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?”
Anna nodded. “Yes,” she said. “I wanted to surprise you with dinner – I just have to put this in the oven, and then I’ll be out of your way. I bet you want to relax after such a long flight.”
I frowned. The idea was tempting, but I was more energized than I thought I’d be after a long flight. The cold air outside felt crisp and refreshing on my skin, and I was eager to get into the office and make sure that everything had gone well in my absence.
“Thank you, Anna, but you can just put that in the fridge and clean up.”
Anna frowned. She was a sweet, pudgy woman in her mid-sixties with a motherly bun of brown hair, streaked with grey. She’d been my employee for just over three years, and I knew that she felt a maternal kind of protectiveness over me that I found endearing.
“Mr. James, you shouldn’t work so hard,” Anna said disapprovingly, clucking her tongue. “You need rest! Those planes, they’re so filthy, all that air circulating around and around!”
“I feel fine,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Seriously.”
Anna flushed. “Yes, Mr. James,” she said politely. I watched as she poured the contents of the bowl into a glass casserole dish and placed it in the fridge before washing her hands and putting the dishes in the dishwasher.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I called over my shoulder. “Thanks again, Anna!”
My housekeeper mumbled something of a response, but I didn’t hear her as I walked into the master bedroom and shut the door behind me. It felt so good to be home that I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, inhaling the familiar air. Now that I was face to face with my bed, I had to admit that a nap was tempting…but still, the urge to go back into the office and check up on things was strong. Besides, I knew that it would be a surprise – no one at Magnate was expecting their CEO back until the following Monday.
And what better way to check how things are going than to drop by unannounced?
After a long, hot shower, I pulled on a fresh Oxford shirt and a pair of slacks. I brushed my hair back from my head, knowing it would turn unruly before long, and tucked my laptop into my briefcase. It was snowing outside, but I looked forward to feeling the cool air on my skin.
As I waited for my driver, Nick, to pull my sedan around to the front of the building, I studied the groups of women walking back and forth. Most of them were laden with heavy Christmas-themed shopping bags and parcels. I felt a small tug of loneliness in my heart. Unlike last year, I typically spent the holidays alone. I always used the “work is too busy” excuse whenever I was invited to a gathering, but it was starting to get old.
I wondered if Harry had any secret plans up his sleeve.
To my relief, the Magnate Group offices looked as pristine as ever. As I walked past the rows and rows of secretaries, they all looked shocked to see me.
“Mr. West! What a surprise, you’re back early!”
“Mr. West, wow, would you like some coffee?”
“How was London, Mr. West?”
I brushed off the girls with polite smiles as I made my way to my office. There, sitting at her desk in front of my door, was Janet, my assistant. When she saw me, her jaw dropped and her cheeks turned bright pink.
“Oh my gosh, Mr. West! You’re back!”
I smirked at her. “Yes,” I said. “A latte, please, with soy milk.”
“Right away,” Janet said. She leapt to her feet and scurried across the room, her heels clacking on the marble floors.
I rolled my eyes. I’d forgotten how it felt to be drooled over constantly. While the women in London had obviously been attracted to me, they’d shown a lot more restraint than the thoroughly American Janet.
Unlocking my office door, I went inside and sat down. It felt good to be back in my own chair, at my own desk, in my own office. Janet followed a few seconds later with a hot, steaming latte in her hands.
“Here you are,” Janet said proudly. She passed me the latte as if it was the Olympic torch. “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I said without looking up. “I wanted to drop by and see how everything was going here.”
“Oh,” Janet said. I glanced up and saw that she was squirming and fumbling with her hands. “Right.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Janet said quickly. “Um, it’s just—”
I sighed. “Spit it out,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her. “This is getting really old, Janet. You’re not a child. Please, stop acting like one.”
Janet’s cheeks turned bright pink. “I’m sorry,” she said meekly. “It’s just, um, I have something for you,” she added in a soft voice.
“Is it work related?”
Janet’s face fell. “What do you mean?”
