by Ford, Mia
“He cheated on you?”
“You sound surprised by that.”
“I am surprised. I can’t believe anyone would cheat on you.”
Is there a flirty tone in his voice? Am I being sucked in by it? “And why is that?”
“Because, first off, you’re absolutely gorgeous.” My heart flutters much faster. “But also, because you seem fiery to me. I would be far too scared to cheat on you. I imagine you’d kick my ass.”
I smirk, glad that he can see that in me, even if Trent couldn’t. I knew he was a player before I got with him, that he was the bad boy in the motorbike gang. He screamed danger and smelled like sex. That’s what drew me to him. At the naïve age of eighteen, I thought all he needed was an alpha female to kick him into touch. I’m sassy, I don’t take any shit; I thought I was going to be the one to change him.
What a ridiculous cliché.
Now that I’m out of the situation, I can see what happened is that I got manipulated. I allowed him to change me, to drag me away from my hometown and my friends and family who hated him. I threw everything into him and have come out with nothing. I’m sure that wasn’t the first time he cheated, that’s just the time he got caught.
Only a few hours away and I’ve already worked out that the last few years of my life have been a lie.
Now, on top of rebuilding my life, I also have to make connections and reform all the bridges I burned. What fun! At least I have a sheer determination within me. I don’t let anything get me down.
“Trust me,” I reply wryly. “I did kick his ass. Then I left him.”
“So, you’ve come back home, huh? This is where you grew up.”
“Yes, this is the place where I grew up. How about you?”
“No, I grew up in Ohio. I moved here for college and just never left.”
“Hmm, I see. That’s interesting.”
“Interesting? Is it? It seems pretty dull to me.”
“Everyone’s life is interesting to me because everyone is different.”
“Oh yeah? Why what college did you go to?”
“I didn’t go to college.”
“I see. The college of hard knocks. Something like that?”
His joke makes me laugh a little too much. For a guy in a suit, the complete opposite to Trent, he’s pretty funny. And so hot, I still haven’t gotten over how hot he is. I know I’m not allowed to touch while I give myself space to sort my own life out and to get used to being single, but I can have a look.
“Yeah, I guess you could say that. Hard knocks and rock music.”
“So, you left Delaware at the spur of the moment because of a cheating scumbag boyfriend, you’ve come back home, what’s your plan from there or aren’t you a planned sort of girl?”
“Normally, I would definitely say no to that one, I’m better acting spur of the moment, but I do need a plan to make things work here. I can’t go back and live with my family and I don’t have enough money to live forever in my apartment, however cheap the rent is, so the first thing I need to do is get a job.” I check my watch. “I actually have a job interview in a moment, so that should be interesting.”
I see him eyeing my outfit curiously, but it hardly matters what I wear. I’m going for a job in a dive bar, not some Wall Street shit that needs me in finery. This is just fine, thank you very much, and if it isn’t and I don’t get the job then fine. I’m not about to let anyone stop me from being me.
“After that… well, then I need to try and make things up with everyone. It’s been a while.”
“Because of the ex-boyfriend?”
“Yeah, because of him.” I can feel my expression twist up into a glower. “They all warned me about him, but I wouldn’t listen. Stupidly, I thought I knew best. Well, that came back to bite me on the ass.”
“Oh, we’ve all had moments like that, I wouldn’t worry. You aren’t alone.”
I grin at him, feeling my heart speed up just a little bit more. I think the fact that I know I can’t have him because I’m supposed to be on this stupid life journey, makes him even more tempting. My desire to grab him around the neck and to pull him in for a deep kiss is almost too much to handle.
“What stupid thing have you done then? Because you seem pretty sensible to me…”
“Well, when I was nineteen years old, my friends told me not to skateboard off the roof to the college building because I’d had far too much to drink and it would definitely end up in a visit to the hospital, but I did it anyway.”
I toss my head back and laugh loudly, the sight making me feel so much better.
“Oh yeah? And what happened?”
“Obviously, it ended up in a visit to the hospital. Many, many broken bones.”
“Wow… okay, well I suppose that makes me feel just a little bit better about my stupid decisions.”
“Exactly.” He nudges me playfully in the side, sending an unexpected flurry of desire all the way through me. Damn it, this is going to be harder than I first thought. My hands are itching to just touch him. “We’re all dumb.”
“Will you play?” All of a sudden, the little girl belonging to this man grabs my hands. “Mommy.”
It’s even more awkward her calling me this in front of her dad, especially now I know the story!
“Actually, I’m Lexi, but I can come and play with you for five minutes.”
“Aubrey,” her dad speaks out from behind me. “Her name is Aubrey.”
“Okay then, Aubrey. Why don’t I push you on the swing?”
As I push her, enjoying her gleeful gasps as she goes higher and higher into the air, I feel pretty good about myself. I haven’t ever really been around children before so I don’t know if I’m good with them or not, but with this little kid it seems easy. When I reconnect with my family, if they want me back in their lives, I suppose this is something that I should get used to. Some of them have children, so I better be prepared.
It feels quite natural with Aubrey. I hope that’s a sign of good things to come.
