Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“Is that not accurate, Lacey?” My heart jumps out of my chest with the way he says my name. It’s almost like his voice deepens intentionally.
“I didn’t misplace anything because I hadn’t had a part in preparing the materials for that meeting, Mr. Hardwick.” Lawrence threw me under the bus with the damn owner of the company? What a prick.
“I told him to send up the employee who messed up the presentation.” He looks completely irritated by the revelation.
The line rings at my desk. I pick it up even though we were still talking because I want him to know I’m serious about being a great assistant. “Mr. Hardwick’s office.”
“Well, who are you?” a sultry woman’s voice says on the other end. From her tone, I’m guessing she was expecting him to answer. I’m not the only one with personal messages while at work.
“Mr. Hardwick’s new assistant. May I help you?” I answer, hating this woman without knowing anything about her.
“Yes, I’d like to speak with Lincoln.” Yep, I hate her. I check on my boss who hasn’t moved, and he’s looking down at me with a scowl.
“May I ask who’s calling?” I asked, wanting to get this over with before I throw up.
“Tell him it’s Veronica.”
“Let me check if Mr. Hardwick is in his office. I’ve only just arrived and have not seen him,” I lied. Fielding calls is one of my many duties and sometimes lies are necessary.
“Well, hurry. I don’t like to be kept waiting by some tart trying to steal him from me.” I put it on hold. Grateful all the phones are the same in the building.
“You should have let it go to voicemail while I was speaking to you,” he snarls, crossing his arms over his broad chest and I can’t take my eyes off the way his expensive watch looks against his thick manly wrist.
Collecting myself, I apologize. “Sorry, I thought it would be important. A woman named Veronica is on the phone for you.”
“Veronica? Did she give a last name or company?” I shake my head with a negative. His brows knit together. Does he not remember his dalliances? Instantly, there’s a violent pain in my stomach as I picture him with this woman or any woman. He reaches over my desk and takes the phone, and hits the release call button. “Hardwick here.”
I don’t want to listen in, so I focus on logging into my accounts from my desk. Still, I hear him say, “Don’t call my office again.” He slams the receiver down. “Don’t let her calls come through again. Understand?”
“Yes, is she a danger? I mean, she threatened me, so….”
“Threatened you? What did that girl say?” His expression changes from annoyance to anger. I don’t know if I pissed him off or he’s mad on my behalf.
“She said that… well, she didn’t exactly threaten me, but she said that she didn’t want a tart like me to steal you away from her.”
“Steal me away? I don’t even know her. We met at a benefit dinner, and I made it clear my interests weren’t in her.”
“Oh… okay. I will.”
“Better yet, if she calls again, send it through, and I’ll remind her who she’s messing with. Now let me give you a quick tour of this floor, and then you can go through the bountiful emails and voicemails that have been waiting to be answered since my last assistant was fired.”
He waits there, waiting for me to stand, which takes me a second. “Today, Lacey. I’m an extremely busy man.” Damn it, I’m not getting on this man’s good side at all.
Not wanting to waste his time, I say, “I can find my way around, Mr. Hardwick.”
“It’s Lincoln.” I don’t say anything. However, I do nod as I step around my desk. He might be hot, but he’s probably a player. His name tastes sour in my head now that Ms. Veronica called him by his first name.
“Please lead the way.” He nods, and I follow as his expensive dress shoes lightly tap against the floor. He hardly makes a sound despite his large build, which doesn’t take me by surprise since I didn’t hear him approach my desk.
“This is the kitchenette where we stock drinks and snacks to be served during long meetings. The coffee pot is there with a set of instructions on how to make a decent pot when we have guests.”
“It seems straightforward.”
He nods and then says, “Follow me to the storage and copy room.”
“How many offices are up here?” I ask as we move down across the hall.
“Just mine and my conference room.” This floor is as large as the other floors, but it’s mostly an open floor plan, so it appears massive. I nod and follow him down to the supply room. It’s pretty sizable, and so are the two printers, which is surprising for just the boss.