The Assistant (2 page)

I stared at him blankly before I felt my eyelids blink. “Yes, how do I know what paperwork is irr-”

“Mrs. Brown will explain what is and what is not important for me to see or do, and that will become
your
responsibility. Now, if you’re not planning on wasting my time with any more of your imprudent questions, I’m going to leave now.”

I frowned and opened my mouth to defend myself but remembered he was my new boss so I just nodded and began to turn around to leave the office.

“Oh, and Ms. Johnson?” he called out, making me turn back. “I suggest you keep a spare pair of underwear in your drawer at all times as well. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be needing them.” He smirked before dismissing me once again, leaving me confused with his statement.

Why on Earth will I be needing a spare pair of underwear at work?
I thought to myself as I walked over to the room I had seen Mrs. Brown enter previously. “Um, excuse me, Mrs. Brown…?” I knocked on the open door gently.

The woman looked up from the papers in front of her and pulled her glasses back up the bridge of her nose before smiling. “Ah yes, Emily dear. Call me Suzie. Mr. Kingston has briefed you on your job as his assistant, I take it? You’re looking rather confused. Take a seat, I’ll explain it to you in more detail then show you to your new office shortly. Aren’t you excited? This is an excellent job! And great pay, if I do say so myself!” She grinned brightly, and I felt my lips tug into a smile as well.

I mentally agreed with her. It was a great job, I just mentally prayed that I was going to be able to stay sane around the most attractive male in America (literally, he was voted the number one ‘hottie’ in
Cosmopolitan
).

***

“DID YOU GET THE JOB? IS HE REALLY AS HOT AS EVERYONE SAYS HE IS? DID HE MAKE YOUR HEART MELT WITH HIS CHARM? DID YOU HAVE SEX?”

My best friend’s overly excited voice screeched from my iPhone’s speaker.

My eyes widened at the last question and I felt my cheeks getting warmer. Even though she couldn’t see me, I knew Amy was trying to make me squirm. “You’re so blushing right now. I can feel it in my blood! You had sex, didn’t you?! Was he amazing? Ask him to do me!” I heard her sigh and I almost gagged into the speaker.

“Amy!”

“What?” she said innocently.

“We did
not
have sex. It was a formal meeting. He’s pretty rude. And throws a lot of… suggestive comments, but yes, I got the job!” I squealed, grinning at the blank television screen in my apartment.

More squealing erupted from the speaker of my iPhone and I felt my hand automatically move the phone away in order to keep my hearing intact. Once she was done, I placed the phone back on my ear. “Thank you.” I laughed as I heard her catch her breath.

“We have to celebrate tonight! I’ll call Molly and Claire! We’ll go down to-” Her voice got cut off by a soft beep and I frowned and looked at my phone. An unsaved number blinked in my face, signaling that there was someone on the other line. “Sorry Amy, there’s someone else on the line and I don’t have their number saved. We’ll definitely go out to celebrate! Text me the details, okay? Bye!” I quickly hung up and pressed the green button to answer the other call. “Hello?”

“Ms. Johnson, I need you to come in to the office immediately.” It was unmistakably Adrian Kingston’s deep, British voice. My eyes widened in shock. “There is some paperwork here that we need to sort through together and it needs to be sent in by
tonight.
I expect you’ll be here in less than half an hour?”

“Sir, I live a good 20 minutes away from the office. It’ll take me a little longer than half an hour to get there.” I stuttered nervously. A night call
already?
I still didn’t even know the location to my office properly!

“If you stopped complaining over the phone and got moving, it wouldn’t take long at all,” he snapped. “I’ll see you in half an hour.” The line went dead. I detached the phone from my ear and stared uncomprehendingly at the blank screen, before shaking out of my daze and rushing back to my bedroom to get dressed for work.

I called Amy as I pulled out my white business shirt and black pencil skirt and thrashed my pajama bottoms off. Amy answered on the first ring. “Hey! I just confirmed with the girls, they’re up for it!” she said excitedly.

