Chapter 5
Chapter Five
BLAKELY
Dear Diary,
Sometimes plans change. And sometimes they change you.
Stepping into the Cage offices felt as if I were stepping into a new phase of life. I didn’t want to speak in metaphors, didn’t want to speak in flowery language that confused me, but I couldn’t help it. Everything felt different. As if maybe I wasn’t making a terrible mistake. Oh, I probably was. Totally. But I didn’t have to make that terrible mistake.
And it wasn’t as if I had any other choice or anywhere to go.
I waved at the admin, who smiled at me and pointed toward the elevators. Everybody seemed so happy to be here, something I had noticed the first time, but still couldn’t quite believe. I hadn’t realized how toxic my previous job had been until I had been able to step out of it and realize that maybe I needed something a little more positive.
This was going to be a change. Something different.
I could do good work here. I had of course heard of the Cages before I had even met Aston and his family through that text message chat. And not just because my previous boss hated them. No, they did great work in our side of business. Not only did they build new businesses and find ways to make them more approachable and ethical, they worked toward environmentally friendly avenues. They were in real estate development, environmental research, and were small business backers. They even had a microloan program that made me smile just thinking about. My previous employer was more into gaining momentum with increasing financing, than anything. And now I’d be able to get my hands into many of the projects the Cages worked on. At least, that’s what James had told me. For all I knew they were all liars, and I was going to get right back into the situation I had been in before, except for now I’d be working near a man I had made out with in public. Of course, everything was going to be fine. And I wasn’t going to panic.
As I stepped foot onto the floor, I looked up, surprised. James Cage held out a cup of coffee, his perfectly sculpted hair shifting slightly as he tilted his head .
“Good morning. And welcome to your first day with the Cages.”
I took the offered mug from him and blinked. “Am I going to expect this kind of service from the bosses every day?”
He snorted and shook his head. “No. You can bring your own coffee or get it from the staffroom. You don’t have to pay here, and if you’re a person who needs lids because you spill everywhere, let me know.”
I looked down at my bag in one hand, and the coffee mug in the other. “I think I can make it to my desk. I really hope so.”
He laughed and took the mug gently back from me. “Come on over, and I will show you to your office.”
I blinked. “An office? Not a cubical with a desk.”
“We treat our employees well here, and you’re about to do tons of work, so you’re going to need the space for everything. Plus, you’ll have a small seating area, and by small, I mean two tiny chairs that could break at any moment. That would be for your meetings. Because you’re going to have lots of meetings.”
I tried to hold back the excitement because an office . “You’re really upselling it for me here.”
“I try. Come on, let me show you around, and then you’re going to meet your team.”
“I get a team?” I ask, my stomach twisting into knots. We’d gone over some of my responsibilities but not the details. Apparently, there were many details.
“You do. And an administrative assistant, who is currently working with my administrative assistant to get all the paperwork done. Don’t worry, we’re not throwing you to the wolves right away.”
“Maybe tomorrow.”
He let out a snort but nerves still hit me. “Your office is three down from mine, and you have this small window. I know it’s not perfect, but who knows, you can rise in the ranks. We have to make sure you have something to work up to after all.”
I set my bag down and reached for the once again offered coffee cup. “I’m still confused as to why you are the one showing me around. Do you do this for all employees?” I asked, a little uneasy.
James studied my face, before nodding. “I do. Anyone in my department. Same with Flynn, and Aston. It’s not just because we accidentally scared you with our group chat one time. And I do apologize.”
I bit my lip. “It honestly wasn’t too bad. Though I still don’t know who was who.”
“Eventually you might be able to figure out some of it once you get to know us, but we’ll keep it a mystery for now. So we went over some of the responsibilities and duties that we’d want you to have, and our schedule for meetings, but I’m going to go over it again as we introduce you to the staff. Sound good?”
“It sounds great.” I took a sip of the coffee, and smiled because it was light and sweet and exactly as it’d tasted that first day after James had shown her around. “Perfect.”
“I should be honest to say that I did not remember. My admin did. Sorry. ”
That made me smile. “Then I’ll have to thank them.”
