Chapter 1 Zofia
zofia
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Come work for me.”
My fingers stilled on the keyboard as I took in the man standing in front of me. “What?” I asked, as if I hadn’t heard him right.
“Come work for me,” he said again. It was late, and the rest of the office was empty. I was working overtime, trying to finish the project I was currently working on.
“Huh. That’s what I thought you said the first time.” Furrowing my brow, I cocked my head at him. “I do work for you,” I reminded him, waving my hand around the room as if that answered his point. “Head of HR, remember?”
Nicolas Larsen, the CEO’s son—and the current chief financial officer of Willamette Tech—ran his fingers through his silky blond locks. I’d noticed from our company meetings that he had a habit of doing that whenever he was nervous. “I mean, be my assistant. Work for me.”
Sometimes it was strange, how much he had changed since we’d first met, my first week at the company.
He’d transformed from the flirty college student into a charismatic businessman.
Still confident, slightly cocky, and a little too sure of himself, but enough to make me actually consider what it would be like to work under him.
I thought about going backwards. Being just the girl who went to fetch coffee and perform mundane tasks once again. That hadn’t been me in years, and I had no desire to go be just someone’s assistant ever again.
“No.”
“Please?” he asked. Like that would make a difference. As if a simple plea could change my mind. But the pout on his face, combined with his pleading eyes, was almost too much to ignore. Almost.
I tapped my manicured fingernails on my desk. “Why?”
“What do you mean, why?” Nicolas frowned, letting out a sigh. “I need a new assistant.”
What happened with the old one? I wanted to ask.
Did you sleep with this one, too? The ones who he’d had as his assistants in the past had all been the same: young, giggling girls who fawned all over him, easily susceptible to his charm.
I scrunched up my nose. The rich, playboy type might have done it for some people, but not for me.
Nicolas stepped forward, about to open his mouth to say something else, when I held up a hand. “I just—look.” I frowned. “You could have any assistant you wanted. Why me?” It wasn’t like I had experience in being an executive assistant. And he could find anyone to bring him coffee.
“Because,” he responded, like that was any answer at all.
“Because…?” I repeated.
He cleared his throat. “Miss Narayan, it’s a simple decision, really. You’re intelligent and an incredibly fast thinker. I’ve been watching you.” His cheeks flamed, somehow making the freckles on his nose stand out. “Not in a weird way, but just—do you know how organized you are?”
“Well, I—” My fingers ran over the wood of my desk.
Currently, I sat in a cubicle, surrounded by the other HR team members.
I’d been working for Willamette Technology—a medium-sized software company—for the last few years.
Even though I didn’t have some big, fancy corner office, I didn’t mind.
After all, I liked my job and the people I worked with. After my last promotion, I was content.
“You’re bright. Witty. Got the entire human resources department to run more efficiently than I’ve ever seen it within less than one quarter after taking over the team. I need someone like you.”
“Thank you?” I was glad my achievements were being noticed, but I still didn’t know why he’d come to me.
I’d heard the rumors about Nicolas Larsen and his stream of assistants.
They were out the door faster than you could snap your fingers.
I tried my best not to listen to the gossip at work, but I’d heard it.
The rumors definitely didn’t paint a pretty picture, and I had no desire of being one of the next who didn’t quite line up for the task.
No matter how well he thought I did my job.
In theory, he was a catch. At twenty-seven years old, he’d worked his way from the bottom of his dad’s company to sitting on the Executive Team. He was set to inherit hundreds of millions of dollars from his father one day. There was no doubt in my mind about any of that.
Luckily for him, I had no interest in sleeping with my boss.
Unfortunately for him, I had no intention of having him be my boss. “I’m sorry, but it’s still a no.”
His shoulders drooped, and I wondered if anyone had ever told him no before.
“What can I do to make you change your mind?”
I snorted. “Marry me.”
He blinked. “Really?”
“No.” I crossed my arms over my chest. Sure, my family had been pressuring me to get married for the last few years. But there was no way I was marrying him. “Why would I marry you?” I snorted. “Please.” I went back to typing on my computer, hoping if I ignored him, that he’d go away.
Nicolas shrugged. “Not to beat a dead horse, but I really need your help. Please, just consider being my assistant. I’ll do anything. Seriously.”
“Anything?” I crossed my arms over my chest. What kinds of things could I extort from this man by agreeing to do his bidding?
