“Oh, I see.” Clenching her napkin in her hands, trying not to appear nervous, eyes cast down.
The waiter appeared at the perfect time, taking our drink orders and leaving us to talk.
Trying to steer the conversation back to business and hoping to put her at ease, I began to outline the finer points of the company and boasted about the new programs we’ve implemented over the past few months.
The waiter brought our drinks, took our food order and we settled into a nice conversation about the company and her school achievements. I pushed her to sing her own praises, but she seemed reluctant to boast.
God, I love her. Beautiful, smart, selfless and modest. She was perfect.
“After listening to me ramble on and on, let me ask you the quarter of a million-dollar question.” I gave her a small smirk. “Which position to do like?”
That sounded extremely filthy and I let the question linger between us for a moment, hoping to focus her mind on me, even for a moment.
“Well,” she reached up and took a sip of her wine and shifted her eyes to me, letting me know she was just as affected by me as I was by her. “I liked the information you sent about the Literacy and Senior Development program, only I was unable to find anything on the Corporate website regarding its history, success/failure rate, partnerships, etc. That’s where my confusion comes in as this job seems almost too good to be true. I feel like I am being set up and I’m not sure why. Please tell me everything there is on this program so I can make an informed decision with all the pertinent facts.” She was using her most professional tone and left no room for argument.
“Before we start, can I get you another drink?” Hoping to ease her anxiety. Her aunt and uncle warned me about how bad her anxiety could get and I don’t want to send her running. Apparently, that was her MO and I refused to allow her to run from me. Not now, Not ever.
She glanced up to see the waiter bringing our lunch over and she nodded her head at his offer to get her another drink, indicating she was ready to extend this lunch. She could have eaten, spoken about the job and run. Another drink meant she was comfortable and happy sitting here with me.
“Another drink for both of us… and some privacy, please.” I indicated to the waiter that we needed to be alone. I made sure we were far away from the late lunch crowd and I didn’t need anything distracting her from me.
I wanted…no, I needed…all of her attention on me.
As we began to enjoy our meal, I made note that Maddie is a bit of a weird eater. She ordered their famous chicken, pecan, and feta salad, only to move all the feta cheese to the side, eating only a small quantity of the pungent cheese.
“Not a fan of cheese?” I asked, curious why she ordered a salad that has something on it that she doesn’t eat.
“I love feta cheese, but it’s overpowering the chicken and pecans, so moving it seemed easier that letting it lessen such a perfect salad.” She smiled slightly and began to eat again.
Another positive for her. She could have complained to the waiter or insisted they make her a new salad, like a lot of people would do, but she chose to eat it as served, only avoiding parts that she didn’t like. To me, that demonstrated that she was adaptable and found compromise easy.
After a little more small talk about Caroline, the job she currently held and a very brief touch on her family, I swung the conversation to the job.
“To answer your previous question, the job was in the planning stages until your resume came to the attention of the Board of Directors. After they did some research on your educational achievements, as well as your involvement in youth literacy and senior involvement, we knew you would be perfect for this new position. You will be able to design the programs, work with senior retirement homes and assisted living to find people who are willing to tutor students who need help with reading. They can be bussed to each other and third site locations to engage their minds and to keep them all young.”
“Excuse me for interrupting you, but this seems like it is going to be an expensive endeavor and a potential logistical nightmare. There will need to be buses, releases, facilities that can house everyone…”
Hoping to stop her worry and rambling, I reached across the table and the instant I touched her hand, the electricity shot up my arm, warming my entire body and soul.
She stopped speaking and with wide eyes, looked at out connected hands, never letting go of our entwined fingers. Her gaze drifted back to me and I saw everything she was feeling at that moment.
Confusion, recognition, lust… love?
“Calm down, Maddie. You see, that’s why you will be perfect for his job. You are already worrying about the details and the program hasn’t even gotten off the ground. The Board believes you are the best choice for this pilot program and I second their opinion. I want you to realize that there will be quite a few long days and possibly late evenings until we get everything running as you envision it, but please be patient. If you need something, additional resources, someone to bounce ideas off of, just a friendly shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold, I hope that you will come to me.” I expressed, praying she agreed immediately so I could exhale the breath I was holding.
“I would appreciate that very much Lucas. And please let me officially accept the position at MSJ Media. I just hope I don’t let anyone down.”
“That, Maddie, is impossible.” Reaching across the table and gently stroking the side of her face with my hand, causing her to lean into my touch.
Her eyes closed and a small sign escaped her lips, seeming like she was content and happy.
Please let that be because of me.
She opened her beautiful eyes and I could swear I was looking into my forever.
Today was my first day at MSJ and I was scheduled to meet with Lucas after I finish getting my ID picture taken. To say I was nervous about today would be putting it mildly.
I woke up at five this morning, unable to sleep another minute. Nerves had taken over every time I thought about those touches we shared at lunch, the text and phone conversations we had this last week, and my excitement to see him again.