I groaned as I stubbed my toe on the corner of my bed before zipping up my pencil skirt and tucking the shirt in neatly. “Ames, I’m so sorry. He’s already called me in to fill out some paperwork that needed to be mailed by tonight, apparently. I’m so sorry, raincheck?” I asked as I pulled my semi-dry hair into a sleek pony tail and applying a coat of light pink lipstick. Thank god I had natural ringlets that didn’t frizz after every shower I had.

“Already? Damn girl, you’re going to have your work cut out for you! Don’t apologise, it was your celebration drink, you banana!” She laughed, before gasping. “You better be wearing sexy lingerie! Late nights alone in the office with a sex god? I think I can predict what’s going to happen.” I could practically feel Amy wink as I rolled my eyes and put my black pumps on and grabbed the bag I prepared once I got home.

“Amy, get your mind out of the gutter,” I joked. “Anyway, I have to go. He expects me to be there in less than half an hour. I’m so sorry for cancelling on you girls. I’ll make it up to you guys, I promise!”

Amy scoffed. “Shut up! You’re putting the blame on yourself as if you don’t have a good enough reason to be cancelling! Say hi to the sexy beast for me, will you? I’ll let you go now because you’ve just wasted 5 minutes talking to me.”

“I’m a woman. Multi-tasking is in our blood,” I laughed. “I’m leaving my apartment now. Love you!”

We both disconnected the phone and I made my way to call the nearest cab.

This is how it all began.

Chapter One

“Hi, excuse me. I’m so sorry. I’m looking for…” I squinted at the scrunched piece of paper in my hand, trying to make out Suzie’s cursive writing. “I can’t tell if it’s Alien or Allen?” I laughed awkwardly as I felt my cheeks redden.

The Starbucks employee giggled. “It’s definitely Alien. You should see his face.” She winked. “Are you the new assistant for Adrian Kingston? You are
so
lucky. He’s literally the hottest male on this planet! I’ll get Allen for you. He’ll make Adrian’s usual quicker than you can blink! For your benefit, of course.” The teenager giggled again, and I found myself smiling at her bubbly personality.

“Thank you,” I told her gratefully. “Can I also get a latté with two sugars, please?”

“Of course! I’ll brew it myself! I’m a mean latté making machine!” the girl declared with a battle cry.

“Lisa, are you making customers uncomfortable again?” A male voice sounded from behind a wall, causing Lisa to run off to the coffee machine and start on my coffee.

“What? Of course not, Allen! I bring the customers in with my charm. It’s your face that makes them uncomfortable.” Lisa laughed at her own joke and I couldn’t help but let out a small giggle as well. “By the way, Adrian’s new assistant is here! She needs his usual – STAT!”

“Can you at least
try
to remember that I’m the one in charge of this place?” Allen’s voice was much clearer now, as he walked out of a back room while tying an apron around his waist. I caught his eye and his eyebrows instantly shot up in surprise as he gave me a once over. “You’re his new assistant? You look way too smart to consider going for that position.”

I frowned. “What’s wrong with ‘that position’ exactly? I’m perfectly qualified for the job.” I said angrily.

Allen put his hands up as a gesture of defense, and his blue eyes looked at me in amusement. “He picked a sexy
and
feisty one this time. Maybe you’ll last longer than the last one did. I hope you do. You’re pretty interesting.” He smiled at my attitude in approval.

My anger was replaced by confusion. “Um… thank you?” I asked, unsure of how to respond.

“No problem. What’s your name?” he asked as he mixed milk into a large coffee cup.

“Emily Johnson, it’s nice to meet you.” I said, running a hand down the length of my skirt to straighten it out.

“You know she called you Alien when she first walked in here?” Lisa said, laughing as she came up to the counter and handed me my drink. “I mean, I see why. You’re absolutely hideous so I don’t really blame her.” Lisa winked at me cheekily before she ducked down to avoid a swat to the head from Allen.

