Before he had a chance to get up, the girls climbed into his lap. They started laughing as he tried to push them off, but they were making a show of being clumsy. To be honest, it was kind of funny, and he was laughing at having lost his balance.
Then one of the women ducked her head down, bunching over herself as her friend reached over and tickled her, and that’s when Bryan saw Maggie. She stood there staring at him, a plastic shopping bag in her hand.
“Maggie,” he said, but the music drowned out his voice.
She knew he was talking though, and she just held up a hand and shook her head. Some guy came up to hit on her, and that was the final straw. She dropped the bag, turned, and ran.
Bryan pushed the girls off of him and checked the plastic bag to find ice-cream and a movie in it. She’d come to surprise him. Bryan sighed and looked at the door she’d left from. He couldn’t think of what he could say to fix it, and in that moment of indecision, he knew he’d lost her.
He tried calling her later that night, hopefully after she’d had a chance to calm down. No answer. He waited a day. Two days. No answer. Weeks went by. He still had to travel for games after that and wasn’t able to go and actually see her, make her talk to him.
When they finally did swing through her town, he stopped at his publicist’s office to find that she didn’t work there anymore. He thought she just hadn’t been answering her work phone, but no, it was much worse. He didn’t even know where she lived.
For the first time in his life, he’d never felt so lost and alone.
All Maggie could do was sit as she watched her life fall apart around her, and all without her even having to lift a finger. How could she have ever been so stupid as to get involved with that… person? He wasn’t even a man!
In all her life she’d never been more devastated by someone’s treatment of her, and as a larger woman, she’d had to endure quite a bit in her life. Like an idiot she’d believed him. She let herself get caught up in the promise and the joy of it all, only to have it crash down on her. One day. He couldn’t even have gone a single day with her gone before going right back to it. It was like she hadn’t even existed. Nothing had ever made her feel more useless, stupid, or unwanted in her life. He’d had her, and now he had to have two women just to, what? To get the taste out of his mouth, or something?
He kept calling her, and calling her, like that would fix anything. Women, drugs, drinking, it was clear the life he wanted. She didn’t fit in with that. What was there to say, really? She wasn’t about to be the type of woman to nag her man about his lifestyle. Let him live like that, let him have his parties and late nights. It was best he just did it away from her.
That became doubly true when she found out she was pregnant. There was no question in her mind about if it was his or not. She hadn’t been with anyone in two years before him, and she sure couldn’t bring herself to be with anyone else after that either. She debated telling him, but really, what good would it do? If he wasn’t going to change his life for her, he sure wouldn’t do it for a baby. Besides, even if he did, he’d just grow to resent her or – God forbid – their child for having to slow down his crazy party life. The thought of it all was just too painful.
When she went to her boss to ask that she no longer be asked to work with Bryan, her boss fired her. Right then and there. No questions, no why, no wanting to know more. She just railed at her saying it was unprofessional and that she couldn’t just pick and choose what work she did. She wasn’t even an actual agent, she was an assistant. That meant she had no leverage.
Trying to find a job after that was a ridiculous nightmare since her boss wasted no time at all tarnishing any sort of a reputation Maggie had built up for herself. Branded unprofessional, whiny, and lazy, no one wanted anything to do with her. It had been right at the end of the month, too, and when she couldn’t produce rent, her boss gave her 30 days to pay or get out. No job, no possibilities, she had no choice but to pack up. After their little blowout after Bryan, since apparently she’d had a crush on him for years, she and Stacy made up.
With nowhere to go, Stacy let her stay with her until she got things figured out. The idea of figuring things out, though, seemed by far the most impossible thing she could’ve tried to do.
It’d been a month when Bryan received a call from Stacy. Her number was still in his phone, which surprised him as much as seeing it pop up on his phone. He honestly couldn’t remember why he’d saved it. Had he anticipated needing to talk to her frequently?
When he answered it, the tone in Stacy’s voice when she said, “Can you talk?” let him know this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation.
He’d been worried that she was going to go on and confess her love for him now that Maggie was out of the way, but it was so much worse. Stacy told him everything, about Maggie losing her job, the baby, and that she was staying with her now.
Bryan nearly lost his mind. So much so that he got her address from her, and got on the next plane out, abandoning the game that night. It was technically a breach of contract or something, he was pretty sure, but he couldn’t have cared less.
When he knocked on Stacy’s door, the look on Maggie’s face when she opened it was worth everything. She was quick to hide it, though. “What are you doing here?”
“Stacy told me. Everything.”
Maggie closed her eyes and took a breath. “Which must be why she left the house suddenly. Because she knew I’d kill her.”
“You’re pregnant?”
“Look, if that’s the only reason you’re here, you wasted your time.”
Bryan stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “It’s not. I came back for you. I’ve been trying to reach you.”
She looked up at him, and he could see the hurt in her eyes. Still, she didn’t try to remove his hands from her shoulders. “It seemed like you were real comfortable without me when I found you.”
