Chapter Two
Chloe
I enter the twenty-story high-rise, shaking off the moisture from the rain, knowing I look like a drowned rat as I enter the elegant lobby, my heels clicking on the marble floors. I head straight for the bathroom and let out a sigh of relief when I look in the mirror, grateful I don’t look as bad as I envisioned.
I pull out my brush and fix my hair as best I can, grabbing some cosmetics and touching up my makeup. I’m not perfect, but at least I’m presentable. Walking out, I hold my head high as I approach the security desk, presenting my temporary ID.
They give me access to the twentieth floor where I check in, get my permanent badge, and move forward, excited to begin my new job. I’ve never worked on the highest floor of a building before. It’s frightening but also incredibly exhilarating.
Thunder cracks and the lights flicker as I ride the elevator up, the music glitching. I’m not worried. This might not be my dream job, but since I’m not sure what my dream is, that doesn’t really matter. I’m here, and this unexpected new position pays well. Hopefully the people I work with will be great, and I’ll love coming to work.
I don’t love being at home, so the thought of being a stay-at-home mother isn’t as appealing as it once was. I know someday I’ll have to decide whether to have children or not, but I push the thought from my mind. I have plenty of time to contemplate the rest of my life.
From the moment I step off the elevator onto the luxurious twentieth floor, I’m blown away. Soft classical music plays at a perfect volume. Plants are strategically placed in a comfortable seating area where several people stand, sipping coffee in their expensive business suits. I immediately feel underdressed even though I’m certainly not in rags. How did I manage to get recruited for a position like this? I don’t fit. I push this thought aside as it won’t get me anywhere. If I believe I belong, maybe, just maybe, I can fool those around me into thinking I do.
I bought my sleek pants and jacket from Nordstrom Rack... but on clearance. I’m sure my outfit is outdated in this chic world of movers and shakers. I shake off the feeling of not fitting in, but my hair’s still damp from the storm, and every person in this building looks impeccable. I’m out of place no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise.
A part of me wants to turn around and run. What have I gotten myself into? This is a great job, and it pays more than any job I’ve had before, but what if they take one look at me and realize they’ve made a mistake?
I’m half turning when the woman at the front desk looks up and gives me a friendly smile. It seems like a real expression, not that typical customer service smile so many wear throughout the day that grows increasingly more dim as the hours roll on. She actually seems happy to help me.
“You must be Chloe,” she says as she stands.
I clutch my perfectly acceptable bag against the side of my body. It’s large enough to carry my wallet and keys, along with the papers HR told me to bring. But it’s stylish. So what if I bought it at the outlet mall? I was thrilled to find it... two years ago. What am I thinking? The women in this room carry Gucci purses and wear Jimmy Choo shoes I’m positive aren’t two or three years old.
“Yes, I’m Chloe,” I say, hating the slight doubt in my voice as if I don’t even know my own name.
“Great. I’m Jenny. I’ll be showing you around and getting you settled,” she says, her smile not faltering. She chooses to ignore my nervousness as she comes around the desk. “Follow me.”
I have little choice but to do as she says unless I want to go running and screaming from the building. There’s still a slight chance I may do just that. She chats with me as she goes to the elevator, and we ride to the nineteenth floor, make our way down a long carpeted hallway, then enter another beautiful area.
It’s divided into sections with several doors, one says HR, one appears to be a locker room, another a break room. She chuckles when she sees the confusion on my face.
“I love when new people start,” Jenny says.
“This wasn’t what I was expecting,” I admit.
“We work in Oregon where it rains a lot,” she says as she takes me into the locker room. It’s a classy area with wooden lockers, a shower bay, bathroom area, and large sink cubicles with mirrors, blow dryers, and... curling irons.
“Yes, it does rain a lot,” I say as I look around.
“Well, Mr. Alexander’s sister told him if he was going to set up a place of business in this wet area of the country, he needed to have accommodations for those of us who don’t like to look like we just emerged from a swimming pool. We also have a gym that many of us take advantage of. It’s all part of the perks. Pick out an open locker, and you can store your purse. You can also bring a gym bag and leave it here. Towels are provided, and we have a laundry room if you want to leave your workout clothes. We try to be all-inclusive. Mr. Alexander gives us a lot of perks because there are weeks we practically live here, working seventy hours at times, and we need to get a boost. A nice jog helps.”
“Seventy hours?” I question. Nothing like that was mentioned in my interview.
Jenny laughs again. “It sounds much worse than it is. I’ve been here for five years, and I absolutely love it. Once you work for Mr. Alexander, you won’t want to leave. He expects a lot, but he gives even more. It’s a great place, and we’re well-compensated, making us all want to go the extra mile,” Jenny assures me. I put away my purse, pulling out the papers HR needs.
“I’ll give you ten minutes if you want to use the hairdryers,” Jenny tells me.
I self-consciously touch my hair. I did the best I could in the downstairs bathroom, but a hairdryer will make me look a lot more presentable. I take Jenny up on her offer. When I’m finished it no longer looks as if I was caught in the storm.
The rest of the day flies by. There’s a lot to learn about working in this building, but Jenny’s right, there are many perks. I’m one of hundreds of associates working for Mr. Alexander, and I’m told I’ll rarely see him. He’s in and out of the office a lot. There’s so much to learn and more to do, but all of the employees assure me I’ll pick it up fast.
My fears begin to dwindle as the day wears on. When five o’clock comes, the rest of the staff leaves. I take advantage of the gym, realizing quickly how out of shape I am from such a sedentary life. Still, I push myself hard.
The building is practically empty when I emerge from the gym. I decide to forgo the shower in favor of taking one at home. I don’t have a change of clothes, which I’ll rectify tonight. I haven’t been able to do much more than power through a workout on the elliptical in my socked feet. Thank goodness I carry a pair in my purse just in case I can kick off my heels beneath my desk.
I’m sweaty and not looking so put together anymore, but that doesn’t matter. The entire staff has already left. I’m lucky this isn’t one of those seventy-hour weeks. The storm is still raging, shaking the building’s windows as I gather my bag and make my way to the elevators.
I step inside and press the lobby button. The doors almost close when a hand shoots between them, making them fly back open. I look up, horribly embarrassed to be caught in my business clothes that are now damp with sweat. Still, I look up with a smile. Maybe the person, or people, won’t notice.
My eyes are suddenly captured. The man standing in front of me is absolute perfection... and he looks familiar. My body shakes as he moves forward. Holy hell, the twist in my gut tells me this is going to be one tense elevator ride. I suck in a breath and hold it as I move my gaze straight to the floor.