Emily
Chapter
Four
Iwoke with a groan. I rolled over and turned the alarm off my phone, wishing I could have a few more minutes of sleep before I remembered it was my first day of work, and my eyes popped open.
I’d spent hours the day before shopping.
I’d never shopped so long in my life. I’d also never spent so much money in my life.
I shuddered in horror every time I thought of the price tags on even one blouse, but it was the store George had been instructed to take me to.
The place didn’t have a single clearance rack.
Not one. I looked extensively. When I asked the sales lady where one might be located, she got a pinched look on her face.
She started to say something when the phone began to ring in her hand.
She gave me a forced smile and held up a finger.
Before she could even speak, the caller said something to her that had her clamping her mouth shut, then darting her eyes over to me.
Whatever the caller had to say had her eyes widening.
Then she said, “Yes, Sir,” hung up, gave me a bright smile that showed off her fancy dental work, and then proceeded to lead me to every expensive clothing rack around the showroom, despite my protests.
By the time we were done, I had everything Mrs. Gunter had instructed me to buy, and then some.
Now, here I was, the morning of my first day, and I was already feeling overwhelmed. Excited, but overwhelmed. Shower first.
I ran through my routine, grateful that the water stayed warm enough to finish washing my hair before running cold.
Remembering the hair dryer had stopped working the morning before, I decided my best bet was to leave it wrapped in a towel for a while.
It was going to be wild with the unruly waves, but I could throw it into a bun.
I figured it would do nicely for the office.
I carefully applied some subtle makeup, then walked into my small living area, where bags of clothing greeted me.
I had sorted through some of them the night before, trying to decide what would be the best choice for my first day, so I already knew what I wanted to wear.
I went straight to the pretty pink dress with the scooped collar and scalloped hemline delicately embroidered in white stitching.
It had a simple white belt and matching shoes that had low heels.
I was sure I could walk in them without feeling like I would topple over.
The entire ensemble was simple and feminine. I felt pretty.
After carefully combing the tangles out of my hair, I twisted it up into a bun low on the back of my head and set it into place with a few pins.
I spotted a silk flower that matched the color of my dress almost perfectly from an arrangement on top of my dresser and smiled.
Using an extra pin, I attached it to the side of my bun, then looked in the mirror.
“You look like you’re a CEO’s assistant.”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I did or not. I just knew that I looked nothing like I usually did. I looked different wearing the fancy clothes, as if I were more confident and could accomplish anything. Inside, I was still me, though. I desperately hoped I could do the job I was hired for.
Glancing at the clock, I realized that my driver would be arriving in a few minutes, so I rushed to the kitchen to grab a granola bar for a quick breakfast. I’d have to grab a coffee at the office, which would work out perfectly since I was out of coffee beans anyway.
I was out of a lot of things, which is why I was desperate to find a job.
Granola bar in hand, I snatched up my purse and keys, then dashed to the door.
After unlocking the interior deadbolt and chain, I made sure to lock the door behind me.
There had been a couple reports of recent break ins in the neighborhood.
I didn’t have much, but I would like to keep what I did have.
With my new wardrobe that cost more than the rest of all my belongings put together, I definitely didn’t want to risk losing anything.
The driver from the day before was already waiting for me by the time I made it to the street, and I gave him a big smile. “George! So nice to see you again! I hope you weren’t waiting for me long. I’m not late, am I?”
“Good morning, Miss Emily. No, Ma’am. You’re right on time.
” He eyed the granola bar in my hand with a disapproving look.
“There is a breakfast sandwich inside waiting for you, along with a glass of orange juice if you care to drink it. If you have any allergies or dislikes, you can give me a list, and I will make sure to make note of it.”
“What? Really? That’s so kind of you, George. You really didn’t have to go to all that trouble. I am fine with my granola bar, really.” I was both shocked and delighted at the offerings. It was one of the kindest things anyone had ever done for me.
“I’d love to take the credit, Miss Emily, but that honor goes to Mr. Lane,” he said, right before he closed the door.
I sat there, unsure if I was glad for the sudden surprise new perk of the job, or disappointed that it was just another job benefit, like the clothes, and not done out of kindness.
Either way, I was grateful to have food to eat.
We pulled up to the building as I was finishing off the sausage, egg, and cheese wrap, and quickly dusted off my dress, checking to make sure there were no crumbs left from the delicious breakfast. By the time I finished drinking down the last of the orange juice, George was already at my door and swinging it open.
I had never had such delicious orange juice before, and didn’t know it could be so good.
Swallowing down the last drop, I licked my lips, and I looked around for a place to set the glass down.
“Here, I’ll take it,” George offered with a smile.
With a thankful grin, I handed it to him.
I snatched up my small bag and hopped out of the car.
After glancing down at myself one last time to double check that I hadn’t spilled anything on myself, and satisfied that I still looked okay, with maybe a couple of new creases on my new dress from sitting in the car, I looked up at the doors and took a deep breath.
I wasn’t sure I was ready for my first day at my new job.
“You’ve got this, Miss Emily.”
“Thanks, George.” I grinned up at him, and after a quick, spontaneous hug of thanks that startled the old man, I walked determinedly towards the door.
