by Eliza Ellis
Listening to her gut also put her on a direct collision course with Brigham. When offered the job of his assistant, she went with her head, because her gut had been so overwhelmed and uncertain about the opportunity. So much money and the chance to travel around the world, but the number of hours she’d have to work and the proximity to her job had brought her back down to earth. If she had went with her gut, she might not have gotten as good a job as she did nor have been able to travel to some of the places that were on her wish list.
She also wouldn’t have met Brigham, and she could’ve been spared that experience.
“I’ll think about it,” Kori said softly, her gut churning more and more the longer she thought about Brigham.
“Yeah, okay. Sleep on it. You haven’t even been there twelve hours. Give yourself some time and give my dad a break. Promise?”
“I promise.”
She hung up the phone, showered all the day’s gunk off, and settled into the softest sheets she’d felt since leaving the hotel she lived at while employed by Brigham. She could definitely get used to being here in Italy. The hotel was quiet, the food amazing, and her boss—if Sabrina was right—wouldn’t be half as bad as Brigham.
She was no closer to following her gut.
Chapter 4
He owed Sabrina, so he couldn’t ruin this on the first day. It was bad enough that he had to deal with the board, but now his own assistant wanted out in less than twelve hours.
When Sabrina had called him the night before, she yelled him right out of his stupor. He really shouldn’t have drunk that much. Not only did Kori avert her eyes the entire time he was discussing single life at his age and what marriage could do to a good guy like him, but he had disappointed the one person in the world that he still needed validation from.
Sabrina.
When he heard the tears in her voice, he sobered up quick. She had taken enough from her mother and didn’t need him adding to the mix. She had her own career to focus on, and if she had to pick up the pieces of Kori crashing and burning because of him, she would officially leave him too. He loved Sabrina; she was the one bright spot in his life right now.
He had meant to ask for more details about Kori, but he’d forgotten about it, and with a headache looming, he had ended the call so he could get some sleep. After waking early this morning and doing his routine, he opted to intercept Kori before she left the hotel. Whatever he could do to convince her to stay, he would. More money, time off—Sabrina had mentioned maybe adding a few more vacation days to Kori’s compensation package—a quick trip somewhere, it didn’t matter. If he had to pay for it personally, he would.
He dressed in his signature linen suit, and then jogged down the staircase to Kori’s floor. After yesterday’s lunch, he guessed she’d respect a confident man, not one who wanted to drink himself under the table. So he knocked boldly on her door. He ran a finger through his sandy hair and blew out a breath. His heart was racing. When was the last time he was this nervous? He was a CEO. People who worked for him were nervous. Not him.
Kori opened the door, her brown eyes widening. “Yes, sir? Marshall?”
He grinned. “Good morning!” He sounded way too cheerful. He cleared his throat. “I know it’s early, and I wasn’t expecting you to be ready or anything, but I wanted to talk to you about your future here. Namely, I would like you to stay…if you might’ve been thinking this wasn’t the job for you.” He awkwardly smiled.
She stared at him.
“May I come in, please?” he asked weakly. When her eyes widened further, he added, “If you’re not…I mean, only if you’re comfortable with it. Well, maybe it’s not a good idea. How about you meet me in the lobby downstairs. Will that work?” His back started sweating, which wouldn’t look great with his linen shirt.
Kori nodded. “Give me five minutes?”
“Sure, sure. Five is fine.” He took a few steps back to give her space. He held up both hands. “Take ten if you want. I’ll just be down there.”
He hurried away, muttering how stupid he was to have asked to come inside. She probably thought he had just crossed the professional line. When he saw her again, Marshall told himself the first thing he’d say would be an apology.
When she walked across the lobby in a pale green dress and red heels, he forgot all about what he wanted to apologize for. His heart started racing again, and for the first time since talking to Sabrina the night before, he truly wanted to fire Kori. He would be the one who couldn’t keep his hands off her.
The young woman carried herself with confidence and grace, her tightly coiled hair sitting high on top of her head, creating angles to her cheeks that made her look both femme fatale and elegant. She offered a shy smile, and he wordlessly gestured to the overstuffed chair across from him. Where was his voice?
Kori rounded the small glass coffee table and took a seat.
Marshall embarrassingly cleared his throat, but Kori beat him to it. “I’ve given a lot of thought to this job. I know I jumped on a plane without knowing much, and that type of spontaneity is not like me at all. I’m a planner, and I like weighing my options and making a logical, rational decision.”
Didn’t sound like a woman who had tried to start something with Brigham. She had to have weighed the possibility of getting fired for trying. “I respect that.”
“Well, I’ve weighed everything, and the truth is, I need this job. I…I’m currently involved in a lawsuit with my former employer. I’m not sure if Sabrina told you or not.”
“She might’ve mentioned it. But I have my sources.”
She frowned. “Of course you do. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of things by now. But I wanted to make sure I disclosed everything to you.”
