Chapter 3
“Elias, are you there? I’m coming in!” Daisy breezed into Elias’s unit early the next morning, jerking him from a deep sleep. He opened one eye, making out the shadowy lines of his bedroom. The blinds were still drawn, casting shadows across the dresser and the pile of clothes strewn helter-skelter around the room.. He ran a hand over his face and sat up in bed, taking in his dishevelled form. He must’ve had a restless night because his blanket had been pushed to the end of the mattress.
He picked up a shirt from the floor and climbed out of bed. “You can come in, Daisy.”
The door exploded inwards as Daisy entered the room, carrying a tray of coffee and a paper bag. She set breakfast down on the dresser and pulled the curtains open, blinding Elias with a beam of bright light. He wandered into the bathroom, keeping the door ajar so he could talk to her.
“So, tell me,” she pleaded. “How did the interview go? Did you get the job?”
Elias flushed the toilet and re-emerged in the bedroom, eager to feed his grumbling stomach. Using his forearm, he brushed aside cologne bottles and other knickknacks so they had a makeshift dining table.
Taking a sip of coffee, Elias studied Daisy’s excited face. “Didn’t I tell you I’d regret giving you a key to my apartment? No one should be this boisterous on a Saturday morning.”
She flitted her hand in the air, dismissing his comment. “You can change the locks another day. Tell me what Ava was like.”
Elias thought back to the man-eater in the blue dress, her formidable and predatory personality biting into his resolve. All he could think about were the rumours. When they left the boardroom after the interview, Ava’s touch lingered as they shook hands, her body as close to his as it could be, the scent of her perfume wafting in the air. Elias chose not to focus on the glint in her eye, or the way she dragged her tongue across her lips. He just wanted to find another job.
“She was a nice person.”
“And?”
He reached for a croissant and took a bite, delaying his answer. “I start as soon as I give notice.”
“That’s awesome!” Daisy gave him a hug. “I’m so proud of you.” She broke the embrace, but remained close, grabbing hold of his wrists. “Do you think you can resist her charm?” A gleam of mischief shone in her eyes.
“Getting this job has nothing to do with Ava or her rumoured reputation. I accepted the job for me. No one else. To be honest, I think Ava playing the seductress is just a front. She’s lonely and I won’t become another one of her conquests.” He tossed the croissant onto the dresser and cocked his head to the side, his gaze blazing into Daisy. “Speaking of romance, what’s going on with us?” He motioned between them. “My parents eagerly await an engagement announcement that may or may not come. Are we an item or not?”
The colour drained from Daisy’s face, replaced with a sombre expression. “Do you think I like throwing subtle hints all the time?” she said, perching on the edge of the bed. “We were together once before. Why can’t we try again? I’ve tried to be civil as your friend, but I want more.”
“More what? Romance? We tried that. I broke up with you because it wasn’t working out. I decided that remaining friends was the best thing for us. Looks at us. Our relationship is stronger now than when we were together. Why change that?”
She folded her arms across her chest and dipped her chin, a stray lock of blonde hair falling between her eyes. “Elias, how do you feel about me?”
He thrust his hands into his pockets. “I care deeply for you, Daisy. Always have. That will never change.”
“In other words, you don’t love me.”
“I never said that,” he said, reaching over to tuck the stray hair behind her ear. “I’ve been trying to make sense of it for years. You and I are not like normal friends. We’re constantly fighting the pull back to each other. I don’t know what I want.”
“Elias, I cannot wait for you forever. Make a decision before I’m gone for good. You or us.” She paused. “To be honest, you accepting this job at Blue Tail makes me nervous.” She sucked in a breath and headed for the bedroom door, wrapping her fingers around the knob. “I’m nervous about what kind of person Ava will turn you into. She’s a succubus.”
“Daisy.” Elias voice held an authoritative tone. “That’s my new boss you’re talking about.”
“I’m serious. I’m nervous about losing my best friend.” She shot him a pitiful glance before closing the door behind her, leaving Elias bewildered in her wake.
