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“Other side of this floor.” Greg tosses an imaginary pebble to the opposite corner of the skyscraper. “I gave him my secretary.”
I’ve never been on a roller coaster, but I bet this is what a rickety one feels like. Greg’s corner-office secretary is with Will right now. There was a chance I could have gone with him. Now whoever used to work for Greg is bringing him coffee and looking into his eyes and hearing his voice when he’s on a phone call.
And.And.It’s a guarantee that we’ll run into each other. Here. Where I’m not his secretary, and where he didn’t want me to be in the first place.
Greg waves a hand. “It all works out for the best, doesn’t it? She knows the inner workings here at Hughes, which will be useful for him as he acclimates. And you’ll have a chance to do high-level administrative work for Hughes Industries.” He raises his eyebrows, likehigh-level administrative work for Hughes Industriesis the best I could ever hope for.
Which it is. For right now, this job is beyond my wildest expectations. “Yes! I’msograteful for the experience.”
“Hey, if everything works out, there might be a full-time position down the road. I’m not making any promises, but I want your time here to be worthwhile, too. Our position at Hughes is to offer employment that’s beneficial to everybody, regardless of whether you’re on a temporary contract.”
I’m torn. A permanent job would be a dream come true. It would mean the first real stability my siblings and I have ever had. The part of me who prides herself on excelling at temp work wants to be so outstanding that Greg can’tnotoffer me a permanent job.
And…it’s too good to be true. Businesses aren’t like this. Bosses aren’t like this. Not in the real world. Companies like Hughes don’t go out of their way to make sure temps have a good experience.
Unless they’re some kind of magical, miracle entity.
That also happens to haveWill Leblancwalking around in it.
“No pressure,” I say lightly.
Greg laughs. “I’m sure you’ll do a great job. Now, let me show you your desk.” We go out into the little anteroom, and Greg pulls out my chair for me. “Computer. Personal printer—I can show you the copy room in a couple minutes. I’ve got your login and password on my desk. What else?”
Well, that I feel sick to my stomach, because I need this job. I’m not ready to talk to Will, and all I’ve wanted to do is to talk to him. I wonder if he’s going to actually punch you when he finds out I’m here. I’ll be a little disappointed if he doesn’t punch you. This is not what I expected when I woke up this morning.
“I like to keep a little dish of candy on my desk. Is that okay?” Some companies have rules about personal items on desks. Some temp jobs don’t come with a desk. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.
“Of course you can. It’s your desk.” I know what he’s going to say before he says it. “Really, Bristol. Make yourself at home.”
6
WILL
The only thingI hate more than the idea of asking Finn Hughes for a meeting is waiting to do it. I’m at the office at seven on Monday, drafting the email in the only peace I’ll have all day.
Candy wanted to know if she should come in earlier than the standard start time. Jesus, no. She’s turned being a secretary into performance art that I want nothing to do with. Her lingering looks from the other side of my desk were making my skin crawl by five on Friday. I don’t want her watching while I figure out how to casually but forcefully schedule a meeting with a guy who’s several rungs above me at Hughes Financial Industries.
And while I miss my coffee. I’m out of it at home, the office supply still hasn’t turned up, and the fastest expedited shipping won’t get fresh beans here until Thursday.
And while I miss Bristol. I wouldn’t mind if it was us in the near-empty office. I liked knowing she was nearby at Summit. I didn’t feel like I had to fake it quite so hard with her.
And while I hate missing Bristol, because this level of emotion is bullshit. I should be thrilled that I got away in time to save her from making a huge mistake.
Candy arrives at five to eight. I’m polite, but I don’t go overboard. I’ve never been a cuddly boss. I’m not going to start now because I come to work in this building.
You slept next to Bristol,my brother Sin says, his voice clear in my head.That’s pretty fucking cuddly.
I mentally flip him off. That was different, and it’s never going to happen again. Bristol was the perfect example of what happens when I forget what I am. I can still hear her sister screaming when I came into their apartment. I’m a real-life nightmare, and Bristol’s a dream. They don’t belong together.
My jaw hurts. That’s the only reason I discover I’m gritting my teeth. If it weren’t for art, they wouldn’t belong together, either. Emerson is who he is, and Daphne is from a rich, powerful family withconnections.I still don’t understand how they ever let him through the front door. I don’t know how he ever let himself trust them.
The desk phone rings, and I pick up the handset like it’s a lifeline. “Will Leblanc.”
“Will Leblanc yourself,” my CFO, Christa Hong, teases. “Did you get used to your new office yet?”
“No. Did you get used to your thirty new employees yet?” I haven’t. It’s bizarre and unsettling for Christa to be working on a different floor instead of down the hall.
“God,no. They can’t do anything according to my standards.”
