Page 9 of The Swap After Hours
The moment seemed to stretch as he continued staring at me and I felt an odd buzzing sensation right under my skin. “Well, since you’re already here, I suppose we should go over the schedule.”
“Actually, I asked Kelly to send me a copy of your schedule for the week so I could become familiar with what types of things you have going on. The first thing today is a meeting set up for nine o’clock. Would you like me to be present to take notes?”
I thought I saw the hint of a smile, but it was gone before I could tell for sure. “That would be good. Thank you. Until then, you can take some time to look around, see where everything is and ask questions.”
“Thank you, Mr. Marshall. And where should I put my things?”
“That will be your workspace.” He pointed to a desk in the corner of the office.
“I don’t remember seeing that last time.”
“Yes, well, I found it bothersome with my previous assistants to have to call their office every time I needed them. I think it will prove much more efficient to have you right on hand.”
“That makes sense.” Trepidation filled me at the thought of sharing a space with this man, but I tried not to let it show. Everything about him screamed power and money, two things I knew nothing about. It was intimidating as hell, and I was going to have to be in his presence all day every day.
I walked over to the desk and set my laptop case down then looked around the office, reacquainting myself with the space. My eyes slid to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and I moved closer to get a better look.
The morning sun streamed through the glass, warming my face as I looked out over the city I called home. A smile teased the corners of my mouth as I took in the spectacular view.
From up here, I could see many of the city’s famous landmarks. Times Square, Radio City Music Hall, and a large portion of Central Park. Down on the streets, hearing the shouting and blaring of horns, it was easy to forget how breathtaking New York really was, but seeing it all from up here served as a great reminder.
I turned and gave my new boss an impish grin when I caught him watching me. “Sorry, I just had to get a closer look at that view first. The city looks so different from up here. It’s quite remarkable.”
He continued studying me as if he was trying to figure me out and I realized how childish my words must have sounded to someone like him. He’d probably traveled all over the world, while I’d only been to Indiana, New York, and the states we’d driven through to get here.
Feeling my face heat with embarrassment, I rushed out of the office, murmuring something about having a look around. Soon, the office started to come alive as people began trickling in to work.
I was in the staff lounge when two women walked in. They were dressed similarly in black slacks and silk blouses, one blue and the other in soft pink. The one in pink was shorter with a round, friendly face and dark frizzy hair. The one in blue appeared to be around sixty with soft wrinkles lining her face and snow-white hair tied up in a knot.
“I told her she better clean her room or—Oh! Hello!” The frizzy haired woman’s eyes went wide when she spotted me standing there.
“Hi! Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just getting a drink.” I held up the bottle of water in my hand.
“Hello. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. Are you new?” asked the older woman.
“This is Trevor Reed. He’s Mr. Marshall’s new PA.” I smiled when I saw Kelly come sweeping in.
She looked lovely in a deep purple skirt and lavender blouse. Her blonde hair lay in soft waves down her back. She really was quite beautiful, and I appreciated her bold, straightforward attitude.
The two of us had hit it off quite nicely once she realized her mistake and that I hadn’t actually done anything wrong. We’d ended up talking for nearly an hour as I filled out paperwork and then worked on their computer system like I’d actually gone there to do. She was smart, had a quirky sense of humor, and was fiercely loyal to our boss who she’d worked with for over ten years.
“It’s nice to meet you, Trevor. I’m Jean. I work in the legal department,” the older woman explained, extending her hand towards me.
“And I’m Sabrina. I’m Ms. Cartwright’s PA. She’s the vice president of Marshall Industries,” the woman in pink supplied when she saw my blank expression. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
I tossed Kelly a questioning look as I took turns shaking each of their hands. She winked at me, humor shining in her blue eyes. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t anything bad. I simply told them about the mix up between you and the other Trevor, and how Mr. Marshall ended up letting him go and hiring you instead.”
Jean gave me an appreciative look. “Mr. Marshall doesn’t usually do anything impulsively.”
“Yeah, you must have really impressed him,” Sabrina added.
I reached up with my free hand and scratched the back of my neck, my eyes darting down to my feet. “I don’t know about that.”
“It’s true.” Kelly’s voice was muffled as she rummaged around in the fridge for something. She popped back up a few seconds later with a bottle of French vanilla coffee creamer in her hand. I took a sip of water as she moved around the small kitchenette, starting a pot of coffee.
When she was finished, she turned to me. “Mr. Marshall is a shrewd businessman. He doesn’t make any moves unless he’s fairly certain there will be a good outcome. Clearly, he noticed something in you that day that told him you were the right person for the job.”
I couldn’t help the smile that stretched across my face, my confidence bolstered by their words. “Thanks. I hope I can live up to his expectations.”