Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
After what felt like twenty minutes, but was probably closer to one, I pulled the lanyard over my head and set my badge on her desk. “Thank you. I’m sorry to waste your time.”
My footsteps echoed like a hammer in a cavernous church as I made my way to the door. With my hand on the knob, I waved awkwardly and—
“It can’t be hopeless. I’ll teach you what you need to know.”
I stopped in my tracks and gaped. “Huh? I don’t…I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Anything is possible,” Julia countered, motioning for me to join her again.
I hesitated before retracing my steps and slowly reclaiming my seat. “Okay…”
“First, explain this.” She pulled my résumé up on her tablet, sliding it in front of me.
I perused the solid page of glowing recommendations with wide eyes. Holy fuck. Milo had made me sound like a prodigy. I recognized a few of the contacts he’d included as “friends who owed him favors.” Listen, I’d known Milo was low-key shady, but I hadn’t considered that a fudged résumé might put me in a legal pickle.
Wasn’t it enough to admit I wasn’t qualified and move on to the next candidate? No, wait. They’d paid for one night at a Las Vegas hotel and my airfare to London. Holy shit balls. I probably owed Horsham a thousand bucks. I didn’t have a thousand bucks. I didn’t have a thousand of anything. I’d barely been able to afford a security deposit and rent.
I swallowed around the bile in my throat and pushed her tablet toward her. “I believe that’s called…hyperbole.”
“Or bollocks.”
I muddled over the word. Bollocks was either a bull or a bull’s testicles? Maybe. It didn’t matter. I caught the meaning…loud and clear. “I apologize for—”
“I don’t need or want apologies. I want you to fulfill your end of the bargain,” Julia snapped.
“How?”
“As my placeholder assistant.”
I furrowed my brow. I was too afraid her next sentence would involve paying for my plane ticket to argue and yeah, I was interested. I needed a job. Even a placeholder job—whatever the hell that meant. “I’m listening.”
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk. “You’ll be my shadow, and do basic…assisting while I continue my search. I don’t owe you an explanation for my noblesse oblige, but I will say this—now that I’ve given Mr. Horsham notice, it’s vital that he’s assured there will be no office disruptions at an untimely juncture. I’m going to assume that it won’t be necessary to remind you that your utmost discretion is required. If that’s not something you can offer, we’ll end our acquaintance now.”
It took a second for me to decode her fancy speech, but I got the gist. She needed me to save face.
“And you want me to do what? Make tea?”
Julia considered me thoughtfully. “No, I’m going to train you just as I said I would. We’ll skip meeting Sanjay, though. Or doing anything overtly technical. How are you with a diary?”
“A diary? Well…my mom bought me one with a lock when I was ten for Christmas. I didn’t write anything in it till I was twelve or thirteen. I think more than half of that was devoted to Zac Efron—he was a dream in High School Musical. And the other half went to Jason Hernandez, class clown and my sixth-grade crush.” I wrinkled my nose and continued sheepishly, “Your expression tells me there’s a different kind of diary in the UK.”
“Indeed,” she replied coolly. “A diary is a calendar, a planner, a—”
“A schedule,” I intercepted, snapping my fingers.
“A schedule is what you write in the diary.”
“Got it.”
She nodded. “I’ll show you how to maintain the diary and give you background information regarding prominent accounts. Nothing top secret, obviously. Just enough that you can lend a hand on a low level if necessary. And since you’re keen to make photocopies, I’ll put that on your list as well. Otherwise, you’ll keep a low profile, understood?”
“Yes. One question.” I bounced my knee nervously. “Is this a two-month deal or longer?”
“To be determined. If you prove yourself to be indispensable, I’ll find an appropriate position for you within the company at a renegotiated wage. I won’t alter your income for now, but you won’t be taking over this office or my salary.”
“Got it,” I stammered. “Thank you so much. I won’t let you down. I’ll be the best diary keeper ever and I swear, I won’t add one single Zac Efron reference.”
“See that you don’t,” she huffed, her lips curling in a reluctant smile as she extended her hand.
Wow. I couldn’t believe my luck.
I didn’t get fired. Low bar, but hey…it was a major win for moi. I vowed to make myself the most valuable placeholder assistant the Horsham Group had ever hired.
I shook her hand enthusiastically. “You won’t regret this, Ms. Wells.”