Carmen had her own job, of course, as a marketing associate but when she got home at night, she helped me refine my pitch. Now that it was done, we would move on to the next step together. Carmen believed in me and that was the best thing that I could ask for. My parents weren’t around any longer and so it was nice to have someone that not only looked out for me but who believed in me in the same way that a proud parent would. I really needed that in my life and Carmen was an awesome person to do the job. Carmen was the more realistic out of the two of us and she kept me grounded when I had my head in the clouds which helped because I had pretty big dreams. She kept things realistic when it came to our chances of making headway with my project. There were times that my head could get stuck in a cloud and she was the one that brought me back to planet earth. That’s why she was a great person to help me with my tasks. She kept me on track to my goals and I hoped one day that she would partner with me on something huge.
“I’m going to open the wine and you start talking about how your day was? Did you get to meet anyone?”
I started to explain my day and how I was able to get by Finn Stark’s receptionist and actually talked to him. I explained how he had just let me talk instead of kicking me out. I also told her how he was a complete savage at times and knocked me down a few pegs. I certainly hadn’t liked that part, but it was expected from someone as powerful as Stark. I don’t think I could ever fool a person so hands on.
Her mouth dropped open which was completely justified. She listened in disbelief as I told her what happened in Finn Stark’s office. Carmen was super impressed that I just walked right into the CEO’s office and started pitching to him. I was pretty impressed with myself as well. How could I not be, I walked in there completely fearless.
However, I wasn’t confident throughout. In fact, I had to admit that it had been tough keeping my composure because I was shaking in my boots the entire time.
“I have to admit though, I was terrified being in that office. I know it didn’t show but my heart was thundering through my chest.”
“Well, that’s understandable, who wouldn’t be scared in that situation.”
“I had to go for it though, I saw the opportunity and I went for it. I struck out everywhere else, so I figured, what did I have to lose?”
I then went into explaining how Finn Stark had offered me a six-month job offer, on a probation period of course. I went into all the details about what he offered and what he expected of me. It was exciting to think that he was giving me the opportunity to prove myself and if I did, I would be able to work on someone big with him. I was confident in myself, and I knew that if I put my best foot forward, I would be able to do great things.
Carmen let out a whoop of delight at the revelation that I had a job offer.
“It’s a good thing too because your funds are starting to dip pretty low. If you are going to hang onto enough funding to have any stake in the deal that you are proposing, you have to start bringing in money.”
“Yes, I know. That’s so important and you are absolutely right. This couldn’t have happened at a better time.”
“How much will you be making? I bet it’s going to be a pretty penny.”
“I have no idea,” I said sheepishly. “We didn’t really get that far.”
“What? You didn’t negotiate that yet? He could be paying you minimum wage for all you know. You don’t get into something like this without knowing all the details of your position. C’mon, Harper I can’t believe you would do that.”
“I know, you don’t have to lecture me. I didn’t expect him to offer me a job in the first place. I got a little flustered. That’s all. You don’t know what it was like to be in that room. He’s a billionaire and so very handsome. You don’t think you know how handsome he is until you see him up close. He takes your breath away.”
“Whoa girl, are you falling in love? Love at first sight…already?” Carmen said with a laugh.
“To be honest, the whole time that I was with him. I got more of a vibe from him that he was more interested in me than the deal I was trying to give him.”
“Of course, he was, you’re a babe.”
I felt a blush creeping up on my face. “I don’t know. It could have just been wishful thinking on my part. The guy probably has gorgeous women around him all the time.”
“Yeah, and you’re one of them, may be the best of them.”
“Well, if I thought I had a chance I would be on him in a hot minute. I mean, who wouldn’t?”
“Let’s not forget that you are a virgin, Harper. So, don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“Don’t remind me. The 24-year-old virgin. Why did I wait so long?”
“Because you’re a good girl and there’s nothing wrong with waiting. You’ve been through a lot over the past few years. It’s understandable that having sex wasn’t on the top of your priorities.”
“Well, maybe this is my chance.”
“I think you need to remember why you went in there and it wasn’t to lose your virginity. Keep your eye on the prize. Just behave yourself, Harper, this is your big shot, don’t screw it up over a guy. The last thing that you want is to get fired for sexual harassment on your first day.”
We both laughed. It was true. Finn Stark was completely hot and had everything you could want in an eligible bachelor, but I didn’t walk into that office yesterday looking for a boyfriend or even a fling. I went there because I have a mission when it comes to the candy factory. I knew that it could succeed, I just needed to get Finn to see things my way. I hated that my inexperience seemed to be the only thing that spoke for me at the moment. It was irritating. Just because I was inexperienced, it didn’t mean that I wasn’t right or that I couldn’t make it happen. I just needed the chance to prove myself. It was my chance to prove to Finn that I was more than he thought I was.
