The Secretary and Her Boss

Chapter 7

"Wow... I'd let you boss me around in that outfit," Bex said when I walked out of my room, hair newly washed and blow-dried, heels surprisingly sturdy and easy to walk on. I felt confident, beautiful, and... utterly frazzled. 

I was going to have a budget meeting with Laurence Royal where I would have to fight to keep the budget that he intended to slash. I had never gone head-to-head with him before, and the idea of it made me want to crawl under a blanket, eat ice cream, and never come back out. 

My fingers itched to tug at the yellow dress material, but I refrained. Allie would kill me if it were wrinkled by the time I got to work, and I couldn't show any nerves if I were going to be taken seriously. I had a job to do, and I had to do it without throwing up, or looking like I had crawled out of a basket of wrinkled laundry. 

I can do this... I won't throw up... I won't die.... Hopefully.

Bex gave me an encouraging smile. "Don't look so terrified. You'll do great!" 

"I'm going to agree with whatever Laurence says," I groaned, frustrated. "It's what I've always done."

Bex snorted from where she sat in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal. "As his assistant, sure. That was your job. Now..." Her smile widened and she pointed her spoon up at me. "You are literally on the same level. He has to convince YOU, because Allie has sent you to deal with him. And after three years of knowing how he ticks, you can use that to your advantage in negotiations." 

She pushed an empty bowl across the table, gesturing for me to sit. "Now sit and eat the breakfast I made you. You got a big day ahead of you." 

I gave her a flat stare. "You didn't make anything."

"I bought the cereal. Same thing. You are welcome." 

I pored cereal into the bowl, thoughtful. I wasn't Laurence Royal's assistant anymore. But certain habits were hard to break. I was used to making his life easier. And now I was supposed to make Allie's life easier. I wanted to do a good job and prove that I could be a good COO. But even if I knew how Laurence Royal worked, what his tells were, it was hard to imagine using them to get what I wanted. 

Could I play mind games with him? Could I work the negotiations to get a healthy budget for Allie? 

I had watched Allie work with small budgets before. And I understood how important having the proper equipment and crew were. They helped showcase the pieces she created. And those shoots inspired purchases. But at the same time... Allie had a tendency to go overboard. 

I was still trying to wrap my head around how to approach negotiations when I walked into the office, so lost in thought that I hadn't even realized there was already a second desk set up next to mine. Someone sat behind it wearing a sharp blue suit, brown eyes focused on his computer screen. He was in his mid twenties, sandy hair pushed back out of his face and sharp features. 

The sight of him was like a slap in the face, my chest squeezing tight.

It took him less than a day to replace me... 

I had known it was coming, but it still hurt seeing a new assistant sitting there. 

This is why I needed to change things. I am as easy to erase as a new resume and interview.

Tucking away the feeling of being replaced, I continued the short walk to my desk. 

The new assistant glanced up, and a bright smile lit up his face, making him look like an excited golden retriever. "Desk buddy!" he said, standing to his feet. "I'm Dashiell, but please call me Dash. The name means heavenly, which I obviously am."