by Nicki Night
The position came with an impressive salary, new bonus structure and a corner office with a spectacular view of Lower Manhattan. And now that they had a bet going, Ethan or Carter would also end up with a whole new set of high-end golf clubs and a brand-new golf cart to go along with their bragging rights.
“Ready, sir?” Bella was at his door again.
“Yes, thank you. Send her in.” Ethan closed his eyes for a quick moment and took a deep breath. Please let her be normal.
“Good morning, Mr. Blackwell.”
The woman’s voice went right through him. Ethan looked up. He stood slowly. Instinctively, he extended his hand at the vision approaching him. She was gorgeous. Gorgeous enough for him to have to actually think of the appropriate response to her good morning.
“Um. Yes. Good morning, Ms...”
“Baldwin. Zoe Baldwin.”
“Yes.” Ethan shook her hand and then put his hands in his trouser pockets.
Ms. Baldwin stood awkwardly for a moment. The silence between them suddenly rang in Ethan’s ears like an alarm.
“Please. Sit.” He gathered himself. “Do you have a copy of your résumé with you?”
“Yes, I do.” She handed it to him. Ethan looked to see if she had a ring on her finger. She didn’t.
“Great.” He took the résumé from her and began looking it over, scanning the words but not reading a thing.
He had already decided he couldn’t possibly hire this woman as his branch manager. One look at her and he barely remembered his name. Protocol and decorum abandoned him. This wasn’t good. He was a professional. A professional that was accustomed to beautiful women, at that.
“Mmm-hmm.” He pretended to take in the skills and credentials listed in the document. It could have been written in Greek for all he knew. He cleared his throat and focused harder, finally taking in her qualifications. Impressive. A few more moments passed.
Ethan placed the résumé down in front of him and sat back. “Why Blackwell Wealth Management?”
“Your history over the past decade has been quite impressive, despite a few hiccups here and there,” she began. “You seemed to have responded quite well to the challenges you’ve faced and instead of just surviving, you thrive as a company. You have a record of unprecedented growth, yet you’ve managed sustainability extremely well, as well as double-digit growth.”
Zoe seemed to warm to her topic, exuding calm and ease as she spoke. “Financial media used to have you on the one-to-watch but now list you as one of the best companies to trust your assets with and work for. Your employees and your clients rate you well. That reputation doesn’t come by chance or good luck, but by great people leading great teams and lots of hard work.”
She lifted her chin. “I’m a hardworking team player and a good learner with proficiency in the areas you’re seeking. I’m also well-educated and smart enough to interact with amazing mentors who are extremely knowledgeable, well connected and instrumental in helping me navigate my career. I’m also very ambitious and believe I can truly be an asset to the company by helping you reach your goals. I’m looking forward to joining a solid team and continuing to develop and grow in this field, and I believe Blackwell is a great place to make that happen.”
Zoe ended her response with a confident smile. Confidence. Not smugness.
Ethan almost didn’t know what else to ask. She’d said all the right things. He wanted to shout, You’re hired. Instead, he nodded, reviewed her résumé further and asked a few pointed questions about the different positions she’d held.
Each response was better than the last. Ethan was truly impressed. He could already see her leading a branch and possibly even taking on his role once he was promoted to vice president. Smart and beautiful. So what was wrong with her?
“Do you have any questions for me, Ms. Baldwin?”
“Yes. I have a few. With rumors stirring about a potential recession, what is Blackwell’s strategy for protecting the interests of the company, your employees and clients, as well as their assets?”
Whoa! She’s good. “That’s a great question.”
Ethan went on to speak to the organization’s strategic goals and explain why despite the rumors of a recession, this was also the right time for the company to expand.
Zoe took notes as he spoke and asked a few more poignant and thought-provoking questions. As her lips moved, Ethan found that he needed to concentrate to focus on her words. He shifted in his seat several times to keep from staring. The last thing he wanted to do was come across as inappropriate or make Zoe feel uncomfortable.
Ethan was sure one of the challenges she had referenced was the sexual harassment issue they had dealt with a few years back. Blackwell had addressed the report immediately, taken a strong stance against harassment and implemented changes to avoid future cases, but not before the media had gotten a hold of the news and published several scathing headlines. It took some time for the company to recover from that stain. They’d put in the necessary work to ensure their employees’ safety and rebuild their brand.
Ethan answered her last question about the next steps in the hiring process. When she confirmed that she had no more questions, he stood. “Impressive. If you’re selected to advance to the next round of interviews, we’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Blackwell. I hope to hear from you soon. I’m excited about the opportunity to work for Blackwell Wealth Management and truly believe this would be a mutually beneficial fit.”
Ethan smiled. Again, she’d said the right thing. “Thank you, Ms. Baldwin.” He held out his hand. When he touched her, her palm felt as soft as he remembered from the top of the interview. He let go quickly and nodded. She turned to leave, and Ethan tried his best not to watch her walk out. Setting his focus on his desk, he shuffled papers aimlessly. When she exited, he plopped back into his chair.
