Page 15 of Love Among the Ruins
“I’d like to offer you a job.”
She laughed. “Why?”
Because he felt sorry for her.“Because I can.”
“Because you can,” she snorted. “What are you, a billionaire?”
“As it happens, yes. Or rather, my father is, but it’s all the same.”
“It’s all the same,” she mused, looking at him as if he was crazy. She seemed to be making her mind up about him, but judging from the look on her face, he wasn’t hopeful of her assessment being in his favor.
“You told me you were working two jobs. You’ve been laid off for a month. I’m offering you a job for the summer, and maybe longer, if you want.” He hadn’t given it much thought, but he was Dominic Steele and he could do anything he wanted.
“That’s kind of you.” She gesticulated with her hands, as if searching for a word, “that’s … how do you say it? Very noble, but I don’t need your charity.”
“It’s not charity.”
“What would you call it?”
“An opportunity. A break. Why is this so difficult for you?” He was giving her a golden ticket to a better job, more money. He was handing it to her.
She seemed flabbergasted. He stood up. He’d done his bit. “I’ll leave it up to you. Here’s my business card.” He placed it on the table. She stared at it but said nothing. “It’s my father’s company.”
“Lucky you.” She picked it up and examined it. “The Steele Corporation.”
He detected disapproval in her tone. “I’m not like that guy on the yacht. I would never treat a woman like that.”
“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.”
“I don’t. I’ve offered you a job, something that might help you.”
“What would I do, at this job?”
“You would …” He struggled to think. He would find something. “You would work in an office. There is plenty of administrative work available.”
“What sort of money are you offering?”
He looked up as he shoved the last of his papers into his satchel. “Better than what you’re currently on.” He glanced at her, gauging her level of interest. “It seems all of a sudden that money is important to you.”
“Money is important.”
“And yet you seem to have some disdain for it.”
“Not for money, but for men like you who have too much.”
“Men like me can help. Are you interested?”
She lifted her chin, eyeing him with even more suspicion. “I might be.”
“If your interest spurs you into action, come for an interview, and we can discuss numbers.”
He left. If she wanted to take up his offer, she could call him. He was only here for the summer, so she’d have to make her mind up soon if she wanted to make good money and fast.
* * *
ELENI
“What did he want?” Stefanos asked when the American had left. He followed Eleni to the back of the kitchen.
