CHAPTER SEVEN
ELISE
THE WOMAN SITTING across from me smiled like she’d already gotten the job, and that was only the first problem.
“Tell me about your previous experience working in a fast-paced environment,” I said, keeping my tone polite as I glanced down at her résumé for what felt like the tenth time.
It was Tuesday, the day after my after-hour dinner with Nathan in his office and also the first day of interviews for potential new assistants for Nathan.
With only twenty-nine days left as my time being Nathan’s assistant, it was my job to find the perfect replacement. Someone who could handle Nathan, his schedule, and all his demands. So far, only one woman out of the ten I’ve seen so far had potential. This one however, didn’t have any.
She tucked a piece of perfectly curled hair behind her ear. “I mean, I’ve never worked directly under a CEO before, but I feel like I’d be really good at it. I’m a fast learner, and I thrive under pressure.”
I nodded slowly, even though nothing about her answer stood out.
“Can you give me an example?”
Her smile faltered just slightly, but I caught it.
“Well I worked at a luxury retail store in Beverly Hills, so I’m used to high-profile clients.”
There it was.
Not work. Not responsibility. Not problem-solving.
Access.
I leaned back slightly in my chair, folding my hands neatly in front of me.
“And how do you handle confidentiality?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m great with secrets,” she said quickly. “I would never post anything without permission or anything like that.”
Or anything like that. I kept my expression neutral, even as my decision finalized itself.
She wasn’t here for the job.
She was here for proximity.
To Nathan. To artists. To whatever doors she thought this position would open.
And in this building, that kind of motivation didn’t just fail, it caused problems.
“Thank you,” I said, offering her a polite smile as I closed the folder in front of me. “We’ll be in touch.”
Her smile returned instantly, bright and confident as she stood. “Thank you so much for the opportunity.”
I watched her walk out of the conference room, heels clicking against the marble floor like she already belonged here.
The door closed behind her, and I exhaled, dropping the polite expression I’d been holding for the past thirty minutes.
“That’s a no,” I muttered to myself, jotting it down in my notes.
I placed her resume in the pile of all the other applicants who didn’t make the cut, hunger making me eager to leave the office for the day. I head out the conference room, double checking to make sure I didn’t leave anything behind before heading to my desk.
My mind was already on the dinner I planned to make when I got home. I’ve been craving my mother’s cooking a lot lately, which was why I planned to go to the grocery store to buy meat to fry and the ingredients for Diri djon djon also known as Black Mushroom Rice.
I grabbed my purse to leave just as my phone rang in my hand.
Mr.Edge
“Hello?”
“I need you to come down to the dance level before you leave for the day.” I waited for further explanation, but instead I got the dial tone. Confused, I ended the call and clutched the strap of my purse tighter before heading for the elevators.
The lower levels of Edge Records had always felt different.
Less corporate. Less controlled.
More alive.
Music drifted faintly through the hallways as I stepped off the elevator, the sound of bass and movement echoing from behind closed studio doors.
I followed the familiar path toward the largest rehearsal space and stopped short when I saw him.
Nathan stood just inside the studio with his hands in his pockets, looking exactly every bit as the man in charge.
Besides him, was a pretty teenage girl with a slim figure, porcelain complexion, and long black hair with streaks of red. I recognized her as Nia Knight, one of the latest singers signed to Edge Records.
I looked at Nathan. “You wanted to see me?”
Nathan’s gaze settled on me, steady and unreadable as always. “Elise, this is Nia. Nia, this is my assistant, Elise.
“Hi.” Nia smiled as she waved.
“Nice to meet you. I love your new song.” The smile I gave in return was just as genuine.
“Oh my gosh, thank you.” Red tinted her cheeks at my compliment.
“I asked for Elise,” Nathan started, stealing both our attention. “Because she’s also Rhodium’s choreographer.”
“Seriously?” Nia looked at me wide eyed.
“Guilty.” I sheepishly replied.
“I always look forward to her live performances because I know she’s going to kill it on stage.”
It was my turn to blush now. “Thank you. I can’t take all the credit though. Rhodium is naturally talented as well, so that helps a lot.”
“Wait,” Nia’s eyes bounced between Nathan and me. “Assistant and choreographer? How do you balance both?”
“Lots of coffee,” I joked. “No, honestly it helps that I work somewhere with a dance studio in the same building,” I giggled. “Are you looking for a new choreographer?”
“She’s shooting the music video for her latest single and there’s going to be two different dance sequences.” Nathan explains.
“Like I said, I love your work with Rhodium and I would love it if you could help me with some moves for my music video.” Nia looked at me hopeful. “But only if you’re interested.”
I glanced down at the floor for a second, my brain already running through my calendar, Nathan’s calendar, the interviews I had stacked back-to-back tomorrow, the ones I’d already moved twice this week.
“I have a full schedule,” I said, more to myself than to her at first. “I can’t just disappear for rehearsals. Mr.Edge has—”
“We’ll make it work.”
I looked at Nathan who hadn’t moved from where he was standing near the door, but his voice cut through everything else in the room like it always did.
“Mr.Edge?” I started, half a protest, half surprised.
“This is a good opportunity for you,” he insisted, meeting my eyes. “You should take it.”
It wasn’t pushy.
It wasn’t even forceful.
He was giving me the opportunity to choose.
I searched his face for a second, trying to figure out if he actually meant it.
Behind me, Nia made a soft, impressed sound, which I ignored because I was still looking at Nathan, trying to reconcile the fact that the same man who’d dragged me into last-minute meetings and expected me to fix problems before they even existed, was now standing here telling me to take something for myself that would interfere with work.
“Okay,” I said finally, the word coming out slower this time. “Okay, yeah. I can do it.”
Nia lit up instantly. “Perfect.” She beamed. “I have to go. I have a photoshoot to get to, but my team will be reaching out to make everything official.” Nia explained.
“Can't wait to get started.” I held out my hand for her to shake and she did, before pulling me into a hug. Once she pulled away, she thanked Nathan before waving at the both of us and letting herself out, the door clicking shut behind her.
The room fell quiet in that way it only did when something big had just happened and no one quite knew what to say next. I stood there for a second, staring at the empty space Nia left behind, like maybe if I waited long enough, my brain would catch up with what I’d just agreed to.
It didn’t, so I turned to face him.
“You set that up.” I stated, staring at Nathan pointedly.
“I made a call.”
I let out a short breath, crossing my arms, not quite annoyed, not quite anything I could name yet. “You ‘made a call’ that just happened to end with me choreographing a music video?”
“She needed someone,” he said.
“And you thought of me.”
This time, he didn’t deflect it. “Yes.”
I stared at him. “Why?” I asked. Because that was the part that didn’t make sense. Edge Record worked with many season choreographers and I didn’t have half their experience.
Nathan paused for a second before answering. “Why not you? I only employ the best. That includes you. I wouldn’t have called you if I didn’t think you were the best fit for the job.”
I held his gaze for a second, something warm settling in my chest. “Thank you.”
It wasn’t just for the opportunity. It was for the way he made it feel like I didn’t have to choose between my job and my passion.
Like I could have both.
And that meant more to me than he’d ever know.