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Ouch.
Pinch.
Ouch.
Pinch. I grimaced through the third round of reality-checking. It still hurt, which meant that I wasmost likelystill not dreaming about my current life in New York. You know, the one where I was on the Fairchild payroll, had my own desk outside of Damian’s office, and was striding around wearing sensible black heels like I belonged there.
I smirked to myself, casting an approving eye over my brand-new desk space. Three days into the gig and I felt equal parts capable and terrified that everyone would figure out what a fraud I was.Hired because of my big brother! Just an old family friend with no experience!I’d only recently discovered that it was forbidden to refer to north or south in this city. No, no—it wasuptownordowntown.How could I possibly fit into a place where I’d referred to midtown asnorthonly two months ago?
“Jessa, here are some customer profiles you’ll need to look over, get acquainted with.” Francis jolted me out of my desk layout assessment—the cute fake cactusreallybrought the whole thing together—as he laid down some papers. “Pay attention to anyone with aJrbehind their name. This means they havelineage.The Fairchilds are very interested in lineage, but not for the reasons you’d think.” He clicked his tongue, setting more papers in front of me. “This is a list of expected attendees for the coding fundraiser Damian is planning on attending. Tasks like these will soon become yours, but for now, I’m showing you what I’m doing so that you can learn who to schmooze before you go.”
I blinked a few times at the papers raining down on my desk. “Schmooze?”
“Yes. These events are horribly boring and there’s only a fifty-fifty chance of good food. You’d think, being in a culinary capital of the world, we could count on better food. But alas, even some scallops taste fishy in New York City.”
“That sounds so profound,” I murmured.
“It is,” Francis concluded, dropping another set of pages in front of me. “Now this document is a detailed list of Avoids.”
“Avoids?”
“People we need to avoid—in person, in theory, in writing. People who have scorned or betrayed the Fairchilds. Things like that. I’ve put this together so you can get up to speed, and quickly. Making mistakes with the brothers is not recommended.”
My brows had been continuously furrowing during his rundown, and now they were simply sewn together. “Why not?”
His dark gaze rooted me to my spot. “Listen, I know you’re new here, but the Fairchilds expect a certain…caliber. Time will tell if you have it or not.”
His words left my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. Clearly, word had not gotten out that Damian and I had known each other in our previous lives. I was firmly in the Random New Hire file. I didn’t mind.
“Well…that’s good to know. Thank you.”
Over Francis’s shoulder, I saw Axel coming down the hallway, his head turned sharply as he talked with someone behind him. I hadn’t spotted Axel during my interview on Thursday or my first day on Friday; now on Monday, it seemed like I’d been waiting to say hi to him forever.
Francis started saying something else, but his voice drifted away as Axel spotted me from down the hall. His eyes lit up, and he strode my way in a perfectly tailored dark gray suit, a dog with a dark, glossy coat loping alongside him.
“There you are, Jessa! Welcome to Fairchild Enterprises.”
I could practically feel Francis’s hackles rise. “Oh. Do you two know each other already?”
“Axel!” I held out my arms, and he gave me a loose hug. He seemed taller since the last time I’d seen him, beefier, too. All the Fairchild brothers had sharpened and blossomed under the influence of wealth and success. “It’s been forever.”
He smiled down at me, pinching my arm like he always used to. “Little Jessa Walton. Really never thought I’d see you up here.”
“Welp, here I am. Jeremy sent me. I’m the Walton ambassador,” I said with a laugh.
“Meet Zero,” he said, sweeping his hand toward the handsome pup at his feet.
“Aww, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Zero.” I offered my hand, which Zero sniffed inquisitively before I got a friendly lick.
“That’s how many concerns he has around you, since he knows you’re in the trust circle.” Axel beamed down at his dog.
Francis cleared his throat. “So this is a Kentucky connection, I take it?”
Axel draped his arm over my shoulders and grinned over at Francis. “Kentucky through and through. We’ve gotta take good care of Jessa, Francis, or else her big brother will come beat me up.”
Francis laughed, but it was hollow. “Noted.”
Damian strode down the hallway next, his hands stuffed into his pockets. His moss green eyes registered mild curiosity as he approached Axel and me. “What’s going on here?”
