CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
It was a long morning for Joy as she signed what seemed like her life away in the human relations office at Skeffington PR.
Although the probationary salary was not that far above minimum wage, she was happy to have it.
And the signing bonus was enough for her to find an apartment in Chicago, pay the down payment and perhaps even first month’s rent.
But she couldn’t live extravagantly until she got her regular salary.
Until she got off of probation in thirty days.
Although after she left Personnel and went to Bobby Latham’s office, he didn’t bother asking somebody to show her around. He showed her around himself. All morning. She appreciated that.
But while Bobby was showing her the ropes, William was holed up in his office all morning chewing out his CEO and executive staff.
He wanted a department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and he wanted it forthwith.
He would select the director himself and that director who would hire his or her own staff.
“This is not an oversight,” he said to his executives.
“If I’m able to pinpoint who’s responsible, heads will roll.
And I don’t care how far up that head rests.
It will roll too. Do I make myself clear? ”
They all nervously said that he did, and left his office.
Then he had to spend nearly an hour on a conference call with the team of attorneys for the detained Hollywood director.
But even he had to take a backseat when William received a call from the foreign secretary in Great Brittan.
William was asked to get to Downing Street immediately. A crisis was brewing.
He grabbed his suit coat and was putting it on as he hurried out of his office.
Sloane was waiting for him in his secretary’s office.
Certain calls, including the one he had with the Foreign Secretary, were for his ears only and she was asked to leave his office.
“Have you seen Miss Johnson?” he asked her.
“She was with Bobby last I saw her,” Sloane said.
William began heading toward the elevators. “Contact Carl and Jefferson and tell them to meet me at the airfield within the hour. And notify my pilot,” he added.
“Where are we going this time, sir?” As his private secretary, she flew with him on all of his business trips.
“London,” he said. Then he stepped on the elevator. “Downing Street,” he added as the elevator doors began to close.
Downing Street? As in 10 Downing Street? The Prime Minister’s address? Sloane knew what that meant. “I’ll get on it right away, sir,” she said, and hurried to do his bidding.
William got off on the thirty-fifth floor and made his way to Bobby’s office. The door was opened, but when he heard Joy and Bobby laughing, he stood at the door unnoticed.
Bobby was seated, not behind his desk, but in the chair in front of his desk. Joy was seated beside him. And they both were easing up on what apparently was a hearty laughing session.
“You’re a breath of fresh air, Miss Joy,” Bobby said. “But you know that already, don’t you?”
“More like a breath of hot air,” Joy said and Bobby laughed much too hard, William felt, for such a simple joke. Which meant, as far as William was concerned, Bobby was already smitten with Joy.
“I said what I meant,” Bobby said when his laughter died down. “You are refreshing. But tell me, once you relocate from Bridell to The Chi, where do you propose to stay?”
“I’m going to get my own apartment. I know that much.”
“Won’t be as easy as you think. An apartment in Chicago, at least near this building, is hard to come by. And quite expensive for a young lady receiving a probationary salary. But I have a solution.”
You would, William thought as he continued to stare. But he wasn’t staring at them, but at Joy.
“What kind of solution?” Joy asked him.
“A brother to a sister solution. I, the brother, happens to have a spare bedroom that he would be proud to offer to you, the sister, until you can begin making real money and find yourself a real apartment. What you don’t want to do is sign a lease on a rat hole on a probation salary. Not a smart move.”
Joy knew it was stupid for sure. But living with the chief of staff was stupider. “Thanks, but I’m good,” she said to William’s delight.
But he was still worried just looking at her with Bobby.
Bobby was older than her too, by nearly a decade, but they matched.
Both young, gifted, and black. Both comfortable with each other.
Although Bobby wasn’t from a poverty-stricken background like Joy came from, and he was actually from an upper-middle class bougie background, it was not in the least on par with William’s uber-rich background.
Joy and Bobby matched much more on that level too.
Then Bobby leaned forward. “Can I be honest with you, Joy?”
Joy stared at him. What was this about? “Sure.”
Bobby looked her dead in her eyes. “He’s not possible.”
Joy knew who he meant. But she wasn’t about to presume anything. “Who’s not possible?”
“He doesn’t go for ladies your age. And I mean to the point of disgusted with their immaturity levels. And after what happened to him last year, which was something horrific, he’s an emotional mess.”
“Of course he’s a mess. Who wouldn’t be,” Joy defended William. “But what’s the point of this conversation?”
William inwardly smiled. She had his back even when she thought he wasn’t around. Which was a first for him.
“What I’m saying is that he’s never going to commit to you. I mean never.”
William stared at Joy as a depressing look appeared in her eyes.
“Don’t waste your life, Joy,” Bobby continued. “You deserve better than that.”
William’s heart dropped when Bobby said those words. Because he knew it too.
But he was going too deep for Joy. “Maybe we need to get back to talking about my job duties,” she said.
Bobby exhaled. “You can lead a horse to water.”
“And I’m not interested in drinking right now,” said Joy. “Can we keep it strictly business please?”
William should have felt good that she was at least heeding his advice, but he still felt concerned. And wondered how in the world was he going to ween off of her. Because he was definitely smitten with her too.
Instead of saying anything to either one of them, he left.
Bobby looked at Joy and smiled. “Just trying to be helpful. One big brother to his little sister. I’m just trying to warn you. That’s all.”
Joy frowned. “But warn me of what?”
“Of the ways of William Skeffington. I love the man, don’t get me wrong.
He gave me this job when none of the Fortune 500 companies would give me an interview.
But he’s still a man. A man who’s not looking for love or a wife or a family, or anything like that.
Don’t give that man your heart, is all I’m trying to say. He’ll trample all over it.”
Joy considered him. “How would you know what he’ll do with my heart?”
“Past is prologue, Joy. Past behavior dictates future behavior. And besides all of that: It takes one to know one. That’s how I know.”
Joy was touched by that particular comment. And she could no longer dismiss his concerns. “I’ll try my best to keep my heart to myself,” she said.
Bobby smiled. “That’ll girl! You won’t be sorry.”
She was sorry already.
“Now about that spare bedroom in my house,” Bobby said.
Joy laughed. “You don’t quit, do you?”
“No ma’am, I do not.”
Bobby’s intercom buzzed. He slid his chair over to his desk and pressed the button on his desk phone. “This is Bobby.”
“Sir, is Miss Johnson still in your office?”
Bobby looked at Joy. “She is.”
“Mr. Skeffington wishes to see her. At his car around the back.”
That was odd to Bobby. But Joy had already jumped on her feet. She hadn’t seen William all morning. Not since he left her in the personnel office.
“She’s on her way,” Bobby said and released the button.
“I’ll be back,” Joy said as she hurried for the exit.
“Remember what I told you,” Bobby yelled after her. But she was already gone.