16. Chapter 16
“ T he agents sometimes work from home, though you’ll see them in the office a lot,” the chatty blonde assistant said while leading me on a rapid guided tour of the office suite.
Ambrose had taken me past the executive and HR offices—glass-fronted and sparsely modern—before gesturing down a very wide hall lined with mostly closed doors and a tidy cluster of cubicles in the middle.
The whole space had a minimalist, functional vibe: neutral walls, light wood accents, and abstract art prints that felt like they were chosen to offend no one.
“Sofia and Laina are here most days, though Laina’s been around less lately.
Abi and Ryla have offices right over here, and they’re here most days too.
” Outside the offices were the four back-to-back cubicles with low walls.
“This is you,” he said, pointing to the only unoccupied desk.
“And this is me. All four assistant desks are here.”
“Are you all right?” he asked, looking at me quizzically. I must have looked dazed. I kicked myself inwardly. I could be blissfully happy but still needed to look professional.
I quickly offered a gracious smile. “I’m great. What’s next?”
“Just a couple more areas, and then we’ll come back and get you settled into your desk before you start the HR orientation. Follow me.” He walked off down another hallway, much narrower than the other.
I hurried to catch up. Ambrose wasn’t even that tall, but I’d never met anyone who walked as fast as he did. It had to be an occupational hazard. “How long is the HR orientation?”
“Sixteen hours.”
At that reply, I almost tripped in my heels. I must have misheard. “Pardon?”
“Sixteen hours, split up over your first three days.”
My heart sank. “Oh, that’s … fun.”
Ambrose turned toward me and walked a little slower. “Oh, suck it up. You’ll be getting Laina’s coffee and drycleaning in no time, never fear.” At my raised eyebrows, he laughed. “Kidding, mostly. It’s not that kind of position. Well, usually. Laina can be demanding though.”
Relief washed over me. If getting coffee for the agents was going to help me reach my goals, I was definitely willing, even if it wasn’t my first choice.
I wanted to dive into the world of books and publishing and authors and royalties and everything else I needed to learn about.
Getting someone’s coffee seemed like such a waste of time when there was so much to do and learn!
Still, I’d suck it up as he suggested, just like the HR training.
“Of course,” I said, lifting my chin. “This isn’t my first job, you know. ”
“Right,” Ambrose snickered, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. As we came to a stop, he pointed to the left. “Here’s the IT offices. We’ll just stop in for a quick introduction.”
I smiled widely. As soon as we walked in, I spotted Rainn in a cubicle in the corner of a large room full of computer and server equipment. Instead of waiting for an intro from Ambrose, I ran over to his desk, where he looked up and smiled.
Ambrose followed, disapproval on his face.
“It’s all right, I know her,” Rainn said, grinning as he stood and enveloped me in a giant hug. “She’s my roommate.”
Ambrose’s jaw dropped and then closed quickly. I felt a sense of unease but then dismissed it. “I just wanted to say hi to Rainn. Please do continue with your tour, Ambrose.”
After I gave Rainn a helpless look and waved goodbye, Ambrose nodded and curtly led me to meet a few others in the room.
Once we were back in the hallway, Ambrose pointed out a few more rooms in the same hall, including the break room, nursing room, and meeting rooms. His tone was as brisk as his walking pace.
Just before we returned to the open area where the assistant desks were, I pulled him aside. “Ambrose, I’m sorry about that, back there.”
He looked at me impatiently. “What?”
“About … running into the IT room without waiting for your introductions. It was unprofessional. I’ll do better, I promise.”
He sighed. “We have a lot of big personalities around here. I don’t care about that.”
“Then …” I trailed off, a questioning look on my face.
He stood in stony silence for a long moment and glanced at his watch. “You’re the direct type, aren’t you?”
I nodded, sucking my cheeks in to avoid a smile or a cringe, I wasn’t sure which.
“I have to respect that,” he said grudgingly, gazing up at the ceiling before looking back at me directly.
“I’m the same way. So, I’ll be frank. I fear you’re going to be a nightmare to train because you’re underqualified and only got the job because you’re, uh, ‘rooming with the IT guy.’ And I have a heavy workload, so … that’s just more work for me.”
“Wha—” I sputtered. “I … honestly, I don’t know why they picked me.
You’re probably right that my friendship with the IT guy—and his friendship with a guy in HR—had something to do with it.
” When Ambrose smirked, I took a step in his direction.
