I’d heard all the whispers within days of being hired. No one knew too much since the man himself was so private, but what little they did know was enough to keep the rumor mill churning for a good long while.
I’d learned about his wife and son then. I’d been so busy with my own life the last year or so that I didn’t have time to read the society pages so I’d missed the story. I’d gone back through the archives and found more than I wanted to know.
His wife had been sideswiped by a drunk driver, on the way home from picking up their pre-school son from swim class. The last traffic photo as they crossed the bridge showed a smiling woman and a young boy strapped into his seat behind her, clapping his hands.
It was sad and tragic. I’d spent way too much time looking at that picture. Feeling pain for a man I didn’t even know. To have lost that, I couldn’t imagine. I’d become obsessed with the family they must’ve been.
She was a very beautiful woman, and the boy was all Jonas. What had their life been like before it was ripped apart? My imagination ran wild and before I knew it I found myself weaving tales of romance and immense love around them. Along with the rumors about his loss were the newer ones about his conquests. While others saw it as a man sowing wild oats, I saw it as something more.
I saw a man shielding his pain the only way he knew how. That was no man enjoying his newfound freedom that was a man drowning his sorrow.
Some people turned to the bottle Jonas had turned to sex. I still didn’t know or understand the psychology behind that, but it wasn’t for me to delve into his psyche.
I’d spent way too much time studying him in those first few months. My interest had only grown with each new development. There was no shortage of gossip and the bets were something I steered clear of.
No one ever knew who he was sharing his bed with from one day to the next since he kept everything so quiet. But it wasn’t long before I could tell. It always started with the woman in question dressing just a little differently, and ended with her despondence a few days or weeks later.
I kept track, none of them had ever lasted more than a couple weeks at most. He didn’t keep his exploits to the office pool either. He was getting it from outside as well, and there was no end to the bevy of interested females just waiting to hop into his bed.
While I was spying on the big man, others were watching my progress. Things were being said in the right ears. There was a rumor that the big man was looking for a new assistant. I never knew what had happened to the old one, maybe she’d retired she was of that age after all. But it was said that he didn’t trust anyone the way he trusted her.
I never paid too much attention to that particular scuttlebutt. There was no way I was going to get the job anyway. I was one of the newest hires and I hadn’t proved myself well enough as yet I’m sure.
I did my job yes and sometimes went above and beyond to fulfill my duties. But I was sure the others had the same work ethic. Jonas Harp didn’t stand for anything less. He demanded excellence and everyone bent over backwards to give it to him.
The first time I saw him up close I understood. It was clear why all the unattached women and some not so unattached would give their eyeteeth to put themselves in his way if only for the chance that he might choose them for his bed, fleeting though the union maybe.
He was magnificent. His build, his air, and the way he looked at you as if he could see into your depths. Combined they were a combustible mix. He was pure sexual animal without even trying. Not even by so much as a look did he give anything away, and that air of mystery was most appealing of all.
My palms had broken out in a sweat as I got to my feet the same as all the others in the room. He hadn’t looked at any one of us any longer than the other, but when those eyes turned my way I felt as if he were seeing right into me.
That look had lasted less than a few seconds but it left a burning sensation on my skin. Like I’d been touched by a live wire. He’d left the same way he came, no muss, no fuss and the place was abuzz as soon as he cleared the floor.
“I told you he was looking for an assistant, what do you want to bet he’s checking out the merchandise?” Kelly, one of the senior secretaries gloated as if the job was already hers. She might be right too.
Not only did she have seniority, but from what I’d learned she was his type. Blonde, leggy and built like a runway model. Conversation buzzed around the room but I was too caught up in the feelings running riot in my body to pay much attention to what was being said.
No wonder he had such a reputation. There was no mystery as to why he was so prolific in his endeavors with the ladies. I was hard pressed to remember anyone else whose very presence had emitted such a strong reaction from me, and the man hadn’t even so much as said hello. I’d probably have ended up in a puddle at his feet if he had the voice to go with the physique.
Everyone was preoccupied for the rest of the day with what his visit could mean and who the lucky girl was going to be. Kelly preened and primped as she flitted around the room too excited to get settled. “Did you see the way he looked at me? That job is as good as mine.” She fixed her hair in the little handheld mirror before adding a layer of gloss to her already painted lips.
“Look at her; she already has dollar signs in her eyes. Everyone knows that even though these little dalliances don’t last for more than a week or so, that Mr. Harp is very good to the women he takes to his bed. At least that’s the rumor.” Amy sniffed as she made her way back to her desk.
I was a wreck the rest of the day. The words on the memo I was typing up blurred into one massive blob and my body felt as though it had been through the wringer. One look, it had taken one look to bring my new obsession full circle.
It was then I realized the truth of why I’d been sneaking peeks into his life all these months. It wasn’t his life or his past that had drawn me in. It was him, purely him. I’d become fascinated, enthralled. But who could blame me? The man exuded confidence and sexual magnetism from every pore. In short he was all man and what woman wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of all that?