~ ~ ~
Butterflies mixed with coffee cravings as Elias stood in line waiting for his morning cappuccino. The café was buzzing with city workers, chattering loudly, adding more nerves to his tumbling gut. He could see Blue Tail Media’s building glistening between the skyscrapers and lost the need for a coffee hit. It was his first day as Ava Wolfe’s Director of Communications and he hadn’t slept a wink. His last conversation with Daisy circled in his mind, and he wondered, during his darkest moments of doubt, if she was right—if working with Ms. Wolfe would change him.
“How can I help you?” The barista Gus smiled warmly at him and reached for a takeaway cup stacked up behind him. “Mornin’ Elias, the usual today?”
“Yeah, a large cappuccino.”
“I haven’t seen you around lately,” Gus said as he began the ritual of filling the handle with ground coffee beans. “Still with the studio?” His voice was almost drowned out by the noise of the grinder.
“No, I left four weeks ago. I start my new job today.”
“Cool, mate. Where at?”
“Blue Tail Media.”
The barista filled the takeaway cup with piping hot coffee, the aroma appeasing Elias’s anxiety. “Isn’t that owned by Ava Wolfe? I heard she bought the company after the baby scandal.”
“The very one.” Elias paid for his coffee. “Actually, can you tell me if anyone from the company gets their coffee here? It’ll be nice to have a point of reference.”
Gus’s gaze flicked upwards as he tossed the coins into the register. “Yeah, I know a few familiar faces from Blue Tail. I’ve seen more of a redheaded woman lately.”
“Ava Wolfe?”
Gus shrugged. “Could be. There was another girl who came in and mentioned Ava a few times. I haven’t seen her in ages though. Did she fire the last girl who got her coffee?”
Elias pressed his lips into a thin line. “Guess so I’m her new Director of Communications.”
Gus’s eyebrows disappeared into the shaggy hair falling over his forehead. “Seriously? There must be revolving door in there.” He smirked at him. “I guess I’ll be seeing more of you instead. Good luck today, mate.”
“I’ll need it.” Elias left the café, sipping his coffee, and wandered towards Blue Tail’s building. His pace slowed as he neared the office, anxiety getting the best of him. What was he getting himself into? This role could be a career booster or career ender. The question continued to nag him as he stepped into the elevator. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, lips soured, questioning why he wore the red tie with his green suit. His ink-black locks refused to comply, a wave of hair standing up despite the tub of product in it. A detectable five o’clock shadow dusted his strong jawline. He looked half decent, but could’ve done better. He had looked like a movie star on his first day at Manny Magpie. Was he subconsciously looking bad so Ava wouldn’t find him attractive?
The elevator doors opened, and he made direct eye contact with the receptionist. He approached her with a confident smile. “Hello, I’m Elias Dorne. It’s my first day.”
“Of course. Ava told me you would be starting.” She pointed to some chairs lined up against the wall. “Please take a seat. Ava won’t be long.”
Elias placed his briefcase on the coffee table and sat down, using the time to evaluate his new environment. The office carried an air of positivity and enthusiasm, with music spewing from a radio and staff sharing stories of their weekends. It was nice to know people were friendly around here.
Pretty girls dressed in corporate skirts and blazers, tossed Elias inquisitive stares under long lashes. How many men had sat where he did, wanting a job with the notorious Ava Wolfe?
“Elias, it’s nice to finally meet you.” A young, dark-haired man appeared from a nearby office, and offered his hand to Elias. “I’m Blake Parker, we spoke on the phone. I’ll be showing you around this morning.”
Elias gathered his belongings. “I appreciate the opportunity. I look forward to working here.”
“You can thank Daisy for the recommendation. She had nothing but positive things to say about you.”
As Elias followed Blake through the office, he had one thing on his mind. “Will I be meeting with Ms. Wolfe today?”
“Ava got called out for an urgent meeting this morning, but your area’s been set up.” He led him through the network of desks and stopped outside a timber door with Ava’s name inscribed on a gold plate. “Welcome to your new office.”
He opened the door to reveal a clean, crisp room with spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge. Ava’s office was professional and white with subtle hints of femininity. A vase of candy-floss pink peonies added some colour to the room. A perfume bottle teetered on the edge of the desk which was positioned by window, giving Ava an awe-inspiring backdrop.
Blake entered the room and pointed to a smaller desk in the corner, adorned with a computer, empty document trays and a cup full of pens and pencils.
