I couldn’t stop smiling. She was not a woman to be pushed around. That made me very happy and proved she was exactly what we needed in the company. Rand turned to look at me, one eyebrow raised before he turned back to face Bella.
“You might be all right after all,” he said before walking past her and out the door.
Her eyes met mine. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked like that.”
“It’s fine. You had a right to defend yourself. Please call me Adrian. I ask that everyone does. It feels weird to be called my dad’s name. What did you need to talk to me about?”
“I just wanted to come by and tell you how sorry I am for not only being late but for mistaking you for another intern or employee. I had no idea you were the Adrian. I feel foolish, and I am absolutely embarrassed about what I said.” Her hands twisted in front of her.
I shrugged a shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m glad we got to meet the way we did. It gave me a chance to see the real you and not the person meeting the CEO.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe I did that. I really am sorry.”
“Listen, you got off to a bad start. We all have those days. I just need two things from you.” I looked her in the eyes.
“What would that be?”
I held up a finger. “One, get your work done on time and make sure it’s good.”
She bobbed her head up and down. “Absolutely. I can do that. I swear I’m good at what I do, and I’m never late. I don’t miss deadlines.”
“Good. That is very good to hear. The second thing I need you to do is have some fun while you are here. Enjoy the city and the beaches and everything else we have to offer. Don’t spend all your time locked down in the hotel room or here with your nose buried in a computer screen. Make this a trip you won’t soon forget. Make memories that will last.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You’re my boss. Shouldn’t you be asking me to focus and work hard?”
I smiled, appreciating her stalwart dedication. “Yes, and I am, but I also don’t want to ruin this for you. It sounds like you are due some downtime. I don’t think it gets much better than the beach to get in some relaxation. I’m serious. Leave the laptop at home, and take it all in.”
“Thank you. I really do appreciate that, and I promise what happened today won’t happen again. I will be early from here on out. If you need me to stay late or work weekends, I’ll do it.”
I sighed. Clearly, she had ignored my second stipulation. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I don’t like to work every single day of the week. If I’m not here, you don’t need to be here.”
“Thank you again for this amazing opportunity,” she said. “I promise I will not let you down, and I will not make you regret giving me a chance. I’ll show the other guy too.”
I laughed. “Rand is usually a lot more relaxed than what he is right now. He had a bit of a rough night. Don’t take what he said too personally.”
She frowned, looking very displeased. “It was hard not to take that personal. It was pretty snarky.”
“It was, and I apologize for his behavior.”
“It’s fine. I should go. I need to get started on that assignment. I don’t want to be late.” She grinned.
“Thank you. I appreciate that. Bella, I’d like to think we run a friendly operation here. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t come to myself or even Rand if you have a question or a problem. We are here to help.”
“I’ll remember that. Thanks again, for everything, breakfast, saving me, and letting me keep my job for the time being.” She turned around and walked out the door.
I couldn’t help but admire her pretty ass in those pants. I liked that she had taken the initiative and dressed nicely. The other female intern had worn jeans, as did the two young men. While I didn’t mind casual, I did appreciate someone who knew the importance of dressing the part of a professional. Bella was different. I realized I’d already made that observation, but now I knew it to be true. I had a feeling she was going to be something special. Rand had been wrong about her bringing the company to its knees, but he may not have been wrong about her bringing me to my knees. I was already ready to grovel at her feet for another one of those pretty smiles.
Chapter 8
Bella
I’d had jobs in the past, but none of them came close to comparing to this one. At my previous jobs, the first few days had been boring and all about learning the ins and out, taking tours, talking about safety and what went where and so forth. Not here. Here, I felt like the gunshot had just gone off at the starting line, and it was a race to see who could make it across the finish line first. With my late start, I felt light years behind the other interns.
My cubicle was bare, minus the company laptop, a cup for pens, and a small scratchpad with the company letterhead. I put my purse and personal laptop under the desk and flopped the binder full of paperwork that needed to be completed, manuals, and various other information that needed to be gone through on the small end of the desk.
We already had our own list of tasks that needed to be done within the next few days. I couldn’t help but think I had bitten off far more than I could chew. I was overwhelmed. I felt like I was drowning with no one around to throw me a life preserver.
“Hi!” a cheery female voice said.
I looked up and found pretty brown eyes with dark, sculpted eyebrows staring at me over the wall of my cubicle. “Hi,” I said, wondering why the woman didn’t just walk around.
“Can I come in?” she asked with a grin.
I giggled at her obvious joke about our lack of offices. “Please do.”
When she came around the edge of the cubicle wall, I got my first glimpse of her. She was petite and pretty, and her curly, dark hair made me think she was a native.
“I’m Cassia Soter,” she said, extending one small hand.
I took it and gave it a shake. “I’m Bella Kamp.”
