“Stephanie Pryor from Baker, Riley and Ross.”
“You’re not on the list.” He smiled at her kindly but was clearly going to be immoveable in letting her through.
“I was on it last week,” she said and realised that if H.R. at Brookers had been told that she wouldn’t be based with them she wouldn’t be on the list, would she?
“Sorry, Miss,” he said sincerely. “They could call in and get you authorised,” he suggested.
“No. Contact Mr Brooker, he’s expecting me,” she told him, making him raise his eyebrows in a mixture of disbelief and surprise. “Or I can call him,” said Steph as she fumbled in her bag to find her phone.
“Hi, darling,” he answered almost immediately.
“I am here, but my name doesn’t appear on your list of visitors so I can’t gain access to your car park.”
“I’ll phone down and have your name added to my visitors list. Take Rosie to H.R. first and then come up to my office. Andrea is expecting you,” he told her and hung up.
The security man jumped as his radio spoke to him and as he turned away to respond Rosie asked, “What floor are they on?”
“All of them,” replied Steph as the security man turned back to face her.
“You are now on the list, Miss Pryor, and you can park on level one.”
As Steph pulled onto level one she realised that this was the executive level looking at the big, expensive, shiny cars. She spotted Jon’s car immediately and pulled into the space behind his.
Steph took a very nervous Rosie up to H.R. where they were greeted warmly by Grant, the head of recruitment who seemed fairly certain they could find a niche for Rosie who looked hugely relieved at his enthusiasm and sense of certainty.
“Rosie, call me on my mobile when you’re done and I’ll drop you home with your stuff,” said Steph as she left her with Grant while she prepared to face the music with Jon.
Twenty
With Rosie safely on her way to H.R. Steph made her way to the wall of lifts and waited.
“Steph, there appears to be a very unattractive man sitting at your desk.”
She turned to find Steve standing next to her now and smiling.
“And the view from my office has plummeted without you and your well cut suits.” He laughed as the lift arrived but seeing her expression as his words registered, he frowned. “Are you okay, I was joking.”
“Sorry, the morning from hell,” explained Steph with a half-smile. “It’s all up in the air at the moment, just watch this space.”
“Brooker wants to know your man’s every move, which is where I am going, although there’s not much to tell. He’s just sitting there shit scared by the look on his face,” said Steve seriously.
“Martin is a very good accountant.” He was.
“But that’s not what Brooker wants, is it? A very good accountant? He wants you there because you know the contract and you’ve got a brain for business. Oh, and your well cut suits.”He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively making her genuinely laugh as the lift stopped at the twenty-third floor.
They walked together to Jon’s office and as they stood at Andrea’s desk they returned her warm smile.
“Please take a seat, both of you. Mr Brooker should be free soon,” she told them and gestured towards the sofa behind them. “Can I get either of you some tea or coffee?”
They both shook their heads and spoke in stereo, “No, thanks.”
“This is like waiting to be called into the headmaster’s office,” said Steve.
“I dunno what sort of school you went to Steve, but my headmaster never had leather sofas for the naughty boys and girls,” she said making him laugh.
“And I bet you were a very naughty girl,” he said still laughing.
“I resent that comment, Mr Cannon.” Steph faked an expression of outrage before grinning at him, suddenly realising that as bad as her morning had been, she felt safe and relaxed here, with Jon nearby to almost forget everything that had happened.
