The Best Is Yet to Come: Novella Bonus for Her Best Match (The Best Girls Book 0) (4 page)

“Uhmm... No, I just think... I’m...”

“How much would you expect to be paid?”

“Well, the job description said the pay was commensurate with experience. And I’ve been an executive assistant for six years.”

“So, what do you think you’re worth, Ms. Hartley?”

“It’s not...”

“Yes, Ms. Hartley?”

“I think I’m worth at least eighty thousand per year, but I would take the job for sixty.”

“Very well.” He spoke in a bored tone, carefully avoiding Katie’s eyes. “That will be all. Ms. Carson. Will you see Ms. Hartley out?”

When Katie shut the door behind the interviewee, she marched to Gherring’s desk with her hands on her hips.

“You’ll never find someone if you keep this up. You didn’t give her a chance. You were rude, and you called her by the wrong name, and you goaded her.”

“Yes, I know. I’m not a very nice man, Ms. Carson. I need to know if my new personal executive assistant can cope with the fact.” His smug response drew her ire.

“That’s not what you’re doing. You’re just trying to sabotage these interviews. But, it’s not going to work. At the end of this day, you need to choose someone. Either from this set of candidates or from the other two sets you’ve already interviewed.” She fumed at him until he imagined steam pouring from her ears.

He regarded her with amusement. He seldom managed to ruffle her calm demeanor. He certainly would miss her if she left to work with Gary.

“Yes, Ms. Carson. Please don’t yell at me.” He winked and grinned.

The wind went out of her sails immediately. “You make me crazy! I can’t wait to get out of here and work at Climbing High.”

He pretended to be hurt. “But won’t you miss me? Even a little?”

“Yes, Mr. Gherring,” she answered, her cool control back in place. “But I’m going to leave you, anyway. No matter what. So you’d better take these interviews seriously.”

“Of course, Ms. Carson. I always take my job seriously. You can send in the next candidate.”

Katie called another interviewee into the room. Once again, Gherring refused to acknowledge the girl’s presence until he had studied her cover letter, resume, and letters of recommendation. When he raised his eyes to the candidate, he found she was still standing before him, having refused to take the chair Katie indicated.

“Would you like to be seated?” he asked.

“Thank you, sir,” she answered, her voice so soft he had to strain to hear her. Her eyes were wide and staring. She sat down slowly, feeling her way into the chair, never taking her eyes off him. What was that emotion he saw? Was it fear? Awe? He expected his employees to respect him, but he couldn’t imagine having a personal assistant who became catatonic in his presence.

“Tell me about yourself, Ms. Everett.” He opted to use her real name since she already appeared to be rattled.

“Uhmm... It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Gherring,” she spoke, her voice almost a whisper.

“I’ll need you to speak up just a bit, Ms. Everett. Can you tell me why you want to work at Gherring Inc.?”

“I just can’t believe I’m really standing here,” she said. “It’s so surreal.”

Steven decided he liked her better when he couldn’t hear what she was saying. He returned his attention to his computer to answer another email. Then he turned back to the girl who still wore the same shocked expression.

“When would you be available to begin working if you were hired?”

“I could start right now!” She smiled with excitement. “Do I have the job?”

“No, Ms. Everett,” he corrected, quickly. “I have to conduct the other interviews before I make a decision. Thank you, Ms. Everett.” He nodded to Katie, who ushered the stiff gaited girl out the door.

“Okay,” Katie said, ruefully. “I admit, that one was a dud. But the next one looks better.”

He glanced at the top of his stack. “Enoch Grant? You really think I want to spend all day every day looking at a male secretary?”

“Don’t try to pretend you’re the kind of boss who choses a secretary for her looks. I know better.”

“Perhaps not, but it does make my day more pleasant.”

“I’m sorry Mr. Gherring, but I happen to know from my investigation you’ve had male executive assistants in the past.”

He smiled. “Okay, I admit it’s true. But I still maintain it’s not my preference.”

“Well you have two men to interview today. So, remember to keep an open mind.”

