Chapter 10 Close To Her Chest
CLOSE TO HER CHEST
“Well, how did the first day go?” Ethan asked when Blair came into his office.
“Great. She’s smart and energetic without being over the top. Takes notes, and doesn’t ask a lot of questions, but when she does, it is the right question.”
“How so?”
“Your calendar for example. It’s color coded.”
He laughed. “I’m aware and if I don’t put it in using the right colors you slap my hand.”
“That’s how I know where your meetings are without me asking when you’ll return or if you’re in the building or out of Boston.”
“It was smart and saved us both a lot of talking back and forth,” he said.
“That’s right. She didn’t ask me what each color meant. She looked it over, could piece together some of it by seeing the color of the names of people in the building already, then asked if there was a list written explaining it rather than asking me to do it.”
“Good,” he said.
“And it’s a reference for her to go back to. That’s what I mean; she’s efficient. She isn’t someone to need everything explained piece by piece. She’ll figure a lot of things out and was smart enough to understand that I’d be organized enough to have that list.”
“You’re more organized than me,” he said, laughing. Which kept him on track. Was he worried that things could get out of hand if he were left to his own devices? Just a tiny bit.
He was more concerned he’d be bugging Blair rather than Nora at this point.
“I spent more time showing her where files are with explanations on projects and how I set it up. She’s free to change any of those things if it works better for her.
I didn’t have to tell her to let you know, she said she’d do it, but didn’t see the need to make that change.
She could adapt if you were familiar with it. ”
He let out a breath. He didn’t want to be the dick to say not to do it, but if it helped her, he might.
Didn’t seem as if it’d be an issue.
“Adapting is good,” he said. “She seems comfortable, you think?”
Blair grinned at him. “What are you so unsure of?”
Shit, he forgot his assistant knew him so well. Maybe too well.
“I want to make sure she’s not completely overwhelmed. I know you’re leaving soon and if you’ve got flags she might not stick, I should know that now before we go any further.”
That sounded pretty good to his ears.
“I don’t see any flags. Or the biggest is her father and she’ll have to figure that out on her own.”
“Meaning what?”
Blair shrugged, then turned back to make sure the door was still shut.
“It’s obvious there is some tension there.
She explained why she moved and they are working it out.
I don’t think it will bleed from personal to work.
Norris isn’t that way. I don’t think Nora is cold in the least. Not like Norris.
But she’s more... internal. She’ll keep things close to her chest.”
Didn’t he know that!
“That’s not a concern then. As you said, Norris won’t bring it into the office and since she doesn’t want anyone to know about their connection, though I’m not sure how long it can be a secret. Especially if she put him down on her HR paperwork.”
“She didn’t,” Blair said. “She volunteered that part. She put her mother down, who has a different last name. And since a select few know, and she’s working with those daily, it’s not an issue if someone has to be reached.
But it’s going to come out at some point sooner than later.
She came to see him before I grabbed her to interview.
Someone could have noticed that more than Marcy at the front desk. ”
“Did she know Nora was Norris’s daughter?” He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t thought of it.
“She said no. That her father just said her name, her first name as Eleanor, as a guest coming, but didn’t elaborate and neither did she. Doesn’t mean it wasn’t overheard.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and got comfortable. “Give me your personal opinion on how we’ll get along. Sounds like from a work standpoint we’ll be fine.”
“I think so. But we’ve had one day together. You think I can read a crystal ball?”
“Yes.” And the smirk on Blair’s face told him she’d thought the same thing.
“I do. You’re the one who ran out of the meeting hearing half a conversation and dragged her into your office for an impromptu interview, then all but got down on the ground to kiss her feet when you felt you found your replacement. ”
Blair laughed. “That’s a little overboard.”
“But true.”
She continued to smile, his grin matching her wide one. “Fine. I have a good feeling about her. Both from a work view and personal. You’re outgoing, she’s not. But she’s professional and polite. I’ve seen traces of humor from her, but I’m positive she’s going to need time to relax around you.”
She hadn’t needed it that one night.
Though he knew that was different.
In his eyes, they were on the same level.