A flash of hot annoyance rose in my throat and I tried hard to push it down. I’d always prided myself on behaving professionally, but people like Janet made it incredibly hard sometimes.
“I mean, does it relate to our work here?” I asked, a trace of sarcasm creeping into my voice. “Because otherwise, Janet, I’m sorry to say that it’s not relevant.”
Janet’s chin began to quiver.
“Please, calm down,” I said in a low voice. “I’m not trying to upset you, but you have a job to do, don’t you?”
A single tear rolled down Janet’s cheek and I sighed.
“I’m sorry,” I said, even though I was well aware that I’d done nothing wrong. “Janet, please take a few minutes and pull yourself together. Then I’ll email you some notes that I want you to type up for me.”
Janet didn’t move.
“Janet, please go to the ladies’ room and tidy yourself,” I said sternly.
Another tear dripped down Janet’s face and she buried her face in her hands, crying loudly.
“It’s not fair!” Janet shouted. She took her hands away from her face and glared at me. “I don’t understand you!”
“What?” Frowning, I got to my feet and crossed my arms over my chest.
“You heard me,” Janet shot back in a vicious tone. “You think you can do whatever you want, walking around with that stupid smirk on your face! You make every woman who works here think that you want to sleep with her!” She bit her lip and tearfully shook her head. “And I’m sick of it!”
“Excuse me,” I said coldly. “But I’ve done nothing of the sort. If anything, you’re the one who embarrasses herself, Janet. You’ve mooned over me since your first day here, and you’ve ruined a few very important tasks during the short time that you’ve worked here.”
Janet glared at me. “It’s not fair,” she said.
“Go to your desk and gather your things,” I said, glancing down at my watch. “I want you gone by the end of the day.”
Janet’s cheeks turned from red to white and her jaw dropped. “You can’t fire me,” she said. “That’s sexual harassment!”
“No, it’s not,” I said. “And if you try to threaten me with such ludicrous claims again, I’ll have my lawyer contact you immediately.”
Janet swallowed. I could see her rapid pulse thumping in her throat. For a moment, I almost felt guilty. Then she made a vicious face at me.
“Well, don’t worry,” Janet spat. “Just know that every time a woman fucks you, she’s only doing it because you’re the goddamned CEO!”
“Get out,” I said calmly. I stared at Janet and pointed to the door. “Now.”
This time, Janet listened. She swallowed and turned on her heel, walking slowly out of my office. I could hear her sobbing again, and I rolled my eyes before closing the door. I kept one eye on her through the glass walls of my office window as I reached for the phone and dialed the head of human resources.
“Hello?”
“Laura, this is James,” I said. “I’m going to need a new administrative assistant, immediately.”
“All right,” Laura said. I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was frowning. “May I ask why?”
I sighed. “Janet’s unprofessional behavior is impeding her work,” I said. “And I don’t think she’s right for the job.”
“Okay,” Laura said. “You know, this is actually coming at a decent time – we had an ad running, and I’ve gotten some resumes this morning. I’ll comb through them and start having people in for interviews.”
“Great,” I said. I leaned forward and peered outside. Janet was sitting at her desk, sobbing. “And please, Laura, would you mind sending security over? We might have a problem with Janet refusing to leave the office.”
“Sure,” Laura said hesitantly. “And James?”
“Yes?”
“I assume there was no…” Laura trailed off and I rolled my eyes.
“No, there was no relationship outside of the office,” I said firmly. “Although I’m sure Janet would have had it otherwise.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” I said darkly. “Thanks again.”
We hung up and I leaned back in my chair, staring at my computer screen. I was angry with Janet, but I was angry with myself, too. Why hadn’t I seen the signs earlier? And what the hell was I doing to these women? It was like as soon as they saw me, they turned into idiots. Would I ever be able to find a decent, reliable secretary who didn’t want to sleep with me?
I just hoped Laura would stick to her promise and find me a perfect assistant.
