Page 34 of Matteo

I try to frame this differently. “My father ...” It's fucking hard to say that word. “My father is keen to have an external audit done, and I can't say it's a bad idea to get an outside consultant to carry it out.”

“Tell us about her then, boss.” Joel seems especially interested.

“I don't know much about her. My father took it upon himself to hire her.”

“You don’t know anything?” Alex asks, surprised.

“I saw the presentation she made and it wasn’t bad.”

“Wasn’t bad?” Alex pushes.

“It was … remarkable.”

“How old is she?” Joel asks.

“About mid-twenties, I'd say.” I'm guessing, because I don't know.

“Where's she working at the moment?” Alex asks.

“I don't know.”

Alex quirks a brow in disbelief. “How can you not know? What does her resume say?”

I wince. “Haven't seen it, yet. I just told you. My old man dealt with this.” I need to remind the old man to email me a copy.

Alex assesses me carefully. The other two chuckle among themselves. I don't like it, their excitement over us hiring a woman. As if that's all they can think about. I expected better from Sonny. Joel has always been a flirt and a joker. I've been on enough team nights out to see how he behaves around women.

I have a sudden urge to remind them that our new hire is a cybersecurity consultant, not a novelty.

“It'll be nice to have some feminine energy for a change.” Sonny sits back, clasping his hands against he back of his head. He looks excited to have her on board, too.

I should have prepared her. Thing is, I've never had to deal with this before. “She's smart,” I tell them. One of the few things I do know about her.

“Are you sure you're still working for us?” he asks. They all laugh.

“Ha ha. I'm still here. I'll always be here,” I say, deadpan. I sound like I haven't got a clue, and I hate that, because I usually know more than everyone here. Apart from Alex. But he's in his late thirties and a decade older than me, so he should. Still, I hate that I sound so unprepared when it comes to Elizabeth.

“When does she start?” Joel is desperate to meet her and it's starting to grate on me.

It shouldn't.

I remind myself that it's all about professionalism and control. I'm in charge here, not the old man. And yet, trying to think of Elizabeth in purely professional terms is impossible, because all I see is the fear in her big, hazel eyes, and the panic which gripped her body when the elevator got stuck.

And how I managed to soothe away her fears.

How we connected. And bonded. And got closer.

Only for it all to be ripped away moments later when I realized who she was and why she was at the office at all.

“When does she start, boss?” Sonny asks just as Alex asks me if I’m okay.

“Sorry. Yes. All good. Just got a lot going on.” I glance at my watch. “She starts in about thirty minutes.”

“Damn.” Joel smoothes down the crease in his barely ironed shirt. “Wish you'd told me sooner. I could have smartened up a bit.”

He's going to make a beeline for her.

I can fucking feel it, and my temper flares for reasons I can’t explain. I walk over to the table again and wag a finger at Joel and Sonny.