“Yeah, I was saying to Ralph the other day how sure I was that we were going to win. Goes to show what happens when you get too cocky. But don’t feel so bad Kason. You haven’t ruined things,” I said although I wasn’t sure how true that was. There was a big chance I wasn’t going to recover from this scandal. I was guilty by association. “What exactly happened? I assume you slept with her?”
He sighed. “I did. As I said, she was extremely good looking and seemed to want me. She was flirtatious with me from the start and very hard to ignore. Trust me; you’ll know what I mean when you see her.”
“I already saw a picture of her. I do see what you mean,” I said. She wasn’t the sort of girl I would go for, but she was definitely the type that Kason went for, so I really couldn’t blame her. A photo of her had already been circulated all over the media within minutes of the truth coming out. The photo looked very deliberate too, like she had specifically chosen it to get spread out into the world.
“She was all over me, and I just couldn’t say no. And she also seemed to have very little knowledge of who I was. I didn’t think she’d have an ulterior motive at all. I’m such an idiot. I’ve slept with people in the past, so I just assumed she was like all the others. I had no idea that this was all going to turn out this way.”
“So she set you up?”
“She totally set me up. I swear, she played dumb so well she could’ve been an actress. Maybe she is an actress. Who knows? I obviously don’t know who she is at all. She knew I had a lot of money and that I was in the public eye. She asked me questions when we were in bed together, but they all seemed so innocent. I’m such an idiot.”
“Did she say what she wants from you? I’m assuming it’s money.” It was always about money.
“Yeah, if I pay her, she’s going to retract her statement. And she wants a lot.”
I refrained from saying ‘I told you so’ even though it was on the tip of my tongue the whole time. “Are you going to do it?”
“What? Pay her? Are you kidding me? I’m not giving that bitch a dime. It’s not even about the money for me. I have money to give her, but that’s not going to do anything. To be honest, she’s already caused enough trouble for me. The damage has already been done. So paying her is not going to take the whole scandal away from me. If anything, it might make it worse. If word gets out that I paid her to keep quiet, I’ll be in even more trouble than I was to begin with. There’s no way I’m paying her. I’m just going to have to suffer the consequences of what happened. I can’t let her win. She can have her fifteen minutes of fame, and that’s it as far as I’m concerned.”
“What a mess. And how about Linda? What did she say?” I’d always liked his wife, Linda. It had always bugged me that he had only married her to get ahead in his career because she really was such a nice girl. I was certain that she loved him. And I had always thought that he loved her even though he claimed not to. I wasn’t sure why he fought it. They could’ve been such a great couple, if only he had allowed it.
For a while, he didn’t answer. We made our way around the golf course, playing in silence, and I wondered if he had even heard my question.
“She knew that I had been sleeping around. I’d never tried to conceal it much in the first place. You know what I’m like; it was probably pretty obvious. So that wasn’t a surprise to her. She said she was sad to know it for certain, though, but that now that it was in the public eye, she couldn’t stay with me. She didn’t want to be perceived as the sort of woman that just let her husband cheat on her. Which, I totally understand.”
“She left you?” I said. He deserved it, of course, but it still wasn’t nice to see my friend going through all of this. I wished I had made more of a deal about him sleeping around than I had in the past. I always told him that he shouldn’t, but I never pushed it. I figured it was his life and that he could do whatever he wanted with it.
He nodded. “Yeah, and you want to know something crazy?”
“What’s that?”
“As she left, I started to wonder if I had done the wrong thing. What if, all along, I really was with the perfect woman?”
“Ah, Kason, I don’t know what to say.” He had been with the perfect woman, but it seemed pointless to bring that up now. It was only going to make him feel worse about everything.
“You could probably tell me that you had told me that all along, and that you also told me not to get involved with the maid because she might be trouble. You could tell me that I messed up everything and that you never want to be friends with me again.”
“I won’t say that.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I was thinking that maybe I should take some time off.”
“But what about the campaign?” I said.
“I don’t know. It’s just an idea. Maybe I can spin this whole situation around and say that I need some time off for rehabilitation. The whole story might be more appealing to the public that way. I don’t know. It’s just an idea.”
I thought about that for a while and then nodded. “Yeah, you might be right, actually. You can get some time off, and we can use the story in our favor. It’s an idea. I’ll run it by Ralph and see what he says. We can’t go back and change things so this might be the only thing that we can do right now.”
“Josh, I’m really sorry about everything. I . . . I feel awful. I shouldn’t have been so careless. It was stupid of me, and I should’ve known. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for what I did. I probably should’ve felt this way a long time ago, but now that it’s out in the public eye, I’ve realized what an idiot I’ve been.”
“Don’t worry about it, Kason. I’ll rib you about it one day when the whole thing has died down. But for now, I’ve got your back.”
He smiled at me gratefully. “I look forward to the day when you mock me. At least then I know it’s not so serious anymore.”
