Page 6 of The Butterfly Effect
When I’d closed her door behind me, I let out a frustrated sigh, drawing a couple of looks from the other team PMs. They were men, and so were the majority of their teams. Out of the other project managers, I was the only woman, and one of only five women in the office. Still, I had my own team to lead, and somehow, I had also become the whipping girl. The one who had to entertain the fancy new boss on his first day.
I dropped back into my chair, breathing heavily. “Guess who has to babysit the new CEO this afternoon?” I rested my forehead against my fingertips and took a deep breath. Katie muttered something like “wow,” and Sasha looked at me with raised eyebrows.
“He’d better catch on quick and send me on my way. I don’t have time for this.”
The morning went by in a blur of nerves, dread, and quick phone calls. I looked behind me every few minutes while the chicken salad I’d had for lunch churned in my stomach, waiting for the new CEO to arrive. Katie was a ball of anxiety, tapping her pen against the desk while she gnawed at her thumbnail and reread her work.
“What do you think he’s going to be like?” she finally asked.
“Honestly, I think he’s going to be the kind of man who has a stick shoved so far up his tight, rich ass that he lives to make us all just as uncomfortable. By the sound of it, his dad makes a game of buying small marketing firms, making them rich, and dumping them. We’re just his next pawn.” I tried to feed confidence into my voice to cover the irritation, but I was bad about wearing my emotions on my face. I cringed, picturing a man in his 50s with a look that clearly showed he hadn’t had fun since college. He was probably married, but not happily, and I’d bet he had a kid or two who couldn’t stand him, the same way he probably couldn’t stand his own rich father.
Behind us, the door clicked open and shut, and I could almost feel his already brooding presence in our office. When the voices around me came to a sudden hush, there was no denying he was here, and I turned around in my seat. My breath hitched in my throat, and I whipped my head back towards Katie.
“For fuck’s sake.”
“Mr. Moody Rich Man.Holyshit.” Katie’s jaw hung open, and Grant and Sasha both shot us a sideways glance. I fixed my hair, tucking a loose strand behind my ear, and straightened my face before turning back around in my seat.
“Good afternoon,” William greeted in the same deep, commanding tone he’d had at the bar when he stopped me from taking the contaminated drink. His dark-brown eyes held mine from across the room, a hint of gloating amusement in them, and even though he’d spoken loudly enough to address the office, a heated blush rushed across my neck. I took a deep, shaky breath.
With a curse, Sandra hurried out of her office and across the room. Her heels made a muffled clack against the thinly carpeted floor, and she was breathing heavily when she spoke. “Mr. Carlisle, I apologize. You’re a few minutes earlier than I expected.”
“Am I?” She squirmed when he spoke, and he turned his gaze to her. A stoic expression covered his face, and he didn’t speak again.
She widened her eyes and stumbled over herself as if unsure of what to say, fidgeting as she bounced from foot to foot with growing nerves. “Sorry. I’m Sandra. Sandra Warner. The vice president of marketing here at Digital Marketing Interna—” I rolled my eyes at her made-up title, knowing she had never been considered a vice president before.
“Just DMI,” he interrupted. “Going forward, we are known as just DMI. You will all receive new business cards.” He gestured at Sandra as if she was already wearing on his patience, and she frantically rushed to the closest desk to use the first sticky note and pen she could get her hands on to make a note to order new business cards. Beads of sweat formed on the back of her neck, and I was slightly entertained by her meekness. Suddenly, she wasn’t the strong, powerful woman she thought she was around us.
“Yes, sir. Let us show you to your office.” Sandra looked around the room, gesturing at me almost frantically. I stood up and rolled my shoulders back, lifting my head and taking even strides towards them. She pulled me to them for the last two steps, and I was careful not to stumble over my short heels. “Mr. Carlisle, this is Jules Thomas, one of our project managers. She is going to give you a tour and show you around this afternoon.”
“You can call me William.” He smirked, and I held back a grimace, managing not to break eye contact. Some of the stubbornness from the other night was still there, and a flash of heat passed through my center.
“I’d rather not.” I was used to being talked over by the men in the industry, so I could carry my voice with confidence even when I didn’t feel it. “This way, Mr. Carlisle.”
He chuckled and gestured for me to lead the way. I walked gracefully past my desk, shooting a look at Katie that told her to pray for me but also to watch in case I need to be rescued. She returned a look of sympathy and excitement. Had William seen it? He would know I’d told her about this weekend, assuming he recognized her as my friend from Anthony’s. I was sure he did; he had proven he was observant.
When we got to the large corner office, I opened the door and stepped back for him to enter. He didn’t move, standing and looking unamused into the office instead. Was he judging the view of downtown Grand Rapids from the open windows, nowhere near as grand as Chicago, or was he judging the pressed wood desk and bookshelf combo sitting in the middle of the room? After having been in his house, I imagine he would prefer a hearty wood desk and a breathtaking view.
I jumped when he spoke from behind me. “Are you going to go in?”
“I figured I’d just drop you off right here and let you get settled.” My voice was steady, but he raised a single eyebrow. Biting the inside of my bottom lip and sucking it lightly didn’t stop me from shaking beneath his gaze, and I started to turn away.
“Julianna.” He gestured again, pointing to the office.
I don’t know why I listened to him and entered, but I did, and when he closed the door behind us, a shiver ran down my spine. Remembering the cold wood door of his bedroom against my back, I took a deep breath. He cleared his throat, and I turned to face him.
“I would prefer Jules.”
He smirked at me. “I don’t think so. I don’t do nicknames.”
I gave an exaggerated sigh and closed my eyes momentarily before opening them and meeting his. “It’s my name.”
When he laughed, a flutter rode through my stomach. The sound was smoother than his voice, and a small residual smile remained on his lips. “No. Julianna is your name.” I grunted, and he held up his hand to stop me from speaking before I had even opened my mouth in response. “You left in the middle of the night. Why?”
“Excuse me?” I thought back to the way I’d ordered an Uber on my phone in his bathroom before sneaking out his front door and down his excessively long driveway to meet the driver. William didn’t stir in his bed while I did any of it, and I was thankful he seemed to be a heavy sleeper. When had he realized I was gone?
“Don’t make me repeat myself.” He clenched his hands at his sides, anger flaring in his eyes. Would he yell at me, and if not, how far would I have to push him before he did? The throbbing between my legs told me I wanted him to.
“I don’t stay the night with a one-night stand, Mr. Carlisle.” I crossed my arms and stared back at him. “Is this what you wanted to talk about? If so, then I’ll be going back to my desk. I’m a professional, and I don’t fraternize with coworkers.”