I looked between them both with wide eyes – partly because I was mortified that she had told him I said that and partly because Allen was about to hit a 17-year-old girl. Lisa must’ve recognised my look before she burst into a fit of laughter again. “Calm down! He’s my older brother!” she explained while punching him on his right arm.

“Oh…” I trailed off awkwardly as I felt my cheeks begin to burn again.

Allen looked up at me and smiled before he handed over the large cup of coffee over the counter. “Thank you. How much is that all together?” I asked, directing the question at no one in particular as I scanned the price board on top of their heads.

“Don’t worry about it,” Allen said, a slight smirk forming on his lips. “This one’s on me – uh, us – think of it as a good luck present for working for him.”

I laughed. “Working for him can’t be
that
bad.”

“He’s my best friend. I think I know him well enough to know that you’ll have to put up with his bitch fit moods and the countless female strangers he’ll invite into his office everyday while
you
do
his
boring work. I give you my condolences!” Allen laughed as I bit my lip and frowned in thought.

“Stop trying to talk me into hating my job already!” I scolded with a smile on my face.

“Trust me shortcake, I don’t need to. I’ll give you a week. Now you better start running back. You’re pretty late.”

I looked over at the clock above the door and let out a shocked squeak. “Thank you for the coffee!” I screamed as I rushed out the door. I faintly heard Lisa and Allen laughing before the shop was out of ear shot.

***

“Emily. How are you dear?” Suzie asked as I placed Adrian’s coffee on his desk and placed the paperwork he had given me yesterday in a neat pile beside it.

“I’m good, thank you. How are you? Did Richard like the shoes you bought him?” I smiled as I walked over to her and gave her a hug. She smelled of lavender and roses.

“He loved them! I knew he would; any pair of shoes that is the colour brown automatically becomes his favourite pair.” She smiled and shook her head at her husband’s behaviour and I grinned. Suzie had told me she and her husband had met while she was writing down notes on what was important and what was unimportant to Adrian. He was her manager at the supermarket she worked at and used to pick on her all the time. Eventually, like all teenagers, they fell in love and have been happily married 38 years.

“Are you sure you’re not tired, sweetie?” she asked in worry. “I know Adrian called you in last night. How long did you two stay here for?”

As if my body was trying to answer for me, a yawn escaped before I could prevent it from happening. “I think until 11:45PM. I got home at about 12:30AM though, so it wasn’t so bad. Plus, I have a yummy latté to help me get through the day.” I grinned as I held up my coffee cup.

Suzie was about to reply but a voice beat her to it. “Ladies. I wasn’t aware that my office had become a gossip site for you two to be hanging around in it.” We both turned to find Adrian at the door with a hard expression on his face – and I gulped.

Great work, Emily. Day 2 and you’re already going to be fired. Allen and Lisa would love to hear this…

I cleared my throat. “Mr. Kingston. Good morning. Suzie and I were just making sure everything was in order for when you arrived, sir. I finished all the paperwork you gave me yesterday and your coffee is here, as you requested. Would you like us to do anything before we leave?” I asked, hoping to cover up for Suzie and myself.

“Suzie can leave.
You
stay with me,” he ordered, moving aside as Suzie scurried out of the office.

“Uh, have I done something wrong?” I asked nervously once Suzie shut the door behind her. He ignored my question and took his seat in front of his desk while reaching for the coffee and taking a sip. I started to pick at my nail in anticipation as I waited for his response – or any sort of interaction for that matter.

“Sit down, Emily,” he muttered as he typed something into his Mac computer.
Okay, he used my first name. This can’t be good.

I sat down on the exact same chair I was interviewed in yesterday and instantly began blushing from the mental images that began to resurface in my head. “Am I being fired?” I blurted unintentionally, letting my nerves get the better of me.

Adrian looked away from the computer screen in front of him to meet my eyes and raise an eyebrow, as an amused smirk formed on his features. “No, Ms. Johnson, you are not being fired. We have business to discuss.” He turned back to the computer screen and typed something.

