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“I was able to get Asher to wrap up his current meeting early, and he’ll still be able to have a short meeting with Kincaid.”
I nod. Okay. That’s something. Not all is lost, right?
“I can’t believe I did that,” I say. “That was so dumb, I’m sorry.”
Ben shakes his head, trying to calm me down. “You’re fine. It happens sometimes, not the end of the world.”
I nod, trying to believe him, but the knot in my stomach refuses the settle.
And when, half an hour later, I receive an email from Asher, my heart drops.
Come to my office.
I feel sick to my stomach. Gritting my teeth and deciding to get this over with as fast as possible, I stand from my desk and hurry down the hallway with the Kings’ offices. I pause briefly outside Asher’s to take a deep breath, and then I enter.
Asher looks up from his desk, a frown on his face. “Typically, I ask that people knock.”
My eyes widen. “Sorry. I just—you emailed, and—”
“Shut the door.”
I do as he says, turning to face him. Silence reigns for a few unbearable heartbeats as Asher stares me down.
Finally, he says, “You forgot to add a very important meeting to my calendar.”
“I know,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. “I accidentally put it in for the wrong time. I thought I’d put 2 p.m., but it was a.m. and—”
“It doesn’t matter what youtriedto do, what matters is that two meetings of mine were cut short today.”
I swallow, every nerve in my body on fire. I can feel heat creeping up my cheeks and a lump forming in my throat. “I’m—I’m sorry,” I say.
“That doesn’t matter.” Asher leans back in the chair. “The meeting with Kincaid Group wasn’t overly consequential, but what if that had been a meeting with investors? What if it had been a meeting that cost the company millions of dollars?”
I’m silent, sure that whatever I say won’t be enough.
“I need an assistant I can rely on,” he goes on, and suddenly I have a horrible feeling in my gut that I might be about to get fired. I cling tight to my composure. “Can you be that for me?” he demands, his voice tight.
I nod immediately. “Yes, I can. This won’t happen again.” My voice is small, and I hate myself for it. The fact that I’m standing here and letting this man speak to me this way. But I need this job, and I can’t risk losing it.
“You can go, Olivia,” he says, turning away from me and back to his computer.
I slip out of his office seconds before the tears start falling. Furiously wiping them from my cheeks, I make a beeline for the bathroom, locking myself in a stall and taking deep breaths until my tears subside.
I’d been so excited, so hopeful about working for King Technologies, a leader in the industry, one of the top companies in Seattle. I’d been excited to start a new chapter in my life, especially after the traffic ending of my last one.
And not only has it been tense and awkward beyond belief, but now I’m officially on my boss’s bad side.
Asher King, arguably the most powerful man in Seattle, hates me.
Chapter 7
I move through the rest of the workweek in a haze. I manage to get by without further upsetting Asher, although his cold demeanor doesn’t change in the slightest.
When 5 p.m. Friday rolls around, I’m more than ready to get the hell out of the office and spend two whole days away from here. Ben gives me a sympathetic pat on the back before leaving, knowing what a rough start I’ve had to the new job.
“For what it’s worth, I like you,” he says. “And don’t worry, things with Asher will work themselves out.”
When I get home, I immediately dump my purse on the counter and collapse on the couch. I glance around my small apartment. I’d already started packing a few things up in boxes in anticipation for the move.
