by Kay Harris
It was ridiculous really that they were working under the same roof. And it was all his fault. He was the one who had opportunities to leave. He got at least one call a month from a company that wanted him to head up their finance department.
He’d made a name for himself young when he’d taken a start-up to stardom in San Francisco before his twenty-third birthday. After that he moved from company to company turning them into profit machines. By the time he was twenty-nine, he was getting weary already. He loved the numbers, he loved to make them grow. But he wanted something more in his work life.
That’s when Everett had called. Everett and he had met back when Carlos was still at Stanford. They’d hit it off right away. And that warm friendship was still there years later when Everett called desperate for help with his young and growing business in the East Bay.
Carlos had jumped at the chance to settle at a small ‘mom and pop’ shop like E.E.R Tranquility. A high-end candle company that employed locals and gave back to the community was exactly the karma he was looking for.
He’d dragged his wife along with him. She would have kicked and screamed a little more if he hadn’t gotten Everett to guarantee her a job she was not fully qualified for leading the HR department.
He’d commuted across the Bay for a year because Kim wouldn’t move to Richmond. But the divorce sealed that deal and Carlos bought a great condo on the edge of Berkeley. His new bachelor pad was quiet and peaceful without a cantankerous wife in it.
But, much to his chagrin, Kim had not resigned from E.E.R. after the divorce was final. Instead, she’d stubbornly hung on to her position, even though Everett had guaranteed her an amazing reference to anywhere she wanted to go.
Carlos knew Everett wouldn’t fire her, not without cause. And Carlos refused to leave. This was his dream job and he was working for his best friend. He wasn’t about to give it up for her. So here they were, two years after the divorce, still working together in an awkward dance.
He took his eyes off the appointment with Kim and focused on the rest of the day. His assistant, Kenny, kept his calendar for him meticulously, and he knew it was accurate down to the minute.
First thing this morning he had a meeting with the “Opportunities in Excellence” selectee. Even though several other employees, including Kenny, had applied for the position, Amy Trinkus had been a shoo-in.
With a degree in Business Administration, an internship at a major tech company, and volunteer work that showed real skill, he had no idea why she had been wasting away as an HR assistant under Kim for nearly two years.
Still, as a member of the selection committee, it had been difficult to pick her. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to gaze across his desk at the gorgeous blonde he secretly admired in the courtyard at lunch every day. But when Kim had made a grotesque argument against choosing Amy it had sealed the deal for Carlos. Apparently, it did for everyone else as well, because the rest of the committee all voted for her, too.
Carlos smiled as he remembered how pissed off Kim had been. She’d turned bright red and stormed out of the room like a two-year old. The vision made him chuckle.
“Carlos,” Kenny said, stepping into his office. “Amy’s here.”
“Good. Um, Kenny. Shut the door for a sec.”
Kenny closed the door and leaned against it. “Yeah, boss?”
Carlos folded his hands together on his desk. “You gonna be okay with her here? I know you wanted to be picked for that program.”
Kenny shrugged. “It’s okay. She has a degree and I don’t. I get it.”
“But you will in June,” Carlos reminded him.
Kenny smiled. “I will.”
“I will go to bat for you if you apply next year.”
“I appreciate that. And I swear.” Kenny stuck his hand up in the air, his fingers making a scout’s honor. “I will be totally cool to her.”
Carlos nodded. “Good. Send her in.”
****
“Good morning, Mr. Diaz,” Amy said politely.
Carlos stood as she entered the room. He gestured toward a brown and white striped boxy chair with sharp arms and a padded seat. Amy dropped into it and immediately felt tiny. At 5’3” her petite frame was swallowed up by the chair that was more suited to its owner.
Once she was seated, Carlos folded his tall frame, which Amy assumed was at least a couple inches over six feet, into his leather chair and folded his hands on top of his desk. She couldn’t help but admire the way the muscles in his upper arms flexed, visible beneath his rolled sleeves.
“Call me Carlos.” His voice was rough. “I don’t let anyone call me Mr. Diaz, except my ex-wife’s lawyer.”
The quip was completely out of character from what Amy knew of him. It was also said in such deadpan that she had no idea how to react to it. She stared at him, her expression blank. Carlos stared back, his gaze piercing her. His brow furrowed.
Everyone said Carlos was quiet and severe. The people who worked for him were the only ones who weren’t afraid of him. He rarely spoke in public, and when he did he tended to come across as angry or terse. It didn’t help that he had a deep, soft voice that sounded like a threat.
“Julia said you were shy,” he finally said.
Amy raised her eyebrows. She supposed that was a fair statement. She was shy. But she also prided herself on not being a pushover. In fact, many would say she was fierce, including Julia. But her intensity really only came out when it was needed. She’d used it on Kimberly a few times, sticking up for herself, even going through formal grievance when needed. It had not endeared her to her boss.
But she had ten months without the DL, and two months with Carlos. So she straightened herself in the giant chair, crossed her legs, making the skirt of her deep green suit stretch across them in a way she hadn’t noticed before.
“It’s true. I can present as shy,” she said in a clear voice. “But I am a hard worker and I’m sure you will be happy with what I can accomplish here over the next two months.”
