The Shifter's Catch

by T. S. Ryder

  I got Mason off to sleep and walked into the living room with a yawn. The evening was both my favorite part of my day as well as the most exhausting. I did everything I could with Mason and by the time he was asleep, I could barely find it in myself to read a chapter in one of the used books piled next to my bed.

  I called my parents. It had become something of a nightly tradition for me since moving, and Mom wanted to hear all about the interview. We talked for a while as I went through my meager closet to find something to wear for the interview, asking her opinion. I was happy that I wasn’t too far away from them to make visits impossible, but at the same time, it was nice to be on our own. We could visit or they could come here and still see a lot of Mason.

  I settled on a black pencil skirt with a pale pink blouse, both of which I bought at a consignment store here in New York. I also had a hose and a pair of new black heels, along with a black cardigan sweater that added a touch of femininity to the outfit. I had a few curves since having Mason that weren’t there in high school but I tried my best to stay in shape with the little time that I had. Until I could figure out a workout regime, I told myself that my curves were sexy. I was going to shower in the morning. I had scheduled the interview for a time when Mason would already be in school so I could see him off.

  If I were truthful with myself, the idea of being away from him all day was breaking my heart a little bit. I knew that we’d both be better from the change, but I frowned as I went into the bathroom to change into the t-shirt that I slept in.

  It was Carter’s from his hockey days. He’d been a great player but decided to go into finance a long time ago. Hockey was just a sport that he did in school. I looked at the thinning blue material and pushed my feelings about tomorrow to the back of my mind. I wasn’t going to see him and made sure of that. It wasn’t an issue at all. I locked up the apartment and made my way to the hand-me-down queen-sized bed that my parents drove over with them, vowing to get a chapter of the new book that I was reading in.

  It was a wonderful second chance romance, my favorite kind of story. Not that I believed in that stuff in real life. It was just fun to get lost in the happy-ever-afters of books and movies before returning to reality.

  Chapter 2 - Carter

  I leaned back against my pillow as I listened to the sink running in the bathroom attached to my spacious master bedroom. I’d nailed Gillian in three days after I met her at the bar down the street from the office. She was a waitress there and I’d take every chance I got to charm her into my brownstone since she was on my list.

  I reached for my sleek phone on the table beside the bed, unlocking the list and marking her off. I looked at the empty space after, wondering who might fill it. No doubt my buddy Shane was working on his next conquest as well. We always found a new challenge once we fucked the current woman.

  The light shut off and the bathroom door opened as Gillian walked into the bedroom. She was dressed to leave since I wasn’t the type of guy to sugarcoat a one-night-stand to anybody. I was upfront about it in the beginning and being new to the city from Georgia, Gillian was down with the idea. She wasn’t great in the sack but I did love her accent when she cried my name as she came for me. Each and every time. It didn’t make it worth a second round though and I walked her to the front door, calling an Uber for her and covering the ride home. I wasn’t a complete asshole and I had billions of dollars. It was the least that I could do.

  I locked the door and walked across my sunken living room to the wall of windows that overlooked Manhattan. The city was ablaze with lights and I took a moment to appreciate all my hard work for a moment. I came from a small town in Vermont. After attending NYU, I had started my investment business, which was now one of the highest ranked in Forbes. I was proud of myself. Even though my life was fast-paced and perhaps a bit meaningless, and even though I spent long hours at the office, I was living a good life. I’d had a girlfriend back home before I left abruptly and while she was nice, the moment hadn’t been right for us. I wanted to make it big, while she seemed to be more of the small-town girl that was happy with any ordinary job there. So I’d bid her farewell and left.

  It was only now that I was here and had slept with a lot of women, that I had come to realize how sweet she was. Vivian would have done anything for me and her memory made me smile. I also felt my cock twitch a bit when I remembered how her mouth felt wrapped around me. I turned to walk to the kitchen for a beer and opened it, tossing the cap on the marble counter to pick up in the morning. If I forgot, the maid service would be here.

  I called Shane once I was back on my bed, looking out of the window. “I tapped it. What about you?” I asked when he answered, hearing his cocky laugh.

  “Fuck, yes. It took the same amount of time for both of us so I guess we’re even. How was she?” Shane asked.

  “Decent. Hot accent,” I said as I thought back. “Yours?”

  “She likes anal. That was a big bonus,” he said. I chuckled. A lot of women seemed to consider that forbidden territory, so bonus for Shane.

  “Nice.” I yawned and sipped my beer. “I’m still ahead though.” I had slept with Daisy from my building in a matter of hours, which put me in the lead but also had me ducking around the building to avoid her. She liked me more than I did her, despite my honesty about casual relationships.

  “Yeah, for now. Who’s next?” he asked with a confident tone in his voice. I thought the question over. Women were too easy to get into bed and I wanted to challenge myself with a harder catch. The building wasn’t a great place to find a new fuck and I’d been working the bar and restaurant angle a lot lately.

