Mrs. Elitist [ A Novel ]

19

| Isabella |

Excitement is palpable as the elevator doors slide open and I set into the lobby of Nathan's office. It's Friday night, date night, and I can't help but grin to myself as I stroll up to the new receptionist. Unlike Martha, this new girl smiles brightly when she sees me. 

Her blonde hair is pulled into a sleek ponytail, a slate grey dress contrasting her pale skin and a string of pearls around her neck. I note a sprinkling of small beauty marks across her face, her polished, fresh look exactly the kind of thing I'm sure Nathan wants being the "face" of his company that greets people as soon as they arrive. 

"Hello," she greets me. "How can I help you today?" 

"I'm here for Nathan," I start, before correcting myself. "Mr. Price, I mean, um, I'm supposed to meet him here." 

"Oh," her eyebrows rise abruptly. "You're Isabella Smith?" 

"Yes." I smile. 

"Oh my god," she gasps, clasping her hands together. "I'm so glad I'm getting to meet you!" 

I laugh a bit, startled. 

"Really?" I ask and she nods. 

"I've heard a lot," she says. "Plus, you're the woman who finally, somehow, relaxed Mr. Price. As impossible as that sounds. Everyone in the office noticed a difference once you two started dating." 

"Wow," I sigh. "I mean, the last girl, Martha, really didn't like me. So I guess I didn't think anyone else in the office really knew or cared-" 

"Martha had issues," the new girl quips. "Miss girl really needed to take Xanax and chill out. Also, Katy Steiner from Accounting told me that Martha told her that she had a thing for Mr. Price, which is wildly inappropriate."

"A thing for him?" I ask, eyes widening as I lean forward on the reception desk and she nods adamantly. 

"Apparently, that's what led to her being asked to leave the position," she says, lowering her voice and leaning closer over the sleek keyboard that pairs with the large Macbook monitor between us. "I still don't know what happened, but I do know that Mr. Price personally saw to her being, well, relocated." 

"Relocated?" 

"Originally she was just supposed to change positions within the company I think, but that didn't work, so she's gone now." the girl shrugs. "Unfortunately that's the closest I've come to office gossip in the past few months." 

"Oh, that's not super exciting." 

"I know, it's kind of boring here," she sighs. "Although, being Mr. Price's personal assistant, I get to meet some very interesting businessmen."

"Oh?" 

"Yes, like the man he's meeting with right now," she tilts her head towards his large office doors. "You'll know him when you see him. But I'll give you a hint, he was on the cover of Forbes a couple months ago." 

"Hmm," I pause, unsure who she might be referring to. 

"You can go on in," she continues. "Mr. Price told me you'd be coming and that you were welcome to head into his office as soon as you got here. I don't think it's an official meeting right now, just catching up." 

"Okay," I smile. "Thank you." 

"Also, I'm Brandy," she tells me. "Brandy Hoffman." 

"Nice to meet you." I reply and she offers me a coy smile. 

"No, trust me, it was nice to meet you finally." 

We both laugh lightly before I turn and open one of the large wooden doors, sliding into his office, still struck by the vastness of the room despite the fact that I'd been here several times before.