He put a hand up. “Only if you’re comfortable. I’m really not interested in all the details unless you’re, like—” he chuckled “—suing because you stole from him and thought you deserved it or something.”
Man, he was terrible. What kind of joke was that? If she had decided to stay, then she was about to get up and walk out.
Graciously, she smiled. “Like it or not, I’m going to have to get comfortable sharing the details. It’ll likely come out soon enough. Everyone in the industry probably already knows through the grapevine, which is notoriously wrong.” Her lips slanted to one side. Marshall studied her face and watched her anxious expression calm and then become resolute. “I’m suing because of inappropriate behavior in the workplace, and…and I need this job in order to pay for my lawyer.” She threw her hands up and then let them fall onto her thighs. “That’s the gist of it.”
It was Brigham’s fault? That’s what she implied. “Short and…simple,” he self-edited. “Say no more. You have the job if you still want it.”
She nodded. “I do, Marshall.”
“Good.” He grinned, his muscles relaxing and then going tense once again. “I do want to apologize for earlier. I didn’t mean to impose. I wasn’t trying to get into your room or anything.”
Kori chuckled. “No, I know. I believe you, and thank you for apologizing. I appreciate it. It’s not something I come across often.”
“People apologizing when they’re wrong?” That seemed odd. He’d grown up in the Midwest, and it was a value his mother had instilled in him that was strongly reinforced by a grandmother with a wide, leather belt. He always apologized when he was in the wrong. It made for better communication and relationships. But he had to admit that he didn’t hear it often from people either—at least not the ones whom he’d wanted to hear it from the most.
“Yeah. People actually thinking they’re wrong and then apologizing. Neither of which happens much anymore.”
“We do work in an industry that caters wonderfully to narcissists.”
“Yes.” Kori let out a breath. “Yes, I know that for a fact. The tech industry is full of them.” She smiled again and met his gaze. Her intense dark eyes held him captive. “Thank you, Marshall. I will work very hard for you, I promise
. My work ethic is something I pride myself on, and I hope to meet your expectations each and every day. I give you my word that will be my number one priority.”
Meeting his expectations. He had learned to let those go by the wayside after his experience with Madeline—Sabrina’s mother. Meeting his expectations was something she did not sign up for when she married him—according to her. He had to meet hers, and if he had, she wouldn’t have looked outside their marriage to find happiness and…other things.
Those words had torn his insides to shreds. She’d hurled those knives at him from their bed, her lover grinning from ear to ear like and enjoying the show. Being his first marriage later in life, he had thought he was more prepared than most guys marrying in their twenties or even in their early thirties. He had lived life and gained valuable experiences in the relationships he’d fostered. He had worked hard on his communication skills, and her admission had floored him. Where had he missed the signs from her that he wasn’t meeting her needs?
He chuckled nervously. “I’ve gotta say that…this is going to be an area that I’m not all that familiar with.”
Her brows came together. “Excuse me? At lunch yesterday, I was under the impression that your last assistant had done a great job and you were sorry to have lost her.”
Marshall remained outwardly passive, but inwardly his mind was screaming. She wasn’t here to be in a relationship with him. She was here to be his assistant. What was he thinking?
He was thinking that sitting in front of him was a gorgeous woman who had offered something to him that had been lacking in his personal life for so long that he didn’t know how to react. But that wasn’t the truth. She was offering professionalism. She would handle his appointment book and dry cleaning.
Not his heart.
Never his heart.
The woman was only slightly older than Sabrina. Okay, he was still on the ripe side of fifty, but no woman in her right mind would want a forty-something-year-old man, no matter how much he worked out nor how much hair remained on his head. He had to shift his focus, if that meant never actually looking her in the eye—or at her, period—again.
His heart dropped a touch. He had enjoyed what little company they had spent together so far, and limiting their interaction sounded like an impossible task.
But it had to be done. She was already suing her old boss for behavioral issues, and he didn’t want to know what those were. He needed to concentrate on acting aboveboard. And that meant no room visits and few in-person meetings. He’d deal with her via email and text.
“Um, yes… Yes, I was sorry to lose Annie,” he said while averting his eyes. “She was a good assistant. No trouble at all. I even wrote her a reference, which she’ll probably never use, but I was happy to do it.”
Kori grinned. “Well, I’m ready to start. Should we go to the office now? I’d like to get accustomed to my surroundings.”
“Surroundings? Well, you should probably start here, then. No, wait. I know the place.”
He stood and offered his hand. She slipped her small one into his, gripping it firmly. He lifted her from the couch and forced himself to let go of her.
He was already going to break his rule. Oh, well. It had been a year of freedom. Might as well carry it on for a little bit longer.
Chapter 5
Kori was torn. She thought Marshall was going to show her the office—it was still a Thursday—but instead, he took her near where it was located and then had the driver turn in the opposite direction and stop by the river.
