Chapter 7

Michael

Every ounce of relaxation my body felt after Bar Harbor had been completely obliterated after the three interviews that morning. I wanted to have hope that at least one of them would be qualified but I didn’t get that impression from them. The first two were kiss-asses and while I didn’t normally care for a stroke of my ego, I didn’t need that from an assistant. We were to be in close quarters with each other on a daily basis, so I needed to feel comfortable with them instead of hiring a yes-man.

Admittedly, I had been slightly distracted during all three, constantly thinking of Rainey and our meeting earlier that morning. She was able to carry herself professionally with a determination I didn’t see in many women. She had something driving her and I wanted to know her motivation for this job. Coming down to the office to fight for an interview impressed the hell out of me.

Though selfishly, I offered her the interview having no intention of hiring a woman as my assistant. At the very least it would give her practice while satiating my need to get to know her better. There was something about her that made me feel good inside. It matched how I felt in Bar Harbor and a part of me was desperate to feel that way again.

She was due in my office any minute now. The clock over the door to my office was a minute shy of eleven-thirty. She was cutting it close.

I took the minute to shake off the other dismal interviews and get into a fresh mindset for my final interview until that afternoon. I would definitely be taking the better half of my lunch outside the office. I needed a break. Even for an hour. And if the other candidates were like the ones I’d already spoken with, then I knew I’d need another round of resumes before the week was out. Meaning more interviews and less time working on the projects that really mattered.

I checked the clock again and it read eleven-thirty-two. I frowned. This wasn’t looking good for Rainey. I’d taken time away from my lunch to give her the interview and she didn’t even have the courtesy to be on time. She seemed happy for the interview but her luck faded by the second. She already wasn’t taking the job seriously and that wouldn’t work in her favor.

I watched the second hand do one more rotation before I gave up on her. If she couldn’t be on time, this job wasn’t for her.

I headed for the door for an early lunch. When I reached for the knob, a knock sounded on the other side, surprising me.

I took a few steps backward. “Yes?”

The door opened and Sandra popped her head in. She was taken aback by how close I was to the door. Her nose was redder than it had been that morning. I took another step, not wanting to catch what she had. We couldn’t both afford to be sick.

“Your eleven-thirty is here,” Sandra said.

“So nice of her to show up,” I said gruffly. I debated on canceling the interview altogether to make a point. But those honey-brown eyes popped into my head again. I wanted to hear her excuse. “Send her in.”

The door widened and Rainey shot into my office. Sandra closed the door behind her, leaving us alone in my office.

“I’m so sorry for being late,” Rainey said. She held her coat and bag in her hands as if she didn’t rush in off the street. Had she taken her sweet time, expecting me to be here?

“You must have a good excuse since you were eager for the job this morning.” Annoyance laced my words.

“I have a good reason,” she said, “but I’m not going to waste two more minutes of your time explaining it.”

I laughed at her blunt remark. Most would have wanted to make excuses but not her. I had been right about her being different. Even though she had been late, she was ready to talk business right away. And so was I.

She reached into her bag and her scarf moved to the side, revealing a large stain on her white shirt. I didn’t recall seeing the scarf or stain earlier that morning. If I had then I might have suggested she change. Did that have something to do with her being late? She lifted a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to me.

“Please take a seat,” I said, offering her the chair in front of my desk. I took her resume and she sat, placing her coat on the arm of the chair. I noticed she didn’t wear a wedding ring.

I smiled to myself as I read over her qualifications, impressed that she wasn’t deterred where other women would have skipped the interview altogether then come in with a blemish on her clothes. Rainey exuded confidence, even though so many obstacles had been stacked against her. I’d never been so impressed by a woman before. And her being absolutely beautiful was an added bonus.

Her qualifications were impressive and other than her tardiness, her professionalism was apparent, unlike the previous female candidate who practically threw herself at me. It seemed like she wanted the job only to sleep with me. Which was one big reason why I really didn’t want a woman as an assistant. The idea of Rainey as my assistant and at my beck and call created a flurry of inappropriate images in my mind. I blinked them away, clearing my head. If I had a woman as my assistant, I’d never get anything done. Especially if she continued to wear outfits that hugged every delicious curve. Hiring a woman would most likely lead to disaster and if I were smart, I’d steer clear.

The dates of her education didn’t line up. “You just graduated?”

She nodded “Yes, this past May.”

I knew I wasn’t supposed to ask her age, but I didn’t intend on hiring a woman. If I offended her, she could drop out of the running herself.