With my new knowledge I started looking at things with new eyes. I saw my indifference to the office gossip for what it really was. My way of protecting myself from the hurt it caused to hear of him with his latest bed partner.
My obsessive perusal of his photos in the papers was feeding my hunger to have any part of him. Did that mean I was sick? Just another groupie waiting in the wings in the hopes that he would one day choose me?
Until today, I didn’t see how that would be even possible. He never came to this part of the building. He had his own private entrance on the other side of the building, had his own lift that no one else was allowed to use, and we certainly didn’t move in the same circles.
He was hardly ever seen by anyone other than those in the inner sanctum, those precious few who were blessed by his presence everyday. I wonder what that must feel like, to be that close to such greatness everyday.
I’d learnt a lot more than his bedroom antics in my months of searching. I knew he was one of the leading businessmen in our city. That even before he’d lost his family he’d been driven.
He had risen to the top in record time and stayed there. He was a Harvard business alumnus with a Masters from Oxford. Very smart, a very lethal combination of looks and smarts.
He’d started from the bottom and worked his way up in one of the better venture capitalist companies in the city before branching off on his own. Now he was a force to be reckoned with. The man everyone turned to when their business fell into the dark and needed a lifeline.
It helped that he was thought of as a fair man. Maybe it was because of his humble beginnings that he had such compassion for those who were trying but needed that extra boost to get them over the top.
Whatever his reasoning, it was a well known fact that he’d helped many a business in the area stay afloat. Everyone sung his praise, well most everyone. There were those who he�
��d turned away who didn’t look too kindly on him and his actions.
For every company he saved, he owned majority shares in more than half of them. He was a staunch businessman after all, not a charity.
I knew all of this by the time I first met him in the flesh. In fact I’d venture to guess that I knew him as well as or better than any of the people who’d been here before me. But even with all that knowledge I was no closer to the man.
Chapter 5
***
That first week after his visit the place was in an uproar. No one had heard anything about his decision and tempers were flaring. There were way too many women who thought they qualified for the position, but we all knew there was more on their minds.
The last admin for Mr. Harp had been an elderly woman. There was no one in this pool older than thirty to his thirty-three. It was a not too well hidden fact that anyone who got that close to him was sure to catch his eye and from the talk on the floor they were more interested in the perks gained from time in his bed than an actual job.
The tension was almost palpable by the end of the week and nerves were frayed. I seemed to be the only one not interested, not throwing my hat into the ring. I knew I wasn’t even in the running. At least it kept me from worrying myself to death the way some of the others were doing.
I kept my head down and did my work, willing myself not to envy whoever the lucky recipient turned out to be. Though I did spend a lot of time studying my coworkers, looking for that special something that would draw him to them.
“So, aren’t you at all interested in this job? Even if he doesn’t turn that wandering eye of his your way, I hear the pay is nothing to sneeze at.”
I could see why Amy would come to the conclusion that he wouldn’t have an interest in me sexually. After all I wasn’t his usual fare. I was brunette to his preferred blonde and I topped off at five-two in stockinged feet.
It didn’t matter that I didn’t fit his preferred taste, I’m more of the dream from a distance type anyway. Sometimes the dream was better than reality. I didn’t kid myself that he wouldn’t live up to all expectations, but I knew I didn’t stand a chance so why bother.
“Why would I get that job? There are about five women ahead of me and don’t forget we’re not the only pool here. He could be looking anywhere for his new assistant. And besides, I’m very happy where I am.” I almost convinced myself of that lie.
She shrugged off my excuses, and stood to leave from her perch on my desk. “Well I for one would love to be upstairs. The perks alone are worth it, and getting a look at the great man everyday can’t hurt.” She wiggled her brows and grinned.
I brushed her off and turned back to my work, feigning disinterest. Why doesn’t he choose someone already and put me out of my misery? At least if I knew who she was then I could move on. As it is, I stress day in and day out over which of the beauties surrounding me would gain his attention next.
There were any number of them that would fit the bill. I wondered if they’d all applied for a job at this particular firm because they knew of the boss’ preferences.
“Ms. Carmichael, you’re needed on the fifth floor.” The intercom on my desk buzzed just before lunch the following Monday. Everything stopped in the room as all eyes turned to look at me. The fifth floor was human resources. Why would they be calling me? Was there something wrong with my resume, my work performance? Couldn’t be. I’d been here long enough that if there were anything amiss they would’ve caught it long before this. As for my performance, my direct boss was always singing my praises.
I left my desk without acknowledging any of the looks from the others, and made it to the bank of lifts on trembling knees. All the way up, I questioned what could be awaiting me at the other end of this ride. The fear in the pit of my stomach made me want to throw up but there was no time to take a side trip to the nearest washroom.
I walked into the office and greeted the lady behind the desk. Her smile didn’t tell me anything of what was going on. “Have a seat Ms. Carmichael.”