“You’re American?”
“I am,” I said with a laugh. “What gave it away?”
“I love your accent.”
I found it funny that the people I had met felt like I had an accent when I felt the exact way about them. “Thank you. I like your accent as well.” I giggled.
“Today is your first day, which means you must be one of the interns Adrian hired.”
“That obvious, huh?” I asked, wrinkling my nose.
She shrugged a shoulder. “Not so obvious, but this workstation is kind of where the temps sit.”
“I guess as an intern, I shouldn’t expect anything permanent,” I said with a sigh, knowing I should feel lucky I was given a desk at all after my start to the day.
“Actually, I have a little confession,” she whispered.
That scared me. “Oh?”
“I knew you were Bella. I’m going to be training you, showing you the ropes, and all that stuff. If you have any questions, just ask.”
I smiled. “Thanks. I thought I was being tossed into the deep end with no one there to save me.”
“Nope. You have me. I’m your shadow for the next few days, or longer if you need.”
I relaxed and turned on the company laptop, taking a seat in the provided chair and waiting for it to boot up. “Okay, let me enter in my password,” I mumbled, flipping open the binder I had been given and quickly typing in the username and password I had been issued.
Cassia put her hand on the laptop and gently closed it. “Not right now.”
I looked up at her and then at the other interns, who were already on their computers with their shadows behind them. I didn’t understand why Cassia was telling me not to start on the assignment, which included reviewing a potential client file and coming up with a unique pitch.
“Shouldn’t we be getting started on creating my company profile?” I asked nervously.
She squished up her nose. “That is too easy and boring. You are going to have plenty of time to sit in this tiny little cubicle and work on the
computer. Let’s go for a tour. You’ll need to know where the break room is, the bathrooms, and things like that.”
I grimaced, not wanting to argue with my shadow, but also not wanting to be waylaid. I hated not being done first with my work. I was used to being the student or employee who was always on the top because I did nothing but what I was told. She was trying to pull me out of my comfort zone, and that freaked me out.
I didn’t get up from the chair, looking at the closed laptop and then up at Cassia, who was smiling at me. “All right, um, how long do you think this will take?” I asked, already planning to skip lunch.
She giggled softly. “Adrian was right about you.”
My eyes widened. “Right about what?” I asked, slightly panicked.
“He said you were going to be one of those people who worked right through lunch. You’d be here before everyone and long after everyone went home. He told me to show you around, help you loosen up a little more, and let you settle in. He said he knows your type, and you will feel more relaxed when you have your—I think he said—bearings?” She said the word as if it were the wrong one.
I grinned and nodded. “Yes, bearings, and maybe he’s right a little. I got lost this morning and didn’t have time to come in early and get a feel for the place. I’ve been to the conference room and here. I’ll probably get lost just trying to get out of the building.”
My dad had always told me I wouldn’t be able to find my way out of a wet paper bag. I was beginning to think he was right.
“All right, shall we go?” she asked.
I felt a little better about leaving the cubicle. Adrian had personally asked her to show me around. That made me feel valued. Or he’d asked Cassia to show me around because he didn’t want to have to come and rescue me again.
I followed her around the fourth floor where the main offices for the company were kept. When someone wasn’t on the phone, she would pop her head in and introduce me. I met a lot of people and remembered almost no names. I was focused on remembering where the bathroom and breakroom were and the exits.
“How long have you worked here?” I asked Cassia as we leisurely strolled down a hallway lined with various framed awards and magazine covers the company had earned.
“I’ve been here two years now. I was hired back when things were really just starting to take off.”
I caught a glimpse of her profile and was trying to guess how old she was. Her skin was very youthful and could have passed for a teenager, but she sounded and acted a little older. I was guessing my age or maybe a couple of years older. Everyone we encountered seemed to like her. They all had little tidbits of personal information to talk with her about. Asking about her cat or what she did over the weekend and stuff like that.
“It feels like a really good environment to work in,” I told her.
She smiled and nodded her head. “It is. It isn’t stuffy, but it isn’t so relaxed that people are running around slapping each other on the ass.”
I gasped. “What?”
Her light laugh filled my ears. “I forget you’re American. We tend to be a little more relaxed. There is a code, but we’re not so worried about offending people. If you do feel like someone is saying things you don’t like or that are really inappropriate, you can tell me or Adrian.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that. I’m sure things will be fine. I can handle myself pretty well.” I did not want to be the squeaky wheel in a company that seemed to be running very smoothly.
“Adrian tells me this is your first time to Crete,” she said conversationally.
I nodded. “It’s my first time anywhere.”
“When did you arrive?”
“Saturday night,” I answered.
“No way!” she said excitedly. “You haven’t been out to any of the clubs or the beaches yet?”
