Chapter 13 #2
“Yes. For example, guests may have allergies or special preferences. If someone’s vegan, histamine-intolerant, diabetic, or avoids certain foods for religious reasons, I arrange alternatives so Gabriel can provide a smooth, pleasant reception.”
Sally nods.
“Of course, this also includes any information he needs for specific subjects, depending on the client. Then there’s communication management, where you largely support me.
Emails or calls that you filter ahead, I handle or discuss with Gabriel.
I can also draft emails for him, so he just has to read and approve.
Communication with lawyers or employees is part of it too. Preparing presentations.”
Pretty much anything that takes work off his plate.
“Usually travel planning too. Right now, he booked the flight to Rome himself, but eventually I’ll handle all travel—hotels, flights, the works.”
“The works?”
“For example, when the driver takes us to the airport, or which items are allowed in the suitcase. Some countries prohibit certain items. And we need to be careful with expensive items like luxury watches, purchase contracts or receipts. Those must always come along to avoid extra customs fees.”
“Even if they belong to you?” she marvels.
"Oh yeah. If you can’t prove they’re yours, customs might think you’re planning to sell them for a profit. That can get really expensive. Some countries will even put you in pre-trial detention without blinking. Switzerland’s very strict about that."
Sally swallows.
"But researching hotels or nice places is often requested too, in case you’ve got time to actually see the country. At the very least, you’ve got to be prepared. Or if you need a vaccination, otherwise you might not even be allowed to travel. That has to be planned ahead."
I love those kinds of challenges.
"But the customs of a foreign country are also important. Are you supposed to tip? Which traditions and customs are so different from ours that we might accidentally do something wrong and get arrested or even deported? In Singapore, for example, it’s illegal to chew gum.
Tourists have it confiscated. That can cause problems at the airport. "
"Chewing gum?" she asks in disbelief.
I nod and explain: "You need a prescription for it. Singapore got tired of gum stuck everywhere in the streets. That’s how they got it under control."
"Unbelievable..."
"Or in Malaysia. It’s illegal to wear yellow there.
It was considered a symbol of the opposition movement Bersih.
They used yellow as a symbol of democracy back then—I think it was in 2011.
" I pause briefly. "Technically, it’s only banned at protests, but you should still be careful since it’s seen as a political symbol.
That includes jewelry, shoes, bags, buttons—anything really. "
"That’s intense."
Yeah, it really is.
"I also keep an eye on ongoing projects. Waiting periods. Organizational matters in that regard. Some financial management falls under my responsibilities too."
"Wait, even salaries?" she asks, surprised.
"No, not that. It’s more about overseeing expenses for reimbursements, restaurant visits, and similar things. But I do have to monitor budget compliance for projects. I’m also in close contact with accounting to make sure nothing goes wrong there."
"That’s a lot of work for one person," Sally murmurs, impressed. I take a sip of tea and smile.
"That’s not even everything yet."
"No?" she asks, still amazed.
"I’m also the contact person and go-between for the executives at EDL. I’ve got to make sure all the important information flows smoothly. And I make sure confidential information only gets discussed with the right people. Confidentiality clauses and all that."
"Wow… that’s really…" She looks at me curiously. "That was everything, right?"
"I also handle personal stuff. I buy gifts, make restaurant reservations for private meetings, or take his suits to the dry cleaners. So basically, you could say I organize his life so he can focus on the essential and important things and keep an overview."
"Wow. How do you manage all that?"
"Well, today’s my first day. I’ve gotten familiar with the apps, had a few conversations with department heads, introduced myself, made some overviews and…
picked up his suits from the dry cleaner.
" I glance at my watch. "And now I’m finishing my tea fast because I still have to create a project folder he needs tonight. "
"Okay, then I won’t keep you," she murmurs awkwardly.
"If you could pre-sort the emails for me, I’d be incredibly grateful. That saves me a huge amount of work."
"Really?" Sally looks at me hopefully.
"Of course. Otherwise, I’d have to read every single one and decide if it’s important or not. By pre-sorting, you save me hours."
"Oh. Right." She smiles happily. I think that reassured her. If she keeps working on herself, she’ll soon be able to take on even more tasks from me. That’ll help not only her salary but also her confidence.
"Thanks for the tea. If you need anything, you’ve got my number."
