Chapter 2 Ella #2
I look at my watch. It’s eight thirty-five. Shit!
I run up to the west entrance of the Langford Holdings building and hurry through the turnstile doors. It’s already nine fifteen. I’m so late!
I plop down on the modern settee to my right, yank off my sneakers and socks, and shove them into my oversized purse.
Then I pull on the hideous silver disasters, wincing at the tight fit, and race to the elevator, stripping off my hoodie as I go.
The entire ride up to my floor, I shift nervously on my feet, which already hurt in these god awful shoes, worried that I have no idea what I’m walking into.
I don’t know what’s going on with our department today, but whatever it is doesn’t seem good.
The elevator dings, and I rush out, heading to the conference room on the marketing and PR floor. Through the glass windows, I can see that the meeting is well under way. I take a deep breath and pray.
Here we go.
I pull open the door as quietly as I can, but all eyes immediately snap to me.
“I’m so sorry,” I say quietly, but profusely, as I make my way to the table. But a few steps into the room, I freeze. And then my soul exits my body. And then it re-enters, and I wonder if I’m seeing things or if I’ve gone insane.
Mr. Langford is standing at the head of the conference table.
Mr. Asher Langford—the CEO of the company—is in our little conference room, seemingly heading up this meeting.
What is he doing here?
His eyes pierce me, and I don’t breathe. For two reasons. One, the shock of him being here in our PR meeting. And two, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. I’ve only seen pictures of him until now, and I can say with certainty that they don’t do him full justice.
The smart part of my brain is screaming at me to stop staring and to get moving, and the idiot part of my brain is still frozen, completely hypnotized by him.
His deep navy suit hugs his tall, broad frame, and his dark hair contrasts with his bright, crystal blue eyes.
Also, his jaw could cut glass. Oh, and his lips are perfect.
He looks like a model and businessman in one package.
It’s so much to take in that my brain is struggling to fire . . .
Until I notice that his glare could burn a hole through me. Everyone in the room has stopped taking notes, and their heads bounce back and forth between me, the idiot stuck like a deer in the headlights, and the annoyance bordering on hostile anger rolling off of Mr. Langford.
“Thank you for your punctuality,” Mr. Langford sneers. “Would you like to have a seat so we can continue?”
My brain finally snaps back into place, and I hurry forward. The room is loaded with silence, so every footstep of the atrocity that is these shoes can be heard on the tiled floors as I make my way to the only open seat—which is of course at the front of the table right next to Mr. Langford.
All eyes and ears remain on me as I sit and set my things down.
I lift my laptop bag and start to unzip it, cringing as the z-z-z-z-z of the zipper sounds like it’s magnified by a microphone.
When I finally set my laptop on the table and open it, I can still feel the burn of all the eyes in the room on me, and I want to crawl into a hole.
“What’s your name?” Mr. Langford snaps.
I look up and clear my throat. He’s staring straight at me. Of course it’s me he’s asking.
“Ella,” I say in a small voice. “Ella Hale.”
“Well, Ms. Hale, this meeting started at nine o’clock. Can you tell me why it is that you’re stumbling in here at nine twenty?” he asks, checking his stupidly expensive watch.
“I . . .”
“Ella has been on remote work from home, sir,” Emily chimes in, and I could kiss her.
“She was not alerted of the meeting until almost eight thirty this morning. And she’s living at a place all the way across town.
I told her to get here as soon as she could.
I’m sure she got here as fast as possible in the New York morning commute. ”
Mr. Langford’s eyes snap back and forth between Emily and me. “And why have you been working remotely? I didn’t think this department operated in that fashion.”
“It normally doesn’t, sir,” Emily says. “But Ella had some extreme personal circumstances that made it a necessity for her. And now that she’s been assigned to this team, I’ve let her know that her remote work will no longer be feasible. Ella will be in the office like normal from now on.”
Mr. Langford looks down at a paper, then looks back up at Emily. “I don’t see Ella Hale on this list. Why is she on this team?”
“I added her at the last minute this morning. I feel like she’ll be a great addition.”
Mr. Langford looks me up and down with barely veiled disgust. “How so?”
My cheeks heat. God, I want to melt into my chair.
“Ella is one of our best with marketing and content creation.”
“This is PR and image.”
“Yes, but I think that this project will need a more comprehensive strategy, and content creation could play a large role in that. We can’t undervalue a strong social media strategy.
Ella excels at selling without the consumer even realizing they’re being advertised to.
In this case, we’re selling you and your new image, but it has to feel authentic.
If it feels forced or heavy handed in any way, we will get backlash.
I think a subtle, nuanced approach is key. ”
“And you think she is the one to provide that?” he asks, his voice dripping with disbelief as he takes in my hideous outfit, which is anything but subtle or nuanced.
“I do,” Emily says, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.
“This morning has been a bit of a whirlwind for all of us. This new assignment is a surprise to the entire department, but I assure you, you’re in good hands.
We will create a strategy that is sure to accomplish the board’s directives.
Ella will be a vital part of that; she is an exemplary employee.
She’s just had a shock of a morning, like the rest of us. ”
I can’t believe she’s sticking her neck out like this for me. This is Asher Langford, and she’s standing in my corner against him. He could fire her on the spot if he felt like it. I owe Emily—big time.
“I will trust your judgment for now,” he says to Emily.
Then he turns to me and his expression drips with disdain again.
“I will not tolerate sloppy behavior like this. This is your one and only chance, Ms. Hale. From here on out, you will not be late, you will not be disruptive, and if you don’t perform, you will be off this team and potentially fired. Do you understand?”
I nod, searching for my voice. “Yes, sir.”
Embarrassment and anger rise inside me. This man may be the owner of this company and one of the richest and most powerful men on the planet, but he’s a jerk. How was I supposed to make it on time when I had to commute in only thirty-five minutes? He’s completely unreasonable.
He clenches his jaw then drops the packet of paper he’s holding onto the table and takes a step back. He looks up at Emily. “I’m going to take a ten-minute break. You can get Ms. Hale up to speed, and I’ll be back.”
He practically stomps across the room and slams the door behind him as he goes. He hates me. He truly hates me, and he’s not even trying to hide it.
Everyone’s eyes are wide as saucers and staring at me again, and I wish the earth would swallow me whole. I don’t think I’ve ever made a worse first impression before. Yay for firsts.
And fuck my life.