Cassia had a very outgoing, exuberant personality. I imagined it would be impossible to hate her. She had a way of making everything sound exciting and appealing. Even our tour of the building had been more like a grand adventure than a bland, standard orientation tour.
“I haven’t. I do plan on getting to the beach after work or maybe this weekend. I’m not really into the club scene though.” I hoped she didn’t take it wrong.
She grinned. “You don’t have to be into it. Maybe you’ve never been to one of our clubs.”
“I have not, you’re right,” I agreed.
“Every Tuesday, most of us go out for drinks,” she said, eyeing me up and down.
“Oh?” I asked.
“Yes, and you have to come. It will be a great way for you to meet everyone, and you’ll get to see one of our favorite hangout spots. It’s a great place to have a good drink and unwind without all the teenagers hitting on you.” She winked.
I laughed. “Funny you should say that. My one and only visit to a bar here and that’s exactly what happened.”
“You stick with me, and I will show you a good time,” she said.
“What kind of place is this? I mean, what do people wear to bars or clubs here?” I asked, cataloging the suitcase I had packed and not coming up with anything that would be suitable for any of the clubs I had been to back home.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. Just a place to have some fun. I have a dress that will fit you. I’ll bring it tomorrow.”
I shook my head, looking at her body and determining I was several inches taller than her. We were about the same size in other areas, but I was taller. “You don’t have to do that. I can wear what I wear to work.”
She turned up her nose. “No, you can’t. Not to a club. You’ll look like our grandmother. Dress up and let loose. No one knows you here. You can be anyone you want to be. That’s thrilling! I wish for that kind of anonymity. Where I grew up, everyone knows me or my brothers. It all gets back to them. You can be free!” She squealed, raising her hands in the air and shaking her head.
I laughed. “I don’t know much about being free.”
“I’m going to teach you. I want to live through you.”
“We’ll see,” I said, not making any firm commitment.
She was nodding, leaning back and studying my figure a little too closely for comfort. I felt naked under her stare. “I have the perfect dress for you.”
I had no idea what that meant. “Thanks.”
“Now that we’ve had our grand tour, let’s head back and get you busy. We can’t slack off all day.” She grinned to show she was teasing.
I followed her back, both anxious and nervous about work and her plans for tomorrow. Part of me wanted to back out and make up some excuse about why I couldn’t make it. The other part of me knew I was only going to be in Greece for a short time, and I wanted to try and have as much fun as I could. People like me didn’t get these chances often. I had to make the most of it. I wanted to tell my dad I went out clubbing and had a great time with new friends. I couldn’t lie to him, which meant I had to actually do it. I could put on a dress and shake my ass for a couple of hours if that was what it took to fit in and blow off a little steam with my coworkers. I was twenty-three after all, not ninety.
Chapter 9
Adrian
I stared at the man across from me, trying to size him up. I met with potential clients all day long. Usually, I went to their places of business to try and convince them they wanted my services. With the growth and success of the company, the tables were slowly turning, and now I had people lining up to get a meeting with me. It was definitely a good sign and one I was happy to see. However, I had to be careful about the jobs I took on. One bad decision could cause everything I had built to crumble to the ground. Word of mouth was important, and if I failed to please one client, he was going to shout it from the rooftops.
The reason I had been successful with few hiccups on my journey to the top was that I made it a point to learn from the mistakes I saw other social media platforms making. I took what they did, tweaked what worked, and made it my own, while avoi
ding the mistakes that had been made along the way. Social media could be a brand’s biggest asset or biggest enemy, depending on who was minding the store, so to speak. One wrong word, one wrong hashtag, bad timing, or anything else could cause a campaign to explode in the worst way. Listening to the man pitching his ideas about what he wanted, I knew his pitch would be one of those that exploded in the worst way.
I shook my head, rubbing my jaw and reviewing the paperwork the man had brought me. “I’m not sure this proposal, as it is written, is a good fit for my company,” I said, trying to be diplomatic and not offend the guy, but I didn’t want his business. It wasn’t something I wanted my name attached to as it was written.
He shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t see the problem. It’s a site meant to connect travelers with other travelers. They can share their experiences and talk about hits and misses. I want a section where people can meet up with one another to possibly share travel expenses or rent homes, boats, planes, whatever.”
I grimaced. “It sounds great in theory, but what happens if someone joins your site, finds a single woman traveling alone, and takes advantage of the situation? Your site, and ultimately my company, could be held liable if something were to happen to the innocent, young woman.” I was already picturing the headlines.
He scoffed. “That’s a very unlikely possibility. There are plenty of other places someone could search for a single woman to take advantage of.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Look at the recent problems with some of those ride services. They are being sued left and right. I’m only looking out for your best interests.” I was trying to make him see the light.
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