“Thank you, Mr. Henderson. I really appreciate this.”
“Not like I have much of a choice.” He looked her over and shook his head. Obviously, her appearance was not what he was expecting. Turning back to Lexi, he continued. “Lexi, if this doesn’t work out, you’ll be hearing from Tessa.”
Lexi didn’t seem worried at all. How she was able to stand between two powerful, scary looking men and not seem to be fazed one bit blew her mind. Morgan hoped whatever her job was going to be, that it wouldn’t have much interaction with either of them. I don’t want to be in the spotlight or in the line of fire, and that is exactly where Lexi is standing.
“Dean, trust me. Am I ever wrong? I mean look at Willa and Lance. Did you ever think—?”
“No Lexi. You didn’t think. That’s the problem,” Shaun interrupted.
For the first time, Morgan saw the light in Lexi’s eyes dim just a bit. Who are Willa and Lance? And did you get them jobs too?
Lexi didn’t stay down long before she was shooting back with more names. “Well, how about Dean and Tessa?”
Lexi seemed to be enjoying the banter back and forth, but Morgan didn’t want to get involved in any drama, and that is exactly what this sounded like.
Shaun laughed, but Morgan knew it was more sarcastic than anything. “Oh, taking credit for that too?”
Lexi put her hands on her hips and said, “Shaun Henderson, laugh now, but watch out or I might just decide you’re next on my list.”
Then she winked at Morgan, who was baffled by the entire exchange. What am I walking into? She tried giving her a warning look, but Lexi seemed oblivious to it. Don’t you dare drag me into this, whatever this is. All I want is a job, nothing more.
Shaun looked from Lexi to Morgan and became serious once again. “Lexi, you can play with others if you want, but I am warning you, stay out of my life. I am not as forgiving as you might think.”
“All bark, Shaun, and you know it.”
Shaun stared at her and said, “Play your game with me, Lexi, and I guarantee you won’t like what you find.” Then he turned to Dean and said, “I’ve got some calls to make. We’ll do lunch another time.”
Dean nodded as Shaun left the waiting area. Now with just the three of them there she hoped to get some answers.
“Thank you, Mr. Henderson, for the—”
“Don’t thank me. If it weren’t for Lexi telling me just now that this is her last day, you wouldn’t have the job.”
Wait. What? Lexi quit. Is that the job I am taking? Hers?
Dean didn’t stand around. Instead he brushed past them both, heading in the same direction Shaun had. The Henderson reputation seems to hold true. They are not to be messed with. Now alone with Lexi, Morgan was going to get some answers.
“What exactly was that about?”
“Oh, yeah. I just quit my job, but trust me, you’ll do fine. Hey, I didn’t know a thing about HR when I started. You’ll learn.”
Sure, but not in a week, and that’s all I have been given. One damn week.
“So let me show you to your desk.”
How did I go from a coffee shop to big corporate America in less than thirty minutes? Maybe I should cut back to decaffeinated.
Although Shaun had no intention of meeting up with Dean for lunch, they seemed to arrive in the lobby at the same time.
“What are you thinking, Dean? There is no way that woman has the experience needed to do that job.” She can’t even dress for the interview.
“I know that.”
“Then why would you hire her?” Maybe his brother was losing the edge he needed to run Poly-Shyn. Their father had been a hard-ass. Even if you were qualified, he would still toss you out on your ass in a heartbeat for even questioning his instructions. Shaun knew the company couldn’t continue in that manner without eventually being sued, but there had to be some middle ground.
“I can’t have it all falling on Tessa.”
“Call a temp agency. Get someone who looks like they belong in an office.”
If Dean had seen Morgan before agreeing to hire her, Shaun would have thought he hired her because she was cute as hell. If he had passed her on the street, he would’ve given her a second look, maybe even a third. She was average height, but not like one of those women who look like they forgot how to eat. She was curvy in all the right places. I’d have been almost tempted to overlook her lack of qualifications too. But business is business.
“It’s only a week. It’ll give Tessa time to find a replacement. Lexi didn’t give us any notice.”
“What did you expect? That is who she is. The day you told me she was working for you, I told you to fire her.”
“Trust me, I was very tempted, but Tessa said she accurately and promptly did a great job with every task she gave her.”
Shaun couldn’t picture that. Tessa was so sweet that she probably couldn’t bring herself to say anything negative about another person. He, on the other hand, lived in reality, and the truth was Dean and Poly-Shyn were better off without Lexi. They had known her for many years, and responsible was not a word he would’ve used concerning anything Lexi did. It was only a matter of time before the ripple effect of having her around would have been felt. He’d only heard rumors of what she pulled with the Barringtons, and he sure didn’t want any problems like that involving his family.
“Did you even ask Lexi how she knows this woman? Are they friends?” Because a friend of Lexi’s might be as bad as having Lexi.
“She was vague. All I know was her boss made a crude remark, and Morgan went off on him.”
Shaun laughed. “That’s it?” Dean nodded. “You’ve lost your fucking mind. For all you know she screws shit up, and he had every right to say what he did. What are you going to do when she decides to give you what you have coming? I mean, you might have softened a bit since Tessa came into your life, but you’re still a bastard to work for.”
