Fair Play

by Mia Ford

  “Thank you,” Veronica smiled, a little surprised by the courtesy that the secretary had displayed. She took a seat on the edge of a nearby chair and took a breath to calm the nerves that had begun to flutter in her stomach. She wrung her hands a little on the edge of her briefcase and closed her eyes.

  “Miss Lawrence?” Veronica heard Lynn’s voice, and she immediately looked up. “Mr. Davenport will see you now.”

  Veronica gave her a nod and a smile, and she stood to approach the door.

  She moved over to where Lynn stood, holding the door for her, a pleasant smile on her face.

  “Just relax and stick to your guns,” Lynn advised her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Be yourself- if there’s one thing he can’t stand, its people trying to fake him out.”

  Veronica blinked, more than a little surprised by genuineness that this complete stranger was displaying. It was altogether very comforting, and Veronica felt much more confident.

  “Thank you so much,” Veronica said, her appreciation very evident in her tone.

  “Of course,” Lynn smiled. “Ready?”

  Veronica took another breath and then nodded. Lynn opened the door, and Veronica stepped inside.

  Ch. 4

  Upon setting foot in the room, Veronica had to work hard to keep her jaw from dropping. She had heard of the illustrious Frank Davenport, and his intelligence and wit, but she had never had the pleasure of seeing the man in person.

  The man was nothing short of absolutely gorgeous. Though he was approaching his middle ages, he had kept himself in fine shape, his perfectly tailored suit serving to display his broad, likely muscular physique. His skin was several shades darker than her own, and his nearly black eyes seemed to gleam with intelligence. His face was framed by a well-kept beard and his hair was artfully faded, with immaculate edges.

  “Good morning Miss. Lawrence,” he greeted her, his voice rolling out smooth and low. “I see you are punctual- already a good first impression.”

  Veronica nearly had to shake her head to refocus her mind. She was, after all, here for a professional interview on the recommendation of her boyfriend. She was certainly not here to ogle her potential employer.

  “Thank you,” Veronica smiled, trying not to betray all her nerves, or the paths that her mind had taken.

  “Please, have a seat,” Davenport gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk, and she moved toward it, sitting down on the edge of the seat, and immediately reaching into her briefcase to pull out her resume.

  “Oh I’m not really interested in going through any paperwork,” Davenport held up his hand, and Veronica blinked up at him. She sat back up in her seat and shifted a little uncomfortably. This interview was already taking a far different turn than what she had expected.

  “It’s a little formal to call this an interview,” Davenport admitted with a shrug. “Honestly, I would have preferred to discuss all this over a coffee. Or maybe you’d like something stronger?”

  Davenport gestured to a small stand beside his desk, on which was a variety of decanters filled with all manner of amber liquids.

  “Coffee is fine,” Veronica spoke up, managing to keep her voice level in spite of her accelerating heartrate.

  “Coffee suits me better in the morning as well,” Davenport shot her a blindingly white smile as he rose and crossed the office to a counter along one wall where a coffee maker was situated. She watched as he poured out two mugs, and brought them back over.

  He placed them on the side table between the two chairs in front of his desk, and Veronica was more than a little surprised that instead of resuming his place behind his desk, he took up a place in the chair beside her. He sat back in the chair and picked up his mug, bringing it to his lips.

  “Oh,” he said suddenly. “Do you take cream or sugar? I take mine black, so I just forgot to ask.”

  “Both, actually,” Veronica said. She would have just taken it black, but she remembered what Lynn had said about trying to fake him out, so she decided to just be honest.

  Davenport gave her a smile, and once again rose and crossed to a small cabinet, withdrawing a box of miniature coffee creamers and a box of sugar cubes. He set those, too, on the side table, as well as a mixing spoon.

  Veronica hurried to fix her coffee, and then rose the mug to her lips, doing her best to keep her hands from shaking. She could feel Davenport’s eyes on her the entire time, and she couldn’t ignore the reaction it inspired deep in her stomach.

  “So,” Davenport spoke after they had both sipped at their coffees for a moment. “Tell me about yourself and your business.”

  “Well,” Veronica cleared her throat, setting down her coffee on the nightstand beside her. “I started out just babysitting other kids in my neighborhood when I was in high school. I started out doing it for free, but I eventually figured out I could make some money doing it. I love working with the kids. I actually considered getting my degree in education instead of business.”

  “Oh wow,” Davenport raised his brows. “So you have a degree?”

  “Yes,” Veronica nodded. “It’s only really been a couple of years.

  “And you were never tempted to go explore other options?” Davenport asked, and she could hear the genuine curiosity in his voice.

  “Well, I considered it,” Veronica nodded. “But at the end of the day, I have always wanted to keep up the babysitting. But with my education, I run it more like a business than I did before. It has been very helpful.”

  Davenport nodded and gave her a smile, though his thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.

  “You seem like a very driven and committed young woman,” he noted, and Veronica heard a shift in his tone. She blinked, taken slightly off-guard by the comment, but she assured herself that it was just meant to be polite.

  “If you don’t mind me asking,” Davenport wrapped his fingers around his coffee mug. “What are your rates?”

