Chapter 6 #2
A blush burns on my cheeks, and he watches me in a way I’m not sure I like, completely exposed to his assessing gaze, before he turns to his computer. An awkward moment passes, and during that time, I look to Sutton, unsure of what to do. She rolls her eyes, clearly exasperated by his antics.
“Now, are we done? I have to make a call,” he says, reaching for the phone sitting on his desk.
“God, you’re so pompous,” Sutton says, but turns anyway, heading back out to the door. Unsure of what to do, I nod toward Graham.
“Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne. I look forward to working with you.” His eyes leave his screen to meet mine, and there’s the slightest softening of his features, the tiniest tip of his lips, a reminder of the man I spent my night with last night, before it’s gone again, replaced by that cold demeanor.
Despite all common sense, something in me desperately wants to know what he’d look like if he smiled for real.
“Close the door on your way out,” he says in dismissal.
With a nod, I turn on my heel, quietly leaving and clicking the door behind me. It’s not until I hear Sutton laugh that the tension begins to leave my body, though it’s quickly replaced by something worse: panic.
“What the hell was that?” Sutton says in an excited whisper. “You made him smile. He does not smile, like at all.”
“If that was a smile, then the bar must be in hell. That was a grimace at best,” I say with a roll of my eyes, trying to ignore the way my pulse is still pounding in my throat.
“For Graham, that’s basically a beaming grin. Do you guys like, have something? Did you guys hook up?”
I give her wide eyes and bite my lip, looking toward Graham’s door.
Graham.
Graham.
This is supposed to be my lucky summer, and this might just be the least lucky thing that has ever happened to me.
My wide eyes trigger wide eyes of Sutton’s in response, which shift from me to the door and back again before she wraps her fingers around my wrist, dragging me to a storage closet, flicking the light on, and staring at me with her hands on her hips.
She doesn't look angry, which is good, I suppose.
“Okay, spill.”
I groan, turning away from her and hitting my head against the wall. A roll of paper towels falls, hitting me on my head and rolling to the ground.
“We hooked up last night,” I grumble.
“No way,” she says in disbelief, and I throw my hands up.
“It was a last-minute thing!” Quickly, I tell her about bumping into him and the lottery ticket and how I didn’t see him after that until I sat beside him on the bench.
“So that means…” she says, understanding moving over her face before a huge smile splits it. “Oh, my god, this is perfect.”
“It very much is not,” I say. “Did you see the way he looked at me? He hates me.”
“He didn’t hate you last night, it sounds like."
“Sutton! That was…that was different.” I bite my lip. “I’m sure there’s some kind of rule—”
“There isn’t; this is hospitality. If there were a rule about fraternizing, everyone would get fired.
And even if there was, that was before you worked here.
You’re golden. And really, June, you’re perfect—you’re exactly what he needs.
” I stare at her, confused, and she adds, “As an assistant. Just don’t let his bad attitude push you away, okay?
He was the same with me when I first came here for Rowan, and the second I stopped being scared of him and started biting back, he stopped being a dick.
If anyone can turn his shit attitude around, it’s you. ”
“Bite back,” I say, taking in her advice and mulling it over, because at the end of the day, I really do need this job.
I already disappointed Grant enough; I can’t imagine what kind of face he would make when I told him I quit two jobs within a week of each other.
“So, he’s like a surly kid who needs to be stood up to? ”
She grins. “Exactly. See? I knew you were perfect for this job.”
I smile at her and some of that unease leaves my chest.
Because a surly kid, I can handle. He can act like a surly five-year-old who thinks he can one-up the grown-up in the room: if there was one thing I am good at, it’s cheering my way through even the most glum of people.
Sutton spends the next three hours setting me up in the system and giving me access to a full folder of videos that give me step-by-step instructions on how to do just about everything I’ll need to do while working here.
It’s a relief, because it means I probably won’t have to bug anyone too much to do my job.
Next, she gives me a list of the tasks she’s been working on to gear up to the grand opening, all of which seem relatively simple.
Contact local news and papers to inquire about ad placement and whether they would be interested in covering the grand opening at the beginning of next month.
Sorting through applications for different positions.
Ask the recreation department about lifeguard permitting and requirements.
Call the township about the liquor license.
Check in with Taylor Contracting and get an update on final timelines.