“How old are you?” I asked.

She flinched and I had to hold back a smile. I wiped my hand over my mouth to erase it and waited for her answer. Watching her hesitation at revealing her age created a thrill inside of me. I casually leaned against the front of my desk thrumming my fingers on the surface, patiently waiting for her answer.

“I’m twenty-nine,” she answered.

I couldn’t help the surprise from my face. She barely looked twenty-five. There was no way in hell I should have asked her that, but I had to know. Would it come back to bite me in the ass? Maybe. “And you just graduated?”

She let out an exasperated breath. “Yes. Are you set on repeat?”

A bark of laughter spilled out of me. She was a little firecracker. I smiled broadly and straightened my spine, looking over her resume again. “Why did it take so long for you to get your degree?”

Her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “I got divorced so I had to defer my college plans.”

I waited for her to elaborate but she didn’t.

“So, Rainey, what makes you want to be my new assistant?”

She sat up, clearly prepared for this question.

I stifled an eye roll and awaited her textbook answer that I’d heard three times that day. Though a compliment about my success from her lips would fill my mind at least until I found the next woman to fill my bed.

“I’m the last assistant you will ever need. I’m hardworking and dedicated. I’m a fast-learner.”

“All of the candidates I’ve spoken with have the same qualifications. What makes you different than the rest? I want to know what would make you an asset to my company versus the rest of them.”

She thought about this for a moment. Her eyes shifted to focus on the ceiling as she formed her response. I found myself lost in them.

“I’ve been faced with many challenges in my life,” she said. “And I’ve managed to overcome them while dedicating myself to my studies. I read an article about you from the New York Times. You said you admired dedication and persistence. Well, I’m here to tell you I’m as dedicated as they come. And I hoped that you were able to see a small part of my persistence today when I challenged your receptionist.”

She smiled and I matched it.

“What sort of challenges have you faced?” It was crossing another line but she mentioned it and I wanted to know more about her and what situations shaped the woman sitting in front of me.

She took a deep breath and a rueful smile crossed her lips. “Mostly personal ones.” She didn’t elaborate and I knew I’d found her limit.

I changed the topic to a more appropriate question. “Why my company? Out of all the firms in the area, what made you choose us?”

She cleared her throat and looked up at me, her chin raised high. “To be honest, I’ve come up against some roadblocks in finding jobs in this field. And student loans are no joke. When this one came up on my search, I knew I had to try for it. It’s a good commute for me and pays well.”

I crossed my arms and regarded her. Most interviewees complimented the shit out of me and my successes in an attempt to get on my good side. Rainey was completely different. She seemed to have her priorities straight. And she was very honest. Quality traits for someone who’d be in close contact with me on a regular basis. There was something in her eyes, though, a secret. And I wanted nothing more than to reveal it.

“Do you have any commitments that would keep you from traveling or being available on a moment’s notice?” I asked.

“No,” she said quickly. “I’d be completely free and available for anything.”

I asked her a few more cookie cutter questions, but none of her answers revealed anything else about her. She seemed perfectly ordinary on the outside but there was something deeper in her eyes.

I noticed myself staring before I snapped out of it. I pushed off from my desk and stood next to her chair. I needed her to leave; I was in way over my head. “We will be in touch after I carefully consider everything we’ve discussed.” I hoped the other interviews would offer a better candidate for the position. I didn’t want to hire a woman. Even though Rainey would be perfect, it wasn’t my brain that was pushing for me to hire her.

“Thank you so much for the opportunity,” Rainey said, standing from the chair. She adjusted her scarf over her shirt and reached her hand out to shake mine.

I took it and blurted out, “What are you doing for lunch?”

Her eyebrows shot upward. “Excuse me?”

I wasn’t ready for her to leave quite yet. “I’m on lunch for another hour and a half. I’d like to treat you to a meal.”

She cleared her throat. “I don’t think that would be appropriate under the circumstances.”

“The only circumstances that matter right now is if you’re hungry.” I could tell in her eyes that she wanted to say yes, but she hesitated. Why? She did say she was divorced but that didn’t mean she wasn’t taken. Had I crossed another line?

She smiled and avoided my eyes. “Well, thank you for the interview, Mr. Carrington—”

“Please, call me Michael.”

She met my eyes and something inside of me stirred. A feeling I hadn’t had in a long time.

“Michael,” she said. “I really should be going. I hope to hear from you soon.”

“Have a nice day,” I said and watched Rainey Foster walk out of my office. I hoped it wasn’t the last time I would see her.