Page 24 of Love Among the Ruins
Dominic still hadn’t given it much thought, but then he hadn’t expected her to turn up unexpectedly at his office. He was impressed that she’d been here this early, and that, if nothing else, indicated that she was desperate for work.
“I have a number of positions.” He tried frantically to think. Linus already hated her on sight, because Dominic had left him completely out of the loop. One thing was certain, it would be better to have here her, on this floor, where he could keep an eye on her and make sure the ambitious and paranoid deputy manager didn’t make her feel unwelcome. This poor woman had already suffered enough and had had her share of dealing with douchebags.
“Like what?” Large brown eyes stared back at him, wide with anticipation, as if her entire life hinged on his answer. He was reminded of her stealing the food from the serving trays. His gaze raked over her once more, she was slim, but not skeletal. His eyes landed on hers and found them full of disapproval. He’d been caught out. Clearing his throat, he looked away, praying she wouldn’t lump him in with the other wretched men she’d been unlucky to meet. “You speak Greek, I expect?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a start. I struggle to make sense of some notes and emails sometimes.”
“Then, I would be a …?”
He frowned, trying to follow her line of thought. “A …?”
“My job title. What would it be?”
Another fine question. “Something in admin.”
“Butwhatin admin?”
“I’m sensing that titles are important to you.”
“I don’t care so much for titles, but I do want to know what type of work you expect me to do.”
“What are your skills?” Just by asking that question he realized how wrong he was in going about this. He hadn’t even asked for her resume, had no idea about her education, or skillset. Didn’t even know her age.
“I can cook, and clean, and I’m good with customers. I have a—” She stopped talking, eyeing him with guilt. “I promise not to kick anyone.”
“If you’re ever in that unfortunate situation again, I hope you will.” He looked away. She seemed so fragile, so vulnerable, so young. This wasn’t the waitress from the taverna or the yacht, now she was altogether something else. Desperate, suffering consequences for which she wasn’t to blame, and he wanted to help her.
He didn’t usually give a flying fuck about other people, and yet he couldn’t look at this woman and not feel sorry. “I don’t need you to cook or clean or do any of that.”
“I can ... I’m not stupid. I can use a computer.”
“You never thought to look for other work?” She was smart, savvy and unafraid. She should have wanted more.
“What’s wrong with what I do?”
“Nothing, but have you never considered other alternatives to what you do?”
She gazed down at her lap and fiddled around with her handbag. “Like what?”
“I don’t doubt that you’re smart, Eleni, and we both know that you have opinions.”
“I do want more. People mostly do. They want a better life than the one they have. Unless …” her eyes blazed at him. “Unless you are a billionaire, and then you have everything.”
“It’s not as blissful as you think.”
“I’m sorry for your hard life.” She did it again, blinked, then sat up, maybe regretting the words that shot out before she’d had a chance to filter them. Not that he could blame her, knowing what had happened to her.
He watched her silently, waiting for her to dig herself out of the gargantuan hole she’d landed herself in.
“I mean …I don’t mean to be rude,” she said slowly.
“But you couldn’t help it,” he offered. She stared at him for the longest time, and he could only guess at the thoughts going through her mind. It was clear, she did not like him. Or people like him. Moneyed people.
“I would be happy to do anything here. It’s a great opportunity for someone like me.” She sounded almost grateful.
“What happened?” he asked softly. Yesterday she had been so against working for him. “You didn’t want to work for me when we last spoke. What changed your mind?” People who said money wasn’t important, were full of shit. It wasn’t important until they had none left.
