Page 9 of With a Broken Wing
“Well, I will pass her off to you now, Demetri,” Erin said, breaking the awkward silence that was certainly killing her. She’d never been one to handle an uncomfortable situation quietly, so it was only a matter of time before she would excuse herself from the room. “Andy, when you’re done in here, just find me and we can go over some basic training stuff.”
With a small wave, Erin slipped through the door, letting it swing shut behind her. Andy stood there by the door, still nearly shaking. I tilted my head to the side, taken aback by the quiet, nervous woman in front of me. Where was the woman who’d danced her way around a kitchen or plucked the burning cigarette from my fingers like she ran the world?
“Why are you still standing by the door? Sit down.”
Andy tripped just slightly in her bright yellow heels, quickly shuffling to the chair across from my desk and dropping down in it. “Sorry. Uh… hi.”
I raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. “You’re not as giddy as normal.” I stood up and rounded my large walnut desk.
“What do you mean?” She looked down at the bright top she wore, as if to check that it still matched her yellow shoes.
“Just an observation.” When I took a step closer to her, she gulped. I followed the lump in her throat with my eyes when she swallowed and rolled her lips together. “Do I make you nervous, sunshine?”
“Yes, of course.”
The small, scared squeak of her voice shot through me, and a barely-there smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.Yes, of course. “Good. I like nervous.”
She gasped quietly, and I swore I could see goose bumps raise against her pale skin. “I… um…”
“Relax, Andy.” I moved back to my chair opposite hers and sat back down, resting my elbows on my desk and weaving my fingers together. “You have no reason to be nervous.”
The deep breath she took made her chest swell, and I was briefly drawn to the way the colorful fabric pulled tight against her tits. “You’re right. Thank you. It’s just been a… long morning.”
I nodded at her, relieved to see her sit back in the chair and relax her stiff posture. “How was the flight?”
“It was good. Quick.” She shrugged.
“And Dominic got you checked in and settled at your hotel?”
“He said he would take my things there for me. The grump.” She mumbled the last part under her breath, and I held back a chuckle. Dominic wasn’t known for his hospitality. What had he said to earn the title from her, though?
“Good. He will drive you over there when you are done for the day.”
The look that crossed her face was one of unmistakable surprise. Did she expect me to hail a taxi and send her on her way? I wouldn’t make her life easy, but I wouldn’t put her in danger either. She didn’t know Chicago. I wouldn’t send her anywhere alone.
“Thank you, sir.” A heat built in my core at her gentle voice, almost like she was purring. “And thank you for hiring me too. I, um… I appreciate it.”
“I didn’t do it as a favor… for you or for my new sister-in-law. I run a tight ship. You should be aware of that.” Her legs were crossed, and she bounced her foot as I spoke. “I expect punctuality and organization. You will be on time every day, and here that means you will be early. If you are ten minutes early, then you are five minutes late. I expect you to show me I made the right choice in hiring you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All travel arrangements must be smooth. It is your job to make sure flights are coordinated. We have a private jet; you just need to coordinate with local airports. You will arrange ground transportation and make sure rooms are booked. I do not take kindly to travel mistakes, which is why I’ve booked my own travel for the last fifteen years. Do not make me regret this decision, hmm?”
“Yes, sir. I understand.” I could get used to the way she said that—the way the title rolled off her lips like it was meant to be there.
For the rest of the hour, I explained who we were. Carlisle Managements. My own brainchild, separate from the marketing empire my father ran. We focused on customer retention and management, and I’d recently finished developing a software that would integrate all aspects of a business’s operations. It had taken hours of work and a talented, devoted team, but the application was nearly foolproof. We already had several major investors committed, but there were a few more who needed to be locked in.
“That’s where you come in. You’re going to make the arrangements to get me in front of these investors so my team can get their commitment.” She looked at me with wide eyes. “I think you can handle it.”
The relief that crossed her face when I said she could handle it was impossible to miss, like she needed the validation. Like she craved it. Maybe she did. I’d met women before who longed to be praised and doted on, and even though I tended to find them too high maintenance for my tastes, it was always endearing. There was something about a woman who beamed with satisfaction when you told her she did something well.
“We leave for Seattle the day after tomorrow. You should make sure arrangements are taken care of. Erin can provide you with the contact information.” She nodded and looked at me, likely stunned by the influx of information. When she didn’t move, I tilted my head towards my shoulder. “You’re dismissed.”
Her outfit rustled as she rushed to stand up, the panic instantly radiating off her. As she reached for the handle on the door, I cleared my throat. “Oh, and Andy, maybe you try to find something a bit lesscolorfulto wear going forward, hmm? The bright yellow isn’t quite the image I want to project. We wouldn’t want your attire to be… distracting.”
She opened and closed her mouth, as if a response would form itself. When one didn’t come, she wrapped her small hand around the handle and pulled the door open before slipping through it and hurrying down the hall towards Erin’s office. I had them put her in the empty office directly across from mine, even though she wouldn’t spend much time in there.
“Well, sunshine, I guess we’re going to see what you canreallydo.”