  “Oh, fuck. I have an interview for a new PA tomorrow. Gwen’s husband made her quit after she had the baby and I need someone new,” I said in a bored tone. I didn’t fuck everyone at work, particularly if they were married. Nevertheless, Gwen’s husband apparently didn’t like Gwen working close to me, so he made quick work of talking her into staying home after maternity leave. I’d switched an interview with a lower manager who was interviewing a new PA tomorrow. I needed it more since I was running the entire company and he quickly agreed. “I know she’s a woman, but I don’t know her fucking name. I’ll have to grab the resume tomorrow at work.”

  “Are you going to cross the work line for the sake of this bet?” Shane asked.

  “Sure. Why not?” I asked as I heard him whistle on the other end. “It’s been a while. I’ll have to make sure she’s hot plus not married or engaged or some shit like that. I don’t want to piss any guys off. It’s a pain in the ass.”

  “OK, so a work fuck. I’ll be nice and give you a week to butter her up if she meets your standards.”

  I smirked at the offer. “Get that money ready. You’ll be paying me…again.” Our bets ran for a few months at a time and right now, it looked like I was going to win easily. I had more game than Shane did since I had a business to impress the ladies while he was just working for his dad’s architecture company. He was a decent looking guy, though, with dark-blonde spiked hair and brown eyes that seemed to move the ladies easily.

  “We shall see, my friend.” Shane hung up and I dropped back against my pillow as I checked my emails. There was one from my PR adviser about an upcoming deal that would make a mint for the company. The deal was with a family-friendly company that I had to go sign in London. He suggested that I take a woman along with me and introduce her as my fiancée. He felt like it might benefit me. Well, that was fine with me. I wanted their money.

  I replied and dropped the phone on the bed. I considered the possibility of taking my new PA along as my fake fiancée. Being my PA, it would make sense for her to take a business trip with me. The trip was in a couple of weeks. So I would have already slept with her and we could make a fun time out of it.

  A week. I scoffed at the idea as I turned on some late-night television to watch before I went to sleep for the night. I never let a woman stay the night with me since it always seemed like t
hey’d expect more that way. I was happy being in my bed alone, satisfied for the moment and facing my future alone. As always, I fell asleep with the television on. I preferred the television over the city noise that seemed to reach me even though I was on the fifteenth floor. I had the window open a lot and after living in a place where I heard crickets and frogs, I couldn’t stand the sounds of the city at night.

  I woke up early to take a run before showering. It was a ritual that helped me clear my head and start the day fresh. It kept me in shape and I was planning on making it a long-term habit. I was only twenty-four, but I knew already that I wanted to look good when I was older, for all the younger women that I was going to fuck. I noticed the looks I garnered from the women out on the sidewalk and flirted heavily with the barista that handed me my black coffee before I headed home.

  I showered and sipped the coffee as I checked the computer for the morning activity. I made a lot of money in the stock market and it wasn’t from slacking off. I made sure to be up-to-date all the time. I dressed in one of my custom suits for the day, giving it a little extra flair with a bright green tie that brought out my eyes. I was seducing a PA if all went well, after all. I styled my dark hair in tousled waves since it was what the ladies liked and slipped my feet into a pair of my best shoes.

  I walked the few blocks to the office and stopped by Nick’s office to see if he had the new PA’s resume out. But he wasn’t in yet, which I should have expected. I always got here before almost anyone else, but I also took the liberty of leaving early if a good reason arose. I worked hard and everyone knew and respected that, but I also took some time to enjoy life. I deserved that.

  I walked to my office, fixing another cup of coffee before I unlocked the door. I warmed up my computer while looking outside to take in the city. I liked these early mornings where I could have some peace because once this place was full it could get chaotic. We were a big company and had a lot of deals going every minute of the shift, most of which were run through me in some form or another. I checked business emails and pulled up some deals that I had going on before my cell chimed on my desk.

  It was Nick. He told me that he had instructed the front desk staff to send the PA to me on the fifteenth floor instead of to the lower manager on the third. He also told me that her name was Vivian and I wondered about the irony as I thought about my blonde ex for a moment.

  Chapter 3 - Vivian

  I dried my hair straight today after my shower, leaving time to apply light makeup. It seemed like I rarely did this anymore and I worked on trying to just accent my eyes instead of making a thick line with the black gel liner that Lainie gave me. She did a makeup vlog on Youtube and got a ton of stuff for free, so I had a growing collection now. I just needed to learn how to use it all for work.

  I pulled on the clothes I had picked out and roused Mason for the day, cooking him eggs and toast. He came out of his room dressed for school and I sat him down as I poured myself some of the coffee that was on sale at the store this week. I didn’t eat like he did in the morning but I choked down some toast to set an example of a good mom. I preferred to eat later in the day after he was at school, but that might all be changing now.

  I sighed. I was nervous just to be in Carter’s building. My hands shook as I sipped the coffee and tried to focus on the positive of the situation, which was money and stability for my son. I put my uncomfortable heels on and walked Mason outside. I hugged him goodbye before he climbed on the bus and found a seat next to his new best friend.

