I glance up as I hear a bang from Crawford’s office before footsteps approach the door.
“I gotta go, I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.”
I hang up just as Crawford storms out of his office. He has his phone against his ear and three folders under his arm as he walks up to my desk. A giant hand stretches out toward me in a silent request I don’t understand.
After he’s been there for five seconds, he pulls the phone away, glowering at me.
“The Hipkiss paperwork,” he barks, and I grab the relevant folder and hand it to him.
Thank God I figured out the printer before he needed that.
He stalks away, snapping at someone on the phone as I see Beatrice run over to him. She scurries in his wake as he talks simultaneously into the phone and then to her as she scribbles down notes.
Beatrice seems permanently stressed. I wonder if her cold demeanor is just a mask she shows to the world to cope with her job.
My gut clenches painfully. Crawford hasn’t asked for anything I can’t supply so far, but what if he wants a blow job? What if he requests something I can’t or won’t do?
My lack of experience is giving me anxiety, and I don’t know how to fix it.
I check Crawford's schedule, feeling a pulse of relief that he’s out until five and won’t be back today. At least that gives me some breathing space to get the hang of the other work I’m involved in.
By the end of the morning, I’ve done everything I’ve been asked to do and am feeling as if the admin side of the job is going to be a breeze.
Kaitlin appears and comes to stand in front of my desk.
“How’s it going?” she asks.
“Good. I’m all set.”
Her eyes run over the folders on my desk, and she raises her eyebrows. “You did everything?”
“Yeah. He has the Hipkiss file, and then the packs for tomorrow are all organized like you asked. Can I help with anything else?”
Kaitlin’s dark brown eyes move to mine as she smiles. “Careful, Amelia, I might just take you up on that.”
“I don’t mind.”
She shifts her bag on her shoulder. She has beautiful hot pink nails and perfectly manicured, slender fingers. I hide my own chipped and battered nails beneath the desk. I’m really not classy enough for this job.
“You want to come to lunch with us? Beatrice has too much work to do, but Julia and I are gonna go to the pasta place down the street. It’s good. Portions are huge.”
I clear my throat. “Thanks, but I probably need to eat at my desk and figure out what Mr. Crawford is going to need from me next.”
I don’t want to spend any money on lunch if I can help it. I have exactly fifteen bucks left in my bank account until my next paycheck.
“Oh,” Kaitlin looks a little crestfallen. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where we are.”
“Thanks.”
She moves to leave and then twists around as I reach into my bag for a banana. “You know, it’s a welcome lunch. So it’s on the company, if that helps?”
I hesitate, wondering if she’s clocked my terrible clothes and figured out I’m as poor as I look.
“I know Beatrice can be a bit abrupt, but me and Jules are solid and we’re excellent company,” she says with a mischievous grin, and I laugh.
“So it’s free?”
