“One training session should be okay. Let me look at my schedule and get back to you.”
“Great. Let me know and I’ll move everything around to make it work.”
“Sounds good, Easton. You’ll hear from me soon.”
Chapter 7
Maya
Two weeks later, I reported for work at the West Coast corporate office of Project Helpers. The Radcliffe building was located in Brentwood and had ten floors with the Human Resources Department occupying the top level, along with Easton’s personal office.
My official title was Human Resources Coordinator, though it was only a slight step up from an admin. I would mostly assist with paperwork, but if I did well, there was an opportunity for advancement in the future. And the salary was significantly higher than I’d expected. I was humbled that Easton was giving me this chance. He didn’t owe me a job because of a bad date or even because of our history. As hard as it was for me to admit, it said something about his character that he was trying to make it up to me, though perhaps it was less about his integrity and more about Charlotte’s persistence.
I laughed as a thought occurred to me. Now that I was his employee, there was no chance of us having a second date, not that I would have considered it, anyway. He was the last person I would ever go out with, but he probably felt the same way, especially after I dumped that chicken on his head. Charlotte must have been in la-la land when she set us up.
“Let me give you a tour of the building,” Mr. Layman said in a friendly tone, “and I’ll introduce you to the staff as well.” He was my direct supervisor, and I liked him instantly. He was very professional, and I sensed he would treat me fairly.
“Thank you. I’m excited to meet everyone.”
After the tour, Mr. Layman—who insisted I call him George—introduced me to the human resources team which consisted of Bruce Hill, Paige Nelson, Laurie Hernandez, and Deanna Baker. All were friendly but claimed they hadn’t received a heads up that they were getting a new member of the team. They kept exchanging confused glances, and I couldn’t help but feel a little awkward.
“I wish Easton had mentioned you,” Laurie said, appearing bewildered. She touched her perfectly styled brown hair, and I wondered how much hairspray it took to make it that stiff. “We would have discussed what tasks to give you ahead of time.”
We talked for a few minutes, and I learned she was close to retirement, and Paige was in her early fifties. Both women seemed extremely confident in their jobs.
“Laurie and Paige have seniority here,” George said. “They’ve been with the company for over twenty years.”
“We definitely need the help.” Paige lifted an eyebrow. “You look fresh out of college. Is this your first position in human resources?” Her tone wasn’t unfriendly exactly, but I could feel her assessing me as if trying to figure out how I fit in.
“It’s my second. I used to work at LAPicnics as a human resources admin.”
“That’s Deanna’s current position,” Paige said, nodding in Deanna’s direction.
Deanna stepped forward and extended her hand. She appeared to be in her early twenties and had strawberry blonde hair that was styled in a bob with layers in the back. Her blue eyes sparkled when we shook hands. “Nice to meet you. If you need anything at all, let me know and I’ll assist however I can.”
“Thank you.” There was a kindness about her that made me feel at ease right away, and I had a feeling I was going to like her.
Bruce stepped up and shook my hand. “Looks like we’ll be office mates. George informed me of that earlier this morning.” He appeared to be in his early thirties with a head full of messy brown hair that looked as if it wouldn’t behave with even the strongest gel. Black-framed glasses rested on his nose, and he had a good-natured smile.
“Hope that’s okay with you,” I said, feeling awkward once again.
“It’s fine,” George said, speaking for Bruce with a wave of his hand. “The office has plenty of space, and Laurie and Paige have seniority so they have their own offices.” He looked at Deanna. “Her office won’t fit a second desk.”
I glanced at Bruce nervously, but he only smiled and rubbed the back of his head, his eyes glued to my face as if he recognized me from somewhere. “I don’t mind at all. It’s a great idea, actually.”
Relieved that he seemed okay with it, I nodded and smiled back at him. The rest of the morning was spent getting situated in my new office and talking to Bruce. While he’d been somewhat shy when we were introduced, I was quickly learning he talked nonstop when given the chance, and while it eased some of the tension of starting a new job, it was a little off-putting at times. George had handed me an employee manual, and my task was to read through the entire thing. I did my best to make progress in between Bruce’s stories about past jobs.
The afternoon passed slowly, and I kept my head down, reading as quickly as I could in order to complete my task after Bruce had talked my ear off. The door was wide open, but I glanced up when I sensed someone in the doorway.
Easton stood there, his eyes practically boring a hole through me. His blonde hair fell over his forehead and a muscle in his jaw tensed as if making contact with me was a task he didn’t enjoy. He cleared his throat. “Hello, Maya. How is your day going so far? I meant to stop by sooner, but I got caught up with something.”
Bruce glanced up, appearing startled at the sound of his voice, and he straightened in his chair as if coming to attention. His good-natured vibe turned more sober and alert. “Morning, Easton.”
“Bruce.” Easton greeted him but didn’t take his eyes off of me, unnerving me with the full force of his gaze. He looked like a GQ model in his black suit, the jacket fitting snugly over his broad shoulders.
He was looking at me as if I were the only person in the room, and it was doing funny things to my stomach. The air grew thick and my head felt a little fuzzy. I had to remind myself that he wasn’t someone I could ever be with. That could not happen.
He was waiting for me to answer his question, so I smiled. “It’s going well so far. Everyone has been welcoming and Bruce has been quite accommodating. I’m thankful he’s willing to share his office.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” Bruce said, cheerfully, but he’d gone slightly pale, and I had to wonder if he found Easton intimidating. “I have a feeling Maya will turn out to be an outstanding office mate.”
Easton turned his attention to Bruce, his eyes shrewd and a little cold. “Yes, I’m sure she will be.” His voice held a protective note, and he studied Bruce suspiciously as if he were my older brother and had taken on the role of shooing away potential suitors. He’d gotten the wrong idea about Bruce, though. He wasn’t interested in me at all, but Easton’s brows lowered in concern, anyway.
The two men stared each other down, and I wasn’t sure what silent communication passed between them, but it was strange to be in the middle of it. Bruce ran a hand along the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with Easton’s close examination. He laughed uneasily and touched his jaw, looking down.
Easton smiled slowly as if giving a quiet warning. He had an opinion about us being office mates—I could see it in his eyes—but he was holding back. He turned his attention back to me, his gaze softening this time. “If you need anything at all, stop by my office. My door’s always open.” He paused at the doorway, his gaze lingering. “Nice earrings, by the way. They look good on you.” And then he left.