“Okay, look, if you’re going to come live with me and be mine, you have to learn to talk to me when you have a problem, instead of disappearing on me. That wasn’t my party. My team brought it to my room. Yes, I was partying with them. I was happy because I’d found you, and we’d just won a game. No, I was not with those women. That was a matter of insanely bad timing.”
“How can I believe you’re not lying to me right now?”
“Because I’m not.”
Her eyes softened as she recognized those words and the tone in his voice, and he knew she did believe him. Then, suddenly her entire expression shifted, and her head snapped back for a moment. “Wait, did you say come and live with you?”
“What?” he asked. “Did you think I’d let the unemployed mother of my child live in squalor like this?”
That was when a very familiar tone of voice said from behind him, “Squalor?”
He and Maggie laughed, but Stacy stood there holding two cartons of ice-cream.
“Oh no, we’re talking about this,” she said.
“I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night,” Bryan said.
Maggie rested her head against his chest and sighed. All at once, that feeling returned of everything being right.
He’d never let her go again.
THE END
The Billionaire’s Assistant
Tallah walked casually through her home, her heels clacking against her hardwood floors with each step. It was a satisfying sound and filled her with confidence. She had plenty of time before her first shift started as the new executive assistance to one of the richest billionaires in the city. There was no need to rush through her morning.
She stood straight and proud in her kitchen as she watched her coffee brew. The black dress she had on accented against her deep mocha skin perfectly. Golden accents around the wrists and gold hoop earrings tied the outfit together perfectly. It wasn’t too much for an office, but let people know she was there to get shit done.
This was a major career move for her, and as cool and collected as s
he looked on the outside, inside she was burning with excitement. Just a year under his employ would open a hundred new doors for her. For the first time in her life, she was going to get out from under the thumb of doing barely enough to survive, and would actually reach the heights of living. It’s like that quote, “Money can’t buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you’re being miserable.” She was finally going to get comfortable in her life.
Once the coffee was ready, Tallah took her time sipping its warmth and absorbing the calm moment. She’d need it to get her through the day. It was these little episodes of time frozen in her mind that got her through. When she was younger she had to deal with some heavy anxiety, but these calming exercises proved to be lifesavers.
When she finished, she hopped into her car and drove to her new job. Even with all of the leisure and taking her time doing things, she still arrived twenty minutes early. A woman from HR was there to meet her and let her into the building. A quick trip to the HR office got her a temporary badge and keys to Mr. Gilmore’s office as normally she’ll be arriving before him and will need access. Her official badge with her picture on it would arrive in the mail in a few days.
In the elevator on the ride up to his office, and where she’d be working, Tallah felt her heart begin to beat faster and faster in her chest. As they rose through the levels, her excitement rose with it. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. In her mind, she relived the experience with her coffee, sipping slowly, enjoying the warmth and the calmness of her kitchen. In a few moments she was calm again, and when the elevator dinged that it had reached her floor, she opened her long eyelashes and looked out at the office.
The reception area was impressive, like the lounge in one of those old style gentlemen clubs where old-timers sat around drinking brandy, smoking cigars, and talking about long dead philosophers. Leather couches and lounge chairs sat in strategically positioned placements throughout so that groups of visitors could sit near one another and talk. Tallah had never seen anything like it in her life. Would people coming to see Mr. Gilmore want to speak with one another?
The HR woman led her through the reception area and pointed out Tallah’s desk. “This is where you’ll be working most of the time. There is an intercom and integrated phone system. You’ll be taking Mr. Gilmore’s calls and transferring them where needed. The intercom system is tied directly from this phone to the phone in his office. It’s a private line and not connected to the rest of the phone system. Mr. Gilmore values discretion in all of his business dealings.”
“I understand,” Tallah said, though she didn’t understand at all. How was an intercom system going to help that?
Before she could think to ask, she was guided through to Mr. Gilmore’s actual office. The space was huge, and the vastness of it took her breath away. The ceiling must’ve been at least two extra stories tall. Floor to ceiling windows replaced all walls, the early morning sun steaming in from the east.
There, with his back to the door, stood Justin Gilmore looking out the window at the city below. Just looking at him made Tallah feel richer. Without even looking in their direction, Tallah could feel the confidence in him, the power. This was a self-made man, and it was impossible to not be impressed by that.
“Mr. Gilmore, your new assistant has arrived.”
He turned around and she saw him for the first time. Tallah’s heart stopped for just a blink, and she forgot to breathe. Sure she’d seen his pictures in the tabloids, the young hot rich man in the city, but to see his features in the flesh was something else altogether. A pronounced jaw was covered in a stylish layer of stubble. More than a 5 o’clock shadow but not quite a beard. Normally Tallah hated that look, but on him it was surprisingly power. Piercing blue eyes looked out from a deep, thoughtful brow. The gentle tan of his skin offset against his dirty blond hair well. His grey suit was clearly tailored just for him and fit as though he’d been born in it.
In those beautiful blue eyes he wore a look of mild surprise. Had he really not noticed them enter? Then again, in a place as big as this, she couldn’t really be so surprised. Mr. Gilmore checked his watch.
“So soon?” he asked. “Are you always so punctual?”
