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5
Annie
Monday morning, I stuff my purse into the bottom drawer of my desk and boot up my computer while checking the messages for Mr. Beardsman.
After listening to his messages, I check my own. The first one is from Mr. Beardsman.
“Hi, Annie. I heard the great news about the Coddle account. You’re in luck, because I must have caught something, and I’ll be out today. I know you’re going to have to go back and forth, so unless it’s urgent, don’t worry about me. Hopefully, I kick this today. Have a great day and congratulations again. You deserve this opportunity.”
I hang up and turn off his light before shutting his office door. The news already traveled that fast?
My desk phone rings, and I pick it up. “Hello?”
“Miss Stewart, I’m waiting,” Mr. Mancini says. Click.
What a jerk.
I stand, grabbing a pad of paper and a pen, then walk through the maze of cubicles to his office. Jake’s eyebrows raise as I pass him and knock on the glass door labeled, Lorenzo Mancini: Senior Advertising Executive.
The first thing I notice is that Mr. Mancini’s assistant’s desk is still vacant. It’s not like I thought they could fill the job so quickly, but I thought they’d at least call in a temp.
“Come in.”
I walk in and notice his suit jacket hanging on a hanger inside a closet outside his bathroom. His sleeves are rolled up and he looks more as if it’s five o’clock, not nine in the morning. What time does he come in?
“So you’re aware, I’m an early riser, so you’ll need to get here by eight. If I don’t have clients, I take lunch in my office at twelve-thirty. You can check my schedule on your desktop. The old assistant had a list of my likes and dislikes there too.”
My pen stops scrawling midway through when I realize I’m taking notes on things that don’t pertain to me. “I’m sorry, why are you telling me this?”
He looks up from his computer. “You’re my new assistant.”
“What?” Jacobson and Earl aren’t known for great communication, but I think if I’d been reassigned, someone would have mentioned it.
“Jesus. No one told you?” He scowls and picks up his phone. “Shelby. My office. Now.” He hangs up on her.
The more I get to know him, the uglier he gets.
Okay, that’s not true, but I wish it were.
Shelby knocks a minute later.
“Come in.”
She’s wearing another mid-calf skirt and blouse with a cardigan her cats must have used for a blanket. “I just got in. You’re way ahead of the game, Mr. Mancini. Miss Stewart was my first line of business.”
I lean back in my seat, waiting.
“Please tell her the wonderful news.” Mr. Mancini holds out his arm and leans back in his executive high back chair.
Shelby takes the chair next to me but sits on the edge as if she doesn’t plan on staying long. “After Friday with Coddle, Mr. Jacobson thinks it’s better for you to work directly with Mr. Mancini. Until we can hire a replacement for Mr. Beardsman, you’ll have to cover both jobs, but I know Mr. Beardsman isn’t a high demander of your time.” She smiles.
“So you want me to do two jobs for one pay?” I clarify.
“Gutsy,” Mr. Mancini says through a fake cough into his hand.
I refrain from rolling my eyes.
“Well, your time with Mr. Mancini will be more about working on the Coddle pitch. Mr. Jacobson really wants you to have a foot in this campaign. Working for Mr. Mancini will enable you to gain the experience you need to move ahead.”