I sat in front of her desk as she opened one of the drawers and retrieved a packet. This is it, my walking papers. I couldn’t even dredge up the energy to ask why? All I could think about was the many bills I still had yet to pay and the new apartment I was sure to lose for non-payment.
“Open it, it won’t bite.” She went back to the open file on her desk as I opened the envelope with shaky fingers. At first I couldn’t make sense of what I was looking at.
My head swam and my vision dimmed as the words came together. “Is this real? I asked the woman behind the desk. The nameplate said her name was Julia Simmons. She folded her arms on the desk and leaned forward with a wide genuine smile.
“Congratulations. Once you’re done here you’re to head upstairs to meet with Mr. Harp, he’ll fill you in on all you need to know.” Her lips kept moving but I would be hard pressed to repeat any of what was being said. I was going to embarrass myself and faint dead at her feet was all I kept thinking.
I filled out the paperwork the best I could, only having to go over what I’d written a time, or two. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be feeling right now. Had I been expecting this, hoping for it? I knew through conversations with the others that I was the most qualified.
My education set me above the others by a mile, but I never let myself believe that that would be a deciding factor. From all indication, Mr. Harp was a man who put more stock in loyalty than such things, so it came as a surprise that he would choose me over so many others that had been here longer.
But had I been secretly hoping even as I told myself I didn’t care? I had no answer, other than now that it was a reality I had rocks in my stomach. What was it that Amy had said about being that close to the great man?
I pushed the filled out papers across the desk for her perusal before getting to my feet. “Come, I’ll take you to the lift.” I followed her to the other side of the wall from where I’d disembarked. There was only one lift there.
I watched as she put in some kind of code and the doors slid open. “Good luck Ms. Carmichael.” I thanked her for her well wishes and waited for the doors to close.
I didn’t have to push the buttons; there were none to push. The doors closed and a smooth ascent begun.
I got off on the top floor into a vestibule fit to grace a mansion. Beyond was an outer office with a handsome desk that took up a lot of space. There was a four foot vase in the corner nearest the window that spelt money, but other than that the room was basically bare.
The door to the inner office opened and he was just there. He looked just as I remembered. Imposing, handsome, contemplative.
“Come in Ms. Carmichael.” I stepped into the room like a frightened mouse. You’d better get it together unless you want to lose this job before you start.
Putting aside the sexual overtones everyone had attached to the position, this job was more than I’d hoped to achieve in the short time that I’d been here. It would look great on my resume, a solid cap in my feather.
I fought down my nervousness and reminded myself of who I was and what I was doing here. “I wanted to say thank you for the opportunity Mr. Harp.”
“We’ll see how much of an opportunity it is. You have a three month trial period to get through yet.” I was only a little deflated by his words, but that didn’t last long. There was no reason I couldn’t do this job.
I sat in the chair he offered by the wave of a hand and folded my arms in my lap. He didn’t say anything for the first ten seconds and it forced me to look up at him. Was his stare always this intense?
“Good, you’re with me. We have a lot to go over. I’ll tell you now that I’m a hard task master. I work hard and I’ll expect the same of you. More often than not you’ll be here late. You don’t have a family to get home to do you, or a significant other that has a monopoly on your time?”
“No, no one.” I cleared my throat and pulled myself back in the game. He seemed to b
e studying me but that could be because of how close we would be working together in the future. It made sense that he would want to know everything about the woman who would be just a few short feet away from him, seeing as how he’s so secretive.
Still, his silent stare as if he were searching for something made me uneasy and I was close to losing my nerve when he finally spoke.
“Here, I need you to look this over carefully and sign on the bottom line.” He held out a sheaf of papers before pulling them back. “My word, your position here is not contingent on whether or not you agree to this. One has nothing to do with the other? Are we clear?”
I nodded my head although was in the dark. What does that mean? I got it as soon as I saw what was written there. My hands and legs started shaking as I read and my mind went through a myriad of emotions. I was afraid I’d finally do that fainting thing any minute.
I couldn’t look up, couldn’t face him. “I’ll give you some time to look it over, take your time.” He left the room and I was able to breathe again. I drew air into my lungs and released in a methodical way to keep myself from hyperventilating.
This was a completely different kind of contract to the one I’d just signed downstairs. I bet Julia had never seen the likes of this one. I had a lot to think about and though he’d said to take my time, how much time did I have?
My job wasn’t threatened by my refusal to agree to the terms he’d listed here, but could I trust his word? Everything in me told me that I could. Now the only question left was did I want what he was offering. Spelt out in black and white was a proposal for me to become his mistress. I sat there in a daze for a long time just reading and rereading. There was to be total secrecy if I decided to go along with it.
He promised to provide for me during our relationship with a nice severance package if things fell apart in less than a year but more than six months. There was to be no contact in the work place unless initiated by him. I wasn’t allowed to discuss any aspects of our relationship, intimate or otherwise.
The Good Girl Page 3
