by D. F. Jones
“Those jerks paid their female employees four dollars less an hour than the males doing the same job. BCA is different. In my final interview, I got a tour of the company, and it’s diverse and friendly. I went to the restroom and caught the end of a conversation, leaving me with the impression their team promotes within; they seem to treat the employees as colleagues, not subordinates.” Nora plopped on the chair next to her mom.
With a grin, Mom said, “Congratulations, sweetheart. I know there’s a right place for my smart girl.”
As the only child, her parents adored her. Sometimes to the point of suffocation, but Nora’s temper had caused her family problems over the years. She was growing and practicing meditation in yoga class. Thankfully, the agency hadn’t seen her viral video. She giggled. The asshole who hurt Grace got what he deserved, plus he hadn’t pressed charges.
Nora had done her homework on BCA. She learned it was one of the fastest-growing graphic design agencies in the nation. The owners, Barlow, Cory, and Alex seemed to be in their thirties and started the company from the floor up. Probably trust fund babies, albeit successful ones. Their agency was based in Philadelphia but looking to branch out to other cities. That was part of the pull to the job for Nora. A recent graduate in the field, while tasked to the design team, she had an opportunity for advancement, maybe to a new city. A new life.
“I think the job sounds like a good fit for you,” Mom said.
“I’ve made it my goal to fit in. I need to succeed with BCA, and my creative designs clinched it.”
Dad said, “Just a reminder, if you feel your temper rising, ask to be excused, leave if you must or scream in an alley, but for the love of god don’t fight with anyone.”
She placed her hand over her heart. “You hurt me to the core. I am trying.”
He laughed. “You always try, dear.”
“Thanks for allowing me to hang here for a few weeks. I should probably get back to the apartment and clean it up before Grace comes home, or she’ll kill me.” Her roommate was a clean freak, and Nora more of a free spirit, live and let live kinda girl. They’d roomed together in college, and Grace frequently got frustrated with her.
After dinner, she grabbed her backpack of clothes, hugging and kissing her parents goodbye on the way to the car. She walked to her red SUV and hopped in, smiling as she started the engine.
Arriving at the apartment an hour later, she started cleaning. Grace was on holiday in Europe with her family. So, Nora cranked the music and wiped down the counters as she sang along, dancing across the room. She picked up the living room then took out the trash.
She showered later in the evening and pulled on clean leggings and a tank top. Standing in front of her closet, she separated her business attire from casual. She selected a charcoal pencil skirt and cream-colored blouse and paired it with a matching cardigan then placed her gray heels next to the ensemble. She yawned and pulled her hair up into a bun and crawled into bed. She tossed and turned until finally drifting to sleep.
Nora woke up to the jams of The Rolling Stones, reached over and punched the alarm button to off. She bolted from bed. Her first day. She dressed in a half-hour and headed out to arrive at work early. Only a few blocks away, she stopped and grabbed a coffee from Cool Beans, her favorite cafe, then power walked the rest of the way.
She glanced up at the towering building. Anticipation and anxiety made her blood pump. She pushed through the rotating glass doors, looking around at the massive yet empty lobby.
Beautiful.
So much cooler than her old job. She checked her phone for the email sent after her acceptance, and walked to the elevator to go to the ninth floor. From there, she waited in HR to sign the paperwork and set up benefits with a pretty blonde named Olivia. It was a fantastic opportunity that paid well.
Olivia took her to meet her new team, and each shook her hand and tried to make her feel welcome. Nora tended to attract attention with her bright red hair and bubbly personality. “Tell me about your current campaign,” Nora said. “But first, is there coffee?”
Valerie took her to the breakroom, passing through the main office with a hub of activity. She turned to look at the conference room and crashed into a six-foot-something gorgeous man. His grip was the only thing preventing her from falling face-first on the floor. Her eyes locked with his ice-blue eyes; her nerves unfurled in her stomach as she unconsciously wet her lips. She recognized him from his photos in the local social mags. “I’m sorry. I’m new and didn’t see you. I was looking at the conference room and only turned my head for a second.”