Dean shrugged. “If you’re so damn worried about it, why don’t you keep an eye on her for me? Tessa and I are going to Paris for a week, and I could use someone watching over Poly-Shyn while we are—”
“Ask Brice.”
“I did. He said no.”
“Okay, how about Zoey, or Alex, or Logan?”
“They all said no.”
So I’m your last choice? Damn bro. I’m not sure if I’m hurt you didn’t ask earlier or pissed they said no.
He really shouldn’t be shocked. Out of everyone in the family, Shaun had worked closest with their father. That wasn’t a good thing, as it put an even bigger rift between them. Shaun had learned at a young age how to blend into the background and not to make waves. Maybe that was why his father allowed him to be indirectly involved with Poly-Shyn when he was alive.
All those years, providing investment opportunities, no one knew I was his son. Probably was a good thing. His name didn’t open doors; it only got them slammed in his face.
Even now he worried how much of his father he carried inside of him. You don’t spend that much time with a person and not absorb something. Since he’d never seen anything good in the man, he knew the trait handed down to him was how to be an asshole.
“So will you do it?”
It only made sense since he was more familiar with the company. Normally he wouldn’t bother, even for his brother, but for his soon-to-be sister-in-law he’d do it. “In one week, Dean, you better have your ass back behind that desk.”
“Hey, don’t think I’m going to be having a grand ole time. Tessa is dragging me out wedding shopping. I tried to get her to go with Zoey or her mother, but she insisted we do this together.”
Laughter rumbled through Shaun. “And you were telling me I need to get out and find someone. No thanks, Dean. You can enjoy all this fun by yourself.” He shook his head. “If you start picking out colors for dresses don’t tell me. I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle it.”
Dean looked at him, giving a warning glare. “Keep it up, Shaun. I can’
t wait till it’s your turn. You’ll probably go around holding her purse or something.”
“Don’t hold your breath. I’m not about to fall into the trap you and Brice have.”
That’s exactly what love was. A trap that meant you stopped being who you were and instead jumped through hoops because some woman said so. It didn’t matter if they were as attractive as Morgan; he liked his life exactly the way it was.
Twice in one day people are wishing a serious relationship on me. What did I do to piss them all off? And now I get to play babysitter. This week can’t get any worse.
Chapter Two
Morgan hardly slept a wink that night. Not only had Lexi provided her with what her responsibilities would be and how to perform them, but she also had a crash course on how to handle a Henderson. That had never been part of an on-the-job training session before. She knew Dean was going to be difficult, but from what she saw, his brother Shaun was worse. I really need this job, but I’m not sure I can handle reporting to him. The way he looked at me . . . he already doesn’t like me. Why? I hadn’t even opened my mouth, and he was scrutinizing me.
She waved to the man behind the security desk and made her way to the elevator. This whole situation is crazy. Yesterday I was making coffee in a cheesy café. Today I’m working for one of the most influential families in Boston. I wish my old boss could see me now.
She stepped in and, as the doors closed, she pulled out her compact from her purse. Yesterday she’d had no time to prepare, but today she looked the part. Her long-sleeved white blouse was buttoned to the top; her dark gray skirt came down to the knee. The only thing she wasn’t able to gain full control of was her hair. Although she spent almost thirty minutes forcing each strand into a tight bun, the wind had done a job on it. At times like this she wished she didn’t have a mass of unruly curls. There was no way to get them back under control without the proper tools.
She had no choice but to unclip it and let the curls have their way. Morgan bent over shaking her hair and ran her fingers through the strands, hoping to untangle it. “What I’d give for a brush right now. I should know better than to leave home without one.”
She hadn’t heard the doors open and close again, but out of the corner of her eye she caught movement, then a pair of fine leather shoes came in view, not far from where she was still bent over. Shit. Not the most flattering position to be in. Please don’t be Dean. This is not the way I want him to see me on my first full day.
Flipping her long hair back over her shoulder, she stood to compose herself and found the other person she was hoping not to see. Shaun.
Once again his eyes were fixed on her. He didn’t speak; he only took in every inch of her. She could feel the pulse beating in her throat, and it was as though he was enjoying making it race faster. Her earlier actions and now her physical response to him made her cheeks burn. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was in any way attracted to him. He was not her type. Arrogant. But she couldn’t deny he was also drop-dead gorgeous. Normally she didn’t like facial hair, but his was trimmed neatly and accented his strong jaw even more. Morgan had to stop before she found herself looking him over, just as he was her. Never mind it being unprofessional, it also wasn’t ladylike.
However, all she could manage was, “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t respond. His eyes darkened to almost black, and he intensified his gaze on her. If he was trying to intimidate her, it was working. She stepped backward until her back was against the elevator wall. She pulled her eyes from his and tried to look anywhere but at him.
Why aren’t we moving? Is the elevator stuck or something? That’s when she noticed no buttons were lit on the control panel. Helps if I press a button and tell it where to go. There was no way she was going to get to the fourth floor unless she got the courage to brush past him and actually press the darn button.
“Don’t you have someplace to be?” Shaun asked as though he knew her plight.
