Chapter 1
I took a deep breath and then pulled the keys out of the ignition. If I waited any longer, I’d be late, and that was hardly the impression that I wanted to make on my first day.
Changing jobs had been unexpected for me. I usually planned things way in advance. I rarely took a risk, what with two sons who depended on me to provide for them. But when my friend Wes recommended me for the position, I figured I’d just go in for the interview. What harm could it do?
I hadn’t expected to be hired on the spot. Now, two weeks later, I was about to embark on an entirely new position with a new company.
I was terrified. What if I couldn’t handle it? What if I only lasted a week? I had some reassurance that my old job would take me back, but I hated the thought of sliding backward.
Instead, I pushed open the car door and stepped out. The building was much larger than the one I used to work at. There were four stories and what looked like hundreds of windows. What would my coworkers be like?
With a flutter in the pit of my stomach, I approached the front door. I was just about to walk inside when I heard a familiar voice in the back of my mind.
“You are a warrior princess. You are fierce, you are strong, and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”
I smiled as my friend—and favorite author—Samantha Bradford’s words echoed through my mind. She always knew exactly what to say to motivate me, as did my sister and the rest of our group of friends. We’d banded together as a tight-knit group of women diving into life.
Now it was my turn and I didn’t want to walk into my new work environment full of fear and insecurity. Instead, I summoned all the strength that made me a warrior princess and pulled the door open. With a smile on my face, I approached the front desk.
“Good morning, I’m Noella—”
“Right, the new girl.” The woman behind the desk smiled. She had plump cheeks that dimpled with the expression, but her gaze was not as kind. “Just take the elevator to the third floor and when you get there ask for Kenny. He’ll set you up with everything you need. Oh—and a little advice, sweetie—you’re overdressed.” She rolled her eyes at my business suit, then pointed to the elevators.
A bit of nervousness crept through me as I wondered why she would have a problem with what I was wearing. She was dressed in a more casual outfit, but perhaps that was because she was the receptionist. I was sure that my suit met the dress code standards of any office.
On the ride up in the elevator I shook off her comment and refocused on my excitement. It was my first day at a much higher paying job, and that was something to be thrilled about.
I stepped off the elevator and into a hallway that led to double glass doors. Beyond them was a wide open space splashed with color. I was a little stunned by how bright and cheerful the entire office building was. There were murals on the walls, big round balls of many different colors, and even a pool table in one corner. I wondered if maybe I’d stepped off the elevator on the wrong floor.
“Hi, Noella?” A young man—I didn’t think he could be more than twenty—walked toward me. “I’m Kenny. I’m so glad you’re here!” He spread his arms wide and before I could stop him, he gave me a brief but tight hug. He laughed as he backed away. “I’m sorry, I’m a hugger. Dee from HR says I need to warn people before the hug, but I always forget.”
“It’s alright, I don’t mind.” I smiled in return. “Sorry, I’m just a little confused. Am I in the right place?”
“Sure you are. We’re always in the right place, aren’t we? Because wherever you are—well—there you are, right?” He laughed and clapped his hands. “Alright, no time to waste. So this is our play area. We come here to de-stress, chill out—whatever. No need for an explanation. There are plenty of bean bag chairs for everyone.”
My head spun as I took in his words. For a moment I entertained the idea that I might be involved in a practical joke. Would Wes do that to me? Would he set me up for a big joke at his friend’s company? My heart started to beat faster. What if I’d left my job and ended up in a big mess?
“So we do have separate offices. Now, as you can see, we generally dress casually.” He gestured to his jeans and t-shirt. “I mean, you can wear whatever you want, but since we work mostly virtually, we don’t really have any specific dress code.”
“Oh, okay.” I nodded. At least I knew what the woman at the front desk meant. I didn’t recall anyone saying anything about working virtually in the interview. However, I’d also been working virtually with others, including Wes, at my old job. I was sure I could handle it.
“This is your office.” He pointed toward a room with no door and windows on two sides. “We like to keep the energy flow good, so lots of open spaces, lots of glass.” He smiled. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”
I wondered if he could tell just how worried I was.
“Thanks, Kenny—or should I call you sir?” The word almost stuck in my throat. Was he old enough to drink?
“Sir?” He laughed. “No way. We don’t really have bosses here. We think of ourselves as one cohesive mind. Right—got that?”
“That’s very refreshing.”
“We think so. If there’s anything you need, just let me know. There are some files of clients on the desk to get you started, but you can just take today to settle in. Welcome, Noella.”
“Thanks.” I stepped into my office and for a split-second I felt as if I’d stepped into an entirely new phase of my life.