“It’s okay, no problem.” He blinded her with a dazzling smile.
Valerie said, “Um, Nora, this is Barlow, one of the owners of BCA.”
Oh, shit. What a great first impression.
She didn’t need work distractions, especially her boss.
Barlow released his grip and said, “Valerie, I got it from here.”
“But, I wanted to show her the breakroom.” Valerie looked at him with besotted eyes.
“I got it, Valerie.”
Valerie walked away, and he turned to Nora. He’d been counting the days to speak with her. He needed to be honest but waited to see how things progressed. “I’m heading for a coffee, would you like to walk with me?”
Nora nodded. Her brilliant red hair, light blue eyes, and luscious lips caught his breath for a long moment. Snap out of it, man. You’re this woman’s boss. The breakroom was empty, thank god.
“K-cups in a wide variety of coffee and tea. Cups in the cabinet above the coffee machine.” He leaned against the counter.
She smiled and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Nora Kincaid. I want to thank you for this opportunity, and I swear I won't let you down.”
“I’m Barlow Adams.”
“Yeah, I know who you are.”
He stared at her, and the spit dried up in his mouth. She was stunning. But, she was also a valuable asset to his agency. He needed to tread softly.
He watched her gaze travel the length of his body, then she turned and fumbled with the cabinet door. He reached over and pulled it open. “It sticks sometimes.”
Her cheeks flushed pink.
“So, we placed you with the Vegan Lightly account.”
“Yes, I’m meeting with the team after I get coffee. I have some ideas.”
Barlow grinned, and she arched a perfect brow.
“Great. I’m sitting in on the meeting. It’s one of our biggest accounts at the moment. It could turn into a national campaign. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.” He nearly missed the meeting clinching the account with her street brawl.
She swallowed hard. “Thank you, I look forward to sharing them with you. I know I’ll be a good asset to your company.” Her chin lifted slightly with confidence and heat washed over his skin.
“Are you from the Philadelphia area, Nora?” Barlow forced himself to speak, and she relaxed for a moment.
“I am. I grew up here and studied at the Smith School of Design. I graduated recently.”
Of course, Barlow knew that, but he couldn’t tell her. “I went there, as well. Great school.”
“I loved it. I graduated at the top of my class,” Nora said. She grabbed her cup. “I’m heading back, are you coming?”
His thoughts went in the gutter. He couldn’t go there, yet. “I’ll be along in a few minutes. You get settled in.”
Barlow watched her walk away, focusing on her tight ass in the fitted charcoal pencil skirt. Her gray heels clicked lightly on the white marble tile.
Coffee?
Hell, he needed a cold shower.
He wanted to caress her soft, flawless pale skin. He must tell her about the day he first saw her before he acted on his impulses. He went into his office to grab his iPad and stylus.
Barlow watched as she stepped into one of the team offices, realizing he had a perfect view of Nora from his desk. He was going to enjoy every minute getting to know her.
C
ory popped inside his door. “I’m ordering lunch in for the Vegan Lightly meeting. What do you want?”
He knew what he wanted; she looked up at him and smiled. “Whatever you get is fine with me.”
They had a potential client dinner the following night, and they needed to plan their angle. He agreed. They called in Thai food. Alex would join them later. He was currently meeting with the Gruber Dog Food account. They each managed different parts of the firm but collectively worked together on planning campaigns.
Barlow watched Nora leave with Valerie for the conference room.
Cory looked at the girls then narrowed his eyes at Barlow. “She’s gorgeous, isn’t she? You’re asking for trouble. And, we don’t need a sexual harassment lawsuit.”
“Me? I would never do anything to jeopardize the company. Believe me, NDA’s are signed and sealed before I make a deal.”
“Landed another one for the team.” Alex joined them. “Um, planning meeting in the conference room, ring any bells?”
