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Gabrielle wasn’t sure about accepting all this, but then she saw the envelope just peeking out from underneath the tablet’s box. A sheet of paper with computer-typed words from Adam, stating that the gadgets were for company purposes and to aid in making her work easier. He assured her not to feel burdened by them, since she would have to relinquish them at any point she left the job.
Gabrielle heaved a sigh of relief at that, even as she read the end of the letter. “I hope you like the office and that it’s suitable for your work needs. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”
Gabrielle still felt in a state of shock as she slowly rose and then checked the other doors. One opened into a great bathroom, which even had a shower along with the toilet and sink. Nice. Then she moved to the other door and got something of a shock.
The door was linked right into Adam’s office, though from this angle she got his side view. She was caught off guard and hovered in the doorway, until he turned his profile to her. Obviously he’d either heard the door creak open or caught her from the corner of his vision.
“Aren’t you supposed to be on your way to meet the client?” he asked, swiveling in his chair. “Or are you going to stand there all day?”
“I’ll be on my way in a minute,” she said, then advanced on slow feet. “It’s just, well I have a question. The office, and all the gadgets – thank you, but are those really necessary when I’m not officially your P.A. yet?”
“That notwithstanding, it’s important that you do a good job while you’re here. The office and all the other perks are to ensure that happens. It’s no indication that you’ll end up with the job, so don’t get your hopes up.”
“I know that,” she said, and smiled. He wouldn’t get her angry today, she decided. “And I’ll put everything to good use.”
“Fine. Now run over and get those papers from Mr. Williams.”
“Yes, sir,” Gabrielle said with a lot more warmth than usual and didn’t wait to see Adam’s reaction before she retreated and closed the door. She missed the slight smile that tilted his lips a moment after.
***
Three weeks. Has it been almost a month since I started at A.B. Financial? Gabrielle felt a sense of achievement. She’d just finished preparing for a big meeting, setting up the boardroom with water, clean glasses and the necessary documents for each person. The coffeemaker was all set, plus cream and sugars. She’d even managed some bagels and donuts, which she’d set in the middle.
From Adam’s look when he viewed the room, he seemed to be pleased with her efforts. She was glad she’d had it all arranged early and now could be available for any other emergencies or variables.
She’d basically figured most of it all out, how to cope with the whole situation of working around Adam. She could easily ignore the sizzling reactions her body had to him, if she always focused on just remembering every detail about her duties. There was always something new to familiarize herself with, and she spent a lot of time doing research on her handy iPad or if it was something more in-depth, on her computer.
She always tried to think of smarter ways to achieve her tasks. Each new day working around an efficient corporate machine like Adam helped her learn new habits and skillsets. He was truly phenomenal when it came to his business, and Gabrielle grudgingly noted that he wasn’t just a handsome face and irresistible charisma. He really worked hard and had earned his spot as a top-notch CEO.
Which was why it came as a surprise to see him in a whole other element days later. She’d never imagined there’d be anyone who could get him on edge or even flustered. So when he arrived at the office seemingly agitated about a certain CEO of a tech company coming in randomly, Gabrielle wondered what was up.
The impromptu meeting was going to be an informal one by all indication, and Adam seemed intent on making the best impression. The CEO was Bateman Chandler, who ran one of the world’s most admired tech companies according to Fortune magazine. Internet services, computer software, entertainment and retailing were just a few branches his tech brand handled.
The two had met through a mutual contact and it seemed Bateman saw a likelihood of them having a valuable financial affiliation. From what Gabrielle gathered during her conversation with Adam as she tried to figure out what to prepare for, this was both a social and business relationship in the making.
There didn’t seem to be a clear agenda as yet, and so Gabrielle couldn’t even begin to decide what to stock the office with or what documents to print off for the meeting. Thinking fast though, it wasn’t so hard for her to ascertain this Bateman was there just to “shoot the shit” and Adam, being Adam, had no idea how to simply “hang out” with another guy. She’d already surmised he didn’t have that many close male buddies, just Jake, whom he’d known since high school.
