Personal assistant

Tiger

"And...?" Rupert asked, as he stood outside the door, fingers crossed for my verdict.

"Meet Miss Bardot's new P.A.," I grinned ecstatically and he clasped his hands together in delight. I was buzzing, truly, It was actually happening. My salary was going up, my reputation is now on the rise and wow, working for the most distinguished hotel in NY! The best feeling ever. Rupert sauntered off, gesturing for me to follow, and handed me a printed sheet, looking quite proud.

"I made this for whoever the new P.A. would be, I've waited 6 weeks and now I can finally use it!"

He shoved it in my direction impatiently.

"Thanks... what is it?"

"It's basically a cheat sheet on everything you need to know about the Beaumont, and most of all, how to survive Miss Bardot!" He whispered the last part in a jovial way, and I sincerely thanked him. It would be useful to know how to fit in a place like this.

"So did you like her?"

His question took me by surprise, and I swallowed a little harder than I probably should have done.

"Yeah she's alright, I get what you mean about the scary part." 

He didn't reply, but he looked questioning and his eyes were suddenly fixed on my face.

"What?" I squeaked, my voice sounding pitchy and on edge, so I said no more and waited for him to reply awkwardly.

"You're colouring."

He said this as a statement, as if he didn't even want me to attempt to argue my way out of this. Why was everyone here so good at reading people?

"So you're an analyser then, huh?" I sighed, and he nodded apologetically in reply.

"It's one of the main reasons she hired me, because I can read people so well. Nowhere near as good as her though, she's like a hawk, I'm definitely still learning. To be fair, I would be more surprised if you didn't like her, because Matt already told me she was your type."

"Great, thanks for that one Matt," I muttered. 

Note to self; punch Matt in the face later.

"Anyway, it's no problem, especially if she likes you bacckkkkk," he teased, and his mocking tone was relentless. I shook my head with a smirk at his annoying behaviour and watched him bounce about in a jokey manner. I raised my eyebrows and remarked, 

"she absolutely does not, now come on you complete nightmare, start the damn tour of this place it's huge."

He grinned and swanned off, looking pleased with himself. I did love him, I thought, smiling as I tried to keep up with his brisk strides. The tour was nowhere near as long as I thought it was going to be, he seemed to know all these shortcuts and tricks on how to get places 10 times faster than the average person. He saw the confusion on my face as we returned to the top floor once more outside her office. 

"It's all on the cheat sheet," he reassured, and I nodded in relief. 

"Off you go then, my little duckling."

He waved me towards her door, and if my expression could talk, it would be letting him know how much I disliked that nickname. 

"Argh," he winced, looking at my face and conjuring up a new name, sharpish.

"Tiger?"

"I'll take Tiger," I shrugged, and he dramatically breathed out in relief, pretending to mop fake sweat off his brow. Flippin' dingbat, I thought, as I knocked on the door whilst trying not to laugh. I looked round once more which was a mistake, because he was making smoochy faces at me and I just lost it. After he started laughing too, neither of us could stop because I don't think he was expecting me to find it so funny. The door handle beneath my grasp suddenly flew away from my hand, and Rupert shut up, immediately turning on his heel and marching to the elevator. I turned around, laughter still present on my face, and Miss Bardot was stood directly in the doorway, eyeing me suspiciously. My grin changed to a smile, and then to an even smaller smile as I tried to gauge whether I was in trouble or not. Surely she couldn't be mad at me for laughing?

"I decided to open the door since I called enter three times and no one answered." 

She sounded stern, but definitely not angry. If anything she just seemed curious about what all the laughing was for.

"Sorry," I mumbled, fiddling slightly with my rings and trying not to seem like I was staring in awe at her face now that it was closer to mine. She stayed silent for a few more seconds, and then concluded, 

"You look different when you laugh. Your eyes light up."

And then she just walked away, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts and that single comment. Like what the hell was that supposed to mean? Am I supposed to smile more often around her? Or was that a hint to keep my guard up about showing my emotions? What on earth...

"Come sit."

My vision leapt from my thoughts, and over to where she was now sat, waiting expectantly. I gathered myself as best as I could, and sat down opposite, obtaining the tense feeling again that I had when I was being interviewed earlier.

"I have some things for you to do. I need you to book an appointment with my hair stylist, buy me and yourself a coffee on the house from Rosco's opposite the Beaumont, and bring my stylist's pick for tonights clothing to my room. Any information you need to do those things is on this." She handed me a flashcard with some names and numbers on them.

"Think you can handle that?"

"Of course," I smiled brightly as I rose from my chair and walked towards the door, pathetically hoping she was watching me, and then becoming irritated that I couldn't secretly check if she was looking. I guess I just had to hope she was even a tiny bit interested right? Gotta stay positive.

Vote and comment my lovelies! 😙