“And?”
“And the…split in management six months ago wasn’t, as I’ve already stated, amicable.” She grimaced at Sally’s audible snort. “Some of our clients aren’t happy with Andrew’s departure and have decided to take their business elsewhere. You didn’t like any of the candidates we sent to you for an interview, so I’m willing to sacrifice my own PA, who I know to be excellent at her job, if it means we keep your company as one of our clients.”
Knox studied her for several seconds, but this time found it impossible to read her expression.
Whatever had happened to bring about this change in ownership of HERA, and, by default, Andrew Day leaving Ellie’s private life had obviously been very traumatic for her. Probably still was if her private and business life had been so interconnected with Day’s.
He turned to the slightly younger woman. Sally was probably aged in her midtwenties, a few years younger than the website had revealed as being Ellie’s twenty-nine years. She was wearing a sharp black business suit with a white blouse. She wasn’t Knox’s type, but he could appreciate that she was attractive, with her sharp pixie-like features surrounded by that short red hair.
“Are you willing to stand in as my PA until Karen returns?” he asked her.
She glanced briefly at Ellie before answering him. “If that’s what Ellie wants me to do, yes.”
Not quite the wholehearted affirmation he was looking for, but it would do for now. “Okay.” He nodded abruptly. “Here’s what I think needs to be done. Ellie, you should return to the HERA offices and arrange for a temporary replacement for Karen for the next six months. The sooner the better, so that Sally can return to being your PA. There was nothing wrong with any of the previous applicants you sent for interview. I just wasn’t ready,” he admitted with an acknowledging nod of blame to Ellie.
“Are you ready now?”
“If that plan sounds reasonable to you, yes.”
It sounded perfect to Ellie.
Then why did she have this lump of what she thought might be disappointment in her chest?
Because once she had returned to HERA, she would have no reason to ever see Knox Wilder again?
If so, that was ridiculous.
Mainly because she no longer trusted her own judgment in finding any man attractive.
Except for those initial few minutes of awkwardness when she first met Knox, for the first time in a long time, she had felt…at ease in someone else’s company. As if all the thoughts and problems that had plagued her waking moments for the past six months had quieted in his presence.
Which really was ridiculous when the complete betrayal of a man she had known and trusted for almost ten years, the man she had loved unconditionally for those same years and thought loved her in the same way, had soured her to even the thought of being interested in another man.
She couldn’t allow Knox Wilder to get past the barriers she had built up to protect herself and her feelings, even if he did have a sexy voice and body, and a natural, if blunt, charm.
No, her main priority, her only priority, was to keep trying to salvage what was left of her business.
Before it became as much of a lost cause as her private life already was.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Having a spring clean?” Knox drawled, at the same time as his narrowed gaze took in the chaos that was the reception area of the HERA offices. They were situated on the third floor of the prestigious forty-floor skyscraper, the impressive Aragon Tower, set in the heart of the New York business district. The first floor was a selection of coffee shops and bistros, the second floor exclusive clothes shops.
When Knox had opened the door to this office a few seconds ago, it was to see Ellie down on her knees, doing her best to pick up the pieces of broken pottery that had obviously previously housed the many green plants and dark soil that were now strewn all over what he believed had previously been a pale pink carpet.
A young man with blond streaks in his light brown hair and wearing a very fitted dark blue suit and pale pink shirt was following along behind Ellie, attempting to use a long-handled broom to sweep the soil into an inadequately sized dustpan. Knox recognized him from the company website as being Benny, the Fred and Ginger fan.
He also saw Sally, through the slightly open doorway into the adjoining office. She was collecting the numerous files scattered over the floor before attempting to put them into some sort of order and back into a filing cabinet.
He gave a stiff nod of acknowledgement after she looked up and gave him a friendly wave hello.
She had only worked for him for part of that first day, the efficient Joan taking over later in the afternoon. But Knox would be lying if he didn’t admit to giving a sigh of relief once Sally had returned to work at the HERA offices.
She had been pleasant enough, but she liked to flirt, whereas Joan was completely professional in her attitude, as was Karen. The last thing Knox was interested in was a romantic involvement with one of his employees, even if that employment was only temporary.
Especially when he hadn’t been able to put thoughts of Ellie from his mind for the past two days and three nights!
Ellie’s head had jerked up the moment Knox spoke.
