Chapter Two #2
I scowled and swiped at him again, this time connecting with his hand. “Hurry up. I don’t want to be late. Some of us like to maintain professionalism in the workplace.”
His tone turned deep and mocking as he mimicked my frown. He stepped toward me and brought his thumb up to rub the furrow between my brows. “So serious.”
My scowl deepened, and he dissolved into a fit of laughter.
“Alright, alright, I’m going.” A few minutes later, he emerged from his bedroom wearing navy fitted slacks and knotting a tie over his crisp, white button-down.
“Better?” He did a little spin.
“Mhm,” I straightened his tie, resting my hands on his chest.
“Thanks, mom.” He kissed the top of my head. “Now, let’s get you to that fancy-pants internship so you can knock ‘em all dead.”
* * *
Marco walked with me on my cold fifteen-minute trek to Price Industries—the opposite direction from where he needed to catch his bus. I craned my neck to look up at the towering building, all sleek glass and steel against the gray skyline.
The lobby was modern yet inviting, with marble floors and tasteful selection of avant-garde artwork. As per Janice’s instructions, I approached the large, half-circular front desk to check in.
“Good morning,” I said in my most professional tone. “My name is Callie Winters. Today is my first day in the Special Projects department.”
The receptionist frowned and stabbed at the keys of her computer. “Ah, Miss Winters. Here we go.”
She instructed me to stand in front of a small camera mounted on the lobby desk to take my employee ID photo. Within a couple of minutes, it printed my badge. I examined it and cringed. Not my best angle.
“Oof.”
The receptionist laughed. I had forgotten there was a witness to this moment of mortification.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ve seen way worse. I’m Sarah, by the way. Welcome to Price Industries.”
“Thank you.” The way my life was going, I needed all the friends I could get. “It’s nice to meet you.” I hoped it sounded as genuine as I meant it to. I was feeling extra self-conscious about that alleged stick up my ass.
Sarah seemed sweet. She had long, blonde, corkscrew curled hair and a few freckles across the bridge of her nose. She looked young. I was by no means old, but she seemed younger than me.
“You, too,” she said. She had a kindness in her eyes that instantly put me at ease. “Someone should be down to get you momentarily. I hope you have a great first day. If you need anything, let me know!”
I smiled and thanked her again before meandering away from the desk.
Moments later, a woman with a stylish gray pixie cut walked through the glass turnstile leading to the elevator bank. She moved toward me with purpose.
“You must be Callie.” She extended her hand. “I’m Meredith, Mr. Price’s assistant. Welcome! We’re thrilled to have you joining us.”
“Thank you.” I shook her hand, praying my palm wasn’t sweaty. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Her smile was warm and open. “Shall I show you around?”
“That would be great. Thank you.” I followed her back through the turnstile and toward the elevators.
“The elevators on the left go to floors 1–15. The ones on the right go to floors 16–30.” She turned to the elevators on the right and waved her ID in front of a small black card reader.
“We’re on twenty-seven, so we have a bit of a ride ahead of us, but that’s the beauty of the elevator system: at least we get to skip the first fifteen floors. ”
“Makes perfect sense,” I said. “Why waste time stopping at floors you don’t need to visit when there’s work to be done?”
“I can see why Thomas liked you. He’s never been one to waste time.”
“How long have you worked for Mr. Price?”
“Only a few years, but I have known him since he was a boy.” I wonder what the CEO of Price Industries was like when he was a boy. “He’s grown into a fine man. Treats his employees well. They’re very important to him.”
Just then, the elevator doors opened on the twenty-seventh floor. “Lucky us,” Meredith said. “No stops.” She motioned for me to exit the elevator ahead of her and followed me out.
To my right was a set of glass double doors that gave way to rows and rows of cubicles. They all appeared empty. To my left was an open-concept office space. Floor-to-ceiling windows allowed natural light to flood the room and highlight the sleek, modern design.
The walls were painted a soothing light gray, with pops of bright color in the furniture and decor. Various workstations and meeting areas were scattered throughout, covered with laptops and papers.
“Welcome to the Special Projects floor,” Meredith said, turning to the open space on our left. “This is what the team calls The Common. It’s a communal space where everyone can get together to work or chat or do whatever else.”
The Common had everything an employee could want, from plush couches to a fully stocked kitchen. My excitement built as we walked through the space, but I noticed it was empty. I checked my watch. It was just after eight. “Where is everyone?”
Meredith chuckled. “Probably asleep. Mr. Price doesn’t insist on fixed hours. He trusts everyone to do their job. Whether they work better first thing in the morning or later in the day makes no difference to him, as long as they get the job done.”
“Wow, that’s great.”
This wasn’t an attitude I would have expected from an executive in his late fifties. Older generations had a certain mentality about sticking to standard work hours.
“Glad you think so. When I started working for him, I told him he was a little idiot for putting such a policy in place.”
Little idiot? Eek, Meredith. That’s your boss you’re talking about.
“Mr. Price’s office is this way.” She nodded toward another set of glass doors leading to a hallway lined with offices.
She swiped her card and opened the door for me.
“You’ll need your ID card to access any of the doors leading from The Common, but if you forget or lose it—though do try not to— just holler.
My desk is over there.” Still holding the door, she pointed behind me.
I peeked over my shoulder and spied a large desk running along the wall next to the elevator bank.
“I’ll hold on tight to it,” I promised as I passed through the doorway. “I’ll have to get one of those retractable things you have.”
“I have a whole stash of them. I’ll grab you one before the day is done.” Meredith smiled sweetly at me and walked me toward the end of the hall. We passed several conference rooms as well as sound-proof booths designed for one person to work in quietly.
Mr. Price’s spacious corner office was another surprise. It had clean lines and tall windows overlooking the city. I detected a similar vibe to The Common, though there were no bright colors. Mr. Price’s office was a study in gray-scale. For an older man, he had surprisingly modern taste.
“Mr. Price should be arriving shortly. Please make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you so much.”
“You’re most welcome. If you need anything, you know where to find me. Welcome, again, Callie.”
With that, she left me alone in Mr. Price’s office. I sank into one of the sleek leather chairs in front of the desk. My knee bounced impatiently as I waited.