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“I know,” she said. “I just thought I could leave things organized for you.”
“There’s no need,” I replied.
“Fine.” She pursed her lips, shaking her hair out defiantly. “I’ll clean my desk out and be gone by lunch.”
“Good,” I said.
“I’ll send you your schedule over email,” she threw out as she strode from the room.
My schedule? Did I already have meetings to attend? Had I walked right into my father’s shoes without a chance to get settled? Was someone waiting outside right now? I poked my head out of my office to look around. There was no one waiting for me other than Lauren.
She looked up from her own desk, a cardboard box settled comfortably on top. I was pleased to see that she was doing exactly as asked. The sooner she was cleaned out and gone from the building, the better I would feel. I didn’t want her to leave without explaining her last statement, though.
“You said you were going to email me my schedule?” I walked toward her, taking up residence beside her desk.
She was about to put a stapler in her box but thought better of it. “Yes.”
I didn’t care about the stapler, but I could tell that it wasn’t hers. I grabbed a framed picture of her as a teenager astride a pony and placed it in the box. If she couldn’t tell, I was helping her pack.
“Do I have any meetings today?” I asked.
She shot me a hateful glance. “It’s not my fault.”
“What’s not your fault?” I demanded.
“Figure it out for yourself,” she snapped, grabbing a potted plant from the corner of her desk and stuffing it into the box.
I countered by picking up a paperweight and dropping it down next to the plant. She held my gaze, her eyes burning with indignation. She ripped a drawer out and scooped up a handful of candy bars, never breaking eye contact.
Tired of that stupid game, I went back to my office. The email with my schedule probably wouldn’t show after all. I would just have to figure it out as I went along. I realized that before I worried about what had or hadn’t occurred on the office furniture, I would need a secretary.
It would have to be someone who was easy to work with, who was pleasant and intelligent. I wanted someone who would make a good impression on all the clients and managers who came to talk to me, but not someone who would steal the show. And I definitely didn’t want anyone who would tempt me into a romantic relationship. I didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps. An office affair was out of the question.
When I hired a secretary, she would be a professional. I would maintain my distance at all times, treating her like a colleague, and nothing more. If we had to work late, we would each stay in our own office and communicate over the intercom. She would definitely keep my schedule and not lord it over me, as if I was incapable of setting an appointment myself.
I was eager to get started, but again, my mother was sitting on my desk. I looked longingly at the computer perched right beside her knee. Maybe I could bring my old desk up here for the time being. That was probably the best course of action. I could work around both my mother and my father, leaving their whole saga for another day. Realizing that I was going to have to take matters into my own hands, I walked out of the office. Past Lauren’s desk and down the hall, I retraced my steps to my old office.
One of the VPs was in the room, taking a phone call. I interrupted him, “Hey. I’d like to take this desk with me.”
“Of course,” he replied without thinking about it.
“I’m short a secretary,” I admitted. “Would you get a few folks to move it?”
“Sure thing.” He shut his phone and put it in his pocket, following me out into the hall.
“Are you using that office?” I asked.
“I haven’t been transferred yet,” he replied. “Although it’s the best one next to your dad’s. I mean yours.” He looked sheepish, as if I was going to be upset with him for bringing up my father’s name.
“We can put one of the desks from the third floor in there,” I said.
“No problem,” he agreed.
I walked back to my office to wait for the cavalry. I had a new desk and a new chair coming. All I needed now was a secretary.
Chapter 2
Ava
