Chapter 5
Eva
I arrived at Millennium Station early enough to grab coffee and food.
Taking the L north, I observed my fellow commuters.
It was different than taking the Tube, but hey!
There was air conditioning! I took a deep breath before stepping into the staff entrance of Delphine Holdings LLC.
When I’d done a quick walkthrough with some introductions last week, my future bosses showed me the ropes.
A security guard handed me an official badge, granting access to the leftmost elevators.
An assistant greeted me. “Miss Pavlak, I can take you to your office if you’d like.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’m excited.”
“We’re happy to have you. Miss Ngyuen has taken a call but will be with you in a bit. She’s very excited to meet you.”
Claire Nguyen was the company’s first female Chief Information Security Officer and my boss.
Well, one of them. My reporting line was a little confusing.
I answered to Claire and Daphne. Either way, they worked closely, and I was excited to begin.
As Business Information Security Officer—known mainly as the BISO—my job was to bridge a gap between Claire’s role as CISO and Daphne for the rest of the organization.
I was there to translate technology speak from one side and business buzzwords from the other.
I settled into my office with a nice view of the street.
It wasn’t the grand Michigan Ave view that I was sure Daphne and her ilk had from their offices.
I wasn’t that big, but it was still the nicest office I ever had.
It was airy, light, and a pretty watercolor decorated the big wall.
I even had a nice hutch for books and photos. I admired as Daphne arrived, groaning.
“Sorry, one moment,” she grimaced, pressing against the doorjamb, her face relaxing. “Sorry. That’s embarrassing. I had a human treating my cervix like a drum. How are you?”
Daphne was heavily pregnant—due in September.
She served as retail division president.
She was the late CEO’s daughter and my former mentor.
I matched with her in my time as a soon-to-be Oxford grad.
I studied law and computer science there.
Because she worked in corporate law, she took me under her wing more than anyone needed.
We always kept in touch. After deciding to create a position she felt I was perfect for, the offer came.
The timing was bad. I was amid fertility treatments and couldn’t accept the job. When that person didn’t work out, I was first on her list to call. And given I needed a job in the U.S., it was perfect. Even though I felt like a pretender, I took the biggest opportunity of my life and moved away.
“I’m good, thanks,” I answered. “The office is great. The staff have been so kind. I’m excited to hit the ground running.”
“Great. I have a round robin planned with the execs. I saw your lunch was blocked off. Is that a daily thing to expect? Not that I ask because I care… just so I know.”
“Just today,” I answered. “I had a doctor’s appointment I had to reschedule.”
“Oh, are you okay?” Daphne asked, downright maternal.
“I’m good. Just establishing care with a new practice now that I’m back and have health insurance,” I answered.
“Nice thing, that,” Daphne checked the clock behind me. “Shit, I have a meeting with Devon in HR in ten to discuss benefits. You’re first up with my brother.”
“Oh, really?” I asked. “The CEO?”
“Yeah,” Daphne snickered. “He’s a puppy dog. Just me—but taller and more handsome. Promise. Of the two of us you’d want to anger, it’s him. Tears work. I am going to stop talking like your friend now.”
I smiled. “It’s okay. I am glad to be here.”
“We are so pleased you accepted our offer. If there is anything I can do, just reach out. I want this to be a good post for you. You deserve that. I’ll have them send you in when David is ready for you.”
She stepped away as I sat in my comfy leather executive chair. I was doing okay. This would be a good summer.
Davey
“Your nine AM is our new BISO, David,” Daphne’s voice rang.
“What?” I groaned.
“David, what the hell? Are you okay?”
I probably looked terrible after a night out before with a fraternity brother who was only in town for a hot minute. However, partying didn’t look good on me anymore. I grimaced in anticipation of Daphne’s disappointment.
“Can you re-explain what a BISO is?” I winced.
“Are you hungover?”
“You sound like Mum when you do that,” I groaned.
“What? Do what?”
“The overbearing pretend-concerned thing with your voice going up at the end.”
Daphne, hand on hips said, “Maybe she’s right about things like this, then. One second.”
She disappeared, heading across the small office lobby to her office, then back to mine. She held out a sachet.
“Electrolytes,” Daphne said.
I picked them up, opening the water bottle I kept on my desk and dunked them.
“Daph, why do you have these? Last I checked you were not running marathons.”
“When I vom, I need them to settle my stomach. I have a whole pack in my desk,” Daphne said. “Pregnancy sucks.”
“Well, I do try to avoid it,” I half-heartedly joked, taking a swig.
“Drink that and be ready to meet her. She’s here already.”
“Again, what does the BISO actually do?”
“You’ll rely on her for insight into tech. She’s a translator of sorts and will join the Tuesday 10,” Daphne informed. “Claire and I need her to keep the pace between technology and the rest of this circus. Unlike the last one, we think she will be able to handle human conversation.”
“So can she un-fuck my second laptop that has been stuck updating for ten years?”
Daphne slapped my desk for effect. “Don’t be an asshole. That’s a question for end user support. Don’t insult the woman with a law degree from Oxford.”
“How do you people always find one another?” I groaned. “God, she must be absolutely nightmarish.”
“She’s a gem,” Daphne said. “And she was my mentee when I was assigned a recent grad. She’s smart, David. You’ll like her. Promise. I told you all of this—”
“Sometimes, I tune you out.”
“I couldn’t tell,” Daphne groaned. “Okay, I’m off to chat with HR about benefits. Be back later. Be nice, Davey. Don’t be a fuck-up.”
I wanted to be nice, but only if my head allowed it.
I knew this woman meant a lot to Daphne by the way she talked about her candidacy.
She even wanted me to sit in on interviews, but I’d been dealing with our Canadian operations in Toronto.
And while I knew tech support was likely an insult, I began looking for my other computer in a locked cabinet to see if I could pick her brain.
I was not a tech guy. I’d sooner call any of my four sisters before I attempted to fix something myself. They were just better at it.
There was a knock, and I called, “Come in!”
I was too focused to turn, expecting my assistant.
“Uh… Mr. Delphine… your assistant stepped away and Daphne said I was supposed to meet you,” a little voice said behind me.
“Are you the new computer person?” I asked, still digging in the cabinet.
Her voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
“Not quite, but also probably in your eyes, yes. It’s more of a compliance role—”
“Please do not tell me this shit has anything to do with internal audit. I do not care about control mapping—whatever the hell that is.”
I grabbed the edge of the computer, pulling it free from the cords on top of it. I needed the charger.
“I mean, my job largely deals with GRC frameworks. In fact, a first order of business for Claire and I is to choose—”
“Can you help me fix my laptop?” I asked. “It keeps getting stuck as it boots up.”
“Mr. Delphine, that is probably a better question for the support desk. I’ve never done end user support and can assure you, I don’t have the patience to troubleshoot something like an OS or driver.”
“I have no idea what any of that means.” I finally grasped the charger.
“The OS is your operating system. I’m assuming you mean an OS update—”
I spun around, laptop and charger in hand and stared at a beautiful face I knew.
Her slight smile faded as she realized we were here—face to face—very much clothed.
I’d cursed this woman three weeks ago and now she was here in the flesh as my sister’s friend and direct report.
I tried to keep a hold on the computer and charger as I approached my desk once more but tripped over the charger and lost my grip.
The useless machine’s body separated from the battery in a spectacular crash.
Eva jumped in to assist, kindly picking the battery up and helping slide it back into the case.
I said nothing and tried to be useful, all while resisting the scent of her perfume or glimpsing down her blouse.
The skirt she wore only emphasized every bit of her.
She was gorgeous. Why was Eva only back in my life as an employee? Why couldn’t she have just texted me?