Amy had heard from the gossip mill that Carlos never laughed and rarely smiled. They joked that no one knew what his teeth looked like. But she got a look at that perfect row of pearly whites when he grinned for just the briefest of moments.
“Glad to hear it.” He pulled his hands apart and shifted a folder in front of him. “I’m going to tell you the truth, Amy. I think this program of Everett’s is fine, but I have a well-oiled machine out there.” He pointed toward the main part of the department, which, like HR, was a set of cubicles arranged in an open space outside the VP’s office. “And to be honest, I’m not thrilled about having to fit someone in on a temporary basis.”
She knew from working in HR that Carlos’ team had the lowest turnover of any department. “I understand.” She felt useless and unwanted already.
“That being said, your application was exceptional. And I can see you have a lot of potential. You’re working below your skill set, Amy.”
Even though he was only a couple years older than her, she felt like he was being a little paternal. At the same time, Amy appreciated the praise coming from someone like him.
“So, we’re happy to have you.” He leaned over, arms resting on the desk. “I do have a question though.”
“Yes?”
“Why did you enter the program? In the application you said you wanted to learn different facets of the company. Which was the exact same answer as all the other candidates, by the way. It was the only weak part of your paperwork. So?” He leaned back. “What’s the real reason?”
Amy took a deep breath. This stranger was basically asking her to reveal her secrets. But for some reason, she did. “I still don’t know what I want to do for my career. I turned thirty a month and a half ago, and now I’m going through a bit of a…career crisis.”
Amy was startled by Carlos’ laugh. First, it seemed inappropriate to laugh at her when she’d just opened herself up to him. Second, she realized that in just minutes she
’d gotten him to both smile and laugh. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“I’m sorry,” he said, sobering. “It’s a good answer. And I appreciate your candor. I was laughing because…” He paused and examined her, like he was debating whether or not he should say what he was really thinking. “I thought you might say that it was to get away from Kimberly.”
“That, too,” Amy blurted out.
“There we go. That’s as a good a reason as the other.” He pursed his lips. “Sorry. I try really hard not to say things like that around here. I really do. I don’t know why I…Forget it. Look.” He picked up the folder in front of him and held it out to her. “Let’s start with having you read this. Kenny compiled it for you. It’s a basic rundown of everything we do in this department and how our work flows. Once you’ve finished that, Kenny has the policies and procedures for you to look over. You’ll probably be caught up with reading all day today. Tomorrow my staff will start to give you assignments. Each has made a list of things they want to have you assist them with and Kenny will oversee your workload. You and I will meet and do our four hours of mentoring on Friday afternoons. Thank you.”
He’d turned into a complete professional, and his dismissal was absolute. Amy thanked him and walked out of the office, the folder clutched in her hand.
****
Amy rubbed her eyes and stretched her back. Her new temporary cubie was not all that different from her old one, except instead of being filled with her pictures and cards, it was stacked with all the extra office supplies for the department. She’d had to move several reams of copy paper just to sit down.
The ringing of the phone startled her, especially since it wasn’t immediately apparent where the thing was. She finally located it behind a massive hole punch and picked up the ringer.
“Hello…um…finance, Amy speaking.”
“Amy. Thank God!”
“Mom! How did you…?”
“You didn’t answer my text at lunch and I got worried so I called up the main switchboard at that candle place and after what seemed like a very long time they finally found you.”
Amy’d had lunch with Julia that day so they could discuss Carlos and her new assignment. She hadn’t had a chance to answer her family’s texts. And now it was all coming down on her.
“Mom, I’m fine. I’m just busy. I started a new assignment today. And that’s why they weren’t sure where I was.”
“A new assignment? That sounds exciting. Tell me all about it.”
She glanced at her watch. It was nearly four-thirty. “Mom, I have about a half hour left in the work day. I will call you when I get home tonight.”
Her mother started in about how she hoped Amy had driven since the bus was far too dangerous. Amy wasn’t paying much attention to the mundane and constant argument. She was, however, zeroed in on the man who rounded the wall of her cubie.
“Mom, I have to go. I love you,” she said quickly, slamming the phone down. “I’m so sorry,” she told her new boss.
Carlos looked around the cramped space. “Why is all this stuff in your office?” Amy blushed and shrugged. Carlos stared at her for a long moment. “Your mom?”
“I’m so sorry. She’s a little…nuts. I promise I’ll tell her never to call here—”
“It’s fine. Family is important. Your mom calls, answer it. Just keep it short, yeah?”
“Of course. Of course.”
“I’ll ask Kenny to help you clean out this cubicle.” With that simple statement, said in utter monotone, he turned to walk away.
Amy called out to him. “Oh no. Please don’t do that. I can do it myself.”
Carlos turned back around slowly. “You don’t want people to see you as needy, do you?”
“No. I don’t. And I don’t want them to resent me any more than they already might. I’ll do it myself.”
He folded his arms over his chest and regarded her. “Then why haven’t you already?”
Her pride waned ever so slightly. This man was not a soft cushion to be rolled over. He was a brick wall. “I was planning to do it at five.”