Kori and Marshall exited the car, and while Marshall spoke to a guy in the boat, Kori viewed the picturesque scene of Florence. She marveled at the river down the center of the city, cobblestone bridges arching above, the red tile shingled-roofs the covered box-style homes and buildings painted in bright yellows and oranges. She really loved the green and blue shutters that accented the windows.
She glanced at Marshall. If only he wasn’t nearly twenty years older than her, and her best friend’s father, she could consider herself the heroine in a romance movie. He had offered her a job, flown her out on his private jet—well, private to the corporation probably—and then after an awkward afternoon of drinking too much, had knocked on her door bright and early the next day, begging her to stay.
Despite all of that, the last thing she wanted was to be in any relationship with her boss that wasn’t professional. Brigham didn’t understand that concept. Couldn’t grasp it for the life of him, and now that was ruining her life.
If it wasn’t for Sabrina and her father, Marshall.
But what about the office? Did he work on a gondola? How…romantically odd.
“Well, we have it for the next hour! The Arno River is lovely. Let’s go!”
Marshall offered his hand, and Kori accepted it, allowing herself to be led down the steps and into the long, lean boat. She took a seat toward the bow of the ship and put on her best smile to show Marshall she didn’t find him at all peculiar.
Or crazy.
She still thought he was a little nuts. Did this man work at all?
“How was your first night?” Marshall asked. “Feeling any jet lag?”
Kori shook her head. “After lunch, I pretty much crashed. I’ve been up for hours, so I’ll probably feel it today.”
He grinned. “Sounds about right. I know traveling overseas can be tough on the body. I imagine you’ve done a lot of it over the last few years.”
“I’m pretty used to it, yes. But I would like a break.”
“Good! You can check my schedule when we get to the office. I don’t think I have any business trips coming up, so we can use the jet. If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, you can spend a few days touring the city.”
Kori returned his smile. She liked the sound of that. Especially when this country was so lovely. She adored the cobblestone streets and could wait to visit the sea. She could keep her feet on this ground for as long as he wanted.
Seeing her opening, she asked, “When are we going into work?” She tried not to shrink back and keep her tone light and non-accusatory. She understood he was the CEO and everything, so he could do what he wanted, but he was still the leader. And leaders had to…well, lead. Right? He had said his last year was full of personal and professional growth. How did he grow being out of the office?
A flash of knowing crossed Marshall’s eyes, and Kori braced herself for his response. “We’re going in a bit. After our ride. I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed when you first got here. After working for Brigham, I figured you would appreciate a slower schedule. Or, at least, a less hectic transition.”
“And I appreciate your consideration,” Kori said quickly. “It wasn’t expected, and I’m really just eager to make a good impression.”
He stared at her but said nothing. Did he think she wasn’t grateful? She certainly wasn’t doing a good job showing gratitude. Kori wondered how much he knew of her exit from Brigham’s company. She looked away and rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.
“Kornelia, don’t worry,” Marshall said softly. Kori met his eyes. “Everything is going to be okay.” He frowned and sighed. Marshall settled back against the side of the boat. He dipped his fingers in the water and flicked it up in the air. “At least for the next few months. After that, who knows? We’ll probably both be out of jobs.”
Kori’s lungs constricted. “What?” she managed to squeeze out. What was he saying? They’d both be out of jobs? Sabrina never mentioned her father was leaving the company.
Marshall’s lips twisted into a lopsided grin. “You might as well know now that my company is trying to get rid of me.”
Kori’s jaw slacked.
“Yeah, I know. It’s a surprise to me too, but actually, not really. This last year has been…” He trailed off, his gaze looking distant.
Kori wondered if he was thinking about his recent divorce. The drinking he did at lunch yesterday had set off a red flag.
Marshall cleared his
throat. “It’s been tough, to say the least.”
“Your year of freedom?” Kori hesitantly asked. “Personal and professional growth?”
Marshall chuckled. “Yeah. Too much freedom, apparently. I guess I’d grown to know that professionally I needed some time to myself. And I’ve also grown to know that too much idle time really is the devil’s playground. I’m the type that thrives off work. What should’ve been a year of record growth was merely average. Instead of throwing myself into work, I…took a lot of time off.”
Kori kept her lips together. She was having a difficult time processing the information. If the company’s growth had been average, why would the board be trying to push him out? Every year wouldn’t be exponential growth. There had to be something else. Kori felt too new to ask. She’d have to pick up her information from the job.
“Anyway,” Marshall continued, “we’ll at least have the summer. How does that sound?”
She offered him a closed-mouth smile.
“We’ll enjoy Italy, and I’ll try to pay you as much as possible to help out with…you know.”
“Thank you,” Kori said softly.
“Good. No more talk about work. Take in the view. It’s really one of a kind.”
Kori did as she was told and kept her eyes in front, soaking in the sights of Florence in the early morning hours. She could smell bread and pastries from the shops along the river and could hear people’s radios playing music. Everything was truly picturesque.
Perfect.
Which meant it wasn’t real.
And it wouldn’t last.
Chapter 6
Kori caught on quick. That was one thing going for her.