AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jade Oswald sat across from Wyatt, assessing him as much as he assessed her. He wasn’t interested in what she thought of him. At least not at the moment.
Instead, he focused on her. Short blond hair that was cut in a stylish hairdo. Tan and perfect skin. Searing blue eyes that were filled with a little annoyance and a hint of attraction.
She wore expensive clothing, and no doubt had a huge closet full of even more outfits, handbags, heels, and everything else that went along with wealth.
After all, sitting across from him was one of the wealthiest women he’d ever met. And in his line of business, that was saying something.
Jade Oswald was the daughter of Patrick and Julia Oswald. Those names were known to almost all in certain circles, those with direct access to the White House. The Oswald family was distant kin to the Kennedys and the Rockefellers.
So it had surprised him to see how she’d so easily scooped poop out of a kids’ pool. The woman wasn’t too high on a pedestal to occasionally go low. This made him smile and reassess just who Jade Oswald was.
“So?” she said, scooting a little closer to the desk.
“So?” he said easily.
Her eyebrows slid up in question. “You wanted a meeting with me. Here I am,” Jade said.
He nodded. “It’s custom for employees to meet their new—even if temporary— boss, isn’t it?” he asked.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Around here? Not so much.” She said the last part under her breath.
“What does that mean?” he asked, curious.
Jade shook her head slightly. “Just that I will be doing things differently than my father has.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Wyatt Stokes.” She shifted again. “Your family is a friend of my family?”
He had prepared for this question. “Yes,” he said simply.
“Your parents are?”
“Bob and Mary,” he answered, giving the fake names. Until he ruled out everyone, it was his job not to trust anyone.
“Are you purposely being vague?”
“I doubt it,” he said with a smile.
“Where do our parents know each other from?” she asked slowly.
“I couldn’t say,” he said just as slowly.
His smile grew when more irritation flashed behind her eyes. Then she sighed.
“Fine. I’ve agreed to let you remain in the position you’re in now. However,” she said quickly, “I am having someone else come in this week. I expect Josie to be directly underneath you.”
“Josie?” he asked, already knowing who Jade was talking about. Josie McDonald. Jade’s best friend since they were five. He remembered seeing pictures of the two girls in the case file.
Having someone work so close to him might muddy things up a bit. He needed the freedom of running the bars himself. Of setting employees on tasks so he could watch and listen.
“Yes,” Jade said as she turned towards her computer. “She arrives on Thursday,” she said as she typed.
“Is this Josie qualified?” he asked, already knowing the answer. Having a photographic memory was key to his job.
“Yes,” Jade said without looking up from her screen. “For now, I’ll want to assess your skills myself this evening.” She stopped typing. “Did you really work at the Galla in New York?” She glanced over at him.
“Yes,” he said. “Why?” The Galla was one of New York’s ritziest nightclubs.
