by Tyler Grey
I frowned. “Me? You think I should apply?”
“I don’t see why not. Just until you get yourself on your feet again.”
I thought about what Olive had said: how I was going to have to find a job and work my way to where I wanted to be, rather than to just expect the perfect job to fall into my lap. Maybe this was the opportunity I was looking for. But working with Henry didn’t hold much appeal.
“Is the CEO nice?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s a great guy,” Henry said. “You’ll like him. You should totally apply for it.”
I was just about to answer when Duncan started to cough, nearly choking on something. My mother and I jumped up to make sure he was okay. He was all red in the face, but he took a few sips of water and started to look fine again.
“Goodness, I don’t know what got into me there,” he said. “Sorry about that. Paisley, I definitely think you should apply. It’s a great company, and you’ll be a wonderful addition to it.”
“Think I’ll get it?”
“Oh, I think you’ve got a good shot.”
“Well, okay, I’ll send my application. I’ve been looking for a job, and this might be just what I need right now. Thank you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Henry said with a smile that I tried to ignore.
We carried on with dinner, turning the topic to other things. I tried to get my mother to tell me how she had met Duncan and how they had snuck around without telling anyone about it.
“Oh, we’re sneaky, that’s for sure,” my mother said with a laugh.
“I had no idea. I know I wasn’t living at home these past few months, but I still had no clue it was happening.”
“Oh, it started when you were still at home,” she said slyly.
“What? Really? Wow, you guys are good. You kept it hidden from everyone.”
“We were good. We nearly got caught a few times. But we wanted to make sure that we were sure before we told anyone. It’s different at our age. Although, to be honest with you, I think I’ve reverted back to being a teenager. That’s how it feels, at least.”
I laughed. “I didn’t sneak around as a teenager, so maybe you’re just making up for me being so good.”
“You weren’t good!”
“What? Mom! How can you say that?”
“Yes, do tell,” Henry said with another one of his smirks.
“She was a naughty kid, this one.”
“Well, yeah, but I didn’t sneak around with guys. I just liked to sneak around with my friends. But it was all very innocent,” I said, trying to ignore the way Henry was looking at me. I could feel my cheeks burning. It really had been innocent — well, most of the time anyway. Now was not the time for me to go into my shenanigans. I had a feeling that Henry was the type of guy that would only use that sort of information against me.
After dinner, Henry made a big show of going to do the dishes, and I wondered why he was trying so hard with my mother. Whenever I showed him that I was annoyed, he just did it even more. So, instead of getting upset, I simply smiled, thanked him for offering to do the dishes and walked back to my room.
The moment I got there, I flopped onto the bed and thought about my decision. Was I really going to apply for a job where Henry worked? I was doing my very best to avoid him, but this was going against all of that. Then again, it was a big company, and just because we would both be working there didn’t mean we’d see each other. Hopefully, we wouldn’t have anything to do with each other, at all.
That’s if I even got the job. I was sure that there would be a lot of people applying for the position. I would be one of many. There was a chance that Duncan might have a say in who got chosen, though. I had almost asked him if he would have a word with the CEO, but decided against it. I didn’t want special favors. If I was meant to get the job, then I would. It was as simple as that.
I didn’t really want to go and work there, especially not with the incredibly good-looking and oh-so-annoying Henry around. But I needed a job, and I really wanted to get my own place. I wasn’t having luck anywhere else, and it wasn’t often that a possible job offer simply fell into your lap like this. It was worth a shot.
Chapter Six
Henry
Dinner went exactly as I had hoped it would go. I got the chance to tease Paisley, and I got her to agree to send in her application for the job. I wasn’t sure when I made the decision not to tell her about me being the CEO of the company, but as soon as she asked me, I realized it would be far more fun not to tell her. As I was heading back to my room, my father came to see me.
“Thank you, Henry,” he said.
“No problem at all. Hey, you guys did all the work for me, anyway.”
“Why didn’t you tell her that you were the CEO? I almost choked on my piece of bread when you lied about it.”
I laughed. “Was that why you were choking? Sorry about that. I don’t know… I had a feeling she wouldn’t apply if she knew it was me.”
“Actually, you’re right. She seems to carry a lot of pride. You probably did the right thing there. Good thinking. Well, thanks for doing the dishes. You’re like the model son.”
I laughed. “You seem surprised.”
“That’s because I am.”
I shrugged. “I guess it’s because I’m not used to getting such nice food,” I teased.
He chuckled. “You’re completely right about that. Myra is incredible, isn’t she?”
I laughed. “You’re like a lovesick puppy.”
The following day, I got to work and took a look at the applications on my desk. There had been a lot, but they had been narrowed down to three options. Now that I had Paisley’s application, there were four. I took a look at the time on the email and saw that she had sent her application in a few hours after dinner last night. I pictured her sitting in bed, her finger dangling over the keyboard as she tried to decide whether or not to hit send. She was going to freak when she found out that I was the CEO all along — and I couldn’t wait to see her reaction.