We finished playing golf and turned our attention away from all the issues at hand. Sometimes it was good not to think about them at all. By the end of the session, we were both feeling a little bit better about everything. He apologized one last time and then headed off. I climbed into my car and heard my phone ring. When I saw it was Ralph, I felt nervous. Had something else happened?
“Hey, Ralph.”
“Josh, I tried to call you earlier but it just rang.”
“Yeah, I was actually out with Kason.”
“You were? How is he?”
“Ah, he feels awful. He’s not a bad guy you know. He just made a mistake. One that he feels awful about and is paying for dearly.”
“Hey, you don’t have to prove that to me. I like the guy; you know that. But maybe this will show him that what he’s been doing is wrong. Terrible damn time for a wake-up call, though. It hasn’t exactly put us in the best position. I’m a little angry at him, but he’s not a bad guy. Anyway, the reason I’m calling is I’ve decided to bring in some damage control.”
“Damage control? What do you mean?”
“Look, I don’t think any of us know what to do in a situation like this. We’ve got to tread very carefully with the media now. They’re going to be watching our every move, and they can turn anything the way they want it to go. We both know that. I have a friend who I think would be fantastic for the job. She knows politics inside and out, and she’s also incredible with public relations. We went to college together, and she just happens to be in between jobs at the moment. I’ve asked her to come in for an interview tomorrow. Would you be okay with talking to her? I honestly believe that this is our best bet right now.”
“You know, I actually agree with that. Also, I trust you. I don’t need to meet her. If you think that she’s the right person for the job, then I’m sure I will too. Just bring her on board. We don’t have much time to waste right now, and I don’t think we need to interview her. You know her, so just tell her to start as soon as she can.”
; “Ah, that’s great. We actually should’ve had her on board from the start. I think this is exactly what we need right now.”
“Thanks, Ralph. Appreciate it.”
I put the phone down and smiled. After a day of golf with Kason and a phone call from Ralph, I was certain that everything was going to work out fine. I generally didn’t like to get others to come in and do my work for me, but this time around I actually believed that we needed all the help that we could get. The election was just too close for us to make any mistakes right now.
Chapter Six
Reagan
I woke up even earlier on Wednesday knowing that I had my interview that day. It was a good feeling, and even though I didn’t have the job yet, it was still a lot closer than where I was a few days ago. I just hoped I wouldn’t come back disappointed. I had no idea how many people they were interviewing for the job. The only thing I had going for me was that they were probably desperate for someone to start soon.
I spent the day before researching as much as possible so that I looked like I was well informed. Which, thankfully, I actually was. This was a huge opportunity for me and I didn’t want to blow it. I was excited to finally meet Josh Maxwell. Dana was right about one thing though: he did come across like a bit of an asshole on TV, but at the same time, he had good and strong beliefs. He wanted to make a difference, and I was more than ready to back someone like him up. I didn’t have to like him personally. I just had to believe in what he stood for.
I had already decided what I was going to wear for the interview the day before so I didn’t have too much stress that morning. After a hot shower, I changed into black, slim trousers, and a cream shirt, with cream heels. It was simple but elegant. I didn’t want it to look like I was trying too hard, but at the same time, I didn’t want to look like I hadn’t made an effort at all. I tied my long hair into a ponytail and gently curled the edges. Make up was subtle to make me look better, but again not too much so that it didn’t look like I was trying to hide something. I’d never been a big fan of makeup in the first place, so if I overdid it, I would only be making myself feel uncomfortable. And if there was one thing I was certain of, it was the importance of feeling comfortable during the interview of your dreams.
After a quick cup of coffee and a slice of toast, I drove to the interview. The building was tall and intimidating but at the same time it was brimming with excitement. I couldn’t help but wonder just how much went on in that building on a daily basis. Would this be something I would soon become privy too? I made my way over to the reception desk and asked for Ralph.
“Are you Reagan Knead?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m here for an interview.”
“Mr. Garrett is expecting you. If you’d like to just take the elevator. It’s Room 202. It’s on your left as you step out. You won’t miss it.”
She was right. Room 202 was a large conference room, and it was the first thing you saw when you walked in. I popped my head inside and smiled when I saw Ralph. I was happy to see that he was alone. I was hoping for the chance to talk to him before the interview started.
“Ralph, it’s so good to see you,” I said. I walked over for a warm embrace. We had always been huggers, and it was so nice to get a hug from him again. “Seriously, this is crazy. We need to see each other more. You look great.” He looked somewhat stressed, to be honest, but he did look good. This sort of working environment suited him.
“You look amazing, Reagan. Wow.”
I blushed. “Really? Thank you. I was kind of nervous about today. I wanted to make a good impression, but I also didn’t want to try too hard.”
“You never need to try too hard. You just have to be yourself.”
“Ah, no wonder we’re such good friends. You’re good for my ego. So, where is the interview going to be held today? In here?”
