Still, I did need a job, and he’d just promised to not mistreat me. I doubted he would get anywhere if he made it a practice of not keeping his word.
“I’ll let you know,” I said.
A flash of disappointment flickered in his eyes for just a second, and then it was gone. “All right. I’ll hold the position open for you until Monday.” He turned and left without another word.
I watched him walk away and then closed the door. I sat down on my couch, my stomach clenching with anticipation over the decision I had to make.
Why was I behaving as if I wasn’t sure what to do? The choice was clear. I needed those medical benefits, and it might be months before I found something else.
But I knew better than to act impulsively. I definitely needed to pray about it.
Chapter 6
Easton
On Sunday morning, I decided to go to church. It had been a while since I’d gone, mainly because I felt guilty every time I went. My parents raised Charlotte and me in a Christian home, but they were never strict, and they gave us plenty of leeway. When I was a kid, I prayed a prayer, asking Jesus into my heart, but it was so long ago, I rarely thought about it. In my college days, a friend invited me to a Bible study, and I went out of curiosity. I stayed for a few months, but other things competed for my attention and that was the end of that.
When Dad died, something stirred inside of me, and I started attending church again. Maybe it was the reminder that life is fragile and no one knows how long they have on this earth. Or perhaps I was tired of telling Charlotte I wouldn’t go with her. She went to a church with a younger crowd while Mom preferred a smaller congregation with older people. Mom was much more patient than Charlotte as she only invited me to church every six months.
“I’m glad you came this morning,” Charlotte said, elbowing me as we sat down on the pew before the service started. “I was starting to get concerned.”
“Why?”
“You keep your feelings wrapped up tight. I never know what’s going on in that head of yours.”
I shrugged. “I’ve just been busy.”
She smiled as if there was a deeper answer, but she knew better than to press the issue. I stared straight ahead, and we waited as people filtered in and sat down. It was a large congregation, so I felt a small measure of privacy. I was just one out of thousands, and I liked it that way.
When Pastor Steve Walker got up to preach, he turned to Philippians 2:3-9. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
I felt instant conviction and was reminded why I hadn’t gone to church lately. Every time I heard scripture read, I had an ache in my chest and knew I wasn’t living the way God wanted me to live. It was as if Pastor Steve held up a mirror, forcing me to take a look inside. It was ugly and painful and I didn’t like it.
At the end of the sermon, Pastor Steve prayed, and I wanted to ask God to make me into a man who followed in Christ’s footsteps, but I couldn’t bring myself to make that commitment. Putting others first wasn’t an easy task. Doing what Jesus did by dying on a cross was almost over the top to me. I was thankful He’d sacrificed Himself, but I didn’t understand that kind of love. It was beyond my comprehension.
After the service was over, I went straight home and changed into sweats and a t-shirt and began my jog through the neighborhood. I worked out every day in preparation for the Warrior Obstacle Challenge, and it was one of the few things that relieved my stress. There was nothing like having the wind blow through your hair as your feet pounded against the pavement. It was a solitary activity, and it gave me time to think without all the distractions.
I often took a route that led into town, and as I jogged by a deli, the scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, causing my stomach to growl. A homeless man sat on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, his clothes so dirty they looked as if he’d dragged them through the mud. This was an expensive side of town, but it wasn’t uncommon for the homeless to wander through on occasion. This man was waiting for a handout, but I didn’t have cash with me. He’d probably use it for drugs, anyway. I bit back my irritation that he was hogging the walkway, making it difficult for anyone to get by. I would have to veer into the street if I didn’t want to run into him.
Just as I was about to go around him, he stood and lifted a hand. “Could you help me out—”
“Not today.” I waved politely and kept going, feeling slightly guilty for not assisting him, especially considering the message Pastor Steve gave, but I didn’t have time for this. Someone else would have to help.
***
On Monday morning, my secretary, Verity, transferred a call to me from Maya, and Maya told me she would be ready to take the position after she’d given two weeks’ notice to her current boss. I hadn’t thought she’d say yes, so it came as a surprise.
After our disastrous date, I’d felt bad for the way things had gone. I’d pushed her buttons, and she’d stood up to me. She had no idea how beautiful she was when she was on fire, not that she cared about my opinion.
Charlotte was partly to blame for how things had gone. If she’d told me ahead of time that the date was with Maya, I would have prepared myself and gotten my head straight. I wasn’t angry with my sister anymore, but I did wish she’d been more upfront with me. To her credit, she had no idea I’d once had feelings for Maya. No one knew that.
Back in high school, I made choices I regretted now, but I couldn’t undo my decisions. I could only move forward and hope Maya would be willing to let bygones be bygones.
I left my office and walked down the hallway until I reached George Layman’s office. I knocked on the door and stuck my head in. “Hey, George.”
He was sitting in front of his computer but glanced up and smiled. “How’s it going, Easton?”
