“You are?”
“Well, no, I’m not. I need the assistant more than I need a woman in my bed. Sorry for being crude.” Which he neverwas and his mother would slap him upside the head for that statement, but it was what it was.
“Don’t apologize. I find it refreshing. It’s the delivery that normally makes things harsh, not always the words themselves.”
“See,” he said. “We think alike there. If you want to put that behind us, knowing I can, then I’d like to move forward with the interview. But that’s your call.”
She hesitated for a moment, he held his breath. He didn’t want to beg, but he was damn well going to get his way.
“We can continue. I’m here, so why not?”
“Why not?” he asked, laughing. “Blair told you what the job entails. To me, this is more about our personalities. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I have an edge here since I knew you yesterday.”
“Does anyone know that?” she rushed out.
“No. And no one will. It won’t come from my lips.”
“It sure the hell won’t come from mine. I’m very professional at work. Especially with my father here. Which is another thing.”
“You won’t have much interaction with him. Other than a meeting you might have to sit in on, but it’s rare. Most of my meetings, my father’s assistant is there taking notes, not mine, but there are times this position requires it. Some late night meetings or even early morning ones.”
“What are your expectations of hours? Not what the hours of the job are, but the expectations overall. Everyone works differently. Early, late, weekends?”
This was where it got tricky. “Blair said that she’s available for me. She told me she’d said that. It’s not a constant expectation as much as I rely on her. She set that stage. Not me.”
“How so?”
“She’s single and has time on her hands. She was used to putting in long crazy hours with your father in the office. I don’t require that unless there is something going on. Because I stayuntil seven doesn’t mean you have to. When four rolls around, I’d appreciate you checking in to see if I need anything that might have come up, if I don’t, you’re free to leave around that time or five like most others. I’m not locked on five on the dime because there will be days it could be later. Or, I might send you emails after hours. You don’t have to read them or reply. It’s me working while I’ve got it on my mind. But if I do text, it means I’d like a reply if possible. I don’t text often.”
“That’s fair. More than fair and not what I expected.”
“I think whoever is in this position and I will find the flow that works for us.”
“I wish I had bosses like that in the past.”
He was winning her over. He could see it. Nothing he was saying was a lie either.
“Make no mistake, when you’re here, you’re working hard. I don’t think I’m a difficult boss, or maybe Blair just found my weak spots.”
“She said you like chocolate. Can’t be you eat too much of it.”
“She’s already giving away my secrets. Chocolate tends to put me in a good mood. Just a little,” he said, pinching his fingers.
“A good workout for me does it,” she said. “Chocolate used to do it, but then I’d hate myself after. Might as well find something that was better for me.”
“I’m right there with you.” He turned his head. “That door right there, that’s my bathroom with a shower and a closet. I’ve got a few changes of clothing in there. No, you aren’t expected to launder them. I do it myself. But I do often run in the morning and come here in my workout gear, then get ready.”
“That’s smart,” she said.
“Gets it out of the way and puts me in a better mood. Sometimes, I run after work. Not even every day. Kind of go with the flow.”
“So not a planner?” she asked.
“I plan some things but not all. I heard you are a planner and that is good. Something I need.”
He needed a lot, and the woman in front of him was at the top of the list.
“Blair told me your weaknesses.”
