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Sarah shoots me a mischievous smile. “She’s also the prettiest.”
Like Rosa in the cafeteria and a few others, Sarah has worked at the clinic for almost a decade, and in all that time, she’s worked for me. It’s taken years to achieve the level of closeness and trust that we now enjoy and she can get away with telling me stuff that no one else can.
Still, I frown at her. “I didn’t notice her looks and frankly, that’s neither here nor there.”
“I was teasing but I can tell that I’ve hit a raw nerve,” she says unapologetically, then she grows solemn. “So I’ll hire her then?”
Do I really want to work with a woman I’m crazily attracted to?
Chapter 3: Olivia
I rinse my damp hands again and then slather lotion on them. I’m a nervous wreck and it’s barely seven in the morning. I stand in front of the mirror and stare at myself critically. The turquoise skirt suit that I’m wearing is one Chris and I bought at the department store. I have to say that it looks great on me. I’ve paired it with a cream blouse and killer red heels. Nothing gives a woman a dose of confidence like high heels.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” I tell my reflection and square my shoulders. I’m going to ace this assignment and Amelia is going to be floored by my work.
With that pep talk, I leave the bathroom and grab my phone and purse. I’m too nervous for coffee and I leave my apartment on an empty stomach. As I ride the elevator to the basement I check my phone. There’s a message from Chris.
All the best today. You’ll be great.
I smile and text him back. I don’t know what I would do without Chris. He’s my biggest cheerleader and somehow he always knows the right thing to say and when. We would have made the perfect couple if the chemistry had been there. Like with…no, I can’t think of that now. I have to start this job the right way, not lusting after my boss.
I caress the side of my little red Ford Fiesta, as one would a lover. It’s my proudest possession, bought in cash after years of saving for it. I press the ignition button and it roars to life.
I’ve kept thoughts of Jace Anderson at bay but as I drive to work, he fills my mind. God, he’s handsome. But that’s not what is worrying me. I remember my reaction when our gazes met. A zip of electricity shot through me and my heart kicked up several notches. Not the right reaction to meeting your boss. I inhale deeply and exhale slowly. Okay, I need to cut myself some slack. My reaction was perfectly normal for a single woman confronted by a ridiculously attractive male.
I show my security badge at the entrance and navigate my car to the employee parking area. I turn off the engine and sit in my car hyperventilating. Guilt constricts my throat. Sarah was so good and welcoming to me. As was Jace Anderson. I feel horrible that I’m lying to them about who I am. I remind myself that it’s for the overall good of future patients to know that they are safe in the hands of the clinic. It’s my job to investigate and write a well-informed piece. This is the kind of assignment that will open up doors for me at the magazine. Guilt is replaced by determination and my muscles tighten in readiness. All I have to do is to keep the bigger picture at the front of my mind.
I enter the building and wave at the two women manning reception. I take the elevator up to the third floor where the executive offices are. As I exit, I flash my badge at the security guard and walk down the hallway, the click of my heels swallowed by the thick carpet.
Sarah is already at her desk. Shit.
“Am I late?” I blurt out.
She smiles. “No, I just like to come early. So does Mr. Anderson. Your official starting time is eight. But I’m glad you’ve come early; I’ll have time to show you around.”
Relief surges through me. At the magazine, I’m almost always the first to get in after Amelia. I enjoy the quiet time before the office comes to life. It’s a lot quieter here at the clinic with just Amelia and Mr. Anderson on this floor.
“You’ll sit next to me today,” Sarah says, gesturing at the chair next to hers. “Do you want to have a coffee first before we go for the tour? We have a kitchen down the hallway and the best coffee machine.”
“I’d like to do the tour first,” I tell her. I’m looking forward to knowing my way around the clinic. I glance at her belly. “Are you sure it’s not too much?” Sarah carries pregnancy well and I hope that one day in the distant future, I’ll be the same way. She doesn’t have that weary look that expectant mothers in their last trimester usually have.
Sarah makes a face. “I know I look as if I’m about to pop at any moment. The walk will do me and the baby good. Get him or her moving.”
“You don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl?”
“We want it to be a surprise.” Sarah grins.
I find myself wondering if she got pregnant naturally or if she used the clinic’s services. Her journey would make for an interesting story if she got pregnant via IVF or even better, sperm donation. I swallow down my curiosity.
We continue the conversation as we leave the office and take the elevator down. Baby talk is alien to me. Sure it’s on my list of things to do, like six years from now, as is marriage. Right now my career comes first and I want to have made a name for myself by the time I think of settling down.
“When Mr. Anderson is not in his office, you’ll find him walking through the clinic, talking to the staff and the patients,” Sarah says. “He’s a hands-on CEO.” She clearly likes and admires her boss which means I’ll probably enjoy working for him as well.
The Anderson Clinic is a lot bigger than I expected. We see the operating rooms which rival those at any big hospital, several ultrasound scanning rooms, and now we’re walking through a ward with private rooms for each patient. The atmosphere is not that of a hospital. With neutral colors and classy furniture, it feels more like a home away from home. If it weren’t for the equipment, you’d be fooled into thinking you were in a hotel.
My interest is piqued when we get to the waiting room of the fertility wing. There are already two women waiting and a couple all engrossed either with a magazine or their phones. Sarah calls out ‘good morning’ as we walk past.
She stops at reception and introduces me to the nurse manning it. “Liz, this is Olivia James. She’ll be working for Mr. Anderson while I’m away,” Sarah says.