He asked me to dinner over the weekend, but I needed to finish my shifts at the bar to avoid Caroline having to take up my slack. I hated that we didn’t work together anymore, but she’s happy, so I won’t push her…yet.
I know she stayed with me instead of going back to Columbus like she really wanted to. Atlanta isn’t for everyone and she’s more of a small-town girl than I am. I loved the hustle and bustle of the city, but she preferred the quiet of our smaller hometown.
The laid-back town we grew up in was not the typical one stoplight Georgia town. We lived in an area that had a large military base, so we lived in what the locals called the “international south”. People, restaurants, and culture from around the world, all with the small-town charm you’d expect from Georgia.
I was lost in thought about our childhood, my mother and, strangely, Jason. I’d been thinking about him more and more lately, all the while wondering if he ever looked for me.
Did he regret the way he sent us away? Was he aware that momma died? Did he know Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe took me in when there was no place else for me to go?
I knew very little about Jason Merrick, my father. I knew he came from money but was unsure how his family earned it all. Not that money matters to me. I grew up taken care of but not well-off and he lived in a huge house in Buckhead, the one from my only memory of him.
A few years ago, we were on our way home from visiting friends in North Georgia when we got detoured around an accident. Typical Atlanta! We ended up in Buckhead and Caroline asked if I wanted her to Google him.
How sad is it you need to Google your own father to find out anything about him?
I told Caroline if he’d wanted me at his house, he would have opened the door all those years ago. That was the last time she asked if I wanted to find him. The look she gave me that day is still vivid in my memory. Sadness mixed
with anger. I never asked her why she was mad, and she never offered to find Jason again.
I must have been deeper in thought than I realized when Caroline dropped down in the chair opposite me, drinking deeply from her coffee. Her content sigh let me know she enjoyed the new coffee I ordered for us, a splurge.
I raise my eyebrows at her, smirking behind my cup. “Good coffee?”
“God, yes!” she moaned around another swallow of the magical elixir of life we somehow survived on. “What kind is it again? I know you said it is expensive but hot damn this is amazing coffee!”
“I ordered it from Hawaii. Remember we saw that TV show about the guy who goes around doing the nasty jobs? He worked at their farm and for some reason, it made it to the life list. After my first cup this morning, I think it was $55 well spent.”
“I guess I can understand how the other half desires the finer things in life with coffee this good.” Eyes closed, she took another sip of the heavenly java.
“Yeah, we may splurge on some things but I refuse to allow this money to go to my head. You and I went to school with those rich kids. They were just as unhappy as we were, only in better clothes.” I grinned.
Caroline and I went to the best high school in our town and we both excelled in academics. We were lucky enough to be in the right part of the district to garner us an education that parents now fought for.
I still don’t understand why she hasn’t sent out a single resume since graduation. She was smarter than me and her degree would open whatever doors she wanted but she’s happy slinging drinks.
She made killer tips with her blonde hair and emerald green eyes and could take anyone home she wanted to. She almost never does. I’ve asked her since we left home for college about what happened to her long-term ex-boyfriend Andrew, only to be met with sad eyes and silence.
We’ve always told each other everything, from our first periods to losing our virginity. For her to have kept his departure so closely guarded worried me.
I know they had a disagreement and some harsh words were said by both, but I’d always hoped they would work things out. They were perfect for each other, having met when we were all in sixth grade. His father was in the military and Andrew and his family had been a regular part of our lives growing up.
I tried to find him last year to figure out what happen between them but when I stopped by his old house, it was vacant. No social media , no chatter from old classmates. It was almost like he disappeared. When he left, he took part of her heart with him.
“Are you excited about your first day?”
“Nervous and excited. This is an amazing opportunity for me and I don’t want to blow this. I feel like I can make a real difference in areas of the city that are under-funded and where kids fall through the cracks. And to be able to bring seniors who may never have company and these kids together… seems like a dream come true. I feel like I should pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming”
“Oww! Damn it! Why did you pinch me?” I screeched at her as I rubbed my arm. It didn’t really hurt but I wasn’t going to let her know that. Brat!
“To let you know you are not dreaming! You are going to be amazing at this. It will take some time for you to get everything the way you want it but, please, give yourself that time to adapt. Don’t let yourself get anxious and allow self-doubt to creep in. I know you Maddie. You can achieve anything you want.”
She was right. I did allow my anxiety to weigh me down. Lately, speaking with Lucas has begun to make me think about the past and how I wanted my future to proceed. I needed to call my Aunt Lisa and see if she may be able to fill in some of the gaps about my father.
Maybe it was time to think about looking into Jason Merrick.
“I guess I should get showered while you wake up. I don’t want to be late for my first day!”
“Make sure you shave your legs! Lucas may not enjoy the situation happening down there” she laughed, as I walked into the bathroom.
Little did she know I shaved already! Ha!