  Veronica shifted a little in her seat.

  “Well,” she started, trying to think of the most diplomatic way to say what she needed to say. “I don’t really have a flat fee. I create a plan for each family that I work for, according to their income and their ability to pay.”

  “That’s very considerate of you,” Davenport noted, and Veronica blinked, more than a little surprised by his response.

  “Some people have said it’s an irresponsible business decision,” Veronica noted, taking another drink from her mug.

  “Not necessarily,” Davenport shrugged. “You’re building a good rapport with your clients, who will recommend you to friends, and ultimately increase your income. Even if you make less money in the short term, it does help to set you up for long term success. Good business decisions aren’t determined by the amount of money you bring in on a short term basis.”

  Veronica nodded. She couldn’t agree more.

  “Besides,” Davenport went on, and his tone softened. “It speaks highly of your character to know that you are willing to be flexible when providing a service for those less fortunate.”

  “Well, I certainly wasn’t always as fortunate as I am today,” Veronica said with a shrug.

  “Neither was I,” Davenport let out a low chuckle.

  “Oh?” Veronica raised her brows, curious.

  “I grew up in the system,” Davenport confessed. “I didn’t always end up in the best homes.”

  “Oh,” Veronica blinked, a surge of sympathy flowing through her. “Did you ever…?”

  “Get adopted?” Davenport gave her a smirk. “No. I was in and out of homes until I aged out.”

  Veronica couldn’t control her emotions for a moment. She hadn’t had the most opulent upbringing, but at the very least she had her family. She couldn’t imagine going through the nightmare of being transferred from one foster home to the next for the entirety of her childhood.

  “I’m so sorry,” Veronica said, her voice soft. Davenport gave her a gentle smile.

  “It’s qu
ite alright,” he comforted her. “As you see, I managed to rise above my circumstances.”

  Veronica could clearly see that was true, and she was glad that he had been able to elevate himself to this status.

  “And as you can imagine, I want to do everything in my power to provide my little girls with the kind of childhood that I didn’t have,” he explained. “Which is why I am looking for a nanny for them in the first place. And also why I would very much like it if that nanny was you.”

  Ch. 5

  Veronica choked a little on the coffee she had been sipping, her head spinning at the sudden turn in conversation.

  “Are you serious?” Veronica asked, and Davenport laughed a little.

  “I am very serious,” Davenport gave a single nod. “I am offering you the job if you want it.”

  Veronica’s head spun. She had certainly not expected to be offered a job immediately in the interview.

  “I don’t know what to say,” Veronica shook her head from side to side, still in disbelief.

  “Well, don’t say anything for the moment,” Davenport held up a hand. “I will have Lynn send you home with a file of paperwork detailing the requirements of the job, the pay, and all manner of details. You can take it home and peruse it, and if you should say yes, you can sign the documents and report to my estate in the morning to start. If you have to decline for any reason, just send me an email, and I’ll understand completely.”

  Veronica had to work hard to keep her jaw from dropping. This was all moving so fast, and she could hardly keep up. She shook her head a little, reminding herself that she had to respond.

  “I can’t tell you how much this means to me,” Veronica said, laughing in disbelief. “Thank you so much.”

  “Well, don’t thank me just yet,” Davenport laughed. “I’ve heard I can be a hard man to work for.”

  Veronica laughed, and she followed suit as Davenport rose from his seat.

  “It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Lawrence,” he said, holding out his hand, which Veronica immediately took and firmly shook.

  “Again, I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity,” Veronica said, almost giddy.

  Davenport laughed, and held his arm toward the door.

  “Let me walk you out,” he offered. Veronica felt his hand on the small of her back, and she stiffened as she felt a shiver roll up her spine. She stopped cold, and looked up to meet Davenport’s intense gaze. She saw a glint of some emotion in his dark eyes, and she felt her mouth go dry.

  They lingered that way for a long moment, and Veronica was certain that something had passed between them.

  “After you,” Davenport spoke again, his voice sounding to her like a soft growl.

  After another shiver racked her body, Veronica shook herself and moved forward toward the door. She couldn’t tell if she was more grateful or disappointed when they were no longer alone, greeted by Lynn.

  “Lynn, will you give Miss Lawrence the necessary documentation to begin her employment?” Davenport addressed her politely. Lynn looked over at Veronica and her face lit up.

  “Of course!” Lynn said happily, and turned to open a drawer of one of the filing cabinets behind her desk.

  “I have to go back to my office and look over a few papers before my next meeting,” Davenport looked down at Veronica from his superior height. “It really was a pleasure meeting you today, and I certainly hope I will see you tomorrow. Until then, have a wonderful remainder of your day, and if I don’t see you, I hope you have a wonderful life.”

  “It was a pleasure to meet you as well,” Veronica managed to say, though she was certainly having trouble forming coherent thoughts with his eyes lingering on her as they were. “And I hope the same.”

  Davenport lingered for a moment more, letting his eyes sweep up and down her body, before he turned and stepped back into his office, the door closing behind him. Veronica stared at the door for a moment after it shut, her mind still racing from what had just happened.

