With Grace

Chapter 5 - Archer

"When does construction start in London?" I asked as Gabe and I drove to work Monday morning.

"I just need some input on the designs for the building from you and Oswald this morning and then it should be starting by the end of the month. I'll need you to go and check up on things at the end of March." He told me as he replied to emails that he'd received overnight on his phone.

"Sure, okay. So, it should be up and running by the start of the next financial year." I nodded to myself, organising all the things that would need to be done for it in my head before I told Nancy how to put it into my diary.

"That's the plan at the moment." He murmured. The car stopped and a door was opened for each of us as we stepped out and walked towards the building with Gabe's assistant behind us with his briefcase and laptop. "I'm already drawing up plans to pitch a Hong Kong branch to the board."

"I've always wanted to visit China." I reply, glancing at him with a small smirk while he shook his head at me. "Have you thought about Singapore?" I asked.

"I have. I want to get into China before going for Singapore. After those two, we'll spread within the US." He replied. I understood how tricky it could be to comfortably sit in this market within Asia. There's a lot of competition and it would be better to have a stable foundation with countries we have a good relationship with.

"I see I'll be travelling a lot in the next few years." I replied as we stepped into the elevator.

"You don't mind?" He asked, glancing at me.

"It's not like I have anything holding me back at the moment." I replied, shrugging off the loneliness.

"Maybe an English girl will catch your eye." He joked as the elevator arrived.

"We'll see." I laughed, not imagining that anyone could catch my eye so soon after I caught Leila cheating on me.

I was about to make my way to my own office through the offices on the floor between my desk and the elevator, accepting the inevitable pile of files I'll have in my arms once I arrive, but Gabe signalled that I should follow him to his own office.

"Sorry to take you from your work but it shouldn't take too long." He said, sitting behind his desk as I took a seat in front of it, a coffee immediately being placed before me.

"It's fine. What can I do for you?" I asked.

"I've hired an intern." He stated, leaning forward on his desk.

"At this time of year? Didn't you have Joshua before Christmas?" I asked, frowning. Gabe always hired an intern that worked below him to gain an understanding of the company before being set free into a higher rank. This generally started during summer and into September and college students finished which was why I was confused a new one was starting in January. There are interns throughout the company in different departments, but these special placements only came along once a year.

"He quit to teach scuba diving in Aruba and I don't like to not have someone training here so I hired the best applicant that I saw." I nodded in understanding, although a little shocked. No one had ever quit working here unless they absolutely had to, to my knowledge. However, if he'd quit to live in the sun, he probably wasn't as suited as his academics suggested.

"Okay. What would you like me to do?" I replied.

"I want you to mentor her."

"You usually do that." I said, frowning at him, looking for a plausible reason.

"I can't have someone without at least some experience working on the Phillips-Iman deal with me. Also, when I met her, she seemed to be a people person which is much better suited to your personality than mine." Gabe has never been good with small-talk. "She'll be a good addition to the operations team."