“This is your desk. I’ve left a handful of copy briefs, adverts to approve, and articles to proof read until Ava gets back. She’ll go through your job description in more detail. Please take a seat.”
Elias wandered to the desk and placed his briefcase on the floor. He sat down and flicked through the paperwork, familiarising himself with the copy and adverts.
“The communal kitchen is down the hall, fully stocked with water and fruit.” Blake continued, “I’m two doors down so give me a holler if you need any help with the briefs.” He paused when Elias didn’t respond, nose deep in his paperwork. “I’ll leave you to it. You seem to know what you’re doing. The IT department should’ve left your email and computer password on a sticky note for you.”
Elias scanned his desk and found a square piece of paper nudged underneath the keyboard. “Here it is. Thank you, Blake. I’ll buzz you if I have any questions.”
Elias worked uninterrupted for two hours, listening to the acoustics of the office outside, people talking, music playing. He felt disconnected from his new colleagues already, unable to see them through the frosted glass walls. Blake didn’t even introduce him to anyone. First impressions meant more to him than damn advertorials and he would’ve preferred spending time getting to know everyone. Especially Ava. Was she going to be out of the office all the time? How dependent was she going to be on him?
The office door opened, and Ava entered the room in a flurry of red and green, her mobile phone attached to her ear. She carried a heap of magazines which she dumped on Elias’s desk without even looking at him. She wore a tight, green dress, accentuating the copper highlights of her hair.
“I told him the advertisement was running in the December issue,” Ava said into the phone. “I have it on email if he’s doubting our agreement.” She tossed her handbag onto her desk in frustration, her back to Elias as she gazed out the window. “He questions his ad placement every month.” She turned around, spotted Elias sitting in his seat and froze. “Frank, I gotta go.”
Ava finished the call and lowered her mobile to the desk. “Good morning, Elias.” She reached over and shook his hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to greet you this morning. I had something urgent to attend to.”
He smiled and motioned to the paperwork in front of him. “It’s okay, I was covered. Blake gave me some advertorials to write for Skin Touch Beauty. I’ve been working on them this morning.”
“Excellent.” Ava sat down behind her desk and switched on her computer. “I’ll take a look at them later. Did Blake show you around the office and introduce you to everyone?”
“Not yet.”
A small smile hooked at her painted lips. “I’ll bring you around to the different departments after lunch. I’m sure everyone is keen to meet you.” Her grin got wider. “We’re a close group here, Elias. I’m hoping you’ll fit into our little family.”
“I’m a pretty relatable guy, so I hope so too.”
Ava flipped open a folder on her desk and sorted through the paperwork. “I’m not sure if you researched the company before your interview and if you did, you would’ve seen some interesting—and somewhat defamatory—information on Blue Tail. You’ll hear certain things about the previous owner and it’s important to keep your discretion—if you want to keep your job. Now that you’re working under me, you’ll attract more interest from my competitors and journalists.” She leaned over, her emerald gaze boring into him. “People will confront you. People will judge you. I am confident you can handle it because you’re good at your job.”
Elias ignored the stab of doubt in his gut. Did he make the right decision accepting this job? He wanted to start over and rebuild a proper career, but how much damage would be done by working with Ava?
“I’m well aware of the risks.”
She stood up and wandered to the door. “Why don’t I show you around the office now? I would like to take you out to lunch afterwards.”
As Ava escorted him through the numerous departments, Elias observed the other staff eying him with a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. He noticed there were more women sitting behind desks than men, so it wasn’t surprising he was a figure of interest.
A thought sparked in a deep, roguish part of his brain when he and Ava passed a large mirror leading down the hall. They looked good together, walking side by side, almost hip to hip. With Ava wearing her fancy designer shoes, they were the same height, which he loved in a woman.
“I have multiple titles under the Blue Tail Media umbrella,” Ava explained, circumnavigating the Accounts department, shooting quick introductions to the team. “We cater mostly to women’s interest but I publish six other titles, including men and lifestyle. I prefer an open window to appeal to every reader in the market.”
Elias followed her around, meeting editors, writers, sales, and reception, until they returned to her office where she grabbed her handbag. As they walked outside into the crisp breeze, he looked forward to sharing time with her, one on one. He was keen to unearth this mysterious creature, the woman nicknamed the “man-eater.”