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Archer turns into the parking garage and finds his spot. I wait in the car until he has done a sweep before allowing him to take me out of the car. Silently, we walk to the elevator and are soon whisked to the fourteenth floor. I step out ahead of him but he is not far behind me.
“Good morning, Trina. How’s Mushy?” I smile at one of the girls in the secretarial pool as I pause to clock in.
“She’s doing much better, thanks. The vet said it was just an allergic reaction.”
“That’s awesome.” I keep walking, conscious of Archer’s impatient energy. It’s rolling off of him in waves. I have discovered by accident that most mornings when he picks me up, he is actually already at work. And if he takes me home in the evening, he often goes back to the office. My thoughts go back to a conversation I had had with Colleen that first week of training as it pertained to work hours.
“As long as you’re here by eight thirty and out by five, that is all that matters to Archer. If only he could take his own advice. That man would work thirty hours in a day if he could.”
“Wow! I bet his family wouldn’t like that.”
Colleen had shrugged nonchalantly. “He has none. He’s divorced and has a child who is already an adult, so he’s pretty much a loner.”
“But a man like him must have someone in his life. That’s just wrong. People need companionship.”
“Do you have someone in your life?” her eyes had pierced me and color had stained my cheeks.
“Not currently. I’m still getting over my ex. But it does not mean I’m going to be alone forever.”
“Well, maybe he’ll find someone. But for now, this company is his life.”
I’m brought back to the present as Archer reaches around me to open the door which leads to my reception area. I slip off my jacket and place my purse in the bottom drawer. I look up to watch his tall figure disappear down the hallway to his office.
I sit staring at the space for a while before snapping out of it and getting to work.
The past few months have felt like a breath of fresh air. I actually enjoy More Secure and the intricacies of the company. Looking in, you wouldn’t think that providing security services comes with so many dimensions. But it’s rather interesting.
I feel as though I’m coming out of a shell. Or like a flower that is opening. I know that my heart is lighter and I smile more. Even Michelle has mentioned how it seems as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Even going to the range has not been as intimidating as I’d imagined.
As promised, Archer had taken me to the range a few days after I started working here.
“I really don’t think this is necessary,” I’d wrinkled my nose as we’d signed into the range.
Without batting an eye at my distress, he’d placed a hand on my shoulder and propelled me along the corridors until we came to a cubicle-looking space.
“I’ll start you off with blanks. The first task is to get you accustomed to the weight of the weapon, pulling the trigger, and getting your reflexes on point. Not all in one day of course.”
With that, he had placed a handgun in my palm. The weight of it was surprising as I had been expecting something heavier.
“It’s pretty light.” I hefted it from one hand to the other, smiling.
That session ended an hour later with me actually being excited for the next one. Then the day had come when I got to use real bullets on a target. My heart raced as I loaded the gun.
“Now aim for the center as much as possible. Remember how to line up your target.” Archer stood behind me with his arms around me, adjusting the weapon.
“You’re holding it too tightly. Relax. You can do this, Sidney.”
I swallowed as I pulled the trigger with my first live round. The burst of adrenaline that rushed through me was unbelievable. I pulled the trigger until the clip was empty. I whipped off the ear protectors and turned to Archer.
“I did it!”
“Hey! Put on the safety!” he grabbed my hand and pointed the gun away from us both.
“Ooops!” I did as I was told. But I couldn’t stop smiling.
“This is remarkable for a first-time shooter.” He examined the target up close. “With a few more sessions, you can get your license, then we get you a weapon.”
But that was where I’d drawn the line. There were a few more lines I’d had to draw as well, like the filing system in the office, which I learned was not Colleen’s fault. It’s all a part of Archer’s sloppy method. For someone who is so precise and almost OCD in his operations, he has no clue when it comes on to administrative affairs. We have butted heads a few times but I don’t mind. The constant friction reminds me that he is my boss. It curtails any attraction I’m feeling for him that is a little more than professional. It is hard. He is one sexy man.