“Can’t complain. Listen, I just hired a human resources coordinator to help out. The plan is for her to start in two weeks, and she’ll report directly to you. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
“Awesome.” He grinned. “The rest of the team will be thrilled. They’ve been feeling the workload lately.”
“Great. Glad it works out for everyone.”
He scrunched his brows and gave me a thoughtful look. “What made you hire someone new? You didn’t tell me you were looking.”
“Oh, it’s a friend of my sister’s. She needs a job so I’m giving her the opportunity.”
George nodded. “I’ll bring her up to speed and give her whatever training she requires.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. I believe she’ll be an asset.”
I returned to my desk and Verity informed me that Darren Finley had called. I’d done some research about the Warrior Obstacle Challenge and found out he was the guy to talk to regarding training tactics. He’d competed in the race many times and had won first place more than once. I called him back right away, and he answered after the second ring.
“Hello, this is Darren.”
“Hey, Darren, it’s Easton Radcliffe.”
“Hi, Easton. Yes, I just tried calling you earlier.”
“Sorry, I missed your call. I wanted to reach out to discuss the Warrior Obstacle Challenge. Heard you give people pointers on occasion. I was hoping—”
“Oh, I can’t take another client right now. My wife recently had a baby, and that plus my current schedule are all I can handle at the moment.” He chuckled. “I don’t get much sleep these days.”
Disappointment washed through me, and I gripped the phone tighter. From everything I’d read, he was the best, and I
wanted the best to get me through this thing. Failing was not an option, and I needed this guy’s help if I was going to be successful. “Look, I understand you have a lot on your plate, but I’m willing to pay you whatever it takes.”
“Uh…” His voice wavered. “As tempting as that sounds, I really can’t. My calendar is booked, and my family is my priority.”
“I get it.” I sighed and glanced out the window. “What if we just met one time? You can go over training strategies and point me in the right direction. I’ll fly out to you. Just name the day and I’ll compensate you well. What do you say?”
“One training session should be okay. Let me look at my schedule and get back to you.”
“Great. Let me know and I’ll move everything around to make it work.”
“Sounds good, Easton. You’ll hear from me soon.”
Chapter 7
Maya
Two weeks later, I reported for work at the West Coast corporate office of Project Helpers. The Radcliffe building was located in Brentwood and had ten floors with the Human Resources Department occupying the top level, along with Easton’s personal office.
My official title was Human Resources Coordinator, though it was only a slight step up from an admin. I would mostly assist with paperwork, but if I did well, there was an opportunity for advancement in the future. And the salary was significantly higher than I’d expected. I was humbled that Easton was giving me this chance. He didn’t owe me a job because of a bad date or even because of our history. As hard as it was for me to admit, it said something about his character that he was trying to make it up to me, though perhaps it was less about his integrity and more about Charlotte’s persistence.
I laughed as a thought occurred to me. Now that I was his employee, there was no chance of us having a second date, not that I would have considered it, anyway. He was the last person I would ever go out with, but he probably felt the same way, especially after I dumped that chicken on his head. Charlotte must have been in la-la land when she set us up.
“Let me give you a tour of the building,” Mr. Layman said in a friendly tone, “and I’ll introduce you to the staff as well.” He was my direct supervisor, and I liked him instantly. He was very professional, and I sensed he would treat me fairly.
“Thank you. I’m excited to meet everyone.”
After the tour, Mr. Layman—who insisted I call him George—introduced me to the human resources team which consisted of Bruce Hill, Paige Nelson, Laurie Hernandez, and Deanna Baker. All were friendly but claimed they hadn’t received a heads up that they were getting a new member of the team. They kept exchanging confused glances, and I couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.
“I wish Easton had mentioned you,” Laurie said, appearing bewildered. She touched her perfectly styled brown hair, and I wondered how much hairspray it took to make it that stiff. “We would have discussed what tasks to give you ahead of time.”
We talked for a few minutes, and I learned she was close to retirement, and Paige was in her early fifties. Both women seemed extremely confident in their jobs.
“Laurie and Paige have seniority here,” George said. “They’ve been with the company for over twenty years.”
“We definitely need the help.” Paige lifted an eyebrow. “You look fresh out of college. Is this your first position in human resources?” Her tone wasn’t unfriendly exactly, but I could feel her assessing me as if trying to figure out how I fit in.
“It’s my second. I used to work at LAPicnics as a human resources admin.”
“That’s Deanna’s current position,” Paige said, nodding in Deanna’s direction.
Deanna stepped forward and extended her hand. She appeared to be in her early twenties and had strawberry blonde hair that was styled in a bob with layers in the back. Her blue eyes sparkled when we shook hands. “Nice to meet you. If you need anything at all, let me know and I’ll assist however I can.”
“Thank you.” There was a kindness about her that made me feel at ease right away, and I had a feeling I was going to like her.
Bruce stepped up and shook my hand. “Looks like we’ll be office mates. George informed me of that earlier this morning.” He appeared to be in his early thirties with a head full of messy brown hair that looked as if it wouldn’t behave with even the strongest gel. Black-framed glasses rested on his nose, and he had a good-natured smile.
