It had seemed like an adventure before, but now she wondered.
Janet grabbed a pot and started heating water for tea as she continued on. “I wish I’d known the boss was looking for an assistant. I would have applied for that job. Not that I could have known. I’ve been working for the UOF for almost ten years, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen the man in person. Didn’t see him much in pictures, either, now that I think about it. The rumor was always that he was a shut-in. You know? One of those people who doesn’t go out because they can’t stand the openness of the outside. What are they called? There’s a word for it.”
“Agoraphobia,” Avery replied.
Janet snapped her fingers. “That’s it. I guess it was just one of those rumors though because he told me the other day that I had to wait on the lift because he couldn’t stand cramped spaces. I thought it a bit rude that he required the whole lift for himself and that goon driver of his.” She shrugged. “Guess the rich really are different. I don’t know. Why don’t we ask Mr. Second in Line for the Throne or something?”
Simon rolled his eyes. “I’m not second in line for the bloody throne, love. I’m like twenty-third or something.”
Simon and Janet were off poking at each other, but Avery was thinking. Not once in the months she’d been with Thomas had he had a problem with being outside. Janet had to be wrong, or the rumors were. Just how much did she really know about her boss? When she’d first come to work for him she hadn’t really looked into his background. She’d been too happy to have the job, and he was a philanthropist. In her mind, that had to mean he was a good person.
How many secrets did he have?
“Avery? You coming along?” Simon stood at the door, a mug in his hand.
She forced herself back into the present. “Of course.”
“And don’t forget about what we talked about.” Simon turned and started toward his part of the building.
What had they talked about? Reports. She wasn’t doing any new reports. She set her coffee mug on her desk and settled in. She could hear Thomas in his office talking quietly to someone. Her computer was right there with all its Internet connections and links to anything she could want to know.
She couldn’t help herself. She pulled up her browser and put Thomas’s name in it. It was innocent enough. She was his assistant. If she got caught, she could say she was just looking for news articles that highlighted his philanthropy for the ball. There were plenty of UOF promo materials to be made.
But she skipped anything recent, preferring to go deep. There were numerous articles about Thomas Molina and the foundation. He was raised wealthy, but a horseback riding accident left him with weakened limbs and struggling to walk. She knew that story all too well. There were several articles that claimed the multimillionaire philanthropist was a hardcore agoraphobic. One article on a financial website claimed that before he’d started this tour, no one had seen Thomas Molina in person for years with the singular exception of his brother. He’d lived in a small guesthouse on the ground of the mansion he’d inherited. He ran his empire from his computer and rarely took phone calls.
He’d changed. Her heart ached with sympathy for him. He’d had to fight, and it hadn’t been easy.
Could Liam be wrong about her boss?
“Avery, sweetheart? What on earth are you doing?”
She gasped a little. Thomas was right behind her, and she’d never heard him move. Usually whatever braces or cane he was using that day made a scratching sound on the floor, but she hadn’t heard a thing today. She turned and gave him what she hoped was a brilliant smile. “I was looking for some pictures or articles we could use in the Black and White Ball promo materials. I thought I would put together a bio sheet for the packets we’re giving to our donors.”
He shuddered lightly. “No one wants to read about me, dear. Focus on the celebrities who are performing and whatever you do, don’t put pictures of me in there. We’ll scare people off.”
“Really? I don’t think so. You’re quite a fascinating man. I was just reading about how courageous you were after your accident and you were so young.”
“I don’t like to think about it much. I suppose we have that in common.”
She nodded. “Yes, we do. It can be so hard to even get in a car sometimes.”
“Well, I don’t have to worry about getting on a horse again.” He sighed and a sad look flitted across his face. “I’m going to lunch now. I’m meeting my friend. I don’t think I’ll come back this afternoon. I have a few things to take care of at home.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
He shuffled out, a distant look on his face.