Tanner’s the only one not laughing, though. In fact, he looks so utterly confused by the comments being thrown around that it’s almost adorable.
No, Eva. We hate Tanner. He is evil and a spy and never asked for your number last night.
“If it’s what Eva decides, then what’s wrong with that?” Tanner’s expression is slightly tighter, almost on edge.
Morgan just adjusts his glasses. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Eva’s one of our best.” He looks at me, a slight apology in his eyes. “Once you’ve signed that, I’ll have my secretary finish processing the rest.”
“Thank you, Morgan,” I say, looking back at the contract.
If this is how the board of directors really feels about my hiring practices, then I’m going to finalize this before anyone can change their decision.
Especially me.
I scribble my signature at the bottom line where my name is printed.
As if having just accomplished some great feat, I dust my hands off and stand up straight. Tanner, still waiting patiently next to me as if he doesn’t have other people to schmooze right now, smiles.
Your fate is in my hands now, Tanner.
Maybe not really.
“Welcome to Qualtechnics, Mr. Shadeson,” I say in my most formal voice, extending my hand. When he takes it—or rather engulfs my hand with his— sparks of something exciting, and a little frightening, shoot up my arm.
“I think we’ll enjoy working together a lot. And please, just call me Tanner.”
“And just know that whatever game you’re playing, it’s not going to work on me,” I say, glaring at him.
He gives me an amused look of confusion, then turns to Bill, who’s now addressing the room.
The next few minutes pass by as Bill offers congratulations and a mini pep talk about the future of the company and “going big places.” Then the meeting disperses and most of the directors call it a day, though it’s only midafternoon.
“Want a quick tour of the company? I assume you haven’t been shown around yet,” I say to Tanner, who’s still glued to my side inexplicably.
“I would love that.”
I show him around the management floor, pointing out the different offices and the break room. Then I take him to the human resources offices four floors down.
The more time I spend with him doing work stuff, the more natural I hope things will feel.
“So after I see your domain, the other officers will introduce me to their staff as well?”
I suppress a laugh at the idea of Bill giving anyone a tour of anything but his own office. “No, that’s never the case. It’s HR’s job to get you acclimated, help you find your way around the place.”
“Interesting.”
As we carve a path from one area to the next, I’m all too aware of the increased numbers of stares that Tanner is getting, both from female and male employees. And even as we go through one door into another room, I can feel people peeking over their cubicles and muttering things to each other.
“This is our marketing team. They’re in charge of—” My tour is cut off by one of the newer marketing assistants leaping in front of us, a printout in her hand. I think her name is Raquel.
“Eva, what do you think of this for the billboard on the interstate? Too flashy?”
Though I’m not in marketing, most employees here know I’m the easiest person in upper management to ask for help or support. “Perhaps a bit. Email it to my secretary, and I’ll have my team send feedback.”
Halfway through my reply, I can see her gaze drift from mine up to Tanner, who appraises her with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh my God, are you the new interim CEO everyone’s talking about?” Raquel asks blatantly, bubbling with excitement.
Tanner nods.
“What do you think?” she asks him, her tone turning flirtatious. “Certainly, you have a knack for these things.” She grins. “You probably have a knack for everything.”
Her brownnosing is scratching at my last nerve.
Ironically, Tanner just shrugs, giving her a cursory look before turning back to me. “Eva would know much better. I’ve only been here five hours and know almost nothing about this company.”
I just stare at him, nearly choking on his unusual level of honesty.
“Oh.” The overeager marketing team member waits a second longer. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.” When Tanner doesn’t reply, she disappears, leaving just the two of us standing there again.
There’s a slight pause. And for a moment, I can’t feel the stares of the employees around us. Or their reaction to Tanner. I just see him watching me.
“What was that?” I ask.
“What was what?” He seems to have no clue what I mean.
“Do you know the last time I heard a managing director say ‘I don’t know?’”
“Recently, I hope.” His brow furrows slightly at that. “If they didn’t know.”
“Guess again,” I say calmly, making our way back to the elevator as he follows me. Maybe enough tour for one day. “By the way, the answer you’re looking for is never,” I say as the doors shut behind us.
“I think it’s absurd people would defer to the judgement of an outsider just because of their perceived power. Experience is everything in battle… and life.”
“You’d be one of the first people I’ve known to think that,” I say as we reach my floor.
He follows me out, then stops when I look up at him.
“Ah, my office isn’t here, is it?” He looks slightly dismayed by that fact. What is up with him?
The elevator tries to close, but it retreats from his wide shoulders in the passageway.
“I suppose I’ll see you later, Eva.” Beyond the hope on the tip of his tongue, there’s a determination in the way he looks at me that reminds me of the man I kissed last night.
Before everything got so complicated, when we were just a man and woman embracing in the dark.
“See you later, Tanner.” His first name rolls off my tongue before my mind can intercept the traitorous utterance.
Tanner just grins, and the sight of that smile almost makes my knees buckle. Only the annoying ding of the now-angry elevator awakens my senses enough to prevent that from happening.
At that, he backs into the evaluator, and I watch as the doors slowly block my view of the most perfect-looking man that has ever existed.
Then I shake my head, wondering how I’m ever going to focus on my work and why there was just a twinge of disappointment in me the second those elevator doors closed.
5
Tanner
“So you really got hired as a CEO, despite having no experience and having basically hit on the interviewer the night before.” Avery, Brett’s soul bond, stares at me like she can’t believe it.
I just shrug. “Having a rich dragon friend who can buy his way onto the board has benefits.”
“Like this apartment,” Ian says, stretching out on a comfy couch as he glances out the tall windows that show a view of the well-lit street and apartments across from us. “Much better than the last place. Sorry, Avery.”