs to freshen up all the additional bedrooms. In the worst case, we could probably sleep fifty guests between sofas, cots, and the available bed space.
Mrs. Griggs and Walter were scurrying around, supervising the additional servers who had been hired for the evening. All the dining rooms were utilized in a buffet style as the guests had come to socialize, not for a sit-down event. In between shaking hands, I coolly navigated the rooms, noting that everyone had adhered to costume and seemed to be enjoying themselves. There were two champagne fountains set up centrally, and the buffets held warming trays with superbly prepared, gourmet level foods. After all, the event cost $2500 per plate, so at least the food had better be good and the booze plentiful.
“Hello John, how have you been? I don’t believe I’ve seen you since Singapore?”
“Well, Alec, you’re looking fine as usual. Always very fit. Any new deals you can let me in on? Yes, I believe it was Singapore.”
“John, you don’t mean to tell me your instincts are failing you?” I teased him. “Surely you’re the one with the tips to share?”
He shook his head as he left and turned back to the woman standing at his left. I assumed she was his wife, although I had never met her. I moved on.
“Alec! I hear you’ve taken on a new protégé.”
I nodded and looked toward the staircase. Callie hadn't come down yet and I wondered if she was getting cold feet. "Yes Robert, as a matter of fact, I have. Don't try to steal her from me now, promise?"
“As good as all that, is she?” Robert’s eyebrows peaked with curiosity.
I neither confirmed nor denied, and that was exactly what he expected. I was fairly certain once people met her, the question would come behind my back whether she was my business protégé or mistress. Let them think what they want, I thought to myself. Callie would set them straight.
I felt it before I heard it; the raised pitch in the conversational undertones. I knew something was happening and looked toward the staircase. Sure enough, Callie was coming down, and there wasn’t a word strong enough to describe how beautiful she was.
She had interpreted the pirate theme to include female pirates. Most of the women there were dressed in 19th-century ball gowns, playing the role of the captured mistress, or the willing stowaway the pirates would use for their pleasure. But not my Callie.
Her beautiful, long legs were encased in black leather, the waist rising higher and ending just below her bosom. She wore a full-sleeved blouse, gathered at the shoulder and ballooning over her long arms before clutching her wrists in crystal-studded bands. Its collars lay wide open, cut deeply below her décolletage; the suntanned mounds of her perfect breasts hugging one another in that curtained stage. Her long blonde hair had been drawn high above her neck, cascading in curls below her black pirate's hat. It, too, was studded with sparkling crystals. Black, high-heeled leather boots went over where her pantaloons ended and a cummerbund of crimson velvet emphasized her tiny waist. Every man in the room made a wish and every woman scowled. She was a diabolical mistress of the night and she was mine.
She waved at me over the heads of the crowd and I nodded and motioned her forward. People parted to make her path as she came toward me. There was no need to hush the crowd, they were already silent with appreciation. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce my assistant and protégé, Ms. Callie Courtney. I’ve been fortunate enough to snap up this talented young lady and include her in my organization before the rest of you even knew she was available. I encourage each of you to meet her personally this evening as she will often be my personal representative. She will be authorized to discuss and execute all business on my behalf.”
My introduction drew an intake of breath across the room. I was not known for giving up control of any aspect of my business and the fact that I had just transferred trust onto Callie’s beautiful shoulders was rare indeed. A stuttering of quiet comments blossomed ac
ross the room and soon there was a general applause for her introduction. Callie beamed, smiling graciously and tilting her head to individuals around the room. She leaned toward me and whispered in my ear. “I’m so nervous,” she said, her voice higher pitched than normal in her anxiety.
“Honey, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them, I guarantee you. Everyone in this room owes me in one way or another. Think of yourself as a queen who can order heads chopped off.”
She looked at me, her eyes wide, her mouth forming an O-shape before dissolving into a smile as she winked.
“Go on, start circulating. Here comes the waiter with champagne. Take one glass and sip it slowly so you keep your head. Have fun, Callie.”