Ethan sighed. She was the best candidate by far. But how could he hire a woman he could barely take his eyes off of? She was bound to be some kind of trouble.
He looked at his clock. He had fifteen minutes before his next interview. He made a few notes on her résumé and put it aside before checking to see who was scheduled to come next. Ethan went to the LinkedIn profile of the next candidate to look at their picture. He couldn’t be thrown off by another stunning beauty.
Suddenly he laughed. It started as a chuckle. He laughed harder. He chided himself for his ridiculous behavior and chuckled more at how Carter would joke when he shared this with him.
With several more minutes to spare, he decided to check messages. He still needed a distraction. Zoe Baldwin dominated his thoughts. When he opened his email, her name was already at the top of his inbox. He clicked and read her email, thanking him for taking the time to meet with her and consider her for the position. She reiterated a few key points from the interview and wrote that she hoped to hear from him soon. She closed with a line about being grateful to her mentor, Ms. Willena Williams, for making her aware of the opportunity.
Smart woman. Mentioning that a respected professional like Willena Williams was your mentor could never hurt. Between that and the quick follow-up thank-you note, Zoe Baldwin was racking up points.
Perhaps, Ethan would have to figure out how to work alongside a beautiful woman that made him struggle to keep focus. He was an experienced man. Most of all, he was a professional. But there was something about Zoe Baldwin that would test him. He could feel it.
He thought a moment longer. He needed the right team in place to guarantee a win. Zoe could definitely be an asset.
This was his chance. He had to impress his father and get that promotion. Carter had an advantage that Ethan didn’t have. Ethan had much more to prove to their father than Carter ever did.
Three
Zoe was on her fifth outfit. The four others she’d tried on were strewn across her bed. Twisting side to
side in the mirror, she shook her head before removing her suit jacket yet again. She tossed that one across the bed, too, removed her pants and threw those on top of the pile.
She chuckled and told herself that her outfit mattered because it was her first day, that she needed to make a great impression and she wanted to look very professional. Some of it was true but the real reason she wanted to look her best was because of her new boss.
Zoe had to admit, Ethan Blackwell was one of the most handsome men she’d ever laid her eyes on. She wasn’t trying to entice, but she wanted to look great.
There was something about Ethan. He was smart, confident, and sex appeal oozed from him. Her second interview with him had gone smoother than the first. She’d been determined to land the job, but she’d still felt like she had been crushing on him after she left his office the second time. For the next few days, he’d randomly shown up in her thoughts. When he’d called to offer her the job, the thought of being around him on a daily basis had almost made her weak in her knees.
Having never been boy crazy, she laughed at herself now. Why in the world did she feel like she was in high school, crushing on the cute popular boy? The truth was, while she had done her homework on the company, she had also done some research about her new boss. He was well respected and gave back to the community. He and his brother Carter were bachelors. They were also Blackwells, which meant that they were from a different world. Theirs was filled with privilege and pedigree. The only window she had into that exclusive world was her clients in financial management. And Zoe made sure they knew few details of her modest background.
She grabbed the navy blue pantsuit from the pile on her bed and put it back on with a soft pink blouse and matching belt. She slipped her stockinged feet into a pair of smart-looking navy pumps. With gold stud earrings and a link necklace to complete her look, she was ready for her first day of work at Blackwell Wealth Management. Assessing her choice in the mirror one last time, Zoe sighed.
“Let’s do this, girl,” she said to her reflection.
She pulled her designer tote over one shoulder and picked up her car keys. Unlike her last job, her new commute would require no more than a fifteen-minute car ride. Parking in the lot near her office was plentiful. No longer would she have to fight the rush-hour crowds on the commuter railroad and subway for an hour and a half to get to downtown Manhattan. Besides her impressive new salary, this was one of the best benefits of her new job. Well, that and having a ridiculously handsome boss to look at every day.
That was all Ethan was going to be for her: something nice to look at. Dating her boss was out of the question. She’d seen too many people’s careers fumble for dating on the job—especially due to dating bosses. Zoe also knew that after a few weeks of working alongside Ethan, she’d get used to him and his good looks would no longer matter.
For now, looking forward to seeing him every day was sure to make work interesting. Besides, a man like Ethan had to have his pick of beautiful women on a daily basis. Zoe could imagine he probably had several that he was probably seeing all at once—perhaps enough ladies vying for his attention that he could pick one for every night of the month without repeating. She was also certain that those women probably came from similar backgrounds—a perfect one filled with enormous wealth and privilege. Zoe had neither and she was fine with that.
Before walking out the door, she popped a pod in her coffee maker and filled one of her spillproof travel mugs with her favorite dark roast and added a touch of French vanilla creamer. Instead of wearing a light jacket, she wrapped a pashmina around her neck to protect herself against the cool autumn air. Her blazer was enough to guard her from the slight chill.
“He’s probably arrogant,” she said to her reflection in her rearview mirror as she put her car in Reverse and pulled out of her designated parking spot at her town house complex.
