Don’t think about that asshole today. She closed her eyes and forced a deep soothing breath. You’ve got bigger things to deal with today.
Make-up done, she made her way down in the elevator of her condo. The view of the South Bank of the Thames was visible from the glass walls of the elevator. Outside, she stepped into the sleek private Mercedes SUV.
“Morning ma’am,” said Jacek, her driver.
Jacek had been driving her to work every day for the last three years. Was he really the only guy she saw regularly? She was beginning to realize she had spent too long on her own. She was twenty-six. Wasn’t she supposed to be dating disposable guys? Hell, where would she even begin to look for a man who could handle someone with such a mapped-out daily routine and not feel threatened?
24
“Everyone, this is Nick. He’s our new intern,” said Nancy. “He’ll be Selena’s PA.”
Nick smiled and gave the marketing and development team a simple nod.
“So, this is your desk,” she said gesturing behind him. Nancy was stern and foreboding, in a headmistress sort of way. “At first, you’ll be inputting notes and data that the team give you. In essence, you record everything that goes on. At all times.” Her eyes widened, as if warning him to take those words as a life motto from this day forward. “Once you master that, I’ll pass off the other responsibilities of looking after Selena.”
“Gotcha,” he said with a smile. Nancy pursed her lips. Nick tried again, more formally this time, “Certainly.”
“Okay,” she said, eyeing his white shirt and dark jeans. “Get your iPad and papers ready for the meeting at eleven.”
Nick sighed as he sat at his new station. The place might look like a girly magazine blew up in here, but it was all very serious. Not like whipping up a few gin cocktails. But this job would pay a lot more than bar work and give him corporate experience. Besides, he could fit his studies around this. It was a win-win set up.
The first two hours zoomed by as Nick was handed all sorts of files from ideas to notes from meetings and he plowed through the paper with ease. Eleven arrived and the team rose from their seats and chattered excitedly as they made their way towards the conference room.
Everyone took their places at an enormous rectangular table. The bright room had wall-to-ceiling windows showcasing London’s skyscrapers.
He sat stiffly in an end seat. He didn’t want to be at an end, but it was the only space left, other than the most obvious grand leather chair at the opposite end of the table, which was clearly for the boss. Way to draw attention to yourself, as if you didn’t stand out enough as the newbie. Now you’re heading up one end of the table. He tried to relax.
The door opened and Nancy entered first, holding a black leather folio and a glass of water. She placed those at the head of the table for Selena, who followed after. Before sitting in the executive seat, Selena greeted everyone with a smile.
Nick glanced up and then started in surprise. Her blond hair was pulled neatly back into a bun. Wide blue eyes. Little trim body. She wasn’t like most women he dated, who were obvious in their beauty. Her make-up was minimal, but her skin was smooth, clear, vibrant. She didn’t need the war paint. It was her simple understated sexiness that rendered him mute. She wasn’t classically beautiful, but the intelligence in her eyes held him rapt. Fuck. His dick twitched as if to say, “Yeah, tosser. Good luck keeping me in your pants.”
“Thanks for coming everyone. We’ve got some exciting things to discuss today.” She took her seat, opened her file and stopped short as her eyes met Nick’s at the opposite end of the table.
“Oh, hello,” she said abruptly. “New faces today?” She eyed Nancy.
Nancy muttered, almost apologetically, “This is your new intern Miss Day. I didn’t get time to tell you yesterday. This is Nick. He’ll be acting as your PA for the foreseeable.”
“Well then, welcome,” said Selena, her lips tipping into a small smile. “Although, you may have to find another seat,” she added gently, as Nancy marched her way down the length of the room to her seat, where he sat.
“Oh,” he muttered, stiffening. “Is this your seat?”
“Usually, yes,” Nancy said dryly.
Someone darted out the door and returned a moment later, dragging in an extra seat and offering it to Nick with a smile.
“Thanks.”
Selena began the meeting at breakneck speed, and Nick attempted to stay on top of it. The acronyms were going to kill him, but he’d figure it out. This was what he’d worked for. He belonged here. All he had to do was not stare at his new boss. Easy right?
Yep, easy, as long as he didn't fucking look at her. Mate, sort yourself, or you will cock up your new gig. He watched her pink, glossy lips as they spilled forth important facts at high speed. Her smooth, tanned skin was all Nick could focus on for a moment as she reached her slender arm forward to pass around some papers. Her fitted dress gave more than a hint of her rounded breasts. Focus Nick. You’re not a horny twat. She’s your boss. Yeah, she’s pretty, but not worth losing your shit over.
There was also something aloof about her, except he got the impression she wasn’t. She was focused. In command. Even in that simple dress she was striking. Her honey-coloured hair pulled back only emphasised those huge blue eyes, hiding behind sooty black lashes.
“Nick?” Selena said. The papers had reached him and halted. The person to his left nudged him, waiting for them to be passed over.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“It’s okay. You’ll get up to speed,” she offered with a warm smile. She turned her attention to the room. “I need a really strong team on this one. No room for errors. Pierre Berest, owner of Mada Department Stores in France, wants us to develop a bespoke range for their flagship store in Paris.”
A flutter of chatter erupted. This was clearly big stuff.
“In two weeks, I will be heading over there to launch discussions. I’ll need ideas to take with me, samples and a projection of what we can roll out. I need a team.”
“I’ve always wanted to go to Paris,” one of the staff said, before clasping her hands over her mouth.
Nick looked between the brunette and Selena. That’s cute, sweetheart, but I’ll be the one going to Paris. Yeah, cocky maybe, but he actually had a few things going for him. For starters, he spoke fluent French. He might not have grown up on a housing estate, but one of his best mate’s mothers had been French and he’d taken it in school. And when he’d gotten the scholarship to boarding school, he’d found he had an aptitude for languages. His German wasn’t half bad and he could manage in Italian. He always remembered what his headmaster had said, “It’s not where you’ve been, but where you’re going.” And he was getting the fuck away from his past.
Selena laughed. “Don’t get too excited yet. This first meeting will just be with a skeleton team, to get things off the ground. If things go well, I may well take you all over for the launch. But there is a lot of work to be done first.”
The meeting came to a close and Nick went to stand, but the perky brunette gave him a warning shake of the head. Everyone stayed seated as Selena rose from her chair, bid a polite goodbye and left the room. Nancy waddled after her.