Chapter Eleven
Callie
I felt encouraged by Alec’s vote of confidence. Taking a deep breath, I decided to relax as much as possible and let the evening take me where it chose. With the flute of champagne in my hand, I moved away from him, although it felt like I was just learning to swim and had let go of the dock. Alec had that effect on me, a calm, stabilizing force in the storm that threatened to drown me. He’d been right, though, people didn’t wait for me to approach them, they came to me.
At first, the conversations were very surface, people offering their congratulations and suggesting that Alec was a catch. At first, I resented that, thinking they imagine me to be a gold digger when nothing could be further from the truth. I had no interest in Alec's money, I wanted to keep score on my own, just as he explained to me it worked. It was my dream to one day own my own business.
The crowd began to move toward the banquet tables, a rather casual way of eating when considering the ticket price, I thought. That’s when I learned another lesson. For the very wealthy, it wasn’t always necessary to try to impress them. Occasions such as that fundraiser were less about eating or donating money, and far more about cultivating contacts for the future. In that respect, I don’t know that I could have been put in a better atmosphere, and I had Alec to thank for that. He didn’t ride herd over me but kept his distance. From time to time I would look in his direction and he would catch my eye and nod encouragingly. I knew if I got into trouble, he would be at my elbow instantly, but I was the stronger for not having him there. I had his blessing and support, and that was enough.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” The young man, very close to my own age, was standing to my right when he spoke up. I turned to shake his hand and he had the most amazing dark brown eyes I’d ever seen. His complexion and his voice accented. I was intrigued.
“How do you do? I’m Callie.”
“One could hardly be here tonight and not know that,” he said genuinely, and his teeth shone bright white against his tanned face. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Maximo Saddhir. You may have noticed that English is not my first language, so it will hardly come as a surprise when I tell you that I am a Saudi.”
"Interesting. Yes, I detected a slight accent, but certainly, you've been in the U.S. long enough to master the language."
He nodded. “I was educated here. My parents are business partners with Alec. Some of it finance, some of it oil, I lose track. There are so many.”
I laughed at his nonchalance. “By comparison, I might introduce my parents as shopping at the same store, but it ends there. I don’t have the illustrious lineage you do.”
He shrugged. “As we grow up, we accept whomever we are as the norm. I’ll admit, it took some adjustment to drive a car instead of a camel when I went to college.”
I burst out laughing and instantly slapped my hand over my mouth. His eyes were smiling, and I asked, “You were kidding, right?”
“I was, indeed.”
I know I flushed bright red at that, but I tucked it into my book of lessons and promised myself I would retell the conversation to Alec later. “So, if your parents are Alec’s associates, why have you come?”
“Oh, I can see that Alec’s patronage has not grown dim. You are quite direct with your questions.”
“I’m sorry, have I overstepped myself?”
“No, as a matter of fact, I find you quite refreshing. I believe us to be of a similar age, but with my background, I’m far more jaded than you appear to be. As a matter of fact, I’m exploring some business opportunities with Alec myself. That happens to be why I am here tonight. You may or may not know it, but the Saudi economy is quite healthy and there is a high demand for luxury goods. Many of these are manufactured, or at least distributed by, the U.S. I am hoping to interest Alec in investing in my imports/export enterprise. I know that’s not his normal area of expertise, so perhaps I can enlist your help in interesting him?”
“Well, I’m willing to listen, but why don’t we talk over dinner? I haven’t eaten all day, nerves, you know,” I explained. “This is my first and only glass of champagne, but I think I need to put some food in to keep it from going to my head.”
“I’m sure Alec has mentioned this, but you are very charming,” he said in a warm, familiar tone.
“If you know Alec, you will know that he is not effusive in his compliments. Ours is truly a learning arrangement. He is acting as my mentor and in return, I hope to contribute something to his organization. I work as his assistant.”
“Will you permit a small observation?”
“Of course.”
