Page 23 of The Physical Attraction Seminar
Taking a seat in one of the open chairs, I look up at him with a shy smile. “It would make me feel more comfortable if you just called me Lyla.”
“Do you have some sort of weird hatred for your last name? I’ve never met someone so adamant about not using it.” Hesquints at me.
“I like the name Lyla. My grandmother picked it out.”
“I take it you’re close with your family?”
“Actually, aside from my grandparents, not really. I was an only child, and my parents are great, but they prefer being the kind that you call once a month and only see twice a year at Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
“Only child. Interesting.” He nods to himself for a beat before leaning forward and placing his hands on top of a manila file folder that’s sitting on his desk. “Alright, well, I only have a few things on the agenda to discuss with you. I know Rhonda left you detailed instructions. From what I can tell, all the systems are the same ones you were using at Solus, correct?”
“Yep, nearly everything is the same. And Rhonda gave me just about every single detail I could possibly need to know about your organization style and work-related inclinations, right down to your three o’clock coffee order.”
“Two sugars and a splash of cream,” the two of us say in unison with knowing smiles.
“Good,” he says, with a hint of amusement in his tone before continuing on. “Every year, I attend a business conference in Turks and Caicos. The event isn’t publicly advertised, but tickets sell out within minutes. They’ll go on sale on Friday at 9 a.m. sharp, and I have a conference call with the head of the Wyndemyer project at that time, so I’ll need you to secure a pair for me.”
“Friday at nine. Got it.”
“The hotel where the conference takes place assignsrooms for all ticket holders, so you won’t have to worry about scheduling any other accommodations.”
“What about flights?”
Barrett makes a face, holding back a small smile that’s pulling at the corner of his mouth. “I have a private jet on standby twenty-four hours a day.”
“Oh… oh, of course you do,” I say a bit too loudly. I had no clue that he owned a private jet.
“When you return to your desk, there will be a calendar invite waiting for you. If you’re available, I’d like you to attend the conference with me.” I don’t need to look down to know that there’s a small patch of red splotches starting to creep up my neck. “Obviously, we’ll be given separate rooms since you’ll be added as my assistant.”
Separate rooms or not, it’s too soon for the two of us to be goingaloneon a work trip together. But I’ll be damned before I pass up a company-funded trip to Turks and Caicos.
“I think I can make it, but let me check with Camila first before I say yes.” That’s a lie. She couldn’t care less if I go or not. In fact, she might leap for joy when I tell her she’s going to have the house to herself for a week.
Barrett nods. “The last thing I have for you is your onboarding paperwork for HR. I know they sent over a link to the portal for you to fill out most of the forms, but there are a few that they prefer to keep a paper trail for.”
He holds out the file but stops before extending it all the way to meet my outstretched hand and narrows his eyes at me. “Quick question. Did I see you walk in from lunch with flowersearlier?”
“You did.”
Barrett hums, tilting his head slightly. “Secret admirer?”
“None that I’m aware of.”
“Passing out flowers to people passing by on the street during your lunch break?”
“I typically only do that on Thursdays,” I quip.
“Attending a wake after work and bringing condolences for the family?”
“Geez, Barrett.” I roll my eyes at his nonsense. “Can’t a girl can’t buy herself some flowers for her brand-new desk?”
Barrett presses his lips together but doesn’t say a word.
“What’s that face for? They’re nice to look at, and they give people a reason to stop and talk to me so I can avoid working,” I add.
“First day and you’re slacking on the job already?”
“More like setting performance expectations early on,” I tease.