Katie went to the door and called in the applicant. Once again, Gherring ignored him completely while he studied the components of the resume. This one had impressive credentials—too impressive. Even a Masters Degree in Economics. He wouldn’t stay in the job for more than a year.

“Mr. Grant,” he said, glancing up to find the man studying the diplomas on his office wall. “Are you quite through with your tour?”

“Excuse me, Mr. Gherring,” he said, with a beaming smile. He moved to the desk with long, confident strides. “I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t know you had a degree from Harvard Law School. That’s awesome.” He held out his hand. “Enoch Grant. Nice to meet you. I know, Enoch is a strange name, but I’m kind of a strange guy so it fits. What would you like to know about me? I’ve got a Bachelor’s degree in Business, and a Masters in Economics. I just got out of school, so I don’t have much experience, but I can learn quickly. Oh, and I’m a whiz with computers. I really can do most anything you need around here. And I’m willing to work long hours, because I don’t have a family or a girlfriend, even. Really, is there anything else you need to know?”

Gherring chuckled to himself and shook his head. “Mr. Grant, I’m going to refer you to personnel. If you just graduated, I think we have an internship available in our CMA department. If you succeed there, you’ll have a chance at a long-term position.”

“Are you kidding me? Just like that? Are you serious about this? Because I was willing to be a slave secretary for years just to get a foot in the door.”

“Mr. Grant, you’re overqualified for this position, and frankly it would be a waste of my time and resources to hire you as an executive assistant. But I’ve seen enough to predict you’ll do well in CMA.”

“Thank you, sir! Wow! This is the best day of my life!” He pumped Gherring’s hand a few more times before allowing Katie to direct him to the personnel department.

The afternoon continued, until Gherring had dispensed with the last resume on his stack. He sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers on his chest.

“Ah, Ms. Carson. It seems we’ve come to the end of our possible candidates, and none of them are suitable for the position. Perhaps we should table our efforts until after the wedding. Although, I would say Ms. Jones could be a perfect fit for Climbing High.”

“There’s one more applicant.” Katie handed him a single sheet of paper.

“I don’t have time to interview another applicant.” He refused to accept the paper from her hand. “We’ll have to reschedule for another day. It’s already five o’clock.” He scowled and began to pack his briefcase.

“This one came from out of state. And she’s been waiting for her turn since one-thirty. You’ll simply have to stay and do the interview now.”

“Fine!” he growled. “But I’m going to have a cup of coffee, first.”

“But, she’s been waiting all afternoon,” Katie objected.

“Ms. Carson, a cup of coffee, if you please. With the mood I’m in right now, she won’t want to meet me until I’ve had a cup of coffee.” He glared at her until she placed the paper on his desk and moved to pour him a cup of coffee. He felt the blood throbbing in his head again. The ibuprofens had obviously worn off.

Unbidden, his eyes roved to the sheet of paper lying in front of him. Surely, this was a joke. The resume had more personal information than work experience. It was an older woman, according to the birthdate, forty-five years of age. Her education consisted of a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. And she currently resided in Weatherford, Texas.

He smiled to himself. This would be fast and easy, and she’d be on her way back to Texas. And then he’d convince Katie to remain as his assistant. He had this under control.

“Open the door, Ms. Carson
.
But, I’ll call her in.” Gherring decided he would make quick work of intimidating this woman, thus putting an end to this interview and this interminable day.

“Ms. Best!” he called out, in his most authoritative voice. Then he picked up a file and pretended to study it carefully, while ignoring her presence as he had all the others. There followed several minutes of tedious silence, during which time Katie refilled his coffee cup. The applicant was so quiet he wasn’t certain she’d even entered the room. But he resisted the temptation to lift his eyes from the reading material on his desk.

He heard Katie say, “May I offer you some refreshments, Ms. Best? Coffee? Tea? Water?”

Oh, no. He didn’t want the woman to be comfortable. He wanted this interview to end quickly. He frowned at Katie.

“That won’t be necessary, Ms. Carson. Please, leave us alone.”

