“Hello, I’m starting work here today,” I say with all the confidence in the world.
“Ah, are you the new executive assistant to Mr. Hale?”
I smile pleasantly. “That’s me.”
“Great to meet you,” Bear replies, pointing to the metal table beside him. “If you’d just put your bag right here. Once you get upstairs, they’ll give you the access card for the employee entrance, so you won’t have to see my ugly mug anymore.”
Reluctantly, I put the bag from hell on the table and wait for him to kick me out for not being properly accessorized. But he doesn’t bat an eye, using a small stick to check for explosives or whatever before giving me a nod.
“Now if I could just see your ID, please.”
I pull it from my equally shitty wallet and hand it over. Bear makes a note on a clipboard and gives it back with a smile.
“Welcome to Hale Cosmetics, Ms.—”
“Espinoza,” I interrupt before he can say Twatface’s last name. “I changed my last name but haven’t gotten my license changed yet.”
“Marriage or the other way around?” he asks, lowering his voice on the last part.
I can’t help but laugh. “I’m going through a divorce. Espinoza is my maiden name.”Which I started using again as soon as Roger started his bullshit, I add in my head.
Bear gives me a little salute and directs me to the petite woman standing at the reception desk, chatting with two other ladies. I’m glad I have an escort because I could get lost in a tent and this place is huge.
“Hi,” I say, approaching the woman and admiring her burgundy hair with long bangs that frame one side of her face.
She turns to me with a welcoming smile. “Mindy, I assume?”
“Yes, and I’m guessing you’re Amanda?”
“That’s me. I’m the receptionist for the executive floor where you’ll be working.” She gestures toward the women. “This is Carla and Marla.”
“No relation,” the one whose name tag denotes her as Carla says, and I laugh because the women couldn’t be more different.
Carla is a little person, blonde and fair in complexion, while Marla is an extremely tall, thin Black woman with pin-straight hair and cheekbones that could cut glass. She looks like she belongs on a runway.
“She thinks she’s funny,” Marla says with a wry grin, giving the other woman a playful push. “Welcome to the family, Mindy. You’re going to love Mr. Hale.”
“I’m glad to be here. I met him during my interview, and he was so sweet. We interviewed at a restaurant, so this is actually my first time in this building. It’s beautiful.” My eyes flit over the cool white and shiny silver of the lobby and up to the enormous, modern-looking chandelier hanging over the center of the space.
Everything is so sophisticated, and it should probably be intimidating, but the people I’ve met so far have been nice. I only wish Twatface hadn’t burned almost my entire wardrobe so I wouldn’t have to wear the same two outfits every day. But it will be okay once I get my first paycheck.
Because maybe I forgot to mention this, but my ex also emptied our bank accounts so I’m currently—how should I word this delicately?—broke as fuck.
After saying goodbye to Carla and Marla, Amanda leads me to the elevator bank. I learn she’s in her forties, though she looks much younger, and has two kids.
“How did you come to work here?” she asks, putting a key card up to the scanner and pushing the button for the top floor.
“My Aunt Lorraine knew there was an opening and suggested I apply.”
“Oh, she’s the nanny for Phoenix Hale’s little girl, right?”
“Yes, I missed out on a lot of years with Aunt Lorraine because she and my mother were estranged. But I reached out after Mama died, and she was so kind to me. It’s still weird sometimes, but we’re working on reconnecting.”
“Aw, that’s sad about your mom. I’m so sorry. How did she die, if that’s okay to ask?”
“It’s fine,” I reply. “Pancreatic cancer. Once they found it, she went pretty quickly, which is common, from what the doctors told me.”
We reach the top floor and step out of the elevator. Floor-to-ceiling windows flank the left and right side of the lobby area, and a wide chrome reception counter sits directly in front of us with the Hale Cosmetics logo on the wall behind it.
