Chapter 2
I was in work by seven thirty. I wanted to make a good impression on my first day, and I thought that being in thirty minutes early would have been it, but when I arrived, Aiden was already in his office.
“Oh, good. You’re finally here.” He set an envelope in front of me and walked back into his office.
“Read that and do what it says. When you’re done, get into my office and we can finally get started.
” His office door slammed shut, and that was the introduction over.
No hello, no welcome to the company. I had to be honest; this was pretty much what I had been expecting from Aiden Munroe.
The bit I hadn’t been expecting was just how much more attractive the damn man was in real life.
I had seen all those photos last night and figured that someone somewhere had been generous with a few filters in Photoshop, but no, the man was utter perfection to the eyes in real life too.
I lifted my envelope, opened it, and found a letter inside detailing my duties, and a username and password for the computer, what my email address would be, and a few other details I would need, including an online ten-minute test I needed to complete.
I logged in, sorted out my email, and got stuck in to the test. Fifteen minutes later, I knocked on Aiden’s office door.
“Enter,” came the call from inside.
“Some ground rules before you begin. I expect you here at seven a.m. every morning. You will be finished for the day by six, unless I tell you differently. You will comply with this without complaints about your social life. I expect you to get me coffee, lunch, and anything else I ask you to, including dry cleaning if necessary.” I groaned internally.
The man really needed a dogsbody, or a wife, not an assistant.
“You will type, take shorthand, copy, and anything else I need. You will be responsible for liaising with the heads of departments to ensure that every Friday I have all of their weekly reports. You will manage my diary. You will arrange my travel. You will have a company credit card to do all the things I ask you for. Anything purchased on it without my permission will have you dismissed instantly. You are my representation to the whole business. I expect you to be polite. I expect you to be presentable. I expect you to be amicable. Are we clear?” The man didn’t even look up from the report he was making notes on.
Rude .
“Clear as crystal. Anything I can get for you right now, Mr Munroe?”
“There’s a coffee place around the corner. I would like a Cortado, and salted caramel muffin. There should be a petty cash tin in the top drawer of your desk until you get your corporate card later today.” No eye contact. Nothing.
Dickhead .
“Okay. On my way.” I smiled and left his office without saying another word.
I sighed when the door closed behind me.
This was not going to be easy at all. The man was living up to his reputation already.
I checked my desk for the money he was talking about, found it, and headed back out into the busy London streets.
* * *
I returned with his coffee and muffin and left them on his desk for him.
He glanced up and I was greeted with the most beautiful dark eyes I’d ever seen.
I froze for a second when we made eye contact, but a brash ‘That will be all, Mr Baxter,’ brought me back to reality and I nodded and left his office for a second time.
The rest of the day was reasonably uneventful.
Aiden stayed mostly in his office, emailing me his demands and calling from time to time to follow up on whether or not I had completed the tasks that were assigned to me.
I had time in HR to file the paperwork they needed for me; various rules, regulations, and a non-disclosure agreement.
I was sent to the finance department and collected my company credit card.
I had to sign a contract agreeing to repay anything that they ever found to be dishonest use of the card, and that I understood that in such an event it would result in my immediate dismissal. All pretty standard stuff.
When six p.m. rolled around, Aiden emailed me to tell me that was all he needed me for today and that he would see me at seven in the morning. I grabbed my coat and headed home to spend time with my little girl and tell Sylvie all about my new boss and how much of an arsehole he really was.