“Well you’re going to get to know them well, as well as your admin as soon as you start working with them fully. So let’s get going.”
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aston at the other end of the hall, speaking to a woman in a gorgeous red pantsuit, as they went over paperwork, and then moved the other way. His back had been to me, so he wouldn’t have even noticed me, but I noticed him.
This was going to be a problem if I let it. So I wasn’t going to let it. I was going to pretend that everything was fine as always.
“Blakely?” James asked, and I pulled myself out of my reverie, and smiled. “I’m ready.”
Thankfully he didn’t question it.
It turned out that I loved this place. I had only been working for a few hours, and I already felt as if I belonged.
Garcia, my admin, grinned at me over paperwork. Actually grinned. “It’s going to take a while for you to get used to all the ins and outs and acronyms, but I’ve got you. I’m really excited to see how you can manage this next project of ours.”
I nodded, a little nervous because I was being thrown into the deep end, even though this was exactly what I had wanted.
We were going to try to maximize our output for this small business that the Cages had invested in, without losing any staff, or creating panic. It was my job to make that work. Meaning I would work with the Cages themselves, and this small business. On top of that I’d be working on the microloans program.
I had four other people on my team in addition to Garcia. Jeanette, Ruby, JR, and Max all worked with me on projects, but also bounced around with other team leaders so that way they could gain the experience and make sure that we weren’t missing key elements in our connectiveness. I liked the fact that the Cages seemed to think about the whole, and not just their small part in isolation.
It was weird to think that after so many years of trying to find ways to improve, and not cheat my way through business like the Howards wanted, I might have found something that seemed far too good to be true.
By the time I finished my first meeting, truly feeling that I had been thrown into the deep end with a small life vest, James stood in my door.
“Doing okay?” he asked, that brow raised.
I swallowed hard. “Sure?”
“Was that a question or a statement?”
“Definitely a question. I can’t believe you’re throwing me into this huge project on my first day to be honest.”
“You’re not alone on it. Garcia was working with the previous person in your position and knows what they’re doing.”
“That’s good, because I feel like I’m going to let you guys down.”
“If you do, then you’ll figure out a way to fix it. And it’s not like you’re making major decisions on your first day without a safety net. I’m going to have to be the one that approves everything, and you’re going to have to really wow me in order for that to happen.”
“That’s the tough talk I’m used to.”
“And I didn’t yell or throw anything.”
I winced. “I think he only threw a pen once. It wasn’t in my direction.”
James’s face darkened. “Mr. Howard never had much to do with me, other than the fact that he hated my last name. He really had it in for Aston though. Probably because of the whole president thing.”
Just hearing Aston’s name once again made my stomach tighten, and I ignored it.
“So he’s the president of Cage Enterprises.”
“That’s his title, and I’m the co-chair. Flynn is the vice-president. In the end, we all do the same thing in different departments, so that way we can oversee each other, and not have to be each other’s bosses. We get along as siblings, but not always. And our fights don’t need to bleed over into work.”
“Well that’s a novelty.”
“I know, right?”
My phone dinged, and I looked down at it, smiling at a familiar name.
Isabella:
Doing okay? Do I need to save you?
“It’s almost lunchtime, so I’ll leave you be, but I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t see whose name was on your phone screen.”
I blushed and shook my head. “I’m sorry. It’s not what you think.” I paused. “Not that I know what you’re thinking right now.”
He just laughed, shaking his head. “She’s family. Apparently. It’s not like it’s espionage. You’re not spying on us for another company. She’s your best friend.”
“And I don’t usually take personal texts during the day. And frankly, I got fired for espionage before. So I’m not going to do it again. Even though I didn’t do it the first time,” I blurted.
His face went dark again. “We can fight back you know.”
“And you want me to, what…get my old job back? No. I’m sure that he would find other ways to get me out. And I needed to leave. I can’t go back to that now that I see how you guys work.”
“Well, that makes me happy to hear. But we Cages hate liars. Funny right? Considering what my dad did.” He paused and frowned. “I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”
“I’m not even going to question that, because I know it’s not my business.”