  I gathered everything I needed from the apartment and made my way to the subway to get into Manhattan. For a small-town girl, it was an overwhelming experience. I found a seat in the corner, listening with interest to all the chatter around me. If I got the job, this would be a regular thing for me. I did love to people watch but I’d need to adjust to the hustle and bustle. It was better than driving to work, with the traffic and the street parking. I’d learn to use this time to relax and maybe get some reading done.

  If I got the job. I hoped that I did since the benefits were incredible. I would have health and dental for Mason and a great salary. I could make something of myself here since I’d done online college from home while Mason was younger. I had a thing for numbers.

  I got to my stop and adjusted my big purse before leaving with a big throng of people as they got off the train. I walked up the dark stairs into the sun and took a deep breath as I stared around at the big buildings. It had a completely different vibe than Brooklyn and excited me. I figured out where to go and walked with all the other people to their jobs or maybe just for coffee. There was a lot to do here.

  I saw the building I was looking for. As I waited for the light to turn green, I took in the tall structure that was nearly all windows. It was beautiful and I felt a burst of pride for Carter for a moment before a sadness entered my heart when I remembered that he’d never know his son. I frowned as I walked over to the building and through the automatic doors. The lobby was massive with a small coffee cart, several couches, and a large reception desk with two beautiful women helping people. It was a very modern room and I sensed the company’s professionalism. I looked doubtfully at my outfit for a second. Did the cardigan make me look like a grandmother?

  Never mind. I was already here. I approached the desk and the blonde asked how she could help me. I told her my name and added that I had an interview. She took me in with a shrewd gaze for a quick moment. Then she looked at her computer and clicked some buttons before nodding. “Yes, I see you. The fifteenth floor.”

  “Fifteenth? I thought it was the third floor?” I asked as she narrowed her eyes.

  “It says the fifteenth. Just take a right off the elevator and go to the reception desk right there. They’ll get you to the right place.” Her tone suggested that I was being clueless about why I was here. I nodded and walked away, trying not to let my nerves and confusion get the better of me. I wasn’t going to lose the job because of a bitchy receptionist making me feel insecure.

  I stood in the back of the elevator as others piled on and watched them get off on various other floors. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood, speaking of deals and clients with a sense of enthusiasm. I smiled to myself. This was a good sign. I was alone as the elevator rose smoothly to the last floor. I stepped out and took a deep breath. The view from here was incredible. I took a second to walk over to the window, glancing down as my hands shook. I was a bit scared of heights but this was a building, not a bridge. I walked over to the gorgeous redhead behind the reception desk, asking myself if I even belonged here. These women were all supermodel material while I had a little extra weight on me. “Hello. My name is Vivian Smith. I’m here for an interview.”

  Her blue eyes sparkled as she looked at the computer. She gave me a curious look. “That you are. Right around the corner, you’ll find a conference room. Number one. Would you like any coffee?”

  I held up the cup I’d brought from home. “I’m still nursing this. Thank you, though.” I was glad this woman wasn’t bitchy to me, but I did wonder why the first one seemed to give me such an attitude when I told her my name and why I was here. I made my way past the reception desk and around the corner, talking myself up. I saw conference room one and walked inside, looking around. It was a good-sized room, done in cream and sage colors, with a long table in the center of the room. Everything was beautiful here.

  I walked to a seat that gave me a good view of the door. I wondered who was going to interview me. I’d been told that it would be a manager who was relatively low in the company’s hierarchy. But this was the top floor. I fought back the thought that I might actually run into Carter here. No, that wasn’t going to happen. He might work remotely, to begin with since he’d built this place. Owners had the luxury of doing that if they had a good staff.

  I closed my eyes and told myself to focus on the interview, but his gorgeous face swam behind my eyelids. He got the girls crazy back in high school. We dated on and off for a
couple of years, but I wasn’t the only one who was in love with him and there had been a few other girls in between those times, as much as I had hated it. But whenever we were together, we were all over each other, which made up for it. We had a chemistry back then and I liked the fact that my first had given me such pleasure.

  I heard a familiar voice and watched as a man strode through the door, speaking sharply into a cell phone. My glossed pink mouth dropped open as he paused, seemingly listening to the person on the other end. My skin heated up. I shrunk back into the chair, trying to disappear.

  This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. I wasn’t being interviewed by him. I was here for another position.

  Unaware of me and my heated face, Carter kept talking and getting agitated by whatever was being said to him on the other end, finally telling the other person that he needed to take care of something. He ended the call and looked around the room. I shivered as he looked at me. Recognition flashed in his beautiful eyes.

  “Vivian?” He sounded shocked and he blinked at me before regaining his composure.

  “Yes, it’s me,” I murmured, frantically trying to think of a way out of this situation. I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn’t move. He moved to the table and sat across from me, taking me in with a roving gaze. He cleared his throat.

  “I need a new PA so Nick gave me his interview. I lost my PA very suddenly and there’s a lot of work to be done.” He looked at me as I again fought the urge to get up and walk out.