“Hope that’s okay with you,” I said, feeling awkward once again.
“It’s fine,” George said, speaking for Bruce with a wave of his hand. “The office has plenty of space, and Laurie and Paige have seniority so they have their own offices.” He looked at Deanna. “Her office won’t fit a second desk.”
I glanced at Bruce nervously, but he only smiled and rubbed the back of his head, his eyes glued to my face as if he recognized me from somewhere. “I don’t mind at all. It’s a great idea, actually.”
Relieved that he seemed okay with it, I nodded and smiled back at him. The rest of the morning was spent getting situated in my new office and talking to Bruce. While he’d been somewhat shy when we were introduced, I was quickly learning he talked nonstop when given the chance, and while it eased some of the tension of starting a new job, it was a little off-putting at times. George had handed me an employee manual, and my task was to read through the entire thing. I did my best to make progress in between Bruce’s stories about past jobs.
The afternoon passed slowly, and I kept my head down, reading as quickly as I could in order to complete my task after Bruce had talked my ear off. The door was wide open, but I glanced up when I sensed someone in the doorway.
Easton stood there, his eyes practically boring a hole through me. His blonde hair fell over his forehead and a muscle in his jaw tensed as if making contact with me was a task he didn’t enjoy. He cleared his throat. “Hello, Maya. How is your day going so far? I meant to stop by sooner, but I got caught up with something.”
Bruce glanced up, appearing startled at the sound of his voice, and he straightened in his chair as if coming to attention. His good-natured vibe turned more sober and alert. “Morning, Easton.”
“Bruce.” Easton greeted him but didn’t take his eyes off of me, unnerving me with the full force of his gaze. He looked like a GQ model in his black suit, the jacket fitting snugly over his broad shoulders.
He was looking at me as if I were the only person in the room, and it was doing funny things to my stomach. The air grew thick and my head felt a little fuzzy. I had to remind myself that he wasn’t someone I could ever be with. That could not happen.
He was waiting for me to answer his question, so I smiled. “It’s going well so far. Everyone has been welcoming and Bruce has been quite accommodating. I’m thankful he’s willing to share his office.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” Bruce said, cheerfully, but he’d gone slightly pale, and I had to wonder if he found Easton intimidating. “I have a feeling Maya will turn out to be an outstanding office mate.”
Easton turned his attention to Bruce, his eyes shrewd and a little cold. “Yes, I’m sure she will be.” His voice held a protective note, and he studied Bruce suspiciously as if he were my older brother and had taken on the role of shooing away potential suitors. He’d gotten the wrong idea about Bruce, though. He wasn’t interested in me at all, but Easton’s brows lowered in concern, anyway.
The two men stared each other down, and I wasn’t sure what silent communication passed between them, but it was strange to be in the middle of it. Bruce ran a hand along the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with Easton’s close examination. He laughed uneasily and touched his jaw, looking down.
Easton smiled slowly as if giving a quiet warning. He had an opinion about us being office mates—I could see it in his eyes—but he was holding back. He turned his attention back to me, his gaze softening this time. “If you need anything at all, stop by my office. My door’s always open.” He paused at the doorway, his gaze lingering. “Nice earrings, by
the way. They look good on you.” And then he left.
I fingered one of my aquamarine gemstone earrings, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. Bruce turned to me, his eyes wide like saucers. “I’ve been here five years, and he’s never stopped by to say hello.”
“Never?” I wasn’t shocked by that information, but it seemed rather revealing to learn that Easton holed himself up in his office and rarely interacted with his employees.
“Maybe once. He was looking for George.”
“So, he’s not very friendly then,” I said, turning back to the employee manual.
Bruce contemplated that statement. “He’s not unfriendly exactly…most of the time. Just keeps to himself. One might say he’s intense.”
I laughed. “He is that.”
“I don’t mean to make it seem like he’s not a good boss. He’s fair, and from what I’ve seen, he runs things pretty smoothly around here. Morale is good for the most part. Most of us find him intimidating, though.”
“I agree. He does come across that way.”
Bruce cocked his head to the side. “Do you two…know each other?”
“Not well, but we’ve met before.” I didn’t want to share too much about our history since talking about it would put Easton in a negative light. Plus, I didn’t want to talk about Easton at all. The less he crossed my mind, the better.
Bruce nodded and turned back to his computer. “Based on what I just observed, you’re soon to be teacher’s pet.” He laughed as if the statement amused him.
I suddenly had a headache and didn’t want to think about Easton anymore. “I’m not anyone’s pet. What you saw was nothing more than a man doing his duty.”
“Maybe.” He cleared his throat and mumbled something under his breath that sounded like “maybe not.”
About eleven-thirty, Deanna peeked her head in our office. “George asked me to show you where all the supplies are. Come with me.” She regarded me with a friendly smile and motioned for me to follow her.
Blind Date with my Billionaire Boss (Blind Date Disasters Book 5) Page 5