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“I’d like to go out to dinner, as long as you are sure it won’t cause problems for you with other employees.”
“I’m the CEO and owner, sweetheart. If anyone doesn’t like me seeing you, they can look elsewhere for employment. Just because we date doesn’t mean you will be afforded any favours here at work.”
“Good. I want to earn my place here, and if I’m not good enough, I want to be told as much.”
“I have a feeling you will be very good.”
“I think it’s time I got to work, or the boss might show me the door for being a slacker.”
I laughed again, kissed her cheek, and releasing her wrists, pushed onto my feet before helping Elizabeth to stand.
“Enjoy your day and I’ll call you tonight.” I kissed her cheek but wanted so badly to devour her pretty mouth. Before I could do so, I pulled away.
When I opened the office door, Raya and Owen looked up from where they were seated at a desk, I assumed would be Elizabeth’s, and as we both approached the pair stood.
“Thank you, Mr Jackson.” Raya placed a hand on my arm.
“No need to thank me. Owen recommended you because you have earned the position.”
“Well, thank you both.”
“Raya is taking Owen’s position as division manager, so I can have my general manager back,” I explained to Elizabeth.
“As soon as you train Liz, I’ll bring you up to speed on your new job,” Owen informed Raya, who nodded.
“Well, I have work to do, so I’ll leave you to get on with things.” Elizabeth gave me a shy smile, and I grinned back before slapping Owen on the shoulder and heading back upstairs.
***
Friday Night
Devon, a young man in his late twenties who had been my driver for several years, pulled the car to a stop in front of a three-storey blue-painted tenement house illuminated by a streetlight.
“I won’t be long.” Pushing the door open, I stepped onto the concrete footpath, opened the gate, and headed up the walk to the front door. When I pressed the doorbell, Elizabeth answered. She was dressed in a pink lace dress that worked perfectly with her cascading waves, and when I looked down, I saw she was wearing pink heels.
“Heels?”
“I know a gorgeous man who will hold my hand, so I don’t fall…and they match the dress.”
“Now that’s something I’ll agree to without hesitation. Ready?”
“Yes.”
Elizabeth pulled the door shut and I gathered her hand in mine, prepared to take my role as guardian angel seriously. I settled her into the back seat of the car, then rounded the back and climbed in beside her. After introducing Elizabeth to my driver, and clicking our seatbelts on, Devon started pulling away, so I gathered Elizabeth’s hand once again.
I’d been looking forward to the evening all week. We’d spoken on the phone every night and learned about each other’s families. I’d told her about my parents, who had run away to Queensland and were enjoying their retirement playing golf, attending the theatre, dining out, and taking overseas holidays. And my sister, Ashleigh, two years my junior, and just as single, was working her way across Europe with her best friend, Natasha.
Elizabeth’s love for the family station had been obvious when she spoke, and I suspected she was feeling a little homesick. She’d relayed stories about her parents and twin brothers, as well as the hard work it took to make a station successful. I admired her work ethic and dedicated attitude. She admitted to loving her new job and excitedly told me about what she’d learned every time we talked. Raya had submitted a glowing report after Elizabeth’s first week saying she was a fast learner, applied herself, and absorbed everything like a sponge.
The verdict was still out as far as Murphy was concerned. Patrick’s report had advised he didn’t show much interest or appear to be focused.However, I believed in giving all my new employees a chance with a three-month probationary period, so Murphy still had time to get himself together.
“Ellie and Harper said Chez Vous is very exclusive and you have to wait months for bookings. They were very jealous when they knew you were taking me there. So, I looked up the name and it means ‘at home.’
“You’re right. The owners—Adele and Faustin Toussaint, came to Australia about thirty years ago. They bought the building that had originally been a mansion but was newly zoned as mixed-use. They moved into the top two floors with their children after renovating and then converted the ground floor into a restaurant. The name was chosen because they are literally at home. I have known the couple since I was eleven. Their son and I attended the same grammar school.”
“How clever to have a name with so much meaning. Do you know everyone in Sydney?”
I laughed. “Not likely. There are around four million people in this city, so I have no chance of knowing them all. Most friends and acquaintances I have are those I knew at school or people I met through my parents. In the case of Owen, I met him when we began at the company.”