After security had escorted Janet from the premises, I went out for a long walk. The weather outside was frigid and harsh, but I welcomed it. Suddenly, the idea of going back to the office was exhausting. I thought of the casserole that Anna had prepared for me, and my stomach began to rumble. I’ll deal with all of this next week, I thought as I hailed a cab. Everything will seem better then.
When I got home, I put Anna’s casserole in the oven. Soon, the apartment was filled with the delicious smell of beef and cream and cheese. It wasn’t the fancy cuisine I was used to, but a little comfort food after a long plane trip and an even longer day in the office was just what I needed. As soon as my food was ready, I made myself a big plate and curled up on the couch with a college basketball game in the background. It wasn’t long before the heavy, carbohydrate-filled food made me sleepy, and I wound up passing out right there.
I woke up to darkness. A plate of cold casserole was on my lap and the television was still going, although the game had changed to the late-night news. I groaned – for the first time, I was starting to feel jet-lagged. I barely hard enough energy to carry my plate into the kitchen and take a long shower before climbing back into my bed and falling into a deep sleep.
That weekend, I didn’t do very much. For once, I barely worked. I went out for drinks with Harry (and subsequently declined a strip-club visit afterwards,) and ran in the park, determined to work off all the heavy food I’d eaten abroad. I got an email from Laura – she’d hired a woman to work as my new assistant – and after that, some of my anger dealing with Janet began to lift. I’d make sure that this one was different, I’d make sure not to fuck up. I’d be sure to avoid all comments that could be construed as even slightly flirtatious, and I’d be sure to watch for the tell-tale signs of what Harry had jokingly called The Crush Problem.
And if it happened again, well, I wasn’t sure what I could do aside from requesting a geriatric to be put on my desk. After all the work I’d done for my company in London, the last thing I wanted was a sexual harassment lawsuit staring me down. If I was going to expand Magnate Group to make an international presence, I couldn’t have a single stain on my reputation as CEO.
When Monday rolled around, I was feeling refreshed and ready to get back to work. There was bad traffic that morning, and I walked into the offices just in time to make a nine-thirty meeting with Mark, my primary shareholder. He was waiting for me in the conference room with a cup of coffee.
“Great new girl you have,” Mark said.
“Good,” I said. “I haven’t actually met her yet, I just got here.”
Mark smirked. “I have a feeling you’re going to like her a lot,” he replied. “Now, let’s talk about that Seoul office.”
Mark opened his briefcase and handed me a folio of paperwork. “Take a look at this and let me know,” he said. “I know it seems small, but we’re hoping to expand over the next five years. There’s a plan included with the blueprints.”
I nodded and looked down. The plans for an office were modest but ambitious, and I liked the modern, clean look.
“We need to get a few big tech clients on board,” I said. “That’s the only way we’re going to be taken seriously there. So much of their economy depends on technology development.”
“Yes,” Mark said. He gave me a rare smile. “You did great work in London, James,” he said. “I’m sure your father would have been proud.”
I smiled tightly. Thinking of my father never put me at ease. “Yes, well, I’m glad to be home,” I said, glancing out the window.
Mark got to his feet and closed his briefcase. “I apologize for cutting this short, but I have a doctor’s appointment,” he said. “Why not look over the Seoul paperwork and get back to me by the end of the week – no, wait, after the holiday is fine. I can get the others on board if it’s something you’re interested in.”
We shook hands and I saw him to the elevators before walking to my office. Sure enough, a new girl was sitting at the desk by my office. From behind, I saw that her brown hair was piled into an elegant knot.
“Hello,” I said. I smirked. I knew that I’d made myself a promise, but a little looking couldn’t hurt – from the back, this girl had a dynamite figure.
The girl turned around and stood up. My heart leapt into my throat at the familiar sight of her brilliant green eyes and the light smattering of freckles across her cheeks.
It was Beth.
When she saw me, she shrieked. The cup of coffee she’d been holding crashed to the floor, burning her bare shins. Beth screamed again, this time presumably from the pain, and her eyes rolled back in her head as she crumpled gracefully to the floor.
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