I went through my routine of getting ready, glancing at the clock I see I had an hour before I needed to be at the Corporate office in North Atlanta. I am glad the office is off the north train line and will only take me twenty minutes to arrive. Traffic in this town sucks!
I wouldn’t have to be there all the time but Lucas felt I might be more comfortable if we were in the same location until I started making headway on the program. I quickly took him up on his offer. Just being near him gave me comfort.
The idea of being around Lucas all day made my heart race and my panties wet. He and I shared so much over the last week that I feel like I’ve known him for years. For once, I allowed myself to be open with my heart and not just my body.
Not that I wasn’t attracted to him. My body lit up every time I talked with or texted him but the fact that I was still working at the bar meant we couldn’t see each other. For the first time, I felt like I was getting to really know someone and their character before I share myself sexually. I did give my BOB a workout over this past week. Thinking about his brown hair, sexy beard, and luscious full lips… lips I wanted to kiss and a body that I was eager to explore.
I wasn’t sure what the company policy about dating was, but I planned to find out!
I arrived at MSJ Media shortly before 9 o’clock and made my way across the lobby to security. I wore my newest pencil skirt and blouse specifically purchased with Lucas in mind. He had mentioned how much he liked me in the outfit I wore the night at the bar so I got a few new outfits and a new pair of heels. I could use the four-inch boost only hitting the charts at 5’2” and they make my ass and legs look fantastic.
After checking in, I was directed to the back office to have my idea picture made and all my access passes issued.
Once they went over all the information for checking in and out of the building, I was on the elevator, headed toward the twelfth floor to meet with Lucas.
As I stepped off the elevator, I was greeted by an older woman with kind eyes and a perfect chignon.
“May I help you?” a perfect Southern accent swept across me and I was immediately comforted by her. She appeared sweet, like a what you would expect a grandmother to look like.
“Maddie Johnson for Lucas Walters.” I gave her my best smile.
She immediately stood up and offered me a handshake. “It is so nice to meet you Miss Johnson. I’m Carol, Mr. Walters personal secretary. Please allow me to show you to his office. He is expecting you.”
We walked down the hallway and I tried to take in all the features of the office. Industrial workings, exposed brick, and pipes running along the ceilings gave the old feel that I love so much. The large windows allowed the sun to shine in and filter into the air, casting rays of light along the walls and floors
Walking into his office, I willed my heart rate to slow down. I did not need him to see me flustered on my first day.
Rising from his chair and coming around the desk to greet me, I was again caught off guard by his sheer sexiness. I preferred his casual look and leather jacket but seeing him a suit everyday would not be a hardship.
“Maddie, it’s so good to see you. I trust the train ride wasn’t too bad this morning? Would you like anything to drink?” His eyes looked me over from top to bottom and back again, lingering in certain areas. I hope he likes what he sees.
“It’s good to see you, too. The trip in was fine. At least I didn’t have to drive up here,” I laughed as I sat down and he went back to his side of the desk.
Thank God. His cologne was making me weak and I’m afraid I may just end up on my knees in front of him.
“Before we get you settled in your office, I wanted to speak with you about a few things first. The board of directors is very pleased that you agreed to join the company and, to be honest, so am I. I…we …want you to be comfortable here, and with this new program we have outlined. However, we are fine with you going off script, if it isn’t going to negativ
ely impact the company or the participants in the program. If there is something you encounter that gives you pause, please get in contact with me immediately. I’d like to be able to guide you through this as much as I can. This is your baby, though, and I will never step on your toes. Now, let me give you your credit cards.”
“Credit cards? Why would I need credit cards? I assumed I would get quotes and estimates for supplies and then I would receive the decision from the Board.” I looked down and saw him holding out an AmEx Black card with my name on it.
No limit.
I could feel my eyes widen and I had to force my mouth closed. I looked at Lucas for guidance on how to proceed, suddenly feeling completely out of my element.
“The card is for you to handle what needs to be handled. The company has a large budget for this project and wanted to ensure you could buy what and when you needed, without restraint. This program needs to be successful and we don’t want red tape muddying up the waters. If you look at the information I just gave you, it outlines all the expenses we will cover on the card. Just keep your receipts and turn them in at the end of the month to compare with charges. Simple.”
As I began to look over the approved list, I got more and more anxious. Clothes, shoes, all work meals, and transportation were only some of the approved expenses. “Clothes and shoes make no sense. I can afford those on my own. Transportation can be covered by train and Uber and meals should only be if it is a work meeting. There are too many vague areas that will allow for theft, not that I would, but I think we need to rethink this credit card situation until we can narrow the list down to absolute necessities.” I expressed, as I slid the card back to him.
“Whatever you think is best, but all senior staff have the same perks in their contracts.” Lucas pronounces as he walked around the desk toward me.
The Hand That Holds Me ((The Forever Mine Series) Book 1) Page 6