I gave a smile and a wave to the doorman as he held the door open for me.
I strode over to the desk and stopped in front of the security guard to give him my name, and waited as he typed it into the computer.
He glanced up at me a couple of times as he was typing.
Finally, he reached into a drawer, pulled out a blank badge, and told me to stand in front of a small camera mounted to one of the computer screens.
After taking my picture, he put the white plastic badge into a machine, and I watched, fascinated, as it quickly printed my name and picture on it.
“This is your name tag. You don’t have to wear it on your clothes, but you do need to keep it on you at all times.
This name tag is your access card and badge.
It works all the elevators and stairwells.
If you don’t have it, the elevators won’t work.
We keep security pretty tight around here.
You are not to let anybody else on, and you are not to ask anybody else to let you on— that is a security breach.
If that happens, there will be strict disciplinary actions, and you could get fired. Understood?”
Wide-eyed, I nodded my head. “Yes, I understand.” I studied the badge when he slid it over to me and saw my name with my job title, along with the small picture that luckily didn’t look bad at all.
There was a clip on the end of the badge, but with the way my dress was made, there was no way to clip it on.
“Some people wear lanyards, like these,” he explained, holding out his own, and I nodded. It was a good idea. I’d have to find one somewhere. “Like I said, you don’t have to wear it, but you do need to keep it on you if you ever leave your floor. You’ll need it to scan the elevator.”
“Yes, Sir,“ I said again. I patted the side of my dress inside and was relieved when I realized that it had pockets. “Thank goodness for dresses with pockets,” I laughed awkwardly.
His lips twitched with a small smile. “My wife always gets excited when she finds a dress she loves with pockets. All right, I need you to sign this document stating you understand the rules.” He slid the paper across the counter, and I quickly signed my signature on it before setting the pen back into the waiting cup full of similar pens with the Lane Industries logo on them.
“You’ll want to take the elevators over there,” he pointed to the same bank of elevators I’d taken the day before.
“You’re on the 25th floor. Your ID gives you access to the entire building as the CEO's personal assistant. Congratulations on your new job.”
“Thank you!” I beamed at him. “Have a great day!” I said and waved, then turned and headed towards the elevators.
I slipped the badge out of my pocket and scanned it against the small square black box, and watched as the little light turned green right before the door slid open.
I stepped in and grinned to myself as I hit the 25th floor.
And then nothing happened. I quickly realized I had to scan my badge again inside the elevator just to make that floor light up.
It was going to be a lot to get used to.
The elevator moved quickly from there. Before I knew it, the door slid open, and I was standing in front of a small entryway that was every bit as lavish as the room that I was in the day before, if not even more so.
There was a smaller waiting room to the right, with just a two-seater couch, a couple of chairs, and a table in between.
There were several plants in front of a huge window overlooking the city.
Across from the sitting area was a beautiful desk, and two women were sitting there, staring at me with mixed expressions.
I assumed the desk was my new work area. I was nervous, but doing my best not to show it. One of these two women had to be Veronica, who was assigned to train me for my new job. It was so intimidating how everybody in this building was so beautiful.
“Hi, my name is Emily Fontaine. I’m the new personal assistant.”
One of them smiled at me, though to be honest, it didn’t seem quite genuine. Maybe she was holding back her assessment of me until she got to know me better. The other one just looked me up and down, and then glanced over at the other person.
The one who had given me the tight smile spoke up after a long, painful few seconds of silence.
“I’m Veronica, I’m the one who is supposed to be teaching you how to do your job.
” She turned to the other one and gestured with a thumb over her shoulder.
“This is my friend, Susie.” Susie just gave a half wave, then flicked her long, glossy, brown hair over her shoulder before glancing away again.
They both stood up, and I reached out my hand to Veronica.
“It’s nice to meet you, Veronica.” She stretched out her own hand and allowed just the brush of her fingers against mine.
“Yes.” She cleared her throat, then looked at the clock and exclaimed in a surprised tone that seemed a bit exaggerated, “Wow. You’re late.
I’ve already met with Mr. Lane. He’d like some coffee, so if you could go into the break room and grab some for him, that would be a great way to get started.
He likes one cream and one sugar. There’s a blue cup on the top shelf.
Use that one for Mr. Lane and then come back here.
The break room is two doors down the hall on the left. ”
“Okay.” I glanced down at my purse, which I was still holding, and then darted my eyes around the room, trying to figure out what I would do with it.
Susie sighed, then Veronica said, “Here.” She opened the bottom drawer of the desk.
“Just drop it down here next to mine.” A pretty pink Birkin bag was sitting in the bottom drawer of the large wooden desk.
I hesitated to set my thrift store cloth bag next to hers, but I had no other choice, so I dropped it down.
“Okay, thank you. Two doors down on the left, right?”
“Blue cup, top shelf,” Veronica reminded me.
“Okay.”
Susie snorted and then glanced at Veronica. “All right, I’m going back to my floor. Call me if you need to talk about…” she paused, then glanced at me before finishing, “anything.” She flipped a wave at Veronica, then walked to the elevators before scanning her badge.