Ainsley Mathews:
Well, I appreciate that. I’ll be sending this over in a minute.
I buckle down and finish what I was working on before sending it to my boss, then pop back over to the messaging system.
Ainsley Mathews:
All finished and sent.
Ledger Hutton:
Thank you. How do you feel the day went? Does sending an email in the morning work best for you?
Ainsley Mathews:
It was perfect. I’m pretty flexible, so if you ever need to change things up, just let me know. And I’ll be sure to tell you if I’m unable to get something done for the day.
This conversation is making me nervous. I’m used to the cutthroat world of finance, and no one would ever ask what works best for someone else. He seems genuine, but I can’t completely trust it. My brain is screaming that it’s a trap, and I don’t know how to change my thought process.
Ledger Hutton:
I’ll take a look at all of this tonight, and I’ll have an email waiting for you in the morning. Thanks for all the hard work today.
Ainsley Mathews:
Sounds great, thank you. Good night.
I shut my computer and stare blankly at it. I’ve never had a boss tell me to stop working. Granted, I actually got everything done, but it didn’t seem like he cared if I did either way. Doing this entire job virtually is also strange. I could just as easily go into the office and work, so if things come up, I’m able to adapt as needed, but he was very firm that this stay virtual. He said it was because he was rarely in the office, always at job sites, so it didn’t make sense to for me to come in if I could do the entire job from home. While it’s nice, it’s just not something I’m used to.
But you left that life behind, so you better start getting used to it. This is your life now.
Sighing, I lean back against my chair. I guess I should get to work unpacking some boxes. Dwelling on my first day of work won’t really get me anywhere, so I might as well try to be productive. I need to give this job an actual chance because, at the moment, I don’t have another option. I have a decent nest egg, but it’s not enough to feel comfortable without employment for long.
Decision made, I get up and start unpacking the boxes I used as a makeshift desk today.
Chapter 4
Ledger
Last night when I messaged Ainsley, I was so fucking awkward. I was trying to get her to see that I don’t want nor expect her to work past her regular hours, no matter what is going on. I pride myself on taking care of my employees and making sure they feel appreciated. But my stilted conversation probably came across as too blunt.
Maybe I’m overthinking this. Hell, I know I’m overthinking this, but it’sAinsley.
It’s been a long time since a woman caught my eye, and that’s mostly due to my ex, who did a number on me. I haven’t felt the need to be with anyone since her, so I’m very much rusty when it comes to talking to women. To top it off, Ainsley is the girl I crushed on hard in high school. I was two years older, but I always had my eye on her. When I moved away for college, I never quite forgot about her—an ever-present memory, keeping me company when I got lonely. Meeting Jenna in college was a whirlwind. Proposing felt like the right thing to do, what I wassupposedto do. My plan was to go back home after graduation, and I was sucked into her spell, willing to change all of my plans for her. And it never quite broke until I caught her cheating on me in our bed, three days after I’d proposed.
Shaking my head to clear the memory, I climb out of bed and go to the kitchen to make a protein shake. I try to go for a run every morning—it helps clear my head and start the day fresh, ready to tackle anythingthat comes my way. Building my landscaping and nursery business from the ground up took a lot of work, and I knew pretty early on that I needed to branch out of Bluebell Falls if I wanted to make the business successful. Sure, all the residents know they can come to the nursery and get whatever they want for their botanical needs, but there aren’t enough residents to sustain the business year-round. I’ve been slowly growing and advertising to the surrounding towns, but now it’s time to think bigger.
It’s one of the main reasons I put up the job listing for a virtual assistant. I needed someone to help keep me organized as I try to expand my business.
What I didn’t expect was Ainsley Mathews to apply for the job. I didn’t second-guess my decision; I hired her on the spot when we did the phone interview.
After looking at the ad she revamped, I know it was the best decision. She turned a boring, dry ad into something eye-catching and witty. It blew me away when I pulled it up last night. This job was intended to take care of mundane things, but seeing her work makes me want her to work her magic on all the advertising.
My phone rings as I make my way on my usual running route, and I answer it while putting my headphones in.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“How’s the new hire?” The smugness in my younger brother, Lennox’s, voice immediately irritates me.
