I fingered one of my aquamarine gemstone earrings, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. Bruce turned to me, his eyes wide like saucers. “I’ve been here five years, and he’s never stopped by to say hello.”
“Never?” I wasn’t shocked by that information, but it seemed rather revealing to learn that Easton holed himself up in his office and rarely interacted with his employees.
“Maybe once. He was looking for George.”
“So, he’s not very friendly then,” I said, turning back to the employee manual.
Bruce contemplated that statement. “He’s not unfriendly exactly…most of the time. Just keeps to himself. One might say he’s intense.”
I laughed. “He is that.”
“I don’t mean to make it seem like he’s not a good boss. He’s fair, and from what I’ve seen, he runs things pretty smoothly around here. Morale is good for the most part. Most of us find him intimidating, though.”
“I agree. He does come across that way.”
Bruce cocked his head to the side. “Do you two…know each other?”
“Not well, but we’ve met before.” I didn’t want to share too much about our history since talking about it would put Easton in a negative light. Plus, I didn’t want to talk about Easton at all. The less he crossed my mind, the better.
Bruce nodded and turned back to his computer. “Based on what I just observed, you’re soon to be teacher’s pet.” He laughed as if the statement amused him.
I suddenly had a headache and didn’t want to think about Easton anymore. “I’m not anyone’s pet. What you saw was nothing more than a man doing his duty.”
“Maybe.” He cleared his throat and mumbled something under his breath that sounded like “maybe not.”
About eleven-thirty, Deanna peeked her head in our office. “George asked me to show you where all the supplies are. Come with me.” She regarded me with a friendly smile and motioned for me to follow her.
I got out of my seat, and we walked towards a large cabinet in the hallway that held everything I could possibly need, including pens, notepads, and other office equipment. She glanced around and then lowered her voice. “So, how do you know Easton?”
“What makes you think we know each other?” I kept my voice quiet so the others wouldn’t hear. We were in the hallway, and everyone’s doors were open. “Did someone tell you that?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’m good at picking up cues, and Easton has never personally hired anyone before.” She leaned in closer. “I heard him stop by your office and say he’s available if you need anything. Figured you must know each other for him to do that.”
Her observation made me uncomfortable since the last thing I wanted was to be seen as receiving preferential treatment. She didn’t come across as nosy per se. Just curious. And something told me I could trust her not to jump to conclusions. She had this friendliness about her that made me want to spill everything. I thought about not saying anything, but giving her a small detail would hopefully explain Easton’s attentiveness. “I know his sister. I’m not trying to hide that, but please don’t mention it to anyone else.”
“I won’t,” she said. “And don’t worry, I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to have someone around my age to talk to.” She gave me a genuine smile, and I relaxed. She pressed her lips together, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Tomorrow is April Fool’s Day. Maybe you’ll be my partner in crime and play a prank on Easton with me.”
“A prank?” My eyebrows flew up.
“Yeah. Last year a few of us pranked George, but no one had the guts to go after Easton. But since you already know him…”
“Uh…I don’t know him that well. That’s not a good idea.”
“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun to loosen him up. He’s so serious and complex all the time. Just think about it. I have this great plan we can discuss over lunch.”
I leaned in. “What does everyone do for lunch around here?”
“Some like to eat out while others prefer to stay in the break room. A few lunch trucks stop by at noon, and the food is pretty good.”
“What does Easton normally do?”
She glanced up at the ceiling as if thinking. “He stays in his office. Occasionally he joins the staff in the break room, but he only does that once in a while. I have a feeling he does that to make an appearance.” She hesitated. “I wish he’d be more social. I’d love to get to know him better.”
Interesting. Easton had always had a lot of friends in high school, so I wouldn’t peg him as shy, but I was quickly learning I didn’t know the man very well. Maybe he just didn’t like people. That was probably closer to the truth.
“We shouldn’t discuss my plan for April Fool’s around others,” she said. “Let me take you out to lunch since it’s your first day. My treat.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
“But I want to.” She winked and then headed back to her office. She glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll come by to pick you up at noon.”
I got the feeling I didn’t have much of a choice as far as lunch, but I wasn’t going to allow her to push me into pranking Easton. He was the last person I wanted to upset right now. When I returned to my new office, Bruce leaned back in his chair and snapped his fingers. “Now I know who you remind me of.”
“Who?” I sat down at my desk and slid the employee manual closer so I could continue reading.
He placed his hands behind his head, and I wondered what was going through his mind. “Leighton Meester, the actress who played in that TV series, Gossip Girls.”
I hadn’t seen the show, but I pulled out my phone and did a search using her name.
“Your eyes and hair are the same. You could be her doppelganger.”
Leighton’s face came up in my search, and my eyes widened as I studied her. “She’s pretty. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Bruce flashed a boyish grin that was a little too friendly, but I didn’t feel like he was hitting on me exactly. “It’s definitely a compliment. You’re both gorgeous.”
“Well, thank you.”
He smiled and then went back to work, and I was thankful he didn’t say more than that.
For the next thirty minutes, I read through more of the employee manual and then Deanna stopped by. “Are you ready?”
Bruce narrowed his eyes when she walked in. “Are you leaving? Can I come?”
Deanna laughed. “Not today. I’m taking Maya out to lunch, and it’s only us women.”
“You’re already hogging the new girl? I should get first dibs since she’s my office mate.” He grinned, and it was kind of cute, but I could tell he was just teasing.
Deanna tilted her head to the side and smiled at Bruce. “Next time we go out, we’ll invite you to come, Brucey.”
He chuckled. “Look at Deanna, calling the shots.”
It was obvious these two got along well, and I liked their easygoing banter. I left with Deanna, and she took me to a place a few blocks away that had salads and sandwiches. I ordered a turkey sandwich with chips, and she ordered a chicken salad. It was nice outside, so we opted to sit at a table covered with an umbrella.