I felt my shoulders sag in relief as the tension in my body released itself at the mention of my job still being in-tact. I began to play with a lock of hair as I waited quietly for Adrian to explain why I was here, and found myself growing bored and impatient rapidly. After a few more minutes, I looked up with a frown as an impatient sigh escaped my lips – only to find Adrian smirking in my direction.

“What?” I asked in confusion.

“Are you done observing the same strand of hair so we can begin or do I need to give you more time because you might have missed a spot to look at?” he asked flatly, as I dropped my hair back onto my shoulders.

“I was waiting for you to finish what you were doing on the computer!” I exclaimed in disbelief, before quickly adding, “Sir.”

“I don’t really care. I require your full attention at all times. We have a business dinner to attend this Saturday. It’s a black and white dress code and I expect you to be ready and here in my office by 7:45PM sharp. If you’re even 35 seconds late, you’re fired. I don’t know who I’m taking as my +1 yet, so don’t make that official. If worse comes to worst, I’ll just use you. Also, cancel my entire morning schedule, I have-” Adrian was cut off by his office door slamming open. The sound of jingling bracelets and the clacking of heels suddenly dominated the otherwise quiet room.

I turned around to find a tall blonde in a neon orange shirt and white mini skirt parade into the office while adjusting the copious amount of jewelry on her arm. I turned back to Adrian in confusion as he cleared his throat. “I have business to attend to. You can leave now.”

I nodded and turned to leave as the blonde rushed passed me and threw herself at Adrian. “Hey babyyyyyyy.” She dragged on the word before crashing her lips onto his. My eyes widened in shock as I quickened my pace and left the office in shock.

Suzie walked by just as I shut the door behind me, a flabbergasted expression undoubtedly on my face. She began laughing. “Let me guess, you have to cancel his morning schedule?”

I stiffly walked back to my office – dumbfounded by how the random blonde attacked Adrian’s face. “How did you know?” I asked.

“He does this when he’s pissed off over something or – in a very rare case which has only happened twice out of the 15 years I’ve been working here – there was a girl he couldn’t get so he deals with his anger by doing… girls.” Suzie cleared her throat awkwardly.

I scrunched my nose in disapproval. “That
cannot
be healthy.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “We’re all used to it. Every female in this office – except for myself, of course – has been in that office with Adrian for a reason other than discussing business matters. Don’t be surprised when you find about five other girls parade in there throughout the morning.”

I frowned in disapproval as Suzie placed a file on my desk and walked away humming an unfamiliar tune. About 15 minutes went by before a knock at my door interrupted me from sorting out the files left on my desk. I looked up to find a woman dressed similarly to me – a pencil skirt and business shirt – smiling.

“Hi! Is Adrian busy?” She asked, cocking her head to the side as she waited for an answer.

My mind blanked temporarily. What was I meant to say if someone asked for him? “Uh… I’m afraid so. He’s in a meeting at the moment.” I lied, smiling back.

The girl laughed loudly and sat on my desk, knocking a cup of pens over. I frowned at the mess then looked back up at her. “I know he’s having sex. I’m next in line! I just wanted to know if he was done yet.” She winked, making my eyebrows shoot up in shock.

“Do you work here?” I asked curiously as I gathered my pens and put them back in the cup.

She got off my desk and I put the cup back its original position before looking back up at her to find her nodding her head vigorously. “Yup! I’m Anna! Marketing department.” She giggled and pretended to snap photos of me with her fingers.

“Oh… I’m Emily. It’s nice to meet you, Anna.” I smiled, still trying to process the fact that she was waiting for Adrian to have sex with her.

“Likewise! Congratulations on getting the job, by the way! Have you been in his office yet?” She winked again as she fixed her hair in the reflective glass surface of the window.

“Yes? Countless times. He called me in last night as well because we had to finish-”

“YOU’VE BEEN WITH HIM AT NIGHT? FINISH?! HE DIDN’T FINISH WITH YOU? WHY? OH MY GOD! I NEED TO TELL MARY AND NOELLE RIGHT NOW!” Anna exclaimed, rushing to fix her hair.