  “I think he likes you!” Lynn said excitedly as she placed the papers on the desk for Veronica to retrieve. “Congratulations! I think that was the fastest interview he’s ever had! Well, at least since I’ve started working here.”

  “Thank you,” Veronica said as she collected the papers, sliding them into her briefcase. She felt numb, and she couldn’t get the image of Davenport’s dark eyes out of her head.

  “All you have to do is read over them and sign on the dotted lines,” Lynn said cheerily.

  “Thanks,” Veronica said. “It was great to meet you, and thank you so much for being so encouraging and positive.”

  “Just doing my job,” Lynn smiled brightly. “Have a wonderful day!”

  “You too,” Veronica smiled, and then headed back toward the elevator.

  Veronica couldn’t stop thinking about her interview as she headed out of the building and down the street back toward her apartment. Her mind was a little hazy, and while she wanted to be feeling excitement over her new job, her mind lingered instead on the man who had given it to her.

  There was something about being near to him that made her feel electric. Like he was passing his energy directly into her just through his proximity. His easy smile and low voice served to draw her in, but the constant fire in his eyes kept her just enough on edge to keep her from getting too close.

  It was a delightful combination, and she contemplated her own reaction to him even as she arrived at her apartment, being sure to close and lock the door behind her. She moved into her bedroom and changed out of her dress clothes, hanging them back up in the closet, except for her shirt, which she tossed in the hamper.

  She still had a few hours before she had to babysit, so she decided to head to the gym. She changed into a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra and tank top and tightly tied on her tennis shoes. The gym was only a half- mile away, so she set off at a jog.

  As she made her way there, she felt the reality of her situation sink in. Frank Davenport had offered her the job. This created a complicated mix of emotions within her. While she was happy to have gotten it, she knew this meant that she would be in close proximity to him… and she wasn’t entirely sure how that made her feel.

  Veronica tried to sort through her emotions as she worked out, which was having a negative impact on her form, and keeping her from getting the most out of her time there. Frustrated, she set down the dumbbells she had been trying to curl, and moved over to get a drink from the fountain.

  She shook her head, and determined to focus enough to get through the rest of her workout. She was by no means skinny, but she loved to be healthy, and to maintain her curvaceous figure. So, she cleared her mind, and got through the rest of her workout, and then jogged home.

  Once inside, she stretched herself out and then undressed to get in the shower, wrapping her hair up before stepping under the flow of the water. Once she was clean, she moisturized her skin with coconut oil and changed into a loose t-shirt and some shorts, then moved to sit on the couch and watch TV before she had to start getting ready for work.

  No sooner had she settled on the couch than her phone started to vibrate on the coffee table. She looked at the screen, and her Picture ID of Calvin appeared on the screen. She picked up the phone and answered it.

  “Hello,” she answered easily, her eyes still lingering on the show she had been watching.

  “Hey, you never called me!” Calvin said, his voice full of energy. Veronica felt a surge of guilt, not just for forgetting to call him, but for all the thoughts she had been having about Davenport.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Veronica sat up on the couch, and picked up the remote, turning off the television. “I just completely forgot.”

  “It’s okay, you’re fine,” Calvin insisted, and Veronica could tell he was eager to hear about the interview. “How did it go?”

  Veronica hesitated a moment, wanting to leave him in as much suspense as she possibly could.

  “It went...” Veronic
a hesitated, and dragged it on for as long as possible. “It went great. He offered me the job.”

  “Veronica that’s amazing!” Calvin shouted into the phone, and Veronica pulled the receiver away from her ear.

  “I know, I know,” she laughed lightly into the phone. “I could hardly believe it.”

  “Well wait hold on,” Calvin sounded suddenly concerned. “You said he offered you the job?”

  “Yes,” Veronica confirmed.

  “Well did you take it?” he asked, his voice insistent.

  “Not yet,” Veronica answered.

  “What?” Calvin exclaimed. “Why not?”

  “Well, he gave me a bunch of paperwork to go through,” Veronica explained. “He said to look it over, and that I could make my decision from there.”

  “Well, have you looked at it?” Calvin asked her, and she could hear the irritation creeping into his voice.

  “Not yet,” Veronica said none too snappily. “I thought it would be best if we looked through it together. I don’t want to make any decisions without your input.”

  “Oh…” Calvin said, and she could hear his tone become gentler. “I guess that’s very thoughtful of you.”

  “Yeah,” Veronica sighed into the phone, shaking her head. “I was thinking we could go over it tonight after dinner, since Mr. Davenport wants my answer by tomorrow.”

  “Wow,” Calvin said, his voice surprised. “That seems a little soon.”

  “Well, there’s not much paperwork,” Veronica shrugged.

  “Well, I mean it’s a good job,” Calvin mused. “I hope you’re considering saying yes.”

  “Oh, I am,” Veronica nodded, though she felt a little guilty for her own reasons for wanting to accept the job, an image of Davenport floating around in her mind. “I think it should be a really good job.”

  Veronica heard Calvin release a sigh over the phone.

  “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” Calvin laughed lightly. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to take the job even if he offered it.”

  “Well we can look through the paperwork together tonight, and we will make a decision together,” Veronica said, knowing those were the words that would make him the happiest.