“May I say that you are quite beautiful and perhaps a bit naïve. Alec could have any woman in the world he wanted, he’s quite the eligible bachelor. The fact that he’s taking you under his wing tells me that he wants more than an assistant. In fact, if you look over your shoulder, you’ll see him glaring at me at this moment.”
Without being obvious, I glanced backward and indeed, Alec was frowning, although I would hardly describe it as a glare. I smiled, waved toward him and he nodded in response. “Oh, I don’t think he’s angry at all. In fact, maybe he’s just a little jealous?”
Maximo smiled mysteriously but he said nothing further on the matter. I was proud that I had steered him away from personal conversation, thereby exercising one of Alec’s lessons. We filled our plates and took seats near the fire. There were others chatting around us, but I had to admit that Maximo was quite handsome and drew covetous looks from other women my age. At one point I caught Alec’s eye and motioned to him to join me, but he subtly shook his head. He was going to make me swim on my own.
Maximo was giving me his prepared elevator speech. He named companies, products, markets, numbers, tariffs, import fees, and a myriad of other terms that I knew I should be paying close attention to, but the look on Alec’s face occupied my mind. Why was I feeling guilty? I was doing exactly what he told me to do.
Walter passed nearby, his arms crossed over his chest as he nodded or spoke quietly to one of the servers. I caught his eye and motioned him in my direction. He leaned down so I could speak in his ear. “Should I be spending so much time with this man?” I asked, knowing that he could read Alec better than I. Walter subtly turned his head in Alec’s direction and then whispered back to me.
“I believe you should circulate and meet all the guests equally,” were his words and I instantly recognize the diplomacy of his wisdom. I nodded in response and he moved on.
"Maximo, tonight is for socializing and while I'm sure Alec would be very interested in what you offer, I would prefer if you could send that information to his office, in fact, you may address it to me. I'll be happy to look it over and follow up with Alec with any recommendations I might have."
“I beg your pardon, Callie. I didn’t mean to monopolize your company. I know there are many here who are waiting to meet you.”
I stood and set my plate on the table nearby. "Think nothing of it. I quite enjoyed our chat and look forward to speaking with you again sometime. To be frank, tonight is also a learning opportunity for me, so the more I circulate, the more intel I'll gather," I said with a mock conspiratorial tone and a wink. Evidently, I said the right thing because Maximo understood compl
etely and rose to his feet with a nod as I moved away. I sneaked one additional quick look at Alec and saw that his face had gone passive. Apparently, he also approved.
I was careful not to let anyone monopolize my attention for the balance of the evening. I made my self-introductions, put faces to business ventures, offered my admiration, and accepted business cards which I slipped into the small, leather shoulder bag I wore as part of my costume. There were, as I expected, a number of wandering eyes who found my costume worthy of a stare, but most everyone behaved themselves professionally. I knew Alec was making a lesson of my behavior in the eyes of admirers. Women had it tough in business; they never knew whether they were being included for their beauty or their brains. I hoped my invitations were for the latter.
It would remain to be seen. In fact, I learned the answer that very next morning over breakfast in our favorite dining area in his study.
“You seemed to enjoy yourself last night.” Alec’s words broke the silence he’d kept since I arrived at the table. He’d gone to bed long after I had the previous night. I was still riding the high of meeting so many interesting, and powerful, people. His attitude had been quite blasé, and it was with some shock that I realized Alec no longer had the need to impress anyone. They’d all come for his approval. I was lucky beyond imagination to be opposite him for breakfast.
“It was a wonderful event, I thought. The charity must be very grateful to you.”
“Those things are just excuses to conduct business and appear charitably human at the same time,” he remarked, not looking at me directly.
“Alec, you’ve been quiet and withdrawn this morning. Did I do something wrong?”
“Do you feel that you did?”
I shook my head, putting down my fork. “No, not at all and that’s why I’m puzzled. You’re acting like you’re mad at me.”
“Quite the opposite, actually. I’m very proud of you. You were stunning.”
My Dream Job: A Billionaire Boss Romance Page 6
