I left the apartment at nine in the morning, in my favorite black dress with stockings and heels tucked in my bag. The streets were still slushy and wet, but the sun was shining. I took it as a good omen. I’m going to get this, I thought, my confidence growing as I walked to the bus stop. I just know it!
When I got to the Magnate Group offices, I couldn’t help but be impressed. They owned an entire building, a large skyscraper in the posh downtown. The inside was all modern – stainless steel and glass – but with luxe touches, like marble floors and beautiful paintings on the wall. I rode the elevator up alone, fidgeting nervously. When the doors dinged open, I reluctantly stepped out and looked around.
A smiling woman at reception stood up when she saw me. “Hello,” she said. “You must be Hanna Parker.”
I nodded. “Yes,” I said. “I’m meeting Laura at ten-thirty.”
The woman smiled. “Come with me, please,” she said. “She’s waiting for you.”
My heart began to thump nervously as the woman led me into a small, intimate conference room. The table was set with a bowl of fruit and bottles of chic sparkling water, but I didn’t want to touch anything and make a bad impression.
“Hello, Hanna, I’m Laura.”
I looked up to see a middle-aged woman sitting at the table. She stood and offered me her hand, which I shook as firmly as I could without crushing her. She had friendly eyes but a stern face, and I noticed that her silk and wool suit was obviously designer.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” I said politely. I waited for Laura to sit down before sitting across from her and passing over a copy of my resume. “I brought this, just in case you needed an extra copy.”
Laura gave me a brief smile. “Thank you for coming in today,” she said. “I’m going to tell you a little about the position, and then we’ll get into the interview portion.”
I nodded.
“So, you’ll be working as the administrative assistant for our CEO, James West,” Laura continued. “He’s a very important man, with a busy schedule. You’ll need to make sure that all of his needs are taken care of, and that a professional relationship is maintained at all times.”
I frowned. “Why do you say that?”
For the first time, I saw a crack in Laura’s composure. “Some of his assistants in the past have developed…” She trailed off. “Well, let’s not discuss that.” She smiled, but I could tell it was forced. “The important thing is that you’re able to do the job properly.”
I thought of my horrible last boss, Jim, and the harassment I’d endured.
“I’m sure I can,” I said. “As long as Mr. West is professional and respectful, I will be, too.”
Laura nodded. She seemed relieved. “Very good,” she said. “So, please tell me a little bit about yourself.”
“I recently graduated with a degree in social media management,” I said. As I told Laura about myself and my interests, I could see that she was smiling for real now. She made a lot of notes on the pad in front of her as I talked.
After Laura had asked me a few questions, I felt more confident than ever. She was easy to talk with – it was almost like talking with a friend – and I knew instinctively that I’d be a good match for this company. As long as James, whoever he was, was nothing like Jim, I had a feeling that I was going to be very happy here.
At the end of the interview, Laura got to her feet. She beamed at me. “Hanna, I don’t want to give anything away, but you’re the strongest candidate I’ve spoken to so far. I think you would be a great fit for this position.”
My jaw dropped and it took me a few seconds to recover my composure. “Wow, that’s wonderful news,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
Laura nodded. “I’ll speak with human resources, but I’m betting you’ll have a verbal offer by the end of the day. Are you currently interviewing anywhere else?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said honestly. “I’m not.”
Laura smiled. “Very good,” she said. “Well, Hanna, thank you very much for coming in and speaking with me today. And I think I can speak for all of us at Magnate Group when I say that I’m looking forward to seeing how you do here.”
“Thank you so much,” I said. My heart was racing and I had to make a conscious effort not to jump and leap around with happiness.
As I left the Magnate Group offices, I felt happier and more relaxed than I had in weeks. I couldn’t believe it – I’d finally landed a job worthy of the four years I’d spent slaving away in college. And while I didn’t know anything about my new boss, James, I was more than excited to learn.
Chapter Four
James
I only had a few days left in the London office before heading back home, and I was starting to get antsy. I’d missed Boston, but I’d been so busy that I’d hardly thought of home during the year I’d been gone. But now that my return was imminent, I couldn’t stop thinking about all of the things, places, and people that I’d missed.
Harry had been disappointed with me. I hadn’t wanted to go out on a pub crawl with him, or sleep with any lingerie model, or waste my time on banal bacchanalia. Part of me was irritated with Harry, too – we’d known each other for years, and it was very clear that we were two very different men. But on the other hand, his impish charm and behavior was what had drawn me to him in the first place. Men like Harry made me feel stable and confident, even in a sea of uncertainty. I felt like he was one of the only people who ever understood how truly unhappy I was. That was why I never begrudged his constant skirt-chasing – I knew that Harry wanted me to be happy, and he was trying the best way he knew how.
The only problem was that none of those things made me happy. In fact, one of the only times I’d been happy in recent memory had been when I was with Beth, the gorgeous brunette I’d met in Jamaica.
I had to find her again.
The morning I left London, I caught a cab to Heathrow and waited impatiently by the gate for my flight to start boarding. The airport was full of excitement – people coming and going on vacations, tours, and honeymoons, all filled with the promise of something extraordinary. Even though I was only going home, I was just as excited – I told myself that returning to Boston would be a new start. After all, I’d turned thirty-one during my year abroad. I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was a man, a CEO of a huge consulting firm, and it was time that my life should begin to come together.
When I landed in Boston, I caught a cab to my condo. I’d had my housekeeper, Anna, check in every week to keep things clean and make sure there weren’t any problems. Stepping inside felt strange – it had been almost twelve months since I’d been home, and yet now it felt like no time at all had passed.
Anna was in the kitchen, stirring something in a large metal bowl. When she saw me, she beamed.
“Mr. James! I’m so happy you’re back safely!”
I nodded. “Yes, thank you, Anna,” I said. “And I assume everything is fine here?”