“Oh, didn’t anyone tell you?” he said.
“Tell me? Tell me what?”
“Ah, I’m so sorry. I thought I asked the secretary to tell you, but I’m not sure I did. Where’s my mind? I’m normally a lot more focused.”
“Don’t tell me the interview is off,” I said and felt a deep sense of sadness take over me. Was my dream job over just like that?
“It is,” he said. “But not for the reasons you think. Actually, I spoke to Josh, and he told me that he didn’t need to interview you. He trusts me, and he knows that we are in need of your services as soon as possible. So, you’re hired. And, I’m so sorry about the short notice, but you start today.”
“Today?”
He chuckled nervously, “Don’t kill me.”
“Are you kidding me? That’s the best news I’ve ever heard. I’m totally ready for the challenge. Getting the job is way better than getting the interview. This is incredible.”
The relief was visible on his face. “You see, this is why I knew you’d be perfect for the job. You’re so good with challenges. Nothing scares you.”
That wasn’t at all true, but now was not the time to tell that to Ralph. Instead, I smiled. “Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ralph. I appreciate it more than you know. So, what’s the plan for today?”
“Well, the team is going to arrive any minute now for a meeting. I wanted you to get the chance to get to know everyone. Afterward we can go and meet Josh. Then I’d love to sit down with you to create some sort of plan of action and to hear what your thoughts are regarding the matter. Oh, and lots of coffee in between. How does that sound?”
I smiled. “Ralph, that sounds like the perfect day to me.”
He grinned. “Good to have you on board, Reagan. I always knew we’d work together one of these days.”
“Yeah, you’ve said so since college. I’m glad to be here.”
It wasn’t long before people started to trickle into the room. I sat in the corner with Ralph while we waited for the boardroom to fill up. A few people smiled my way, but for the most part, everyone seemed to be deep in conversation with one another. The mood around the office was definitely not a good one, and in a way, it was unfortunate that I was starting my first day on such a low note. Adversely, things could only get better, so at least I had that going for me. We waited until everyone was seated, and then Ralph stood up.
“Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming in so early today. I hope you all got yourself some coffee because today is going to be a very busy day. Before we commence, I’d like to introduce you to our new member of staff. Reagan Knead is not only an old friend of mine, but also an incredible public relations officer. I’ve hired her to help us sort this mess out as seamlessly as possible. Now, as you can imagine, she hasn’t exactly started at the happiest time here. So I’d like you to all make her feel as welcome as possible. She’s getting thrown into the deep end, so she’ll more than likely be part of the furniture within a few days. Reagan, we’re so happy and grateful to have you with us,” Ralph said.
“Thank you for having me,” I said. I looked around at the room. Everyone was looking me with looks of pity on their face. “And I look forward to getting to know everyone.”
We sat for a bit longer, just talking about everything that was going on, and after the meeting, a few people came up to say hello to me, which I thought was very nice. In a way, it was also a great time to start because nobody seemed to care much about anything other than getting through the election unscathed.
“Right, Josh is here now. Are you ready to go see him? Hope that meeting didn’t rattle you too much. It’s not normally that crazy around here.”
I chuckled. “I expected it to be crazy. And yes, I’m ready.”
I was itching to meet Josh Maxwell. I’d seen him so many times on TV, and I knew it would be strange to see him in person. I was hoping that he wasn’t as bad as Dana seemed to think he was going to be. Surely someone with such a passion for his country couldn’t be all that bad. I walked with Ralph, checking myself in the mirror to make sure I still looked presentable, and then took a deep breath as we walked in.
When he eventually put the phone down, about five full minutes later, he turned to look at me. He had dark brown eyes, and he looked like he hadn’t shaved in days. The look startled me. Josh Maxwell was far better looking in real life than he was on TV. And Josh Maxwell was gorgeous on TV, so that was saying a lot.
“Josh, I’d like you to meet Reagan Knead. Reagan, this is Josh.”
I smiled and stood up to shake his hand. I liked that he didn’t loosen his grasp just because I was a woman. His handshake was firm and solid.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Josh.”
“I’m not sure if pleasure is the right word. You’ve arrived in the middle of a shit storm,” he said.
A shit storm? Charming. “I’m here for damage control. It’s what I was expecting.”
“So, do you know what you’re going to do, then? Do you have a plan of action?” he said. I noticed he hadn’t yet told me that it was a pleasure to meet me, either. The man was certainly very rude. No wonder there were still so many people that didn’t like him. He had good view points, but it was hard to follow a man that you didn’t respect.
“Yes,” I said, staring at him without flinching. “I’m going to get this mess figured out. And I’m going to start with you.”
“Me?” he asked, obviously surprised by how direct I was being. I had a feeling that people didn’t often stand up to him.
Dirty Boss (An Office Romance) (The Maxwell Family) Page 4