Chapter Three

Chase

“I don’t know, Nolan,” I hissed through the iPhone’s receiver like a fire breathing dragon shooting flame balls from my engorged nostrils. A fantasy monster pissed as hell. “It’s never happened to me before. What did you do when Charlie pulled this shit?”

Silence reigned supreme. “I got nothing for you, buddy. I fucked it up seven ways from Sunday with Charlie. Even if I had any, I’d tell you not to listen to my advice.”

“I want to offer her an internship,” I threw the words out there and then waited for the censure. I really had no right to offer Chastity a position at Banks without running it by Nolan. Ever since his bitchy mother, Anne, had been knocked down a peg, Grantham made it clear Nolan ruled the roost. “A paid internship.”

“I’m okay with that.”

What?

“Did I hear you correctly?” I asked, unable to keep the surprise from my tone. “Why aren’t you bitching at me?”

“It’s obvious you’re into this girl, Chase,” Nolan crooned. “Charlie and I both agree it’s time for you to move on with someone you actually like instead of just someone you like to fuck. There’s a distinct difference.”

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

I snorted and scrunched up my nose, choosing my next words carefully. I didn’t want to talk about her. I didn’t want her name mentioned in polite company. I didn’t want even the tiniest thought to infiltrate my calm demeanor. I’d grieved what happened and put it in the past.

“I’m well aware of the distinction.”

“Glad to hear it,” Nolan said in his superior drawl. “We can talk about it more when you get in here. You’re late, you know.”

If he’d been standing in front of me instead of sitting in his cushy leather office chair, I’d probably be hard-pressed not to throat punch his cocky ass. He’d mastered the art of being late to work due to his hard partying and hard womanizing ways. Charlie had made him soft. But even I had to admit, her influence was the best thing that had ever happened to Nolan Banks.

“I know. I’ll work late tonight. I didn’t sleep at all.”

Nolan sighed. “I get it. Where did you meet Miss Chastity by the way?”

What to reveal? “She works in the Banks building at her part-time job.”

Please … oh, please, Nolan, don’t ask me which company employs her.

“Didn’t you mention she was from Brooklyn? Must be a bitch for her to travel all that way for a part-time office gig. She really reminds me of Charlie. Plucky and determined. You could do worse.”

Thank you, God.

“You don’t think it’s weird that I’m a few years older? She’s only a senior in college which makes her what, twenty-two? I’m all for robbing the cradle, but there’s a difference between stealing a pack of Doublemint and grand theft auto.”

“Jesus, Chase. You’re not even thirty. No one’s going to even look twice at the two of you unless she looks like jailbait. Does she?”

“What?”

“Look like jailbait?”

“Not even close. Now, let me off the hook and off the phone so I can get my ass into work.”

“Ciao.”

***

“Angela,” I opened my office door and called out to the reception area where Myrna furiously tapped on her iPad. Her head snapped up at the sound of my voice.

“Do you need an intern for something, Mr. Bradenton?”

Shit.

Now I’d offended my right-hand woman without any intention of doing so. The only reason I wanted to talk to Angela was to make sure she didn’t start running off at the mouth about my strange behavior the day before. The last thing I needed was a round of stupid office gossip undermining my authority as the Director of Sales. I had a team of twelve underneath me, and we needed to get Charlie’s pet project sold out before the completion of construction.

I oiled my tone and plastered my most charming smile to my face.

“Actually, it’s such a trivial matter, Myrna, I thought it would be best suited for someone without your vast and valuable experience.”

She narrowed her eyes and paused as if she saw right through my line of bullshit. But then, she smiled and nodded.

Whew.

“I think Angela’s making copies for Nolan.”

I spotted her by the Xerox, brow furrowed in concentration. She shoved her horn-rimmed glasses farther up her hooked nose. Poor Angela. She’d been beaten with the plain as Jane stick. Good thing she was sharp because Charlie had taken over the intern program and she only hired the best and the brightest.

Another intern stood beside her, back to me, grabbing the stapled packets off the copier. The gangly nerd’s pants were hemmed so short that a good two-inch sliver of white sock showed between his khakis and his Converse sneakers. For the love of god. I’d gotten within earshot when the nerdy kid spoke.

“We’re so far above this crap, Angela.”

“What do you mean? It’s an honor to get chosen to intern at Banks. It’s a sure ticket to land a good job after graduation. Grantham Banks is an NYC legend.”

“Yeah,” the kid snorted. “In his own overinflated mind. Why don’t they have us doing anything besides basic secretarial tasks? A trained monkey could copy, file, and staple.”

Who was this annoying little shit? Arrogant much? Angela was right. The Banks internship was a golden ticket. The ungrateful scamp needed to be taught a lesson, and I was just the man for that job.

“Ahem.”

I thought Angela might piss herself. The papers she held floated to the floor like leaves on a stiff, fall breeze. When she bent over to retrieve them, I waved her off.

“Let me. You see, there isn’t any work here at Banks Realty that I feel is beneath me. As an MBA from NYU, I understand the importance of knowing each level and department of this business inside and out. From the basement to the penthouse.”

Angela nodded so hard she looked like a homely bobblehead in the back of a ’79 Chevy wagon with wood-paneled sides.

“I agree, Mr. Bradenton.”

“Angela, I knew you were a star the moment I met you,” I said turning toward the Mark Zuckerberg wannabe. “You, on the other hand, can start planning your packing strategy. I’ll be telling Charlie exactly what I heard today.”

He turned without even a nod of acknowledgment and fled toward the break room. Probably wanted to cry in private. Who said shit like that out loud at the copier where the executive office suites were located? Grantham was famous for stealthily checking out the inner workings of all departments like he was auditioning for an episode of Undercover Boss.

“So, Angela,” I said in a tone dripping honey. “I just wanted to check in on you and make sure that Myrna wasn’t cracking the whip too hard.”

“Not at all,” she said as I handed her papers back to her. She snatched them out of my hand, and hers trembled. I watched as the white sheets fluttered underneath her nervous energy. “I’ve learned a lot. Everyone is so nice here.”

“Everyone?” I asked with a wink. “Even me?”

She nodded. “Especially the sales team.”

Praise the Lord.

“Excellent. Well, I’ll let you get back to it. Just let Myrna know if you need anything. Anything at all.”

I walked back to the sanctuary of my office, grateful that at least one catastrophe had been avoided. Now, Chastity and her fleeing the scene of a potential special connection, that challenge was a whole other matter entirely.