He cocked his head. “Good work ethic. But put down the books and do it now so you can leave on time.”
“Oh…Okay.”
“After all, you have to call your mom back.” Anyone else might have said it with a smile. Hell, the Carlos she’d met hours ago would have. But there no emotion whatsoever on his face, and he quickly turned and left.
Chapter 3
Friday morning brought with it an anxiety Carlos hadn’t felt in years. How was it this woman had him so tied in knots? He completely dreaded the thought of having to spend the afternoon alone with her.
It was ridiculous really. Carlos had mentored several people here and at other businesses. None of them, men or women, had ever knocked him off course like the quiet, stoic woman whose blush was causing him to have all sorts of unwelcome sensations. To make matters worse, he’d had to meet with Kim again that morning. The contrast between the two women only made Amy seem that much more sweet, innocent, and appealing.
He shook his head and turned back to the map application open on his computer. He needed to take her out of the office, somewhere public. But it also needed to be a place where he could give all kinds of career advice, like he was supposed to.
He perused the local establishments within a five-mile radius, all the while thinking about Amy and her application. An overqualified woman floundering as an HR assistant, a job she clearly wasn’t into, because she wasn’t sure what direction she wanted to go in. Or because Kim stood in her way?
A few hours later Amy walked into his office, looking like a lamb to slaughter in a soft sundress and sandals, a chunky sweater draped over her thin shoulders. It was perfectly appropriate dress for Friday at E.E.R. Hell, it was appropriate for every day dress since Everett was pretty laid back.
Carlos had noticed Amy tended to wear sweaters or blazers. And he’d figured the air conditioning in the office, which he’d attempted unsuccessfully to get turned off several times, made her cold. He made a mental note to talk to Everett about it, again. Air conditioning was a needless waste of money in the Bay Area. Just open a window, for crying out loud.
He stood when she entered, a habit any time a woman came into a room. He imagined any one of his four older brothers clapping him on the back of the head if he didn’t.
“You need to grab anything? We’re leaving.” He became uncomfortably aware of how gruff he always sounded when he talked.
“Um…We’re leaving?” she asked, looking unsure.
He nodded and tried to soften his tone. “You good?”
“I’ll just grab my purse.”
He followed her to her cubie, which was now cleared of all the debris. Neat stacks of papers and a folded and charging laptop sat beside the phone. She pulled her purse from the bottom drawer of the desk, turned around abruptly, and nearly ran into him.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, backing up to let her out of the space.
Carlos spun around and marched out of the central office area, down the hall to the elevators. Amy’s sandals swished on the carpet as she worked to keep up with him. She was short, he reminded himself, short and slim, and probably soft…
Carlos jammed the elevator button with his finger and waited an eternity for the stupid thing to arrive. All the while Amy stood beside him, silent and still.
****
Amy wasn’t able to stop staring as Carlos teed up his putt on the mini-golf obstacle. He’d insisted she go first, which was a mistake because he’d had to wait forever as she floundered around on the first hole, taking what felt like a million strokes, or at least until she reached the limit of seven.
Carlos’ dress slacks showed off his muscular form and stretched themselves perfectly around an incredible…seat. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, exposing muscular, tanned arms. His large hands choked up on the club, his strong grip making Amy’s breathing shallow.
Th
ings were getting weirder. Amy had never taken notice of a man like this. She’d become accustomed to her apathetic stance on all things romance and sex. Her cousin YaYa called her Asexual, though she wasn’t sure she was interested in putting a label on it. In fact, her libido was so non-existent it didn’t seem worthy of a label. But all that was changing because of Carlos Diaz.
“You’re not upset about your score,” Carlos observed at the fifth hole as he recorded her miserable twenty-seven.
Amy laughed and waved her hand dismissively. “No. I couldn’t care less, to be honest.” Then she grew serious. “Does that me make unambitious or something?”
“Not necessarily. I’m guessing that it’s more a matter of lack of a competitive nature.”
“I’m not very competitive.” She swung her golf club idly. “Hell, I’m not competitive at all.”
He rested his hand on the top of his own club and cocked his hip. “Only child?”
“Yes. Good guess. I have a single mom and no siblings, but I have three cousins and we all grew up together. My family is very close. My cousins were super competitive with each other, but not me. In fact, they let me win a lot. Not that I cared.”
He shook his head and smiled. Amy was getting used to seeing his smile, and each time she did it was a like a wrapped gift that landed at her doorstep. “I can’t even imagine. I grew up the youngest of five boys. Everything was a competition. And they never let me win.”
Amy teed up at the sixth hole. It was one of those painful ones with the stupid loop-d-loop in the middle. “Five boys! Your mother must be one tough lady.”
“The toughest. I think that’s how I ended up with Kim.”
“Hmmmm.” She took a swing and watched as the golf ball veered way off course. “So your mom is to blame for Dragon Lady?”
She realized her mistake at the exact same moment Carlos burst out laughing. By the time she’d whirled around to look at him, he was doubled over, his booming voice exploding from him. “Dragon Lady!” He wiped at his eyes. “That’s perfect!”