“If you don’t mind, could you please press four for me?” Her voice was soft as she spoke. She wasn’t afraid of him so why was she being so meek and mild now? What was wrong with her? You don’t spend years serving the public without building a thick skin. Shaun somehow made her forget that.
“Is there something stopping you from pressing it yourself?”
Other than you being an arrogant ass, yes, your hot muscular body is. He was right. She was acting like a child. There was no reason why she couldn’t reach around him, press the dang button, and be done with it. Except I don’t trust my legs not to give way. He’s just a man. It’s not like I haven’t been around a million of them. I just need to press the damn button and get my butt to work before Dean has a reason to fire me on my first day.
Stepping forward, she leaned around him and pressed the button for the fourth floor. The elevator started to move. He turned and hit the button for the top floor. During her brief tour yesterday with Lexi she found out there was only one office on that floor and it belonged to Dean. Off to see your brother again today? Don’t you have a job to get to? Oh God. Don’t tell me you work for him too. The last thing I want is you as a coworker.
Before either of them could say anything more, the doors opened.
“Excuse me.”
He stepped slightly out of her way, but not completely, never taking his eyes off her. Once she moved out of the doors she turned and right before they closed said, “Please tell your brother I’ll be up within the hour with the files he needed.”
Was it her imagination or was he grinning? It really didn’t matter. He most likely would be gone when she was scheduled to meet with Dean for the signatures on the forms Lexi said he would need each Tuesday morning. If not, he surely won’t be as brash in front of others as he was just now.
Morgan hurried down the hall and started compiling all the documents she needed for her meeting with Dean. Surprisingly, she’d retained enough from yesterday without having to refer to her notes. Not a bad teacher, Lexi. Not bad at all.
That wasn’t her first impression of Lexi. There were many words she would use to describe her: Spunky. Confident. Absolutely funny as heck. But professional? No.
From her comments, it appeared people didn’t take Lexi seriously. Morgan had wanted to say it could be the way she dressed, but it wasn’t her place to say such a thing. Not sure I would say that to my closest friend. What Morgan could tell, was Lexi was extremely organized, and filling her shoes wasn’t going to be an easy task. Don’t judge the book by its cover. I may look the part, but I have no real clue why I am doing what I’m doing. I hope I can last the week without doing too much damage.
When all the forms were prepared, she stood, ready to get the signatures. Instead, she sat back down and pulled out the hand mirror she’d seen in the desk drawer earlier. There was no way she was going to meet with Dean looking unkempt. It was a great look for a night out on the town, but not how she wanted to be viewed by her boss. Thankfully Lexi had left her what she called a “be ready for anything kit” in the desk drawer. Pulling it out she’d found all the basic toiletries and a few not so basic. Morgan smiled. Interesting girl, but I have to say, she’s prepared for anything.
She was relieved to find a brush and once again force the curls to behave. It was no easy task, but after several minutes she had them under as much control as she could. One last look in the mirror and her confidence had returned. Yes. I’ve got this.
Smiling, she picked up the files and made her way to see the boss man himself. Please let this go smoothly. I didn’t get to speak to him much yesterday. This will be my first chance to show him I’m not only capable of doing this job, but I can look the part too.
“Hi, you must be Morgan.”
“Yes, I am.”
The bubbly young secretary, grinning from ear to ear, said, “My name is Brittany-Lynn. Welcome to Poly-Shyn.”
Her warm personality filled the room. Morgan liked her already, and it was refreshing not to h
ave another stuffy suit to deal with. Dean can’t be that bad if someone so innocent looking could be on his front line and deal with him all day. “Thank you, I’m here to see Mr. Henderson.”
“He’s expecting you. Go right in.”
Excellent. Now all I have to do is stay composed and professional then get out of there.
“Good luck,” Brittany-Lynn added right before Morgan opened the door.
Those were two words you never want to hear right before entering the lion’s den. “Thanks.” I think I’m gonna need it by the look in your eyes.
At that point, it really didn’t matter what she was walking into. She had a job, and that meant everything to her. Not only was it a job, but it was paying twice as much as she was making at the café. No matter how gruff or demanding Dean was, she would suck it up and say yes sir.
She knocked on the door and waited.
“Enter.”
He was seated behind his desk, his back to her, and he seemed to be on the phone.
“Just do it,” he barked.
Nothing like telling instead of asking.
“That’s your problem not mine.”
Is this what I have to look forward to? Yeah probably. Now I know why his secretary wished me luck. He definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
“Results are all I care about. You deal with the how.”
Thank you, Lexi. You failed to mention this. Was it on purpose? As he continued to make his point crystal clear, Morgan’s nerves kicked in full force. Unemployment isn’t the worst thing that could’ve happened yesterday. I would’ve found another job somewhere. Eventually. Of course, I would have to work two jobs to equal this one. Oh damn. Suck it up. It’s his job to be tough. That’s what owners of large companies do. And that’s why I’ll never be one.
When she saw his hand move from his ear, she prepared herself. She was next in line to deal with his foul mood. Turning in his chair, she faced one frustrated, angry man. One problem. It wasn’t Dean.
You & Me Make Three: Barrington Billionaire's Series: Book Three Page 2