“Yes, Mr. Gherring,” Katie murmured, turning to leave the office. He knew she would leave the door open for propriety, but the woman would feel more unsettled if she was alone in his presence. He still refused to make eye contact with the applicant, but his side vision told him she remained standing.

“Wait,” the woman spoke in a sharp tone. “Uhmm... Ms. Carson? Please wait.
Yes
, thank you. I would
love
some water.”

His eyes flew up. The woman had countermanded his orders. Albeit, in a captivating Southern accent, she had nonetheless spurned his authority with her words. She stood with her back to him in defiance, waiting for Katie to respond. He took the opportunity to peruse her form. She was tall and slender, with thick brown hair. Her clothes weren’t very impressive, but she had a nice pair of legs. Runner’s calves he surmised. To his surprise, he felt a bit of attraction. But he couldn’t let that stop him from putting her in her place.

Katie was still standing by the door, frozen in place. She was probably waiting for him to erupt. But he held his temper back, as he spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“Well, Ms. Carson, what are you waiting for? Please retrieve some water at once for our honored patron, Ms. Pest.”

The woman swirled around quickly and spoke with an acid tongue, while her body trembled with fury.

“My name is Anne
Best
. And I can see this interview is a waste of my time and a waste of your resources. Sorry to have inconvenienced you.”

But when she locked eyes with him, his heart lurched in his chest. The woman was glorious in her anger. Her large, chocolate-brown eyes flashing passionately, while a few unruly brown locks escaped from their confining barrette to frame her face. She had a small, pert nose with high cheekbones. Her beauty was natural. He could detect little in the way of makeup, as opposed to the perfectly powdered, flawless faces of the previous applicants. He found himself studying her lips, and wondering if they were as soft and pliant as they appeared. He also wondered if she would kiss as passionately as she’d defended her name.

Suddenly, her entire demeanor changed. She began to blink at tears, mumbling, “Sorry. It was a mistake to come.” Before he realized what was happening, she was trying to push past Katie. She was leaving. Before he’d even had a chance to talk to her.

“Wait!” he called out. Still she continued her retreat. He was moving toward her now. He had to stop her. He summoned all of his authority and placed it in his voice, “I said,
wait
!” This time she hesitated, and he reached her just as she looked over her shoulder.

“Please.” Now he softened his tone. “I meant to say,
please wait
.” He touched her elbow to guide her back into the room. His hand felt sparks where their skin met. He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and hold her against him. He felt the need to comfort her, repenting of his efforts to cow her into submission.

“Please, Ms. Best, would you come back and sit down? I’ve obviously started off on the wrong foot with you. I’ve given you a bad impression.”

He led her to sit down in front of the desk and motioned for Katie to bring water. Feeling satisfied he was back in control of the situation, he said, “And you’ve given me an
interesting
impression as well.”

She flashed a grateful smile at Katie as she took the proffered water in trembling hands. He found himself jealous the smile wasn’t directed at him. He tried to analyze her behavior. There was only one explanation. She didn’t recognize him. She didn’t realize she was interviewing with Steven Gherring. He hid his delight at the thought. It would be fun to watch her face when she realized who he was.

“Shall we begin again?” he said. “Do you know who I am, Ms. Best? Let me introduce myself. I’m Steven Gherring. I’ll be interviewing you today for the position of my personal executive assistant.”

He waited for the information to sink in. But instead of the surprise and embarrassment he expected to see on her face, her expression was blank. She gave him a fake smile and stuck out her hand.

“Pleased to meet you Mr. Gherring. My name is Anne Best.”

He was confounded by her response. “Perhaps you’ve heard my name before,” he suggested. But she denied his claim with a shake of her head. “Well, I’m sure you know of my company, Gherring Inc.?”

“Do y’all make car parts?”

“No. I’m afraid not. We’re an international trade company with holdings...” His voice trailed off as realization flooded his consciousness. “You mean you really have no idea who I am? No idea at all?” He noticed Katie standing near the coffee pot, struggling to control her mirth.

