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There’s no way I’m screwing my boss. No matter what Tessa thinks. That’s not who I am, and I’m going to have a hard enough time keeping this job without an HR disaster.
“I think it’s time for me to curl up in bed and open a steamy romance book. That’s about as close to jumping into any guy’s bed as I’m going to get in the foreseeable future.”
She waves to me as she sips her wine. As I’m walking out of the room, she calls out, “I hope you’re reading a smutty office one. It might give you some ideas about how much fun you can have in an office with the boss.”
Jeez. It’s like she’s reading my mind. Iwill nottell her that, though. The last thing I need is my best friend knowing that Emery Brooks is living rent free in my fantasies tonight.
Chapter 4
Madison
I have a new dryer, and I have clothes with absolutely no frills that could be caught by an elevator. I ate a hearty breakfast of an everything bagel smothered in cream cheese. I am prepared for the day.
It’s going to be glorious.
At least that’s what I’m telling myself. Fake it ‘til you make it, right? I step into the World Bank lobby with fifteen minutes to spare. Madison Carter won’t be late for her first day. I already learned that lesson.
I see a familiar face standing in front of the elevator wearing another ten-thousand dollar suit at the same time that he sees me. A grin crosses his face as our eyes meet, and my confidence fades. The last time I rode an elevator with Emery Brooks was a catastrophe, and I can’t help but worry that something terrible is about to happen.
That doesn’t slow me down, though. The gold doors slide open, and Emery steps inside, but his arm shoots out, holding the door open for me. My heels tap even quicker on the marble floor as I put a little pep into my step, even though I want to hide.
When I slide into the golden box, Emery says, “Good morning, Madison.”
I’m thankful for the simple greeting, but then his eyes move down to the black pencil skirt I’m wearing. “Earlyanddoing your best to stay clothed today? Impressive.”
The words come out on their own, almost instinctually, like slapping a guy that grabs your ass. “A billionaire playboy doing his best to make the intern’s first day uncomfortableandawkward? Typical.”
I shouldn’t have said it even though it’s true. He’s my boss, and I know that I’m going to struggle with this job. The last thing I should be doing is giving him a reason to dislike me, and everyone knows that the rich and powerful don’t like people talking back. They want the little people to smile and nod.
When Emery’s smile fades for a moment, and I see that intense look on his face, a flash of fear runs through me. Is he going to fire me on the spot?
“Not afraid to stand your ground. That’s a good sign. Maybe I was right about hiring you after all.”
Then the serious businessman is covered up by the playboy, who’s all smiles and jokes. The golden door slides open and Sandy’s sitting at her desk, quietly typing away.
She gives us both a quick glance and a nod as we walk by her into the idea room. Dozens of people of all ages sit in the shared space, drinking coffee and talking, but Emery ignores them. Instead, he points at an office enclosed by glass windows and says, “That one is yours. Your company computer is already set up with your email. You have some documents to go through in your inbox, but in thirty minutes, come to the idea room for our weekly meeting.”
Does this company not have an HR department? Shouldn’t I be watching orientation videos or something?
“Okay. I’ll be there.” When I get into my office, I’m a little in shock. I’ve never had an office, and it’s such a strange feeling. I’d thought that I’d be stuck in a cubicle somewhere with a dozen other interns.
Sitting down in the leather office chair, I take a moment to just breathe. This is what I worked so hard for. A hundred tests, thousands of hours of studying, and more annoying assignments than I can count. All to get to this moment in my life. A seat at the grown-up table with a multi-billion dollar advertising company.
Yes, today is going to be a glorious day.
Even after the awkward chat with Emery on the elevator, I feel like I can fly today. Tessa was right. They chose me over all the other hundreds of resumes. I may not know how to do what they want today, but I’ll figure it out.
I look down at the computer with a grin on my face and open it up. If I’m going to prove to Emery that I’m worth the permanent position, I need to do all the things correctly and quickly.
A sticky note on the computer has my username and password, and I log on to take a quick glance through the company emails. There’s the typical hire-on paperwork, but then there’s a list of the major projects and the people working on them. That seems strange. Why would anyone need to know what other people are working on?
I glance down at the time and close the computer. It’s time for my first weekly meeting, and when I walk into the idea room, everyone is standing up and facing Emery’s office. Excited whispers fill the air as I stand just a little outside the crowd.
My mental image of weekly meetings had something to do with a conference room and a bunch of charts and graphs. This is different, like the quiet before a concert or play. Who gets excited about a meeting?
And then Emery’s door opens, and he steps up to greet the crowd. I realize that the man standing in front of us is somehow different from the one I talked to in the elevator. I thought he was charismatic before, but now I understand the excitement.
This isn’t a normal meeting because Emery Brooks isn’t a normal man. He’s more of a celebrity than most movie stars because he doesn’t need a stage to perform on.
