No…no matter how beautiful I find her, I’ll keep my distance. It’s best for the both of us. Mixing work and play doesn’t bode well for me.
I’m walking back into the conference room an hour later and find all four of them sitting over their papers. I clap my hands to get their attention as I walk to the head of the table. “Okay, let’s see what we have, shall we?”
Chase rushes up to me first. “Here you go, sir,” he says with a smile as he hands over his notes.
I take the paper and sit down, reading over his suggestions. Instead of reading off every mediocre idea, I skip ahead to find the best one—which is still total shit. “Be our guest at Castille Hotels, where the excitement never ends.”
I look up at him, completely unimpressed. “Who can tell me what’s wrong with this suggestion?”
I glance around at each person.
“It’s impersonal,” El says. “Not to mention, “be our guest” just makes a Disney song run through my head. I would avoid any hotel that inflicts that kind of torture on anyone.” A small smile slips through even though Chase’s eyes bounce over to her angrily.
“You think you can do better?” he asks her.
She shrugs, but stands to bring me her paper.
I glance down at it, reading over several things are good, but one stands out above the rest. “Here at Castille Hotels, we’re family. And no one takes care of you like family,” I read out loud.
I look up at her. “Very nice, Ms. Ryder.” I glance around the room. “Can anyone find anything wrong with El’s suggestion?”
Janet and Will both look down at the table like they’re scared students hoping I don’t call on them, but Chase’s eyes are flashing from one thing to the next, reaching to find something wrong.
“It’s…it’s...” He lets out a deep breath. “It’s perfect,” he breathes out, falling into his seat.
El beams a proud smile.
“Very good.”
“Thank you, Mr. Karlsson,” she says, taking her seat.
“Who’s next?”
I read over the final two, but El’s suggestion wins by a landslide.
I take the stack of papers out of my file folder and pass them out. “You guys have homework. Tonight, you are to take these images home, and I want you to caption them like you’re trying to sell me on each one. Any questions?” I look around the room.
“No? Okay, good luck. You’re free to go.”
All of them gather their things, and one by one, walk out. El is the last at the table and just before she walks out the door, I call out to her.
“El?”
“Yes?” She spins around to face me, hope and excitement clearly written across her face.
“Come with me, please.” I get up and walk past her, leading her to a private office. When we step inside, I motion toward the desk. “Please, have a seat.”
She does so nervously, as I walk around to join her.
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but Castille Hotels will be starting a magazine that will be published and passed out at all of our hotels. It’s a good way to let our guests know what each location has to offer, while also selling them on coming to our other locations in the future. We also intend on having a section where we honor our top employees for the month, along with a decorative section on how to make living spaces as elegant as our top-of-the-line hotels.”
She nods. “I was aware of the magazine, sir.”
Her tone makes me smile. It’s like she’s obviously worried about why she’s here while trying so hard to be professional. “Well, this magazine will be in my hands, and I’m going to need some help with it. I’m hiring a photographer, but every group will have a hand in it one way or another. I was hoping, with talents as wonderful as yours, if you wouldn’t mind helping me with a little more than writing. I need to find the perfect cover, layout, format, and so forth.”
Her eyes pop wide open. “Seriously?”
I nod. “It’s obvious after our meeting today that you are the most qualified intern for the job.”
“This isn’t because of my sister?” she asks, fear drenching her words.
“Not at all. Today’s assignment showed me exactly who has the ability to help me out on this end of the project. You’re the best, El.”
“I don’t mean to assume, but isn’t it a bit early still to decide who’s the best? I mean, it’s only the first day.”
“Just because you’ve been picked for this job doesn’t mean the others won’t have other opportunities as well, Ms. Ryder. It just means you shined brighter than the rest, and on the first day, that means something.”
“What does that mean?” She bites her bottom lip, and it does something to me. It brings up an urge I haven’t felt in a very long time.
I push it away as I lean forward and level my eyes on her. “It means you don’t let fear and nervousness get to you. The others aren’t ready for this. You are. Now, what do you say?”
Her eyes bounce from one thing to the next as she thinks it over. Finally, a small smile spreads across her face. “I’d love to, Mr. Karlsson.” She stands and holds out her hand to shake.
Seeing her smile brings out a smile of my own, and I stand to shake her hand. “Please, call me Griffin.”
“Only if you’ll call me El.” She tilts her head to the side as if to challenge me.
I laugh. “Well, we will be working together very closely over the next several weeks. Might as well make this as easy as possible.”
“Thank you, Griffin. You won’t regret your decision,” she says as we walk across the office.
“I know I won’t.” I open the door and she flashes me one last smile before stepping out.
I peek around the door to watch her finish her walk to the elevator. The dress pants she’s wearing hug her firm ass nicely. And I know her long legs would look beautiful wrapped around my hips.