“Come on, we’re friends, right?”
I looked up at him, surprised. Were we? Sure, we’d worked together on a few projects, and I always smiled at him when I saw him around the office, but friends? “We are?”
“Come on, Zofia,” he pouted, looking like a dejected puppy. It was strange to hear my first name from his lips for the first time. He’d always called me Miss Narayan before. Never Zofia. Not with that smooth, warm voice, and that tone… “Give me something to work with here.”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my thumb and pointer finger. “You’re relentless.”
“Yes.” He popped a smile, those pearly white teeth poking through the perfect set of lips.
No. Ugh. What was I thinking? I didn’t like Nicolas Larsen, let alone find him attractive.
Sighing, he slumped down onto the chair next to me. The cubicle where my friend Gabbi normally sat, although she was visiting her family in Boston this week. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Probably a bad idea.” I swiveled my chair towards him, crossing my legs. Maybe if I gave him my full attention, he’d leave faster. “But sure.”
He looked around the room, like he was making sure no one was around. “My father is planning on retiring at the end of the year. Which means I only have a few months to prepare.”
“Prepare for what?” A few months? It was July—he had plenty of time.
“To take over.” That blond brow raised again. “Becoming CEO. Of course.”
Oh. Right. Well, that made sense. “Sure, but what does that have to do with needing me?”
“I told you—you’re exceptional at your job.
” Only, he hadn’t used those exact words before, and I ignored the way they made me feel.
Exceptional. I could feel my cheeks heat, and I was glad my blush wouldn’t be evident with my brown skin.
Nicolas looked around the department. “I’ve read your resume.
This can’t be all you’ve ever dreamed about, can it?
Plus, the benefits are pretty great.” I raised an eyebrow, and his cheeks went a little pink.
He waved his hands. “Not those kind of benefits, I promise.”
“I know,” I reassured him.
The worst part was—he wasn’t wrong. I had set my sights higher before. Before my life had fallen apart. I was turning thirty soon, and sometimes I felt like I’d given up on my dreams for financial security.
Sure, I had an apartment I loved, and a cat. I had a few good friends. I was still close with my family, even if I saw them less these days. But something was missing. Passion. Drive. Fulfillment.
The spark that made me want to keep going.
Would I find it working under Nicolas? I didn’t think so.
I traced the lace pattern on my pencil skirt. “What kinds of duties would we be talking about?”
“Nothing too unusual. Managing my schedule, making travel arrangements, organizing reports and documents… helping me plan events for the company. A bit of everything. Overseeing employees like you are now, only on a larger scale.”
“Events?” I perked up. Shit. I didn’t mean to sound interested.
“Yes.” Nicolas grinned—excited to have interested me in something. “Including the company retreat my father wants to host in two months.”
“Two months?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Is he crazy?”
Nicolas laughed. “Yes.”
“That’s not enough time.”
“I know.” He rolled his eyes. They were beautiful, a shade of blue I’d never noticed on anyone before, that almost felt like the color of the ocean.
A deep aquamarine that perfectly complimented his blond hair and freckled complexion.
“But my father…” He shook his head. “He’s got this idea in his mind, and he will not let it go.
So I’ve decided to just indulge him on the matter.
Now I have to plan it, and I don’t know the first thing about planning an event, especially one of this scale, and—”
“Okay.” No! Why had I said that? The answer was supposed to be no. Why was I caving to this man?
Why did the idea of planning a work retreat make my heart race? It wasn’t anything huge, but I’d always loved event planning. Organizing, managing, and figuring out all the details. At one point, I’d almost gone into wedding planning.
Before I’d lost everything.
“Okay, what?” He repeated, sounding shocked.
“Okay. Yes.” I couldn’t believe the words were actually coming out of my mouth. “I’ll be your assistant.” Plucking a non-existent hair from my skirt, I pretended to be unaffected. “Suppose I can help with all that.”
“Yes!” Nicolas practically cheered, pumping his fist into the air. “This is going to be great. You’ll see.”
“But I have a few conditions.” I wouldn’t accept without negotiating my salary and other benefits. Might as well get a raise with this promotion. An office of my own would be nice, too.
“Anything.”
I grinned. Definitely an office.
Okay—maybe this would be fun.
Maybe I’d like being Nicolas Larsen’s executive assistant after all.