As I approached a table near the window, a striking woman got to her feet, smiling. And holy heavens, was she striking. From her wine-red hair to her nearly perfect bone structure, highlighted by meticulously applied makeup on her flawless skin. Her lips were full, painted a matte maroon/purple, the same color as her hair, her glittering green eyes matching the button-down blouse she wore.
No way to deny I was a bit intimidated by her. Who wouldn’t be?
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bishop,” Tiegan said, her words spoken with a conciseness that seemed at odds with her beauty. There was no accent, no drawl or twang, nothing obscuring the perfect cadence of her voice.
When Tiegan held out her hand in greeting, I shook it, not at all surprised by the firm grip. Definitely no floppy wrist for this woman. She oozed sex appeal and dominance in a way that I was familiar with thanks to my brother. Traits I had no hope of mastering, even if I’d had the desire to try.
“Please, have a seat.” Tiegan motioned toward the chair across from her.
While I got situated, Tiegan rattled off a wine order and requested the waitress give us a few minutes to make our meal selection.
It didn’t surprise me that the waitress didn’t ask me if there was something I preferred. Tiegan had taken control, and unless I spoke up, that was how this lunch meeting would continue, I figured. Something else I was familiar with thanks to my brother. It didn’t bother me. Not in the least. My naturally submissive side sought someone who would make those decisions for me. Even if it was a woman who would likely become my boss.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” I prompted, attempting to relax a little, “how do you know me?”
“Through an acquaintance of your brother.”
Well, that told me nothing at all. My brother had a lot of acquaintances.
“How did you know I was seeking employment?” That definitely wasn’t something she could’ve learned from any acquaintance because it hadn’t been fact until moments before Tiegan had called me.
“I keep my ear to the ground.” Her plump lips drew back, bright white teeth flashing. “And when there’s something the boss wants, I make sure I’m prepared to acquire it.”
“You’re not the boss?”
Those green eyes glittered all the more. “Depends on who you ask. But no, I do not own the company.”
“You said you work for Owned, Incorporated?”
“Yes. I’m going to assume you haven’t heard of it.”
“No.” I forced a smile. “I’m sorry, I haven’t.”
A sommelier appeared, pouring wine while we continued to talk.
“I would’ve been surprised if you had,” Tiegan said.
“Why’s that?”
Without being prompted, Tiegan performed all those fancy tricks wine connoisseurs did when preparing to drink—swish, swirl, study—then took a sip and considered it a moment. When she finally nodded toward the man awaiting her approval, he filled both glasses, offered a smile, and left us alone again.
“Let’s just say we cater to a specific clientele.”
“What is it that you do?”
Tiegan waved a manicured hand. “All in due time, Miss Bishop.”
I took a sip of wine—it was dry and a little bitter—as I attempted to gather my thoughts. Tiegan didn’t rush me, simply remained calm and cool, waiting for me to make the next move while I did the same.
Clearly she wasn’t going to cave, so I did because I was confused as to how I might fit into whatever role she had slated for me.
“If you’re not going to enlighten me, what is it you want me to do for your company?”
“We have several positions open, including one dealing with web and app coding.”
Well, she knew what I did, at least.
The waitress appeared, setting down two glasses of ice water and retrieving her notepad.
“Do you know what you’re having?” Tiegan asked, her shoulders squared, her keen gaze raking over me.
My eyes lowered as I opened the fancy leather-bound menu and quickly scanned it. While I did, Tiegan rattled off her order. When she was finished, I hadn’t yet made up my mind, so I opted to have a salad. Simple, easy.
“May I ask how you heard about my … uh … professional skills?” I asked when the waitress left us.
“Like I said, I travel in the same circles as your brother,” Tiegan answered.
Yes, those were alarm bells beginning to ring in my head.
“So Ransom told you about me?”
“In a roundabout way, yes.”
Although I had decided long ago I wouldn’t look for trouble around every corner, I couldn’t deny when someone made me wary. And this woman fit the bill, especially after that admission.
“Ransom doesn’t tell anyone about me,” I stated, keeping my voice low and even.
Tiegan didn’t seem fazed by my statement. “I’m well aware of that, Miss Bishop. And until today, I was unaware of your existence.”
Sitting up straight, I realized I was going to have to show some backbone or this woman was going to talk in circles for the rest of our meal. As much as I appreciated her inviting me here, making an offer at the most opportune time, I needed to know some specifics.
“I don’t want to waste your time or mine, Miss Shaw,” I said softly. “But if I’m to entertain a job offer, I really do need some details.”
At that moment, my phone buzzed.
I glanced over to where it sat on the table. The screen lit up with an incoming text message. It was from a blocked number and there were no words. Only numbers.
“That’s the first detail. Your starting salary,” Tiegan noted. “Go ahead, take a look.”
I picked up my phone, pulled up the text, and stared at it, almost certain my eyes were playing tricks on me. I was pretty sure there was one too many numbers in front of that decimal point.
I frowned, glancing back at Tiegan. A dozen questions hung precariously on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t know which one to ask first.
“As always,” Tiegan said with a smile, “it’s negotiable, but we believe it’s fair.”
Fair? That was an understatement. I didn’t make a third of that in my current … er … my previous job.
“The rest I’ll provide at the interview,” Tiegan said.
“Interview?” I was sincerely confused. I thought she’d offered me the job.
“Unless you’re opposed to it,” Tiegan added.
Was I? I honestly did not know.
I found myself saying, “No. No, of course not.” I needed a job and this was a prospect I couldn’t turn down.
“How does tomorrow evening sound? It’s a bit untraditional, but I think you’ll do fine.”
Untraditional? What did that mean?
I didn’t bother to ask. Something told me Tiegan Shaw wasn’t going to be forthcoming with details.
Tiegan’s head tilted slightly. “Is this something you believe you’re interested in, Miss Bishop?”
Since I didn’t have anything on my agenda for the foreseeable future, aside from a job hunt, it wasn’t like I could very well tell her I wasn’t available, so I answered with, “Of course. Yes.”