I sit down with my newly acquired BLT and sigh, happy to have a moment to myself. My stomach growls loudly. I was too nervous to eat breakfast; now, I’m starving.
Someone sits across from me before I can bite into my sandwich. He wears a casual, black two-piece suit. His hair is slicked back and possibly has too much gel, but I keep the thought to myself.
“Mind if I sit here?” the stranger asks.
My eagerness to be alone is eclipsed by a desire to make a new friend.
“Not at all!” I lower my sandwich and smile. “How good is the food in here? I need to know what to expect before I bite in.”
“I could make better at home, and I could definitely get better at the Deli down the street, but… they’re not bad.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” I take a bite.
“Youarenew, then.” He easily matches my smile. “I think I would remember seeing someone like you around here.”
He’s barely spoken, and I can’t explain why talking to him makes me want to shiver—like I’m shaking off the conversation. This stranger is the first person other than Theo to give me attention all day, and I desperately want to make friends in the office. I need to be open-minded.
Or maybe there are other people I should befriend. I’ve seen a few friendly women in pretty suits, and I would rather get to knowthem. But it’s essential to make connections in business, so I’ll start with this guy.
“I am.” I extend a hand across the table. “I’m Evie. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Rod. Welcome to the team. What’s your position?”
“I’m Theo’s assistant.” Oh no. I’ve already slipped up. “Mr. Roche’s assistant, I mean.”
He waves a hand. “Don’t worry about it. We all call him Theo.”
Theodoesseem like a casual boss, so that adds up. It also makes it a lot easier for me. Calling him Mr. Roche would be weird, considering how casual our meeting was.
“Well, it’s great to meet you.” My smile feels more forced as the seconds pass. It hasn’t been a long interaction, but it’s dragging. All I want is to eat my sandwich in peace.
His salad goes untouched. “I can see why he hired you.”
What doesthatmean? This guy doesn’t know me, and I don’t think he’s talking about my good work ethic or personality. The shiver returns. It runs through me, filling me with a sense of dread.
My gaze shifts to the clock on the wall. Can I pretend to have a meeting?
“O… kay…” I let out an uneven, nervous laugh. “Thanks. I think.”
“I mean it as a compliment. It’ll be nice to have someone as pretty as you around the office.”
Any response I can think of, positive or negative, floats right out of my head. The comment is harmless, right? It’s just a compliment. There’s nothing to make a big deal of. I don’t want to make enemies so soon.
Ireallydon’t want to lose this job.
“Rod!” A booming voice comes from over my shoulder.
I don’t need to turn my head to know who it is, but his voice is louder than I’ve heard—harsher and lower. This is the voice of a boss. I’m frozen in place, even when Rod scrambles to his feet.
He looks different now—smaller, weaker, apologetic. “Hey, boss!”
“What are you two talking about?”
“I’m welcoming her to the team.”
“Uh-huh.”
I close my eyes, willing myself to disappear.