When she steps inside the elevator, her eyes find me, still standing here watching her. I clear my throat to snap myself out of this daze, then wave before stepping back into my office and shutting the door between us. Now that she’s gone, I can breathe easily again. Something about her literally sucks the air from my lungs. Keeping my distance makes every muscle in my body harden, like I have to physically restrain myself from reaching out and touching her. It’s only now that it occurs to me that I may have made a mistake by inviting her to work more closely with me. Having her alone, all to myself, is only going to make things harder on me.
Fuck. I guess Cameron was right. She’s going to be the one to bring me to my knees—either I’ll fall in love or I’ll refuse to give myself what I already so desperately crave.
I go to pour myself a drink to take the edge off, but realize I’m not in my office—just in a generic office that anyone can use. I shake my head, wondering what the hell has gotten into me. Finally, I open the door and exit the office, heading to mine.
Chapter 5
Janelle
“Hey, what was that about?” Chase asks when I step outside the hotel.
I turn to find him leaning against the building, like he’s been waiting for me.
“Oh. Umm, as it turns out, it seems today’s assignment was given so they could find one person in each group to participate in the magazine project, and I got it! Can you believe it?” I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m rubbing his face in it, because I’m not, but I am excited and proud of myself. This morning, I was sure I was going to make an ass out of myself and ruin the whole thing on the first day.
“Oh, congratulations,” Chase says.
“Don’t worry,” I add on. “He said there are still plenty of opportunities for everyone else in the group. Everyone will be involved in the magazine; I’ve just been awarded a special project working alongside him.”
He waves his hand through the air, dismissing his reaction. “Yeah, I’m sure everything will work out. But listen, I waited because we’re all meeting up at the Joker Club tonight to get to know each other.
I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.”
“Oh.” My face blushes as I think it over. “Yeah, I’d love to. What time?”
“Everyone is meeting up for drinks at seven, but we could go a little early—maybe stop and get dinner first?” He flashes his cute smile, his eyes dropping slowly down my body and then back up.
“Like a date?”
He shrugs. “If that’s what you want to call it.” He slides his hands into his pockets. “I had a lot of fun with you the other night, and was planning on asking you out. It’s just that this, the internship, may complicate things. So maybe we just hang out for now—get to know each other better until this is over. Then we can see where things go.”
I smile and agree. “Sounds good to me.”
He tears his eyes away as pink starts creeping up his cheeks. “Okay, great. I’ll pick you up around five?”
“See you then,” I agree.
“Great. See ya.” He turns and walks down the sidewalk, and I stand back and watch him go.
“Oh, El,” Griffin says, coming to a stop in front of me as he leaves the building.
“Hi, Mr. Karl…I mean, Griffin.” Getting caught using his full name causes heat to creep up my face.
He chuckles. “I figured you’d be gone by now.”
I point down the sidewalk. “I was talking with Chase. I guess all the interns are going to the Joker Club tonight to hang out and get to know each other. He invited me.”
“Ah, I see.” He nods, his eyes flashing across the street and then back. “You have a moment?”
“Oh, um, yeah. What’s up?”
“I was just heading across the street to our corporate office. It’s where my office is, and where you’d work if you were hired at the end of these ten weeks. Would you like a tour?”
My eyebrows pull upward. “Yeah, I’d love one.”
A smile stretches across his face. “Come on.” He nods toward the building as he begins walking.
“So, if the corporate office is here, then why are we meeting in the hotel?”
“Well, the floor we usually use for our internships is being remodeled at the moment. We thought it’d be done in time, but they’re putting on the finishing touches now. We should be over here next week. We didn’t want to push the internship back, and we thought it would give everyone a chance to get familiar with the hotel.” He stops and opens the door, allowing me to walk in ahead of him.
Griffin shows me around the corporate office and he walks me though a normal day of working for the hotel. He shows me the offices and the board rooms, and introduces me to a few of the employees. The whole tour doesn’t take any longer than an hour, but it does get me a little more familiar with the hotel, its employees, and how things are done. It also gives me better insight into my new boss.
Watching him as he walks me though everything makes me think back on what Chase was saying this morning about him being a hard-ass. In the conference room, he was a take-charge kind of guy, but seeing him here, his guard is down and he seems younger and more carefree. If anything, I can see a new friendship growing between us, and being friends with your boss is never a bad idea.
After the tour, I head home to take a quick shower and get ready for my date with Chase. I wash off quickly and shave before pulling on a tight pair of jeans and a cute loose-fitting top. I pair the look with knee-high boots. I stand back and look myself over in the mirror. My blonde hair is down and styled in loose curls. My makeup is heavier than I wore today: dark eyeliner, mascara, and pink lip gloss adorn my face.
“El, Chase is here!” Sam yells from down the hall. I quickly grab my coat and purse and rush to the door.
“Hey,” I say, coming to a stop in front of him, taking in his loose-fitting jeans, white t-shirt, and leather jacket. His dark hair is styled, standing neatly in every direction, and his dark blue eyes sparkle.
“Hey, you look nice.” He gives me that grin that makes his dimples form.