“Barlow knows our newest addition.” Cory laughed as Alex opened his mouth to speak. “No, not in the biblical sense. Let me rephrase, he’s seen her. You know the fight video I showed you?”
“No way, that’s the redhead?” Alex asked as the other two nodded. “She’s feisty but brilliant. Helluva GPA. Have you seen her designs?”
Barlow replied, “Every one of them.”
Chapter 3
Nora worked out the new design for Vegan Lightly. She was placing the finishing touches when she glanced up. Barlow stood in the doorway. She looked around, and everyone was gone. It was dark outside.
“Burning the midnight oil?”
“Oh, am I holding you up? When I get into a concept, I have tunnel vision. I won’t stop until I see it through. Want to take a look?”
He stepped over to her desk, and she tilted her monitor so he could see her latest creation. She’d created plant and bean characters petting a lamb in the country with the sun in the background. The family-friendly slogan read, “Don’t eat meat. Try Greens, Beans & Wheat.” It was simple and catchy. “I played around with several alternatives with each beginning with Don’t eat meat. I use different vegetable characters petting different farm animals. Teach them while they’re young, you know.”
“You hit all of the client’s demands with incredible speed. The simplistic approach is fabulous and lends itself to all forms of media. Brilliant. Let’s print out a few copies, and run them by the team in the morning.”
Her stomach growled. “Sorry, creating the campaign made me hungry. I’m vegetarian. I spent many summers at my grandparent's farm. Separating the baby calves from their mamas broke my heart. I stopped eating meat when I was ten years old.” She looked at him. “Not all of my designs come to me fast. So that you know.”
He sat on the edge of her desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “Nora, I have to confess something.”
Shaking her head, she said, “You’ve seen the video.” She bit the inside of her cheek.
“I was there, Nora. That’s when I saw you for the first time.”
“Am I fired?”
“No, you’re not fired.”
“Really?” she asked.
“I quite enjoyed it, if you want the honest to god truth. I have no idea what that guy did to your friend, but you have impressive fighting skills.”
She pressed her lips in a tight line, and then she felt the all too familiar temper rising from deep inside her gut. “Did you hire me for my talent or the notoriety?” She got up and slung her bag over her shoulder. “You could’ve told me before I spent the entire day working on your damn campaign.” She went to push by him, and he grabbed her shoulders.
“I didn’t hire you for the notoriety. Listen to me. I admit I was curious about you. So, I did a little digging and found out you went to the same design school as Cory, Alex, and me. I found your designs from campus and began the official inquiry about hiring you. I handed off your information to Alex. Stay with the firm. Your designs are fantastic. Or at least give us a try for a month. If you don’t feel it’s a fit, then I will understand your need to move on.”
“I really want this job to work. I like it here already, and I just started. Does anyone else know about the video?”
He chuckled. “It’s viral, Nora.”
“I suppose I’ll never live it down. I have a terrible temper.” She sighed. “I am working on it.”
“Good, may I walk you out?”
“Sure.”
Over the next several weeks, Barlow seemed to time catching the elevator with Nora each morning or at the end of each workday with an occasional shoulder brush when the elevator was crowded. The brief touch sent an electrical zing of awareness. The scent of her perfume imprinted on his brain. He didn’t share his growing feelings with his partners for fear of reprimand. He had a rendezvous in his past with a co-worker that ended badly and cost the agency a considerable amount of money. Even though the relationship had been consensual, as one of the partners, he settled instead of going to court to prove his innocence.
Nora seemed different, but he couldn’t take a chance of extending his feelings without knowing her thoughts for sure. She’d catch him looking at her and vice-versa during the day with the line of sight vision between their offices. So, he enjoyed the growing work relationship, collaborating on projects, and meetings. Her vivacious and friendly demeanor helped him seal more than one deal. She had a spark that drew everyone to her.
