Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
JAX
“And as I’m sure you’ve heard, Mr. Williams had a tragic accident two weeks ago and is currently hospitalized. We’re not sure if he’s going to make it, but there is currently an interim CEO filling that role.”
“I’m sorry, what? No, I’ve been traveling the last two weeks.”
Since the day I graduated, I’ve been working my ass off.
I got the engineering degree, and then I did two years to get a master’s in business administration, never even bothering to stop and consider what other options there were because it was so much easier to just be guided and do as I was told.
Less thinking on my part, and it was just one thing that didn’t need to be added to my ever-growing list of shit to do.
At that point, it just seemed easier to let others tell me what next steps to take.
The job, of course, came next, another eight years sitting behind a desk.
There came an epiphany about two months ago, though—why the fuck am I just wasting my fucking life away?
I’m not in any sort of serious relationship, never had one, and I’m fine with that.
Of course, I have my regular flings, but they’re nothing more than that.
I’ve never traveled outside of my surrounding states, never been out of the country. So, I said fuck it.
I started looking at where I was going to go and how I was going to fund it.
Thankfully, there was some financial maturity involved and a good lump sum of cash sitting in my savings account for whatever I may need it for, and that’s what I was going to use to spend two weeks traveling around Asia.
I wanted to be able to see what the world had to offer, try new foods, learn and enjoy new cultures, something that isn’t the mundane day-to-day I’ve been doing.
I became an engineer because that’s what I was always told I should do.
It’s not something I would have chosen for myself, and maybe that’s why I got so burnt out on it.
So, amidst trying to plan this big ass trip, I also started applying for a new job, something completely different from what I am currently doing.
My main focus was applying to listings that said they were entry-level, although there were a few wishful thinking ones that weren’t, and then I waited for something to stick.
There were calls back for interviews, but when I finally got the offer for a personal assistant, there was no hesitation in saying yes.
It checked all the boxes. It was unlike anything I’d done this far, something I had very little experience in. I’m literally going from a project engineer in the industrial construction side of the world, to a personal assistant for the CEO of a sports magazine. Like I said, very different.
Once I accepted the position, there was a month until I started, so I immediately put in my two weeks’ notice at work and booked the trip for the day after my last. I said my goodbyes, put everything from my cubicle in a box, and left for the airport.
From there, I spent two weeks really finding out that this world is so much fucking bigger and better than I ever imagined.
People, places, food, cultures… It really opened my eyes to all that I was missing.
All the time I wasted sitting on my ass and hoping for more.
When I got back, though, it was straight back into reality.
I had a couple of days to shop for some new clothes and get my head back on straight, and then first thing this Monday morning, I’m inside the big ass building that is Williams Weekly, ready to take on this new adventure with renewed energy.
My feet are suddenly glued to the floor, though, taking in the news that the CEO I was hired on to be a personal assistant for is suddenly no longer in the seat?
“Oh yes, it really is quite tragic. But I can assure you, the board chose a very good replacement. We were all quite relieved when Mr. Williams, the son, agreed to take over.”
If this was a cartoon, my gulp would be audible. I’m kind of wishing I would have just done all the research about this place and these people, but I guess it’s a little late for that now.
“Oh, yes. That is quite sad. Uh, so, he has a son? Is he, uh, nice?”
“Yes,” she says, chuckling, covering her face to try to hide her wide smile, “and he’s quite handsome, if I do say so myself.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, and I’d have to say he’s about your age. What are you? Mid-thirties?”
“Yeah, right on, actually. Thirty-five.”
“Oh! Then this’ll be even better! He’s the same age as you!”
I think the receptionist meant this to be a nice thing, but my stomach flips with anticipation.
Nothing has changed since college. I still don’t care to have a big friend group, and I find that if they’re older than me, they tend to be easier to get along with.
Someone in a position like this though is bound to not try to small-talk though, right?
We can just work with the employee-boss dynamic and not have to shoot the shit?
Regardless, I need this job, and I’m dedicated to new things, so with some mental coaxing, I follow her to my new working area.
There’s a set of double doors with a deep oak handle.
There’s fogged glass giving enough visibility to see shadows of things inside, but I’m not able to tell exactly what is what.
She leans into the door, pushing one side open, and that’s when I get my first real view of the room. I haven’t been in here yet; all the interviews took place inside a more formal conference room, but this is where I would assume quite a bit of time would be spent.
“Mr. Williams? Your new assistant is here.”
His back is to me, and I can appreciate the way his suit fits him.
It’s a dark grey, complimenting the tanned skin peeking out from around the collar.
It fits snug across his back, gripping his forearms in a way that showcases how much muscle is hiding beneath what I bet is a very expensive suit.
His pants accentuate his curves, showing off a bubble butt I could bounce a quarter off.
I can’t see much of his other features, since he’s still facing the opposite direction while he looks out the wall of windows lining the other end of the room.
It shows off the Seattle skyline and allows for a ton of natural light.
“That’ll be all, Becca.”
She nods, despite him still not looking at us, and backs away, letting the door close as she exits. I’m left standing in the entry way, looking stupid as shit.
“Have a seat.” His baritone is deep, making my stomach flip—only one voice has ever had the same effect on me.
There’s no fucking way, right? What was his last name? The guy from that one night?
My eyebrows pull together as I do as I’m told, sitting in a big, brown leather chair across from his desk as he mumbles into his earpiece.
“Ya, no. No. I don’t know. Look, we’ll figure it out. My new hire is here. I have to go.”
He reaches up to click out of the call, and the movement pulls his shirt down his arm, revealing tattoos scrawled across his skin.
There’s no fucking way, I think just as he turns and reveals himself.
I have to quickly revert to well, there apparently is a fucking way.