****
Monday morning was a stressful one for me. I was up at 5 am because I couldn’t sleep. I was so nervous about my first day working for Finn Stark. I wondered where I would be in the building and if I would even have any contact with the CEO. I would be lucky if it didn’t end up being a big sick joke. Maybe, I would get there and there would be no record of my employment. He could have done anything to make sure that I got out of his office.
I was determined to make a good first impression no matter what.
When Carmen got up at 6:30 she was shocked to see me there sitting on the couch drinking coffee. I was already on my second cup which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. I was just trying to calm my nerves before I made my way into my first day on the job.
“Everything okay? You’re up early.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“You are going to do great today, so stop worrying about it. Seriously, good luck, you got this.”
“Thanks.” I watched as Carmen went into the kitchen to grab herself a cup of coffee. She was right. I was worrying over nothing. I could do this; I just knew that I could.
When I arrived at the office, I almost thought that I might not be on the receptionists list. I was sure that I would walk up there and that she would have no knowledge of me working for the company. That would be a great joke that Stark could pull on me to teach me a lesson about sneaking into his office. Still, I made my way up to the top floor and reported to the receptionist. She looked me over from top to bottom before checking the list on her computer. I looked down at my outfit to make sure that I had dressed appropriately. What exactly was she looking for?
“Yes, Miss Cole, follow me.”
I followed Rebecca down the hall wondering where they were going to put me. Probably in one of those small cubicles where the rest of the grunts worked. My eyebrows raised as she led me to Stark’s office. He probably just wanted to make sure that I showed up for the day. He was sitting at his desk typing away at his computer when Rebecca and I entered. He looked up from what he was doing and his eyes scanned me up and down just like the receptionist did. Now, I was
starting to get self-conscious.
“You will be working in here with me,” He said as he motioned towards a workstation that he set up across the room from him. Thankfully, he had a really large office!
“You want me to work right in your office,” I said, feeling more than a little confused.
“Yes, I would like to keep a close eye on you for the time being to make sure that you don’t fuck up anything crucial.”
I had to fight really hard not to roll my eyes as a blush crept onto my cheeks. I could see Rebecca smiling from the corner of my eye and it was embarrassing to say the least. It was clear that he had returned to his gruff demeanor and I was more than a little disappointed.
I just nodded, choosing not to bait him even more. I went over to the desk that he set up for me and turned on the laptop. I immediately started in to work, determined to prove myself and to learn from the master of business.
5
Finn
I was looking through some contracts that needed my signature immediately and I had re-read the same paragraph about ten times and the information still wasn’t sinking in. I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing and if I had to read the same paragraph again, I might lose my mind. What was the matter with me? I always had serious iron focus and yet it seemed to have left me completely. I sighed and looked over to see my distraction getting up from her desk and leave my office. She was likely going for coffee and it was hard to see her walk away. She looked fantastic wearing a simple blouse and a tight black pencil skirt. Those pencil skirts might just be the end of me.
I might like to talk myself out of it, but I knew deep down that she was the reason that I couldn’t concentrate on anything that day. I was way too interested in her for my own good. It wasn’t just that day either, I had been thinking about her since the moment I met her, and all weekend long. I wanted to get into work soon, so that I could just get a glimpse of her. I thought about the way that she smelled, and especially the way that she bit her lower lip. It was easily the sexiest thing that I had ever seen. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I had never felt that way about a woman since Emelia and I barely knew Harper. I felt like I was obsessing over her and that wasn’t like me at all. I never went crazy over girls; it just wasn’t my style. I was the kind of guy that obsessed over my career and nothing else, especially since Emelia died. And yet, here I was…mooning over a girl that I barely knew. Harper had completely taken me off guard and I didn’t know what to do about it.
That’s why I insisted that she work in my office even though Rebecca had raised an eyebrow over it. I thought that it would be good for me to have her close by. I would have an opportunity to work through my attraction to her by making myself realize that she wasn’t all that I thought she was. I could work through it, move on with my life and get buried in my work once again. It was a simple plan really. Once I got buried back into my work again, I could stay there until I got to meet Emelia in the next life. Once I learned more about Harper, I would realize that she was nothing like my Emelia and then things could get back to normal again.
When she came back into the office, she smiled at me and I melted all over again. Seriously, Finn, get a hold of yourself, I thought. I got up from my desk and walked over to hers. She looked up when I approached and I was all business. She tried to joke around with me, but I wasn’t there to make friends. I briefed her on the deal that I was working on so that she could get prepped on it as well. I would need her to be as knowledgeable as possible on the deal if she was going to help me in any way. I explained that it was a massive revitalization project that would spin out commercial, light industrial, and residential buildings. I valued the land alone at half a billion dollars and expected profits to match, once I could get access to the properties. Harper asked what I was waiting for, and I admitted that the person who owned the majority of the land in question had yet to decide to partner up or sell the land outright. She nodded as I explained things to her.