My only concern was whether or not she was even qualified for the job. If she wasn’t, then it was going to be tough trying to explain to my father why I didn’t want to hire her. Even though I wanted to say yes to her, I also didn’t want to have her there if she was of no use to the company. I printed out her application and read through it. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I saw that not only was she qualified, but was perfect for the job — far better than the other three candidates. I would more than likely have hired her just to appease my father, but it was good to know that she would be an asset at the same time.
I picked up the phone and called my secretary to the office. Jessica came rushing through the moment she put the phone down. I had made the mistake of flirting with her at an office party when I had first joined. I’d had too much to drink, and she’d come on very strong. After that, she had been convinced that I was interested in her and continued to flirt. It didn’t matter how many times I made it clear that I wasn’t actually interested, she didn’t seem to have any intentions of backing down. In a way, it was good, because it meant that she would do anything that I asked her to, but in another way, it was frustrating.
“Hi, Henry,” she said with that big dopey smile of hers.
“Jessica, do me a favor and call this woman,” I said as I held out Paisley’s application to her. “Tell her to come in tomorrow for an interview.”
She nodded. “Sure,” she said and then frowned when she saw the name. She’d personally picked out the three applications, and this was clearly not one of them. “Who is this? Paisley Stevens. I’ve never heard of her. What about the other three?”
“This one came in late. I’d like to see her first. If I don’t like her, we’ll move onto the ones you chose.”
“Okay, no problem. I’ll give her a call. Is there anything else I can get for you? How about some coffee?”
“Yes, please, coffee sounds great. Thank you.”
“Co
ming right up.”
Jessica came back moments later with a cup of coffee and a plate of cookies that she had baked herself. They were chocolate chip and delicious. “These are great,” I said to her as he took a bite.
She beamed. “Oh, I’m so glad you like them. I got up super early this morning to make them before work.”
I grinned at her. “Keep up the good work, Jessica.”
“Thank you. Anything else you need?”
“No, that’s great. Just call Paisley and ask her to come in tomorrow morning.”
“Will do.”
I ate another cookie and thought about how easy it would be to just get with Jessica. She’d say yes to a marriage proposal if I asked her today, but I simply wasn’t interested in her in that way. I didn’t want someone so easy to get. I wanted a bit of a challenge. I wanted someone who intrigued me.
I thought again about Paisley. From what I had gathered so far, she was smart, tough, and very sarcastic. She seemed to have no interest in me whatsoever, but I would never forget the way she had looked at me the first time we had met, and I was still sure that she liked me. In fact, if she didn’t like me, she’d probably be a lot nicer to me. This hard exterior was only because I had gotten under her skin.
Moments later, I saw an email arrive from Jessica. Paisley had agreed to come in for an interview the following day. I grinned. This was going to be so much fun.
I spent the rest of the day working hard. Every now and again I would think about the meeting planned with Paisley the following day, and I would chuckle to myself. I couldn’t help myself. She was just so much fun to mess around with.
At lunchtime, Jessica popped her head around and told me that my father was here to see me. I had completely forgotten that he was coming by. I still had a bit of work, and I tried to finish as much as I could before making my way out.
“Where is he?” I asked her when I got out the office.
“Oh, he said he’ll meet you at the café. He said the usual place.”
“Great, thanks, Jessica.”
I made my way to the downstairs café frequented by a few of the companies in the area. I usually got most of my food from there because it meant I didn’t have to bring anything from home. The food was great. I usually got something to have at my desk, but every now and again I sat at the café and watched the world go by. It always amazed me how busy everyone was. Nobody seemed to have much time for anyone or anything unless it involved them directly. Heads down, people rushed to get to their new destination.
When I saw my father sitting at our favorite table, I couldn’t help but notice how different he looked from everyone around him. He was clearly more relaxed. Everything about him looked more serene, as if he’d just come back from a long yoga retreat. It was strange to see him that way. I always thought my father would work hard until the day he died, but meeting Myra had obviously woken something inside him that he’d long forgotten about.
He smiled broadly when he saw me — the smile of a man that was doing a lot of smiling these days. The creases around his eyes had deepened, but it only served to make him look younger.
“Henry!” he said and got up to give me a hug.
“Hi, Dad,” I said. “Sorry for keeping you waiting. I’ll be honest; I totally forgot we were meeting for lunch. I was just finishing up on a few things.”
“Just like me. I used to work so hard that I sometimes forgot to eat altogether. And, you know how much I like my food.”
“You don’t forget anymore, though,” I said.
“Not anymore. And trust me, it’s starting to show around my belly. I think I’m going to have to start loosening my belt. I noticed it this morning, actually.”
I laughed. “Well, you look great.”
“Thanks, my boy. I’m not complaining, anyway. Myra’s food is too good to turn down. It’s worth gaining a few pounds for.”
“I know. Her food is amazing. How does she make something as boring as soup taste so good?”
“That’s what I said! So, did you take a look at Paisley’s application?” he asked.