Even though technically it could have been. Considering his father, the liar, having died had clearly affected my life. But in the end, I wasn’t the one hurt by it. No, that was the man in front of me, and the woman currently texting me.
“As for Isabella?” He continued. “You know her more than I do.”
Was that a question? No, I wasn’t sure where he was going with that. “You’re going to figure out who she is soon. That’s the whole point of your dinners, right?”
He shrugged. “I guess. But this isn’t something you can really prepare for.”
“Well she’s my best friend. And it is a small world.”
“And we’re all part of it. Welcome to Cage Enterprises, Blakely. We’re really happy you’re here. Even though things are a little messy.”
I shook my head at that and went back to work after I texted a quick check-in with Isabella. I was fine, and she didn’t have to worry about me. At least not here.
When lunch rolled around, I went to the company cafeteria, grateful that the company served food. I hadn’t known exactly how I was supposed to deal with my breaks or anything for the day, considering it was day one and I was already working hard on true projects, but Garcia had mentioned that people eat at the cafeteria, they bring their own food, or they go out. The Cages tried to make it a family affair, where you didn’t feel like you were forced to eat with your coworker, or work through lunch. Although Garcia had mentioned the bosses usually worked through lunch.
I picked up a salad and sparkling water, and went to go sit in the corner, by the windows of the high-rise, and look at the mountains. They always calmed me, even though they were so vast and immense that it seemed as if it was a little too much.
You felt small and insignificant, at least in the grand scheme of things. And I supposed that only made sense considering where I stood now .
“Is this seat available?” a deep voice asked.
I froze, trying to keep my breath under control. I looked up to see Aston standing there, that dark suit of his molded to his body in just such a perfect way that it worried my senses.
“Yes, I don’t really know anyone yet.”
He raised a brow much like his brother and took the seat in front of me. He had some form of wrap and diet soda, and I shook my head.
“This is all surreal.”
“Pretty much. But I don’t always work through lunch like Garcia said.”
I blushed. “You heard that?”
“I hear everything,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not a growly boss.” He paused. “I’m not your boss actually,” he said softly.
I couldn’t feel any eyes on me, as people were talking among themselves, moving in and out of the room. When Flynn came in to sit with another group, I realized that though the Cage brothers sometimes worked through lunch, they also sat with their teams. So maybe this wasn’t unusual. And yet I couldn’t help but wonder if it was.
“So how’s your first day?” he asked, as he unwrapped his sandwich.
“Busy. You guys are sure throwing a lot of trust at me.”
After he swallowed and took a drink, he cleared his throat. “James must like what you do. We didn’t hire you because of who you are, who you know. We hired you because you’re damn good at your job. And James wanted to hire you before. I didn’t know that, but then again, things were interesting at that time, weren’t they?”
I did my best to hold back my blush, but I knew I had failed.
“I guess things are a little weird. I mean, I don’t even know how exactly everything works here, but gossip always runs through businesses, and floors, it doesn’t matter where you work. They’re going to talk.”
“And they do that. They all want to know exactly what’s going on with the Cages, but they don’t outright ask.”
Surprised he’d even said the words, I frowned at him. “And do you want to talk about it with me?” I asked, only being slightly sarcastic.
“Yes. I do.”
I blinked, confused. “Why?”
“I have no idea. But that’s probably a mistake after all.”
“Probably,” I said, playing with my salad, no longer hungry.
“If you want to talk about it, about everything that happened, I’d love to hear.”
“And I won’t burden you with it?” he asked, seemingly taking a step back.
“That’s what friends are for,” I said, trying to put some lightness in my tone. “It won’t be a burden.”
He tilted his head and studied my face. “Friends.”
“Aston, I can’t ruin this,” I whispered.
“I know. I know. ”
“But I’ll listen? Because you’re not my boss. And maybe The Cage needs somebody to vent to that isn’t his brothers.”
After all, we couldn’t be anything more, not when we each had so much going on in our lives. Right?
“Okay then. And I take it your number hasn’t changed?” he asked, and I smiled.