I wasn’t going to be intimidated. “But that does not mean I’m underqualified.
I’m going to be amazing at this job. I’m going to be the best damn assistant this agency has ever seen. ”
His scowl slowly turned into a grin. “Except me.”
I raised my eyebrows in challenge. “Game on?”
He laughed and linked arms with me. “This is horrid: I think I might like you. But also hate you. All right, let’s get you set up at your desk before you head to the HR snoozefest, I mean, orientation.”
I smiled and relaxed my shoulders but not my determination. One battle won, probably many to go. I could do this. I was born to do this.
“I’m taking you to brunch,” Sofia announced the next morning when she waltzed over to my desk.
“Oh, I—”
“You do not want to cross me when it comes to brunch,” she said, hands on her hips.
She flipped her long black hair behind her shoulders and grinned.
“Annie, I’m so excited you’re going to be my new assistant!
I knew from the moment you stumbled into the interview that you were the one .
I love you already. Sorry we didn’t get to chat yesterday, but my day was ridiculous, buried in calls and emails.
I’d much rather be meeting a client in person, but lately it’s been a lot of phone and texts and stuff. ”
“I’m the same way,” I said. “We’ll have a lot in common. So, what time for brunch?” I glanced at the schedule on my computer screen. “My HR orientation is 11–4.”
“Blah, OK. We’ll go around 9:30 then, so we have plenty of time.”
“That’s … soon. OK!”
“Are you too busy?” Sofia said, laughter in her tone as I shook my head. “I thought not. You will be soon though, so let’s take advantage of this time to chat. I’ll pretend I don’t have a mountain of messages to return and manuscripts to read today.”
I smiled in spite of myself. That—the phone calls, the emails, the manuscripts in the slush pile, the work of agenting—was what I couldn’t wait to start doing.
Sofia was busy, but she looked alive . Everyone here did.
I’d never experienced that while doing freelance editing.
There was nothing wrong with that job, of course, but it hadn’t been right for me.
Why had I continued doing it so long? I shook my head in wonder.
Sofia was talking though, and I felt bad, realizing I hadn’t heard everything.
I heard a change in Sofia’s tone as she pressed her lips together.
“Right, IT guy’s here. Well, I’ll leave you to your busy Day 2 schedule for now and see you in half an hour.
I can’t wait!” She smiled brightly and headed back to her office just as Annie turned to see Rainn standing a short distance away, thick arms crossed over his chest. He was glowering.
My roommate never glowered.
“Rainn? Hey, what’s up? Have you come to install the database, or … what’s wrong?” I frowned.
“Nothing,” he grunted. I stood up so he could take my chair and use the computer. As he began doing his IT magic on my computer, I noticed he was sweating a bit and frowning.
“What’s wrong?” I repeated.
“I’m working,” he snapped.
I reared back and sat in shocked silence for over a minute. Finally, he swiveled in the chair toward me with his eyes lowered. “Sorry, Annie. I don’t like her. ”
“You don’t … you mean Sofia?” I asked, shocked. “You don’t like Sofia? She seems awesome.”
How could anyone not like Sofia?
“Well, not to me,” he said, turning back to the computer.
“Did she do something to you?”
He didn’t answer.
“Rainn?”
He sighed. “Just because I know you won’t ever give up …” he leaned closer, whispering, “I overheard her saying I was ‘just a muscle man’ to another agent. I can tolerate ‘IT guy,’ but ‘muscle man,’ really?”
I tilted my head. “Are you sure it was her? She seems really great. I can’t picture her saying that.”
“Of course I’m sure it was her. I have eyes.” He scowled.
I shrugged. “Is it possible she didn’t know you worked here yet? Maybe she thought you were the water cooler guy or something?”
“Is that supposed to make it OK?”
“Hmm, nope,” I admitted, feeling suitably chastised. “You’re right, not cool. What matters is impact, not intention, and obviously it had a pretty negative impact on you.”
He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. Of course he wouldn’t want to admit to the insecurity underlying this.
He’d dated a few girls before who’d treated him like man candy, seeing only a muscular, attractive guy rather than the kind, funny, intelligent, awesome guy inside.
I’d wanted to punch those old girlfriends in the throat, actually, but he’d reminded me it wasn’t worth it.
“It’s … you know, it’s fine. I don’t want to talk about it.
She’s your colleague now, so I’ll play it cool.
” The look on his face left me in doubt though.