Chapter 9 #2
“Yes, of course. What’s your last name, and what does this call pertain to?”
Oh, they’re real professionals around there, Nhuri thought proudly. She loved it!
“My last name is Coleman. It’s a follow-up to a conversation we had Sunday afternoon. Let him know I’m interested.”
Nhuri heard keys clicking, and then they stopped.
“Got it! I’ll make sure he gets the message,” Michelle assured her.
“Thank you. Have a good day,” Nhuri said.
Michelle told her to do the same, and the call ended.
Nhuri flopped down on the couch, sliding her phone onto the table tray.
She’d built up all the courage to call, only to be prompted to leave a message.
Well, it was better than nothing. His offer couldn’t have come at a better time.
She had no job or clear direction on where she wanted to go; this was the only thing that made sense so far.
Taking a chance on something or someone with more ambition than she did at the moment wasn’t the worst.
Figuring she’d hear from Shyriq tomorrow, Nhuri tuned into her show on TV.
She laughed at Jamie doing something ridiculous when her phone vibrated along the wooden tray, startling her.
Her brows dipped at the unknown number, and she knew it couldn’t have been Shyriq.
It’d only been twenty minutes since she called.
Her heart skipped a beat as she swiped to answer the call.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Nhuri. It’s Shyriq. I got your message.” His voice was calm and oddly warming through the receiver.
Nhuri tried to keep her tone casual. “Hi. How are you?”
Shyriq chuckled. He was stressed out, but that wasn’t something she had to worry about. “I’m good now that you finally put my number to use.”
He was teasing her, and Nhuri’s nerves settled some.
“Let me find out you were waiting by the phone for me to call.” Her words came out a bit more flirty than she intended for them to, and Shyriq ate them up.
“Would that be a problem if I was?” he questioned, making her smile drop and her nipples pebble.
Something about his words in that husky tone led her to believe him.
“I guess not, considering you did offer me a job,” Nhuri said, veering the conversation to why she’d called in the first place.
“I did. That’s if you’re interested.”
Nhuri squinted. She was trying her hardest not to blur the lines, but Shyriq wasn’t making his approach any clearer. Was I interested in the job or him? Hell, is doing him the job because I’ll take that too? Nhuri thought and chuckled.
“You there?” Shyriq asked.
She cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m here, and I’m interested. Can you provide me with details of the position?”
“My assistant.”
His answer was so plain and direct that Nhuri thought he was joking.
“I’m sorry . . . your assistant?” she questioned.
“Yes. You spoke with Michelle earlier. She’s currently my assistant but will be taking maternity leave shortly. I’d need a permanent assistant to pick up where she’s leaving off. Is that something you’re interested in?”
His explanation sounded believable, but Nhuri wasn’t sure it was a position she wanted to take.
She was overqualified for the job, and she knew it.
Chewing her bottom lip, she thought about what it could mean if she accepted his offer.
Maybe it wasn’t the smartest or the safest thing to do, but then again, what was safety when she was already out of her comfort zone?
“Honestly, no,” she admitted, and Shyriq chuckled. “I’m not sure I’m the right person for that position. I have an MBA in international business. What could I possibly do as your assistant with my skills?”
“You could do much more than what I’m sure is running through your mind. Answering calls and taking messages isn’t the only thing Michelle does. It gets pretty hectic around here, but in a good way,” Shyriq explained. “I could use someone on my team with your drive and attitude.”
Nhuri’s pulse quickened at the easy confidence in his words.
He seemed confident in her skills, but she hadn’t shown him any qualifications yet.
Deep down, she knew where this was headed, and Nhuri wasn’t sure if she was ready for the risk.
But something about Shyriq made the danger feel like it might be worth it.
“Okay,” she agreed.
“Yeah?” Shyriq asked, shocked.
Nhuri chuckled. “Yes. You sound surprised.”
“I am. I didn’t have to do much convincing.”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Once the interview takes place, I can decide if being your assistant is something I want to do.”
The underlying message and tone in her words made Shyriq smirk. He had no plans to have an interview. If Nhuri wanted the job, it was hers. But he decided to follow protocol.
“Of course. Swing by the office tomorrow for an interview.”
“Um,” Nhuri hesitated. Tomorrow was much too soon, and she wanted to prepare. Testing to see if Shyriq would be a lenient boss, she said, “I can’t make it tomorrow, but Friday works perfectly.”
“Friday it is then,” Shyriq agreed more quickly than she thought he would. “Does three o’clock work?”
That was much later in the day than she’d like, but Nhuri agreed. “Yes. Three o’clock is fine. Adding it to my calendar now.”
“Michelle will also add it to mine,” Shyriq chuckled. “You’ve been good?”
“Yes,” Nhuri answered quietly.
“Getting that rest you need, I hope.”
Nhuri smirked. “More than enough sleep with so much time on my hands.”
“I bet. Those were the good ol’ days,” Shyriq said. “Let me not hold you up any longer. I’ll see you on Friday.”
“See you then.”
“I look forward to it.”
Before he could hang up, Nhuri said, “And, Shyriq . . . Thank you.”
He felt her gratefulness through the phone. “You’re more than welcome, gorgeous.”
Nhuri blushed as they hung up. If he was going to be her boss, he’d have to keep the compliments and pet names to himself. Maybe Jazmyn was right. It wasn’t about owing anybody or taking advantage. Perhaps it was just about taking an opportunity when it was handed to her.