“It hasn’t. I’m surprised you haven’t deleted it from your phone.” I winced. “Sorry about that.”
“No no. It was rude of me. And maybe that’s why we should talk.”
Suddenly uneasy, I nodded, as we finished our lunch. Thankfully we only talked about the job, and when his admin came to take him back to the office, an emergency call on the line, I cleaned up my mess and went back to my work. Because this is what I was good at, what I needed to be good at.
I couldn’t let anything else get in the way.
When I finished my first day, slightly elated, slightly worried, I made my way back home, texted Isabella that I survived, and immediately called my mom.
“Hello there, baby. How was your first day at work?”
“Great. They’re a good company.”
“I love that you sound surprised at that. But then again, it’s a company that makes millions and billions or whatever however many dollars that is. So of course they’re probably corrupt.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Or maybe they’re okay.”
“Maybe. As long as you’re safe, my baby.”
“I love you, Mom. ”
“I love you too. Your dad’s outside playing with the lawnmower. Do you want me to get him?”
“No, I’ll call you both tomorrow. But I have a job. They don’t treat me like crap yet. And I think I’m going to like the projects I’m on so far.”
“Good. And if you want your dad to beat up that man, you let me know.”
For a moment I thought she meant Aston, then I realized she meant my old boss.
“It’s okay. He’s my past. That whole company is. Let’s work toward the future.”
“Of course. Now, are you and Isabella going to come over for dinner this weekend?”
“Maybe. It depends on her schedule.”
“I know she’s so busy with that job of hers. She works far too many hours for being on salary.”
“I keep telling her that, but she’s stubborn.”
“Now that’s an understatement. I hope she’s doing okay, I know she’s going through so much with her family. And isn’t that a coincidence that it happens to be the Cages?”
“I’m trying not to think too hard about that. But Isabella’s fine with it, and they seem to be fine with it. I’m going to pretend that I’m not in the middle of it.”
“That’s my girl. You live in your own sense of reality. That will totally be safe.”
“I sense the sarcasm.”
“I love you, baby. Make sure you eat a real dinner, and not some microwavable thing over the sink. You need your protein and fiber. ”
“I will, Mom. I love you.”
We said our goodbyes, and I stood there, phone in hand, knowing that I was loved. I had two parents who adored me, who would’ve taken me in if I needed help after not having a job for three months. They would’ve done anything for me. Same as Isabella.
I wasn’t alone.
And yet, I couldn’t help but feel a little disconnected.
I sighed, and changed into joggers and a tank top, and made a healthy dinner thanks to my mom because I had been thinking about ordering pizza, and then went to look at my folders that I had taken home, trying to study up on this new job I did not want to ruin.
An hour after dinner my phone buzzed, and I looked down, my stomach once again tightening.
I let it ring one more time before finally answering.
“Aston.”
“You answered. I was afraid you wouldn’t.”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t call.” I hadn’t meant to blurt that, and when he was silent for a long moment, I was afraid I had messed up.
“I wasn’t sure I would. I should have called before. But I thought that pushing you away, and everything that wasn’t my family, would be safer. And yet nothing feels very safe right now.”
“I don’t know what that means, Aston,” I said honestly.
“I don’t think I do either. Let’s do coffee.”
I froze. “Is that a good idea? ”
“No. Not in the slightest. But let’s start over. Before everything.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“It’s not.”
“Then I guess we should do it?” I asked with a laugh.
“Yes. Because I’m not your boss.”
“You keep repeating that as if you’re trying to remind yourself that.”
“I’m trying to remind the both of us.”
Tingles went up my spine, and I knew this was a mistake.
But instead of saying no, instead of hanging up, I let out a breath. “Tomorrow?” I asked.
“Tomorrow. After work?”
“Coffee after work?”
“Well, I’m addicted to caffeine so we should.”
I let out a breath. “Okay.”
“Good, Blakely. I missed you on my phone.”
“Then you should have called,” I whispered.
“I should have.”
And with that, I hung up, but knew I would see him tomorrow. At work, and then after.
This was totally a mistake.
And yet I was going to make it anyway.