“Thank you. So do you,” I reply.
“Ready?” he asks, opening the door for me.
I nod. “Yep.” I take a few steps out before turning and yelling at Sam. “Be home later!”
“Thanks for the warning!” she yells back.
Chase leads me downstairs and out to the curb, where he flags down a taxi. We both climb into the back seat and he tells the driver the address.
“You don’t have a car either, huh?”
He laughs. “No, college student. Well, recently-graduated college student, to be exact. I keep forgetting that we’re done.”
“I do too. It seems crazy that four years went by this quickly. I’m still waiting for grad school though. Are you going?”
“To grad school?” he questions with a lift of his brow.
I nod.
“No, I can’t afford it. I really shouldn’t be doing this internship. I need to start making money, but I couldn’t pass it up. Did you know the Castille Hotel Group hires at least one intern every year? If I can get that, I’m set.”
“I did know that. Griffin actually took me across the street to their corporate office today and showed me around. It would be a great job, that’s for sure.”
His back straightens and his jaw flexes. “You got a tour of the corporate office?” His tone sounds off. I wonder if I’ve somehow offended him. I didn’t mean to gloat…again. Maybe I should just stop talking about this internship.
“Uh, yeah. We’ll all be there next week. It’s usually where they hold their internships, but it’s been remodeled and they’re just finishing it up. So, where are we going for dinner?” I ask to change the subject.
“Oh, to Sonny’s Pizza. Have you ever eaten there? It’s my favorite.”
I force a smile, happy that he accepted my subject change, but also wondering if he is going to be more competitive now. “I haven’t, but I’ve heard good things.”
Over dinner, our conversation is strained, but we both work at keeping it going. I can tell how well I’ve done today is a problem for him, and I completely understand why. Here I am, planning on going to grad school, where I won’t have time for a full-time job, and I’m taking this internship anyway. He isn’t going to grad school and he needs this job. So, in his mind, all I’m doing is wasting this opportunity. But I need the experience to add to my resume. I want to work in a big publishing house, and they don’t take just anyone who walks in off the street. I need years of schooling, experience, and references out the ass. Hopefully, I’ll make a good impression on Griffin, and his recommendation will help me land the job I want. But I guess Chase doesn’t see it that way. To him, all I am now is competition. I guess there goes the thought I had about him being boyfriend material.
We meet up with the rest of the interns at the club and pack around one big table, drinks in hand. Right off the bat, Chase makes sure to let everyone know that I’ve been picked as Griffin’s favorite.
“I can’t believe you got picked for the magazine,” Hope says.
“Who got picked out of your group?” I ask, sipping my cocktail.
She frowns. “Nobody. We didn’t hear anything about it. In fact, all we did today was go over past legal cases so we know not to make the same mistakes.”
I press my lips together and wonder if Griffin was being honest with me. “What about you?” I ask, looking at Dominick. “Who was picked out of the artist group?”
He shrugs. “We didn’t hear anything about it either. But who knows, maybe someone will be picked tomorrow. Each group may move at a different pace.”
“Did you guys know we’ll be moving to the corporate office next week?” Chase asks them.
They all talk loudly over one another, while I sit back, sucking down my drink faster than I should. Annoyance fills my chest, then it’s replaced by anger. I have a feeling Chase is doing this on purpose. He’s trying to make me an outcast. If everyone feels like I’m being treated better, then they’ll make this internship a living hell.
Eventually, everyone s
tarts getting drunk and they move on to different topics, leaving me to silently stew in the corner. Finally, I grab my purse and stand to leave, unhappy with how tonight has gone—all thanks to Chase, a guy I thought was my friend.
“Hey, where you going?” he asks, catching up to me at the door.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Home. Thanks for the wonderful night,” I say, sarcastically.
His brows pull together like he’s confused. “I’m guessing that means you didn’t have a good time?”
My mouth drops open. “How could you think I’ve had a good time? All you did was put me front and center and make sure everyone knew about today. Do you want them to hate me?”
He lets out a long breath, then takes my hand and leads me outside. “Look, El, I didn’t mean for that to happen. I was a little taken aback when you told me how well you did today, and I’m happy for you. But I’m also a little jealous. I mean, I really need this job, and I guess I just let myself get blindsided. I didn’t mean to ruin our date. Can you forgive me?” He looks at me from beneath his lashes, like he’s a child who’s in trouble.
I sigh. “I don’t know if this is going to work, Chase. I’m cool with being friends, and I thought I wanted to get to know you better, that there could be something between us, but—”
“There can be,” he cuts me off. “Please, don’t let tonight ruin that for us. I was upset, and drinking didn’t help matters any. I’m really sorry about the way I’ve been acting.” He raises his hands and places them on my biceps, rubbing them up and down. “Let’s start over, okay? Can we forget tonight happened? I don’t want to let this internship get between us. I did have a lot of fun with you, and I’d like to see where that goes.” He smiles. “Please?”
Claimed By Him: (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 61