I nodded and sighed. “I did. It’s awful. Absolutely awful. I hate to say this to you, Dad, but it’s not at all what we were expecting. Myra obviously thinks she’s good just because she’s her daughter.”
He looked crestfallen. “Oh no! I thought she was going to be good. That’s terrible. What does this mean? Are you going to still give her a chance? Maybe she can be taught.”
“I don’t know. I have to look out for the business, Dad. I can’t just go hiring people because I feel sorry for them. I have to be smart about this, you understand.”
He nodded. “Okay, you’re right. You’re absolutely right. Oh, this is just awful.”
I chuckled. “Dad, I’m just kidding. I wanted to go on for longer, but I can see how upset you are by it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Her application was amazing. It was even better than the other three that I had lined up to interview.”
His eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yeah, I was just messing with you. I asked Jessica to give her a call. She’s coming in tomorrow for an interview, but I’m pretty certain I’ll give her the job.”
“Wonderful. Does she still not know you are the CEO?”
“She has no idea. She’ll find out tomorrow, though.”
My father shook his head. “I wonder how she’ll take the news.”
“She’ll probably be annoyed, but that’s my specialty, of course.”
He chuckled. “Well, I’m just glad it’s working out. I was worried there for a second.”
“Nah, her application was great. It’s all taken care of.”
“Thanks, Henry.”
Once we had grabbed something to eat and brought it back to the table, I asked my father why hiring Paisley was so important to him in the first place.
He smiled. “Trust me, Henry, when you fall in love, you’ll understand.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“I would do anything to make Myra happy. She’s worth it to me. Absolutely worth it.”
I smiled. “That’s nice.”
“How about you? Any luck on the love front?”
“Not at the moment. But don’t worry, I have plenty of time for that.”
“What about Jessica? That woman is besotted over you. She has been for years. Although, you probably already know that.”
I groaned. “Jessica? I’m not interested in her. I’m not desperate to find someone, you know. I can get a girlfriend if I like. I don’t want to be with someone just for the sake of it. She’s not my type, and you know it.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I know. She’s not your type. You need someone a bit feistier than that.”
I grinned. “I sure do, Dad. I sure do.”
Chapter Seven
Paisley
The very next day after sending my application, I received a call from a lady called Jessica, asking me to come in for an interview. I wasn’t expecting to hear from them so soon, and I couldn’t believe my luck. Fresh out business school, this was going to be my first foray into the working world. Now I just had to nail the interview.
I stressed all day about what I was going to wear, and I even phoned Olive in a panic. She just laughed and told me not to overthink it. She told me to wear something that was both professional and comfortable. “You don’t want to wear something that’s going to make you uncomfortable,” she warned. “Otherwise you’ll spend your own time feeling uneasy. Wear something that makes you feel good.”
I looked through my closet, trying to figure out what that was. I was most comfortable being naked, but that would make me stand out in all the wrong ways. I couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of me showing up at the office without any clothes on. In the end, I decided on a simple black dress. It was professional enough to fit in with office attire, but nice enough to also suit my figure. I was slim and athletically built, so I didn’t hav
e curves the way some other women did. It didn’t bother me, though. It suited my personality, and I had always believed that the most important thing was not what shape your body was, but how you dressed it.
Once I had decided on an outfit, I felt better. Anyway, I shouldn’t be so worried. This wasn’t a job I wanted to do for the rest of my life. This was just something to get me through until I found my dream job…whatever that might be. If I got the job, I would use that time to learn as much as I could about the running of the company so that I finally walked away with the experience that all the other companies said I had to have before they could hire me.
I got up early the next day, but lay in bed for a long time. I liked to wait until Henry left before getting up myself — that way there was no chance of bumping into him. I realized that the house was very quiet, so I left my room and looked around in confusion. Eventually, I found a note in the kitchen from my mother telling me that Duncan was taking her out for breakfast and wishing me good luck for my interview. I was glad for the peace and quiet. I loved my mom and Duncan was great, but just like Olive, I had always liked my space.
I made myself a cup of coffee and two slices of toast and sat down to eat. I was a bit too nervous to eat, and every time I swallowed it felt like an effort, but I knew how important it was for me to have some food in my system. I’d be even more nervous if I didn’t eat, and the last thing I wanted was to be shaking like a leaf at the interview.
When it was time to go, I brushed my teeth, put a bit of makeup on and made sure that I looked okay. Finally satisfied, I made my way over to the company. I arrived ten minutes early, so I sat and waited in the car until it was time. Then, I took a deep breath and headed in.
I walked up to the secretary and stated my name. She glared at me and seemed upset that I was there. I wondered what I had done to make her feel that way about me. She didn’t even know me, so I figured she was just having a bad day. Either way, it wasn’t the nicest way to greet someone and not at all professional. I wondered if the CEO knew that this was how she was to the public. I was a big believer that the first person that people saw when they came through the building should be all smiles. They should set the intention for the rest of the company. It wasn’t my place to say anything, though, so I smiled at her.