“Ah, thank you so much for playing with her, but I know you have your interview to get to and I don’t want you to be late.” The heat of this man’s body creeps through my system. “I can take over from here.”
“Right.” I step away, giving him the space he needs to push Aubrey. “Well, it was nice meeting you.”
There’s a weird pull in my chest, a part of me that doesn’t quite want to leave yet. This man is pretty much the first person I’ve spoken to since coming home, except for the woman on the phone when I set up my job interview, and the person who I rent the apartment from, but I don’t think they count. I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to this connection yet. It doesn’t have to be physical, maybe there’s a way we can just be friends…
“You know, I’m actually looking for a personal assistant at the moment, so if your job doesn’t work out…”
I swear I can see a flirty twinkle in his eye, I’m sure he’s attracted to me too. No chance of us just being friends if that’s the case. Not that I’d mind that.
“Oh, well maybe I’ll come in for an interview then, if this doesn’t work out.”
He slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out a business card to hand to me. As his skin brushes against mine I get that flurry of excitement all over again.
“Okay, well thank you. I guess I might see you soon then.”
As I walk away, my eyes dart down at the card and I see his name Cooper Ventry. Hmm, there’s something very intriguing about him. Something very intriguing indeed. Maybe I’ll sack this interview off and hold things out for him instead…
3
Cooper
I flick the resumes in my hand with a deep sigh, none of them feeling right. I wish Bryan didn’t get that amazing job offer. Of course I’m glad for him, I know that he’s wanted to go to England forever and to be honest, I knew it was coming, but it’s still left me at a complete and utter loss. He was the best PA ever.
Now, I need to try
and find someone who fits those shoes.
“Mr. Ventry.” I snap my eyes up and see the receptionist from the front desk, Sally, smiling at me. “There’s a woman at the front desk who says she wants to speak to you.”
“Does she have a meeting set up?”
“No, and I know you don’t usually see anyone without an appointment, but she won’t leave. She’s insisting that you want to speak to her, that you invited her in, so I thought I would come and check with you.”
I furrow my eyebrows, confusion running through me. “Who is it?”
“She said her name is Lexi.”
Lexi. That makes my heart stop dead in my chest. The beautiful woman from the park who looks like Nora, the one who I haven’t been able to shake off from my mind from the very first moment I met her. I guess I never really expected her to come here to actually see me for the job, but she has.
“Oh… right.” I sit up straighter, stiffening my spine. I don’t know what to expect from this. “I see.”
“So, should I send her away? I can tell her that you’re much too busy, I see all the paper work you have…”
“No, send her in. I want to speak to her.”
Sally’s eyes widen in surprise. “Oh right, of course. I’ll send her in then.”
I inadvertently tidy up my desk as if I want to impress this woman. Actually, I’m just trying to distract myself from the weird buzzing I have in my chest. I can’t help it, excitement blooms inside of me.
“Hey there, Cooper.” Her bright smile makes my heart flutter. “I hope you don’t mind me turning up.”
“I’m a little surprised. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
“Well, you suggested that there might be a job here and I really need a job.”
“The other interview didn’t work out then?”
She doesn’t answer with words, she just rises her shoulders into a shrug and shimmies into my office. She sits in the chair opposite me and gives me an expectant look.
“Okay, well like I said, I’m looking for a PA…”
“I can do that, I can be a PA. I know it isn’t something that I’ve done before, but…”
I need to not get sucked in by her beauty. I can’t hire her to fill Bryan’s shoes just because I like her a whole lot. She might have a spark that I think this office needs, but she needs to know what she’s doing.
“Well, I have a lot of resumes here that I need to go through, I have to do interviews.”
She leans on the desk, her eyes flaming. “Please, Cooper. I already know that I’m not your ideal employee, I don’t even have a resume for crying out loud, I’ve never applied for a job where I’ve needed one, but I need this. I might not have the experience that all the other people might have.” She points to the papers. “But I’m a fast learner, I’m determined, and I will throw everything into this job. I need it, and the fact that I need it so badly should tell you everything that you need to know. I won’t let you down, if you give me this chance…”
It tugs at my heartstrings, her words mean everything, but I still can’t get too sucked in. “I mean…”
“Please, Cooper.” She grabs onto my hands and holds me. “Please, give me a chance. I’ll figure it out, I won’t even make you train me. I’ll figure it all out on my own, you can even pay me less.” Her eyes become wet with tears. “I need this, I really do. I have to start again and I can’t think of any other job that will pay me enough to live on my own, that will help me to start again. I know that we’ve only met briefly, but I’m sure that I can trust you. I know for a fact that you take care of your employees well. I mean, look at this place! It’s incredible. I want to be a part of it, and I want to leave my past behind. I can’t end up going back.”
I nod slowly, accepting everything that she’s told me. “Okay, look. I will give you a chance.”
“You will.” Relief absolutely floods her. I can see it. “Oh, thank you so much. You have no idea what this means. I will not let you down, I’ll do… whatever it is that you need me to do.”
“I know, I believe you.” I let out a chuckle. “You know what, I’ll call Sally in here and she can show you about the place. Then you can get to know some people. She’s really nice.”
