Page 9 of Scandalous Secrets

Out on the sidewalk, I hailed a cab and slid inside. I gave the driver the address and settled in for the short ride to work.

My father didn’t understand why I took cabs when I could easily afford a driver, but there was something about hailing a cab that got me. It was in true New York fashion, and I loved the city. Despite having millions to do with as I pleased, I wanted to stay grounded in some ways. Not many, but some.

Ten minutes later, the cab pulled up to the curb outside my building. The large, concrete and glass structure looked even more gray and dull than usual as the clouds rolled in. I let out a sigh as I paid the driver and walked up to the heavy doors of the entrance that were opened for me by two doormen. I gave them a nod of acknowledgment as my footsteps echoed through the large lobby. I hoped today would be less stressful than yesterday.

Up in my office, I sat down in my large leather desk chair and rubbed my eyes groggily. The lack of sleep from last night paired with one too many old fashioneds was getting to me. I needed coffee stat.

I was about to call in my personal assistant to go get me one when I remembered I didn’t have one. My previous assistant had moved back to Seattle to be closer to family, or at least that was her excuse after I ended our secret office fling. She left last week.

I scrolled through the morning’s emails and saw one from my office manager, Kathy.

Troy,

Just a reminder that your new personal assistant starts today. She will be in training for a good portion of the day, but I will be sure to introduce you two, since you haven’t actually met her yet, if time presents itself by the end of the work day.

Warm regards,

Kathy

I chuckled to myself over her email. Kathy had been scrambling to find me a new assistant, which wouldn’t have been hard if she would stop running everything by my father. I swore she and Jeremy were cut from the same cloth. Always running to my dad over every little thing.

I didn’t know what it was about my father, but everyone felt like they owed it to him to fill him in on every little thing in my life. I was sure Jeremy had already told him about me leaving the bar with a woman last night. Kathy had probably fretfully told him that I hired a personal assistant without her knowing.

Last night, I had texted her telling her the position was filled and that Daniel would be in touch with contact information. She tried calling a few times, but I ignored her calls and she eventually gave up.

I owed Daniel a favor, and I trusted the guy. He was one of the more admirable businessmen in the city and had built quite an empire for himself. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t envious that he had done it all on his own, without the help of his rich and successful father.

We were often compared to one another throughout the years. Both young billionaires in New York. One self-made and one under his father’s thumb. Both with reputations that preceded us in the papers. Well, at least he used to. Now he was married with a kid. No one ever thought the guy would settle down, but there he was proving everyone wrong. Now, I was the one the tabloids were after.

Despite all of that, we had managed to remain friendly acquaintances. He had helped me out with his AI software for my company. Like literally helped out. He didn’t send anyone to do it. He walked me through it himself. I could tell how passionate he was about it. And for good reason. His launch was splashed all over the papers and shown all over the news. It was his most successful yet, and his first deal overseas.

So yeah. I owed him a favor.

When he texted me last night about having a personal assistant in mind for me, I took him up on it without even really thinking. I was a bourbon deep and figured it would be one less stressor in my life to have it taken care of.

After all, at the end of the day, I was the head of the company and what I said went.

Except today, as the head of the company, I had to get my own coffee. I rode the elevators back down to the lobby and emerged out onto the sidewalk. I walked down the block to my favorite coffee shop and stood in the small line. Most everyone had already gotten their coffee because they were on time for work.

“Mr. Gunner. Good to see you,” said the young barista.

He must have been nineteen, and was here almost every time I came in. We would always make small talk. I could tell he was a hard worker just based on how seriously he took making a cup of coffee.

“Good to see you, too. How is school going?” I asked.

“Made dean’s list. Again.”

“Bravo,” I said, slapping the counter.

“Thank you. Just trying to follow in your footsteps. So, what can I get you? The usual?”

“Yes, please.”

“Iced Americano coming right up.”

“Can you add on a breakfast sandwich, too? The sausage and egg one?”

“Sure thing, Mr. Gunner.”

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