What I didn’t tell her was that part of the land in question was the candy factory that she had got her eye on. I didn’t want to get into it right now with her because I didn’t want her to start talking about how I needed to jump on her little project again. Plus, she would probably accuse me of going after the project after knowing that she wanted it. I had my eye on the project long before she walked into my office, and I wasn’t going to make the plan all about her. That was not what I wanted for the candy factory. I would fill her in on those details later on. As I explained my plans, Harper caught on quickly, and I found myself impressed with the kind of questions that she was asking.
I was going through some notes with Harper when Bryce walked in.
“Finn,” she said. “I haven’t heard from you all morning,” she added with a smile. “No marching orders from the general today?” She said with a big smile on her face. She was clearly in a great mood as she was starting it with a joke in the morning. I watched as the smile completely disappeared from her face when she noticed that Harper was in the room.
She stiffened at the sight of her. Bryce didn’t like surprises, especially ones that involved me. “I was just about to ask why you decided to shut yourself away in your office, but I guess I can see why.”
“Bryce, this is Harper. I hired her over the weekend to help me out with a particular project.”
Bryce took a deep breath and sighed. I could tell right away that she wasn’t very happy with me.
“Finn, can I speak to you for a moment in private?”
“Yes, of course.” I looked at Harper, “I will be right back. Bryce is my right-hand woman and we always go through a morning ritual together.”
Harper nodded and I headed out the door. I walked over to Bryce’s office. I was expecting that Bryce would not be happy that I had hired Harper without talking to her first. I always allowed Bryce to do all the hiring in the building because it was just something that I didn’t want to put my time into. She would not be happy to find out that Harper had snuck into my office.
Bryce was looking out her own picture window when I walked into the office. She turned from the window and immediately snapped at me.
“Who is the new girl? Since when do you hire people on your own and on the weekend?”
“Well, she just walked into my office after you left on Friday. She got by Rebecca and she came in and just started pitching. She inspired me and was clearly a smart girl, so I decided to give her a shot.”
“And it has nothing to do with the fact that she’s a pretty blonde?”
I smiled. “I think you know me better than that.”
“Yes, I do. I will be sending Rebecca home and looking for a new receptionist pronto because that behavior is unacceptable. You should not have to be worried about random people showing up in your office. Why didn’t you send the girl away or call security?”
Bryce was really fired up and more than a little outraged by the fact that Harper was in my office.
“Don’t you think you might be overreacting a bit? Rebecca just needs a warning; you don’t have to go firing her. Harper is a quick learner and things are already working out great. I would never have found her had she not slipped by Rebecca.”
“Okay, so let’s not have a receptionist at all, Finn. Then you can have anyone stopping by your office to talk to you. Would that be better?”
I laughed. “No, that’s definitely not what I want.”
“Finn, you know nothing about this girl, less than nothing. You have me vet these people for a reason. She could be a crazy person for all you know, you haven’t even done a background check on her. There is a reason that I’m here to do the hiring for you. The girl just wandered in your office, and she could be dangerous.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
“Well, did it ever occur to you that she’s here for the money?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“She’s a young, pretty, blonde who just so happened to sneak her way into an
immediate job position. How do you know that she’s not here for you? She could be a gold-digger for all you know. Like I said, you know nothing about her.”
“Bryce, you don’t need to worry about that. I’m not interested in a relationship with anyone. I’m not ready for anything like that so even if she is here for my money, she’s not going to get very far. I can handle myself, Bryce. I’m a big boy.” I said with a smile.
Bryce scoffed. “I have my doubts.”
“Thanks for always having my back, but this is okay, so don’t worry about it. Chill out, Bryce.”
She finally broke out into a smile. “I will be keeping my eye on this girl.”
“Fair enough.”
6
Harper
I had been at the company now for three days and I had to say that I was loving it so far. Finn Stark always seemed to be in a grouchy mood for some reason, but he also didn’t seem to mind that I was there. I really liked working here and I was learning a lot, mainly because Finn was so patient with me. He didn’t mind explaining things to me a few times if I needed it and he was never vague about what he wanted. He made sure that I had everything that I needed to succeed and that was something I really appreciated. I had worried that he might throw me to the wolves to see if I would come out on top, but that didn’t seem to be his game plan. He wanted me to be good at the project and he helped me along accordingly.
It didn’t hurt that I was working in the same office as he was so I could daydream about him all I wanted. He was pretty easy on the eyes and that made concentrating not as easy as I thought. I would find myself daydreaming about him throughout the day and looking at his handsome face. I called him Mr. Stark and I found myself getting a little turned on throughout the day as I thought about “Mr. Stark.” Everything about him seemed to be a turn-on to me. ‘Getting a little turned on’ was probably an understatement.
Sugar Daddy: The Forever Daddies Series Page 3