Barlow walked out of his office to grab a coffee from the breakroom and paused, hearing laughter coming from one of the team rooms. He peeked inside, and Nora pointed out something to the others. He shook his head and continued walking around the corner. Nora’s positive vibes changed the office for the better. Teams worked better together with more enthusiasm. They had fun while they worked and seemed more socially interactive with one another. It wasn’t only Nora’s team, but all the employees and other businesses in the building had benefited from her youth and exuberance for life.
Alex and Cory had great things to say about her, and it wasn’t long before she created presentations for each division of the company. Nora exuded confidence and the joy of doing her job, and everyone soaked it up. Barlow watched her closely as she powered on, only having small chances to talk to her in the morning.
After the morning sales meeting, Barlow stepped out of the office to grab some lunch. He was lost in thought as he casually glanced up, seeing a flash of red hair ahead. His feet moved faster, and Barlow hurried into the cafe. Nora walked in before the door closed.
A disgruntled customer shouted at an employee busing a table. “This place is filthy. Don’t you clean it?”
The young waiter flushed red and shifted on his feet. “It’s busy. Lunchtime.”
Nora stepped over and said, “I’ll take the table if you don’t want it.” She narrowed her eyes at the customer who mumbled under their breath and stormed out the door. “I’m sure you’ll wipe down the table before the food comes.” She winked, and the employee’s tense shoulders relaxed.
“What a woman,” Barlow murmured.
“I thought she was going to take the customer down.” Barlow jumped and turned to look at Cory. “She’s formidable with sass. Be careful, my friend, Nora might rip you apart if you piss her off.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Barlow fantasized about her frequently, and this time, with her commanding him to action. He shook his head. Those types of thoughts would never win over a woman like Nora. Or would it?
“Oh, we’re thinking about after-work drinks and dinner tonight,” Cory said. “To celebrate another banner week for BCA. Alex mentioned it, so you in or you out? I thought I’d invite the staff. You know for a job well done. Plus, it gives you a chance to talk to Nora after-hours finally.”
“Great idea. Where were you thinking?”
“Donella. They’ve got drinks, good food, and a dance floor. It’s classy, but not stuffy, and a one hundred percent write
off.” Cory smiled, and Barlow nodded.
“I don’t think it’d hurt to loosen up a bit.” Barlow watched Nora as she took a seat, thanking the employee for cleaning her table.
Riding the elevator with Barlow every morning and in the evenings made Nora nervous. They were both early risers and often worked late. She looked forward to that part of the day. She had a huge crush on her boss.
Her heart raced when he stepped inside after lunch. The door slid shut.
Locking eyes with him set off her pheromones. She tried to tamp down her nerves.
The elevator jostled then stopped.
She fell against the wall. “Jesus. My worse fear is getting stuck on an elevator. Fair warning, enclosed places make me hyperventilate.”
Barlow grabbed her hands. “Look in my eyes and breathe in and slowly out.”
“God, you have gorgeous eyes. Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No worries.” He chuckled. “Your eyes are beautiful, too, so we’re even. I’m going to release you and call the super.” He opened the emergency door and punched numbers. “Elevator 2 is stuck I’d say between the fourth and fifth floor. Okay, thanks.” He turned to Nora. “They’re aware of the problem and should resolve it in a few minutes. So, I wanted to tell you how impressed we are of your progress. Do you like it here?” He smiled at Nora, and her nipples hardened under her shirt.
“Very much.” Most of the time, she had no problems talking and even flirting, but Barlow’s good looks and demanding presence had her at a loss. “Are you from Philly?” Nora blushed. Ugh, she hated being a sappy lovesick girl. What was wrong with her?
“New Castle County.”
“Nice.” Holy shit, she knew he must be a trust fund baby, but kept her thoughts to herself.
Barlow’s expression remained neutral. “Tell me about your family.”
“Small and mighty.” She laughed. “Just my parents and me. They’ve been supportive of me from day one, even when I’m a stubborn jerk. And since you know about the video, it’s taken a lot of therapy to get a handle on my temper. Even with my faults, they love me the way I am.” Nora smiled and searched his face. “You?”