Two single adults, having a drink, some conversation, and a whole hell of a lot of heat to burn the night away.
This was different.
Here, he was the boss. The man with the final say.
Anyone would take time to get comfortable in that power dynamic.
And he had to keep reminding himself of that. Especially when his mind kept replaying how comfortable she’d already been with him once before.
“I can win her over,” he boasted.
He’d done it once. He could do it again.
How, that was the question.
He couldn’t step over the line. Not here. Not with witnesses.
His brother would keep his secret... for now.
“I told her you were cocky.”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “What was her response?”
“She flushed. We all know you know you’re good looking.”
“Only good looking?”
“Don’t let your head explode too much,” Blair said drily. “I don’t have time to clean up that mess.”
“Got it.” He was going to miss this banter more than anything. “But good looking makes me sound average. Please, my ego doesn’t need that kind of hit.”
Blair rolled her eyes. “You’re so full of yourself. Try to reel that in some in the beginning.”
“It’s going to be hard to do with you here. Or am I not allowed to be myself around you like I’ve been for years?”
“I think you should but with some restraint. She’ll see how you can be, even if it’s not directed at her.”
There was a knock at the door. “Come in,” he said.
Nora’s head popped around the corner. “I’m sorry to interrupt.
There is a Conrad Baldwin on the line. I said you were in a meeting, but he said it’s important and is always patched through.
He knew I wasn’t Blair. I verified he’s the president of one of your properties quickly as to not just assume. I hope that was okay?”
“Always let Conrad through,” he said. “He’s also family.”
“Oh,” Nora said. “I’ll make a note of that.”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Blair said. “Thanks.” Nora shut the door and Blair turned back to him. “I like she did that. Your phone is on do not disturb. She verified someone wasn’t blowing smoke up her ass before she came in.”
That definitely showed initiative, especially in a position like hers.
He picked the line up. “Hi, Conrad. Sorry for the delay. I’m in with Blair and we are training her replacement.”
“Oh,” Conrad said. “That’s why I was calling.”
He frowned. “Do you know someone interested?”
“I did, but it doesn’t matter now,” Conrad said.
“It’s all good. Someone I know from the hospital that has a good ten years left before she retires, but was an assistant to the head of our department.
She’s not happy with the new man in charge and it’s not your concern as you’ve got someone in place.
But I can send you Wendy’s information for someone else or if this person doesn’t work out. ”
“You can do that,” he said. “Thanks for reaching out though. We hired Nora last week and today is her first day.”
“That’s what I get for waiting to call,” Conrad said. “Been spending some time with my grandkids on the island and Blake had let it slip last week you were looking for someone.”
“I appreciate it,” he said.
“I’ll let you get back to your meeting,” Conrad said and hung up.
He picked his phone up, called Blair’s desk knowing Nora would answer. “Hello.” She sounded nervous and he didn’t want that.
“Can you come in here?”
“On the way.” She hung up on him, just like Blair always did. Oddly, he was okay with it. There was a knock on the door, then it opened. “Yes?”
“Come in,” he said. “Have a seat. First off, I just wanted to say that I appreciate you vetting the call. Blair will give you a list of who to always push through and I’ll add or take those people off as they get on my nerves or my good side.”
Nora smiled when he’d added that. “Good to know.”
“As for Conrad Baldwin, you know I own a stake in his company, but his daughter, Blake, is married to my brother Egan. I actually owned a smaller stake before Blake even moved here, though I was a silent stakeholder and still am.”
“Got it,” Nora said. She was typing into the tablet in front of her.
“How do you do that?”
She looked up. “Do what?”
“Type on that so fast,” Blair said. “Ethan can type on his phone, his keyboard or a laptop, but give him a tablet and he might throw it against the wall.”
“Oh,” she said, shrugging. “I just tell myself it’s a quiet keyboard. It really only is. Mind over matter.”
“Hear that, Ethan? Mind over matter,” Blair said. “Remember that.”
The look Blair gave him told him he might be in trouble. Somehow his assistant might have just figured out he at least had his eye on her replacement in more than a work capacity.