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“No,” I murmured. “I’m not. But just because I’m relentless doesn’t mean I don’t know how to have fun outside of my job.”
“Is it really a job when you own the place?”
“If it wasn’t a job, then I wouldn’t need an assistant, would I?”
When I glanced down at her she had the tiniest of a smile, her cheeks coloring ever so slightly. “Fair enough. And I do like having a steady paycheck, so let’s leave it at that.”
I opened my mouth to keep it going, feeling more entertained than I had any right to, when suddenly someone was in front of me, their voice far too annoying and fishing for the moment.
“Ah! Fitzy, it’s so good to see you!”
Only all my years of control kept me from grimacing at the sound of a very specific talent agent.
Normally just an agent wouldn’t have the ability to talk to me like that. Let alone use such a juvenile nick-name, but Charles Van Meter was an old friend of the family that I’d known since I was eight, and there were certain passes I gave the man.
I supposed it helped that he had led my company to some of its most lucrative talent matches in our early years and I probably wouldn’t be where I was without him.
“Charlie,” I said with a nod. “Good to see you.”
“Really? Cause your face doesn’t say that!”
The downside of doing business with someone who knew you too well. “My assistant and I were just discussing a rather irritating run in we had earlier today.”
“Oh, assistant, huh?” the older man asked, turning on that sort of endearing charm that only those in their sixties could have. “You poor dear. Ending your first week with a shindig? Fitzy, you are cruel.”
“Actually, this is the end of my first month,” Ms. Viello answered with that same sort of business-cautious tone she used with me. Good. She wasn’t fooled by Charles’ innocent old man routine. While the man was affable and preferred kindness over machinations, there was a reason he was one of the best in his business.
“Month?!” Charlie declared, hand over his heart in a flamboyant gesture. “Oh honey, you must be something. You sure you don’t want to quit working for this old bully and come to where you’ll be cherished?”
Normally I would have rolled my eyes at Charlies joking about poaching one of my employees, but I didn’t feel any sort of levity. Instead a slight bit of possessiveness burned in my chest. Ms. Viello was my assistant. She had come to work for my company, and if he knew what was-
“Actually, I like working with this old bully just fine,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “And my mother always taught me to watch out for offers that were too good to be true from much too handsome men.”
“Too handsome men?” Charlie repeated, gently gripping the arm of the young lady who was next to him. “Oh, I like this girl, Fitzy. I like this girl a lot.”
I shook my head, the possessiveness in my chest swelling at Ms. Viello’s gentle turndown. She liked working with me, huh? I knew that chances were she was just saying that to save face, but that didn’t matter.
“Did you need something, Charlie, or did you just come over to try to snipe away the best assistant I’ve ever had?”
In my peripheral vision I saw Ms. Viello stiffen and her breath hitch. Had I never complimented her before? I needed to do it more often if she made that kind of noises every time.
“The best you ever had, huh? If I didn’t know better, I would think you were getting soft.”
“Charlie,” I said again, my voice level.
“Right, right. Of course, you want to talk work even in the middle of what should be a good time. It’s never just a celebration with you, is it?”
“Multitasking is the key to success,” Ms. Viello said quickly before seeming to realize that she had spoken out of turn again. “Er… or so I’ve heard.”
“Ooooh, yes! I can see why she’s lasted so long!” The older man clapped, seemingly very amused. “But right, business, business. Fitzy, this is Amelia here, or as her channel goes, LittleMistPancake. She’s an art channel.”
The young woman lifted her hand for a shake, her eyes shuttling nervously between Ms. Viello and me. It was the sort of uncertainty I was used to when someone was intimidated by what my resources could or could not do for them. One that my assistant had never really worn around me.
“I, uh, I like to draw pastel goth stuff.”
“Pastel goth,” I repeated, returning her shake. “I’ve never heard of that.”
“It’s like creepy-cute,” Ms. Viello said quickly. “Often combining black with multiple pastel colors like mint, lavender and baby pink, or using horror motifs and themes along with hyper-cute characters.”
