“What?” He swung around suddenly, exactly as I’d hoped. And when he did, I ran. I bolted out the door and straight to the elevator. I’m not proud of it, but that’s what I did.
As I climbed into the elevator, I heard laughter. His laughter was so loud that it echoed down the hall. I put my head in my hands. I’d never been more embarrassed in my entire life, and I’d done some pretty embarrassing things before—many of which had been filmed and put on TV. But this was next level.
CHAPTERFOUR
Ryan
He couldn’t remember the last time someone had amused him so much. She was just about the most idiotic thing to have ever set foot in his office and, truth be told, the comic relief had been a rather welcome surprise.
Doris Granger . . . even her name was idiotic. Not to mention those stupid glasses with the cracked lens and that pink dress which was totally inappropriate for a corporate office.What on earth had possessed her to even come for the job interview?
He let out another chuckle and called down to the reception. Ayanda answered immediately. “Has Miss Granger left the building?” he asked.
“Yes. I just saw her run past.”
“Good. If she ever comes in here again, please make sure security escorts her out. I’m not sure she’s entirely stable.” He put the phone down and let out another small chuckle. Usually, when someone completely unqualified turned up for a job interview he would be pissed off. But he wasn’t.
“Doris Granger from Paraguay,” he repeated to himself thoughtfully. Who the hell works there? And who is named Doris in this day and age? It sounded totally made up. It probably was.
He looked at his watch and realized that if he left now, he would make it home just in time to have dinner with Emmy. He packed his laptop and grabbed his car keys out of the drawer. The framed photo of himself in happier times caught his attention. It was the only personal item he kept in his office. He looked at it for a moment and then put it down. On some days it was very hard to look at the photo. Today was one of those days.
He walked through the now empty corridors of the building; it was after five and all his staff had already left. He climbed into the elevator and pressed the ground floor button. As the glass-backed cage sailed down, he looked out at the building.
He’d taken over the business from his father ten years ago after his father had retired. And when he had, Stark Leisure Group had been one of the biggest holiday resort builders in the country. His father had been a real pioneer in the leisure industry, building the biggest resorts in South Africa that were affordable for everyone. He believed that holidays should not only be reserved for the upper class. But in the current financial climate, it was their resorts that were suffering, not the high-end luxury ones that the recession-proof public could afford. Their profits were down, and they were slipping each month. As a result, he’d been pressured into making a business decision that he wasn’t sure was the right one. He knew his father would definitely disapprove of it; his father’s old business associate Mr. Rautenbach had made that abundantly clear to him. His father, who had passed away four years ago, was probably rolling in his grave right now. He could almost see his face—that gruff, angry, disappointed expression that he’d worn for most of his life. He still felt like a disappointment to his father, even though the man was dead.
The doors opened and he walked into the reception area. It was raining outside and he grabbed an umbrella on the way out. He stepped into the storm and made his way to his car, the last car in the parking lot. It was always the last car in the parking lot. But as he got closer something,someone, caught his eye . . .
There, sitting on the pavement, drenched from head to toe was none other than Doris Granger. She was holding her head in her hands and . . . oh God, was she crying? Her shoulders were heaving up and down and her whole body was shaking. He should have known she was a crier. He sighed and carried on walking.
He climbed into his Porsche SUV and was just about to start the car and drive off when he found himself staring at the pathetic figure sitting alone in the rain crying.
God, it was so irritating and infuriating. He didn’t want people sitting and crying outside his place of work. That would not be good for business, and it was also—
Also . . .???
His stomach twisted and suddenly he felt uncomfortable in his seat. He held onto his steering wheel tightly and squeezed. He really wanted to get home, but Doris bloody Granger was sitting on the pavement in the rain crying. And he didn’t know why, but it bothered him.
Maybe it was because he found her strangely amusing. He sighed again, grabbed the umbrella once more, and climbed out of his car.
CHAPTERFIVE
Poppy
I saw the feet before I saw him. I recognized them immediately because, half an hour ago, I’d been face-to-face with them under his desk while looking for my glasses.
The sound of his throat clearing was barely audible over the rain which was coming down in buckets now. But I didn’t want to look up. I didn’t want to look into those big blue eyes and make an idiot of myself once again . . . mind you, I was sitting on a pavement in the rain crying like a baby!
“Miss Granger?”
I cringed at the sound of that name. Why hadn’t I chosen a better name for this character?
“Miss Granger?” he said, louder this time.
I forced my eyes up. He was towering directly above me, blocking some of the rain with his umbrella.
“Hello, Mr. Stark,” I managed through the water that was cascading down my face.
“What are you doing in the rain?” His tone was stern.
