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Oh yeah, he definitely needed to read up on his newest employee.
Anyone who could wear shoes like that on her first day and not be intimidated by him was worth watching and he had every intention of keeping a close eye on her.
Very close.
ChapterTwo
“Could this place be any bigger?” Beth muttered under her breath, scanning the endless corridor for a sign of the Australiana gallery.
She’d walked the length and breadth of the maze of corridors following clearly marked signs, but had somehow ended up in the dinosaur room, the creepy crawly room, and the reptile room, without a glimmer of Aussie stuff in sight.
“Can I help you?”
Beth inwardly groaned. Just what she needed, someone else chastising her for being late; or worse, lost when she should know her way around.
Fixing a smile on her face, she turned toward the tentative voice. “Actually, you can help me. This is my first day on the job and I was a bit frazzled after the interview when I got the grand tour and can’t seem to find the Australiana gallery.”
The young woman’s bemused expression spoke volumes. She obviously thought the new tour guide was a brainless bimbo.
“I’m heading that way myself.”
“Great.” She fell into step with the woman whose name badge had ‘Dorothy’ typed in bold, black print, as she surreptitiously checked out Dorothy’s footwear for signs of sparkly red shoes-and not surprised when she found staid black flats instead. “I’m Beth, by the way.”
“Dorothy. I’m a volunteer.”
“You don’t get paid to be here?”
Jeez, she could think of any place she’d rather be if she wasn’t doing this for the stability factor. Stable job plus adequate funds equaled a lease on a small gallery to showcase her work and right now, she needed that lease. She’d waited long enough to set her plan in motion.
Not to mention paying off a small fraction of the emotional debt she owed Lana.
“I’m an archaeology student. I do this for a bit of extra experience.” Dorothy’s brown eyes lit up for a moment, brightening her make-up-less face.
“You must really love what you do.”
Dorothy nodded, her bobbing head setting her bun wobbling precariously atop her head.
What was it about buns in this place, Beth thought, wishing she could tug the pins out of hers and shake her hair loose, letting it tumble around her shoulders in a wild mess like she usually wore it.
“And the opportunity to work alongside someone of Aidan Voss’s calibre was too good to pass up,” Dorothy said.
Beth’s ears pricked up. She’d been so busy trying to find her way around this maze that she’d deliberately pushed aside thoughts of her boss.
Guys who looked like Aidan Voss didn’t enter her sphere too often. The proverbial tall, dark and handsome seemed way too trite when describing his almost perfect looks. If it hadn’t been for the inch-long scar near his right eyebrow, he could’ve modeled rather than dig around old ruins and keep watch for recalcitrant tour guides.
“So he’s good?” Beth kept her tone casual despite the sudden urge to learn more about the guy with the sharp cheekbones, strong jaw, slate grey eyes, and hint of a dimple. Not that she’d memorized every detail of that striking face or anything.
Dorothy’s incredulous expression had Beth biting the inside of her cheek to prevent laughing out loud.
“Good? He’s the best. Not only does he come from one of the most renowned historian families in Australia, he’s been responsible for several major finds around the world. Egypt, South America, Greece, you name it, he’s done it.”
A faint blush stained Dorothy’s pale cheeks and Beth had a feeling the boss’s good looks hadn’t gone completely unnoticed by the enthusiastic volunteer.
“But surely you know all this? I would’ve thought the lure of working with a man like Mr. Voss would be irresistible to anyone interested in this business?”
“Oh, working with Mr. Voss is irresistible all right.”
Beth’s memory worked its way down from that memorable face to the way he’d filled out his charcoal suit, how his pale blue business shirt had stretched across his chest and how he’d strutted rather than walked. In those few minutes he’d bailed her up for being tardy she’d had the impression of a self-assured guy, a guy on top of his game, a guy who could turn a girl’s head without trying.