“Yes sir,” Tallah said and stepped forward with her hand outstretched.
Mr. Gilmore looked at her hand, cleared his throat, then looked back up to her. “Well, you’ve set the bar. Now let’s see if you can match it reliably.”
Tallah curled her fingers nearly into a fist and pulled her hand back. All of the pleasantness of the meeting had churned into a horrible awkward pit in her stomach. “Yes, well, I think you’ll be pleased with my performance. I set the bar high for myself and I always—“
“That’s wonderful. For now, let’s focus on the following.” With a pointed look to the HR woman he said, “I’m not to be disturbed before 8:30. For any reason.”
She tried to make some excuse, but when he looked away from her and back to Tallah, the HR woman silenced herself.
“My coffee,” he continued, now speaking directly to Talla, “is delivered to your desk at 8:55 every day. Your job is to be at your desk to receive it at that time. I do not care what else is going on in your day. You are at your desk to receive my coffee and bring it to me, here, on my desk. Immediately. Everything else can wait. Am I understood?”
Tallah opened her mouth and made a sound that was mean to be “Yes” but was drowned out when he spoke over her.
“My 9 o’clock is your next priority. I need all of my paperwork in preparation so that I can go over it. That you will email to me no later than 8:30. Paperwork for my 9 o’clock. Coffee. Should you have to choose between the two…”
“Choose the coffee.”
“Correct,” he said with a slight narrowing of the eyes. “Remember that and you’ll survive the day. The rest we’ll figure out as we go.”
“I have a question, sir. You say to email you your paperwork no later than 8:30, but you had just finished saying not to disturb you until after 8:30.”
“I didn’t hear a question in any of that.”
Tallah took a breath through her nose in an attempt to squash her frustration. In all her life she’d never tolerated being spoken to in such a way, and she was having a real hard time dealing with it now.
“Let me answer your lack of a question with a question,” he said during her period of self-calming. “How much noise does your email make?”
The condescending tone was nearly enough to make her quit there on the spot. “Understood,” she managed in a strained tone.
Checking his watch, he said, “It’s now 8:35. A poor start. Let’s see how your career looks by 9 o’clock.”
The HR woman turned and walked from the room without a word.
“I look forward to working together,” Tallah said with completely false professionalism.
“I’m sure,” he said.
As she turned and walked through the large, brightly lit office, she became filled with a deep sense of dread at her future here. She suddenly doubted she could make it a full year working under him.
Justin sat at his desk after they’d left and released a long, slow breath. He placed his hands on his desk and watch them as they shook. His hands were actually shaking. The palms were sweaty even after he rubbed them on the front of his pant legs.
Who was this woman? In all his life, he’d never been more aware of anyone. She woke something inside of him. It was a sensation he felt instantly, and had no idea how to translate it. Was this what it meant to be truly attracted to someone? With everything occupying his day to day, he let his HR departments handle all of the hiring. If a particular department needed input, that specific manager could do a follow-up. All Justin needed was an assistant. How hard of a position could that possibly be to fill? Paperwork, phone calls, coffee. He’d every intention of making it easy on whoever they did decide to hire.
When he turned around and saw the most perfect representation of b
eauty and grace standing right in front of him, his options were to melt into a finely dressed puddle, or, well, respond aggressively. What other choice did he have? He couldn’t have flirted with her, certainly not in front of HR. Justin slapped himself across the face and laid his hands flat on the desk.
Flirt? What was wrong with him? Even if HR isn’t there, he can’t flirt. He’s engaged, for God’s sakes! If he wasn’t careful and she realized how he felt, it could ruin his entire life. This was his assistant, and now that she was already hired, he couldn’t fire her unless she did something wrong.
The only choice left to him was to continue to play the rude overbearing boss. Best case scenario, she quits and he never has to see her again. Which, admittedly, would be incredibly depressing, but out of sight out of mind. If she was gone, at least he’d be able to move on with his life. Worst case scenario, she stays, and hates him. A woman that stole his breath away would hate him. He’d never wanted anyone more in his life. The thought of her looking at him with disdain depressed him more than the thought of her walking out of his life forever.
These were terrible thoughts. Justin squeezed his eyes closed and lowered his head. Seconds meeting this woman, and already he was running the emotional gamut. Not a good sign. Not a good sign at all.
Suddenly his entire relationship with his fiancé was called into question in his mind. After years with this woman, was it all so easily washed away just because a pretty woman had walked into his office? No. No, of course not. He’d had pretty women come into his office before. Officials, delivery people, other people’s assistants. He’d been around plenty of beautiful women in his day. What was this? What was he going on about? He was acting like he was back in college. Justin straightened himself up from his chair and smoothed the wrinkles out of the front.
This was ridiculous. He needed to pull himself together. His office door opened, and she walked in again holding his coffee. Damn that coffee. He made a point of facing his computer while watching her walk out of the corner of his eye. The sway of her hips, the expert placement of one foot in front of the other. This woman was grace.
ROMANCE: Sleeping With The Sheikh (Billionaire Alpha Male Sheikh Romance) (New Adult Forbidden Series Short Stories) Page 22