“Arrogant and entitled,” she continued assessing him, “from a model, privileged two-parent household.”
The women at the job would probably make her sick from their pining after him. That alone would make her want to steer clear of any man. She could already imagine the hushed talk of him throughout the office. She would never be party to that. Taking in discreet glances of him would be enough for her. She appreciated good-looking men but was never one to need a man.
Zoe’s favorite playlist blasted through the car’s Bluetooth system. She nodded to the rhythm as she navigated traffic along some of Nassau County’s busiest streets. The commute took longer than the fifteen minutes she’d estimated and she was glad she’d decided to give herself just over a half hour to get to work. It was all the time she needed to get her mind ready for her first day.
This branch manager position had everything she wanted and needed. The compensation package was the best she’d ever received. She would soon have a fairly large team to manage and was ready for the challenge. She’d gleaned her management style from what she believed were the best characteristics of the bosses she’d worked under. She looked forward to being a fair, firm and motivating leader.
Her thoughts carried her all the way to the office. She maneuvered her car into one of the spots designated for Blackwell Wealth Management and headed inside.
Bella, the new office manager, guided Zoe to the office she would occupy. It was slightly smaller than Ethan’s oversize corner office and situated right next to his.
Outside of her office, Zoe took in the modern company space with its open floor plan, crisp white workspaces and a common area that also served as a kitchen. Any wall that wasn’t full of windows held abstract artwork with bright pops of color. Her eyes scanned the rows of empty cubicles that she would help fill over the next couple of weeks. She was excited about the task of having a hand in building the team.
Just as Bella finished helping her set up her laptop, they heard footsteps. Butterflies fluttered in Zoe’s belly. Before she saw his face, before she heard his voice, she felt him. Ethan had arrived and set off the butterflies.
Moments later, he appeared in the frame of her office door, looking like a work of art himself. She tried not to but couldn’t help taking him in slowly, savoring every inch of him that filled out the tailor-made suit, from his Italian designer shoes to the starched white shirt. From his perfect jaw line to his pearly white teeth, full lips and bright smile.
She sat rigidly to keep from shuddering. Soon enough. One day soon, he wouldn’t have this effect on her. She’d be so familiar with him, she wouldn’t notice how gorgeous he was. For now, she’d have to manage her response to him. How rare for her.
“Good morning, ladies,” he greeted.
“Morning.” Zoe gave him a quick nod and set her eyes back on the computer screen, looking at nothing in particular.
“Good morning, Mr. Blackwell,” Bella said.
Ethan wagged his finger. “I told you to call me Ethan.”
“Oh. Yes. Ethan. Good morning, Ethan.”
“Zoe.” Ethan didn’t call her name in any special way, yet it still felt like he summoned her musically. “I hope you’re getting all set up just fine. How about we meet up in about an hour after you’ve had a little more time to get settled?”
“Sure, Mr. Bl—” Zoe paused abruptly when Ethan raised his brows and tilted his head. “I mean, sure, Ethan.”
“That’s better. We’re a team around here.”
“Yes. Of course,” Zoe replied.
“Good.” Ethan looked at his watch. It sparkled from clear across the room. “See you in an hour.”
Zoe smiled and nodded.
After another thirty minutes with Bella, she was all set up. When Bella exited her office, Zoe sat back to take things in. Eventually, she stood, walked over to check out her view overlooking the lot and beautiful landscaping of the business park.
She closed her eyes and sighed. The flutters died down, but she wondered how she’d survi
ve working in such close proximity to this man. One way or another, she’d figure it out. She needed her job.
Four
Ethan walked into the headquarters of Blackwell Wealth Management in Lower Manhattan with positive, excited energy coursing through his veins. The first phase of their expansion plan was now complete. He, Carter and their colleague Dillon Chambers had each identified three locations to open branches in their respective territories and hired branch managers they believed were perfect fits for getting their new offices off the ground.
His mind quickly switched to Zoe and he tried, yet again, to push thoughts of her from the forefront of his mind.
Today was the day that their teams would come together for the first of their monthly management meetings at the company’s main office on Wall Street. Ethan was proud of his picks for branch managers. Zoe, Jasmine and Brian all came with stellar credentials and had already begun to prove their worth.
His stride exuded the confidence he felt about being the one to come out on top of this expansion. Admittedly, it wasn’t just the prospect of expansion that excited Ethan. Today he would see Zoe for the first time in a few days. With him managing several locations, he didn’t get to see her on a daily basis. On the days he didn’t visit her office, he thought about her often. But that was the most he could do.
As beautiful as she was, Zoe was an employee and that made her off-limits. Blackwell Wealth Management had strict rules against employee dating, and their father, William Blackwell, known to most as Bill, held his sons to an even higher standard. The company had narrowly survived sexual harassment charges from a former employee that had tainted the company’s reputation for a time. They’d worked hard to overcome that past and rebuild their reputation to the point where they were recognized as one of the best places to work several years in a row now. Bill had recently graced the cover of one of the industry’s most popular financial magazines because of their accomplishments and new expansion.
