Page 4 of The Physical Attraction Seminar
“Twenty-two if we’re being technical,” Camila replies calmly.
“Oh, my god!” I jump out of my chair, bringing a shaky hand to my forehead. My heels clank loudly against the marble floor as I pace the small space between the desk and chairs.
“Look, Lyla, obviously, this morning has been a lot for you. Maybe it would be best for you to get out of the office and work from home instead?”
I stop mid-stride and give him a silent nod, with my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Like I said earlier, you’re the only candidateinterviewing for the position. It’ll be hard to mess up, but I want you to feel prepared. Banks isn’t stern by any means, but he is the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company.”
Elliot’s confidence in me was admirable, but I wasn’t as trusting of myself. It’s been nearly a decade since my last job interview, and tomorrow morning, I’ll be sitting face-to-face with who I assume is one of the richest people in the city. I didn’t hear the name of the company when Elliot mentioned it, but it doesn’t matter. All I need is for the CEO to like me enough to hire me.
“Since you won’t be joining Cam and me for drinks tonight, how about you pick up dinner from that Thai place you like and expense it to the company card?”
“What if she wants a hot dog instead?” A playful grin spreads across Camila’s typically stoic face, and the scowl I shoot over to her is instinctive.
“Everything will be fine, Ly, I promise,” Elliot soothes, trying to take some of the edge off, but the knot in my stomach only seems to curl further. “And on the off chance he doesn’t hire you, I’ve got a million other connections in the city. I can assure you that I won’t leave the best assistant I’ve ever had without a job.”
The three of us let out huffed laughs, knowing that I’m theonlyassistant he’s ever had.
I want to believe Elliot.
I truly do.
Yet, the little red devil who once kept urging me to keep my options open has returned. Only now, she’s warning me not to drop my guard too soon.
TWO
BARRETT
There arereasons I prefer to arrive at the office before sunrise and only leave after half the city has gone to sleep. Avoiding increased foot traffic during rush hour happens to be at the top of that list.
I didn’t expect to leave the office before midnight, so I didn’t hesitate to let my driver, Lionel, go home early to enjoy dinner with his wife and kids. Now the crowded sidewalks and sweltering late spring air are causing me to second-guess my choice.
I barely hear the faint chime of my phone coming from my suit jacket pocket through the sound of honking cars and bustling city traffic.
“Banks,” I answer, pressing the phone to my ear without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello, big brother.” Even from three thousand miles away, I can sense the smirk pulling at the corner of Harrison’s mouth. His tone, much like that of an old serpent,drips with sin and a trace of charm, even in everyday conversation.
My brother’s cleverness and devious nature are only matched by his ability to adapt his personality to his surroundings, making him a remarkable businessman. Which is why I hope he’s calling to formally accept the Head of Mergers and Acquisitions role that our father offered him this morning.
“We’re triplets, Harrison. I’m hardly older than you.”
“Hardly?” He sucks in a sharp breath, pretending to take offense. “Two minutes has to count for something, or else I lost my virginity much later in life than I originally thought.”
I almost laugh, but even his poor attempt at a joke isn’t enough to snap me out of the daze that I’m trapped in. As it stands, I’m surviving off of four hours of sleep and the dwindling fumes of a stale afternoon coffee. Normally, I try to power through the exhaustion, but all the late nights at the office are starting to add up and wear me down.
For the last six months, I’ve been working tirelessly on the acquisition of Solus Commercial Realty—a relatively small but flourishing brokerage that I’ve had my eye on for a couple of years.
When Elliot Peters, the CEO, approached me last winter and shared his desire to sell the company, my interest was piqued. Purchasing a company like Solus was one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that fell directly into my lap and almost felt too good to be true. Knowing that, I extended Elliot an offer that was impossibleto refuse.
Despite my generous proposal, I’ve anxiously waited for a bomb to detonate and wipe the deal out from under me. Considering the unorthodox nature of our contract, I was right to be on edge. Most of the deal has been handled in hushed tones behind closed doors, but as of two days ago, the final papers were signed, confirming that Solus has been obtained by Banks Brothers Enterprise.
I’m drained, but vacation is out of reach for now. As an alternative, I cut my workday short to grab a celebratory drink with a friend, hoping it would help ease my nerves about tomorrow’s presentation.
“What do you want?” Juggling the phone and my balance, I grumble into the receiver, narrowly avoiding a collision with a man transporting a nightstand on a dolly. Car horns blare at each other like dueling pianos, and the chaos of the street only adds to my headache.
“What’s that tone for? Can’t a guy call and see what his brother is up to?”