“Well, no. I’m sorry. The recruiter just said y’all were in the Town Center Economic Tower, on the top floor.”

“Yes,” said Gherring with exasperation. “That’s because we, or I,
own
the tower. I’m the chairman of Gherring Inc.”

It was preposterous. Amazing, but preposterous. This woman who’d somehow captivated his interest in a matter of minutes had no earthly idea who he was. The one time when he would have been glad to use his fame to secure her attention, his notoriety had no effect whatsoever. He’d never felt so powerless.

“Nice to meet you, again, Mr. Gherring.” She smiled sardonically. “You’ve probably heard of me as well. Anne Best? Sole owner of a twenty five hundred square foot home in Weatherford, Texas?”

He closed his slack jaw with effort. For the first time in his life, he had no idea how to proceed. “You’re not what I expected, Ms. Best.”

“Neither are you, Mr. Gherring.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. He watched as a myriad of emotions flashed across her face. When two bright red spots appeared on her cheeks, she grabbed her glass and gulped the water so rapidly she began to choke.

“Are you alright, Ms. Best?” He thought to pound her on the back, but decided she might run away again if he attempted to touch her.

She nodded furiously, while obviously trying to regain her composure.

Gherring picked up the paper Katie had presented him before the interview. “Let’s talk about your qualifications for this job. You have a B.A. in Chemistry, and you worked part time as a travel agent. Hmmm….”

He stared at her resume. Then he flipped the single page over to see the blank backside.

“You don’t seem to have any actual experience as a personal executive assistant. Am I missing something, Ms. Best?”

Her eyes flashed with anger again and she propped her hands on her hips. He’d seen that look on Gram’s face before, but no one else had dared to look at him like that.

“Well, if a personal executive assistant is someone who organizes someone’s life and work, acquires all the needed tools and supplies, keeps the person’s schedule, finds calm in the midst of chaos, and works countless hours in a thankless job... What you really need is a mother, and I have twenty-three years of experience!”

A painful silence fell on the room. He contemplated the woman, Anne Best, who sat a few feet away from him. He was at a loss. What was he supposed to do about her? She really had no qualifications for the job. But if he didn’t hire her, she would walk out of the office, fly back to Texas, and he would never see her again. Something told him he would regret it for the rest of his life if he let her go.

Finally, he broke the silence. “Well, Ms. Best…” He spoke in a deliberate voice, but he couldn’t quite hide the hint of a smile. “You make an interesting argument. Perhaps you’re just what I need. It might be an absolute disaster. But somehow, I think I’d always wonder what would’ve happened if I didn’t give you a try.”

He warmed at the thought of having her near him every day. She would be tempting and trying, complicated and obstinate, sweet and gentle, alluring and aloof. Anne Best would be many things, but she would not be boring.

“You’ll begin in two weeks on Monday at eight a.m. sharp. There will be a three-month trial period. Please talk to Ms. Carson about the details. Thank you.”

He immediately turned his attention to his laptop, pretending to read and answer emails. He maintained a calm, unperturbed appearance, even as he felt his heart racing. He felt… What was it? He felt challenged. He felt anticipation. He felt
alive
.

From the corner of his eye he saw her stand up. She remained standing in front of the desk, as if she were waiting for him to change his mind. After several moments, he looked up, his eyes locked with hers in a powerful, magnetic gaze. He stood up unhurriedly, moving carefully so as not to frighten her. He leaned across the desk and reached out to touch her hand. He felt the sizzle of her touch deep inside.

“Did you want to say something else, Ms. Best?” He bit his lip to stop himself from laughing at her startled expression.

She jerked her hand away as if it’d been burned. “No... Just... thank you. You won’t regret it!” She backed away awkwardly before bolting from the room.

“I hope you’re right,” he murmured, watching her fleeing form.

Katie stared at him, her mouth agape.

“What? I hired someone. Are you happy?”

“Yes, Mr. Gherring. Astonished, but happy,” she said, as a huge smile slid onto her face. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to your new personal executive assistant before the clock strikes twelve and her carriage turns into a pumpkin.”