She nods eagerly and takes my cup. It’s actually pretty nice to have a mini-assistant for stuff like this.
I just wonder how I’m supposed to juggle all these tasks with Rosie.
These are really two jobs. But knowing Catherine, Rosie will probably only be with Gabriel one or two days a week.
Sometimes longer. In a few weeks, I’ll be fully trained, and it’ll get easier.
And if worst comes to worst, I’ll just need a second assistant to take some of the load, so I have more time for Gabriel and Rosie.
Shortly after 7 PM, Gabriel and I leave the office. I’m pretty exhausted—more emotionally than physically. The flood of information and memorizing new faces drained me more than I thought it would.
“So? How are you feeling? Did you enjoy your first day at EDL?” Gabriel asks as he settles beside me in the limo. He’s still on the tablet flipping through the presentation that needs to be emailed out tonight. That’s why he’s not looking at me, keeping his stern gaze locked on my pages instead.
“Very good. I’ve already taken care of dinner. It’ll be delivered in an hour, so you’ll have enough time to focus on work.” Gabriel perks up and glances at me briefly. “Today I happened to have a phone call with Merzedes Gonzales.” His favorite chef, who runs the Red Chair restaurant in London.
“You spoke to her?” he asks.
“Yes. And she’s preparing something exclusively for us, which she’ll have delivered by one of her staff.”
“What did I do to deserve such an honor?” he asks, but he’s smiling.
“She apparently had a very good day after receiving her delivery from you.”
“I see.” Gabriel smiles and turns his attention back to the documents.
A spark of jealousy flares inside me, because this star chef isn’t just one of the most talented in London, but also one of the country’s hottest bachelorettes.
She’s 28, with black hair and devastating charm that thousands of men fall for.
Every year, men’s magazines line up, now offering over a million pounds for her to pose in erotic photos.
I know the stories. And now I’d had the pleasure of speaking with her personally. She’s so taken with Gabriel that I suspect they once had a fling. Well, what man would push such an incredible woman out of his bed?
Did he seduce her in his bedroom?
I swallow hard and try not to think about it further, but my thoughts are boiling. A man like Gabriel will probably never commit to anyone. And if he does, he won’t be faithful. I hate thinking this way—it feels like a compulsion I can’t suppress. I’m annoyed with myself, but I can’t stop.
Right now, I’m the woman in Gabriel’s life who’s closest to him. I’m always near him, and yet I’m also the woman furthest from what I secretly long for, just a little…
Or maybe a little more.
We reach his mansion and get out of the limo. I carry his bag while he powers down the tablet before we reach the door.
"It's perfect. I just sent it off. Thank you. You've saved me hours of work. You freed up my evening."
"That's my job," I answer with a smile, unlocking the door so we can go in. The food should arrive in about fifty minutes. I’m really curious about what this star chef has come up with.
"I noticed we imported Anzer honey from Turkey for her, among other things. Also, pistachios and saffron."
"Yes, exactly. She was one of the first to request pistachios, even before the Dubai chocolate trend went viral. If we’re lucky, we might get some of the confections she made today. They’re in high demand right now."
"I love pistachio ice cream. It’s crazy how everyone’s making something with pistachios these days—creams, pralines. It’s become a real trend."
"Calculated. The harvest was good, and the countries wanted to increase exports. So, they create trends, and suddenly everyone wants a certain product. Right now, it’s pistachios; next year it’ll be something else. Totally normal."
"Oh, really? I see."
"I have absolutely no objection. It can happily continue like this for a while." These green nuts have always been my favorite. Although, if I remember correctly… "Pistachios are seeds, right?"
"That’s right. Many people think they’re nuts, but they’re actually edible seeds of the pistachio stone fruit. Similar to cherries." Gabriel looks at me, astonished. "I’ve never met anyone who isn’t a chef and knew that."
"Well, I’m always full of surprises." Lucky me—I’d read that somewhere once. At least I could impress him a little.
We head to the kitchen, have a drink, and chat about my first day at work. We go over the day until he finally asks, "Have you made a decision yet?"
"Not yet. I haven’t even told my parents or my best friend that I’m here—I want to let it sink in first. Honestly… I already love this job, and the pay is more than generous. But I don’t want to rush anything. And no…" I can’t help smiling. "I don’t want to negotiate or squeeze out more money."