“Okay, do you think you’re good to take over for now? I have to head up to Hudson City…” She checks her watch and curses. “Ten minutes ago, but I’ll be back later this week.”
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I—”
“No, no, Rowan is used to my being late. I’m never on time for anything. I like to keep him on his toes.”
I shake my head and laugh.
“How have you not been fired?”
“Because I’m amazing at my job, and he’d be lost without me,” she says with a lift of her shoulder. “Anyway, there are donuts in the break room, though I wouldn’t be surprised if your brother’s guys have already demolished them all.”
I give her a big hug and a thank you before waving her off, and we agree to meet at the end of the week at the Seabreeze for drinks and to give her updates on how the week went before she’s out the door.
I spend approximately three minutes panicking about what the hell I just got myself into, then take a deep breath, get to work, watch a few how-to videos, and get a few small things done.
In my inbox, I already have four emails from Graham, asking me to handle different tasks, and I write them down on my to-do list before deciding to refill my water bottle in the break room.
Graham is in there, steadfastly ignoring me as he makes a coffee. I wave, and he looks right through me, but I brush it off, opening the box of donuts. As Sutton predicted, the box is nearly empty, but there’s one of my favorites left: a chocolate-frosted donut with rainbow sprinkles.
See? Everything works out for me.
Even if I feel completely out of my depth.
Taking in a deep breath, I view it as a sign to be brave and address the elephant in the room. But when I shift my gaze to Graham, he’s already grabbed his coffee and is halfway out the door before I can say anything at all.
By the end of the day, I’ve finished all the onboarding information that was sent to me, gotten relatively familiar with where everything is, and completed two of the six tasks he assigned me. At four-thirty, I finally get the nerve to knock on Graham’s door.
“Yes?” his deep voice calls through the heavy door. Despite my better judgment, it sends a shiver through me. I try to shake it off quickly before opening the door and stepping in just a bit.
“I, um. I’m gonna head out for the day, if that’s okay?” I ask, fighting the desire to bite my lip. He looks at the corner of his screen and his brow furrows as if he’s confused, though he still doesn’t look in my direction.
“Aren’t you out of here at four?”
“Yes.“
“Then why are you still here?”
My shoulders straighten.
“I wanted to get a few things done, and I wasn’t sure about the system or structure for the workday. Usually, on your first day, your boss would walk you through the expectations, but I’m on my own with this.”
“You’re an adult, so I didn’t think I would need to hold your hand. In the future, you can leave at four without stopping in here,” he says, tone bored.
I glare at him, letting out a deep sigh and putting my hands on my hips.
“Is this going to be an issue?” I snap, not taking the time to actually think about what I’m about to say.
Finally, he looks away from his computer, and his eyes land on me reluctantly.
It’s almost as if he’s been doing everything in his power to avoid looking at me.
In the unforgiving fluorescent lighting of an office, his glare is harsher, more frustrated, less patient.
I wonder for a moment if that’s some kind of workplace persona he puts on.
Sure, he was a bit quiet and stern last night, but nothing like this.
Then again, maybe that’s just because the woman who ran out of his room after a one-night stand is his new assistant.
“An issue?”
“Yes. Is my working here going to be an issue? I get that Sutton hired me, and you were unaware of those details, but you seem incredibly irritated that I’m here.”
“Don’t think so highly of yourself, Ms. Taylor—I have no opinion on your working here, so long as you get your job done.
We had a night together, and that is all.
We are not here to be friends: we’re here to be coworkers.
If my attitude is too rough for your delicate sensibilities, please let me know, and we can talk about whether you’re a good fit for this position.
As for me, I won’t have an issue with you. Is this going to be an issue for you?”
It’s a clear challenge, and with the way he’s looking at me as if already assuming I’m going to back down, I know there’s no way in hell I can do anything but step up to it.
I’ve worked in the public elementary school system for years.
If he thinks some corporate paper-pushing is going to break me, he has another think coming.
So I give him a wide, fake smile. “No, it won’t be a problem at all. See you tomorrow, Graham. Have a great night.”
Then I leave. I fight the urge to look back until I’m all the way out of his office, finally braving the tiniest glimpse back.
When I catch his eyes still on me, his jaw tight and his gaze burning, I know I won this battle.
I smile the entire drive home.