“Oh.” She looks down at her outfit. “I dressed in the smartest stuff I have, but I don’t think I look right.”
“Don’t worry. It isn’t what you look like, it’s all about the work you do.”
I stand up and move from behind my desk. I indicate towards the door. Lexi and I walk towards it and I take her back to the front desk. My heart thumps violently in my chest as we go, I feel all excitable, like a teenage boy talking to his crush. Not that this is like that, this is just me doing a nice thing for someone.
“Sally, Lexi is going to be my new personal assistant, starting tomorrow.” I give her a look, questioning if this is okay, and she nods back. “So, do you mind showing her about the office so she knows it?”
“Oh, right.” Sally looks surprised again. “Yes, of course I can. Hello, Lexi, it’s nice to meet you.”
As they walk off, I press my hands to my hips and smile. I feel good about what I’ve done; this is nice. Lexi might not be the best person who will one hundred percent make my life easier, but I’ve done a nice thing. I’ve helped out someone in need, and if I can’t use my fortune for that, then what can I do?
“Who is that?” Adam whistles beside me. “That’s one of the models, right?”
“Actually, that’s my new personal assistant.”
“She is?” He cocks one eyebrow at me. “That woman is your new Bryan?”
“She is.” I feel a bit defensive about my decision now. “She’s going to do a great job.”
“Okay, if you say so. Do you know if she’s single?”
I dart my eyes towards him, glaring at him angrily. “You can’t hit on her.”
“Why not?” He actually can’t believe it, I can see it in his eyes.
“Because… because…” Admittedly, I don’t have an answer to that. “Workplace fraternizing.”
“You are joking, right? That happens all the time here. It might cause a bit of drama but it never hinders work.”
I sigh loudly, knowing that he’s right. I haven’t ever had an issue with it before, but with Lexi it isn’t going to be as simple. Even the idea of Adam, or any of the other guys here, going anywhere near her makes me feel a bit sick to my stomach. I want to wrap her in bubble wrap and not let anyone else near her.
“Yeah, I suppose so. But I don’t think she’s single anyway.”
“Hmm, that’s a shame. I would love to get my hands on her. She’s hot.”
“Don’t speak about her like that. Have some respect.”
He snorts and walks off, leaving me quite annoyed. I think I might need to have another seminar about sexual harassment. I know he might just see it as just a bit of lad banter, but it isn’t acceptable here.
Anyway, I can’t focus on that now. I also can’t stand around watching Lexi being shown around the office either. If I keep doing it, I’ll end up a creeper. I have so much work piling up on my desk anyway, orders to be placed, samples to approve, photographs to look through… I’ll have to see her tomorrow now.
I force my legs to move, to take me back into my office, and I slam the door closed behind me. With a deep sigh I sit back down and I wonder what the hell just happened. How did I go from looking through all the resumes, planning to set up interviews, to hiring the gorgeous woman from the park?
The one who looks like Nora.
Maybe that’s why I got so swept away by her, perhaps it’s because she reminds me of Nora. Her personality isn’t the same, she’s got a lot more fire in her belly like she has something to prove, but her look is the same. I grab the picture on my desk of me, Nora, and Aubrey on a rare trip to the seaside. This picture always makes me smile every time I look at it, no matter how hard the day is. Seeing me and Nora with our faces pressed close together and baby Aubrey betwee
n us, I can just remember the laughter we shared that day, the fun. Nora was always making me laugh, she just had this funny, easy going way about her.
I miss you so much, Nora. I run my finger down her cheek. I wish you weren’t taken from me.
And now I have this beautiful woman twisting knots up inside of me, threatening trouble. Adam’s words and the reaction it stirred up inside of me spells danger and I don’t know what’s going to happen from here.
“Cooper.” I almost drop the picture back on the desk as I hear her voice. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you, I just came to say thank you very much. Sally has shown me about the place and explained the procedures. I think I know what I’m doing now… well, sort of.” Her infectious smile gets to me. “So, I’ll be in tomorrow.”
“Yes, that’s great. We start at nine AM.”
“Can I come in a bit early to have a chat with you? Learn what I can; I want a head start.”
“Of course. I’m always in once the nanny comes in. I’m here, usually after eight.”
“That’s great. Thank you so much. You’re a good man. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Well, I appreciate you coming in.”
There’s something in the air as we smile at each other, something intense and powerful. Butterflies flap in my stomach, my pulse speeds up about ten notches, my body reacts in a way that it has absolutely no business doing. I need to shut all this down, I know I should, but I can’t. There’s something about Lexi that makes me want to dive into danger, to follow her into whatever the hell she’s leading me into.
She might be trying to look smart in her plain white tee and her little black shorts, but I can still see the cool kid in there. Her tattoos shine through, I can see the black in, tempting me in. The fact that they are all slightly hidden under clothing makes them that much more sexy. My skin is bare clean; I’ve never even considered a tattoo. But if she told me to get one I feel like I’d be in the chair in an instant.
“I’ll see you in the morning then. Thank you again, Cooper. That means a lot.”