Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“Yes. I do. Genuinely. Which means you’ll always have somebody to prompt you with your sales pitches and such. I know you do a lot of those, what with controlling the sales sector.” I shift to my other foot and raise a hand. “You can test me if you like?”
“With what?”
“Any kind of document. Show me, I look, I remember it word for word.” I am so proud of this fact. I’m one of very few people with this talent. “I find it hard to forget things.”
He laughs at that; he has such a nice laugh. “I bet you hold a mean grudge.”
“I don’t have time for grudges, Mr. Conti,” I jest, “I work too hard.”
Still smiling, he picks up a sheet of paper from the bottom of a stack off his desk. “Just in case you cheated and read it already.”
I laugh nervously and look at the paper he shows me. It’s an article on his company, talking about their excellent technological advances with solar energy. I look at it, scan it, look up at him and smile.
“Done?” he asks, brows still raised.
I nod and turn around.
“What are you doing?”
“So, you know I’m not cheating, I’m going to read it back to you word for word.”
“This should be interesting.”
Clearing my throat, I begin, “Two thousand and nineteen has breached milestone upon milestone when it comes to new advances in solar-powered technology. Here at WhyTech…”
I read from brain, and don’t stop until I hear him slow clap.
“That’s incredible,” he tells me, impressed. “But memorizing documents isn’t enough to secure you a position as my PA. I try to be fair especially with newcomers and young people fresh out of college, but I need the experience and networking right now.”
I’m not one to swear often but I really want to curse right now.
This is pants.
I need to convince him.
Think, Rose, Think.
“I understand. I do. But… give me two weeks. Just two,” I beg, trying to look as cute and endearing as possible. “And if my excellent skills in your field, your company, and your life don’t impress you, then I’ll walk away without an issue. You don’t even have to pay me. Look, you read my resume meaning something about it must have enticed you to invite me for an interview… I know experience is essential, but I promise you will not even notice that I’ve never worked for a man like you before.” When he hesitates I put on my brightest smile. “Did I mention I was a foster kid? Raised in poverty, risen from the ashes of my deadbeat parents, paid my own way through university…”
“Okay, okay,” he replies, laughing as he raises his hand. “I’ll give you one week to impress me and show me that you’re a better choice than Fisk.”
“Ah,” I click my fingers. “Fisk means fish, Rose is a beautiful flower… already I’m winning.”
He chuckles and looks me up and down, again, not seedy, he’s just assessing me and my body language. “You can start tomorrow, be back here at seven, have my coffee ready, notes are in my prior PA’s desk.”
“I’ll do you one better,” I reply, pushing my glasses up my nose again. “I’ll start right now.”
“Well,” he comments, shaking his head with amusement. “You were right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“You are very persuasive.”
Chapter One
He gave me a chance that no one else did.
Six Months and Two days Later
“Morning, Mrs. Conti,” I call, maneuvering the door and kicking it closed behind me.
Their home is grand, an open lobby of sorts with one of those wide, curved staircases that leads to an open space above. Their walls are cream and gold with tasteful art and ornaments in all the right places.
“You are a lifesaver,” she replies loudly, greeting me, covered in flour and jam. She doesn’t look dressed for cooking of any kind and this is totally out of character for her. I’ve never seen her with a hair out of place.
I press my lips together, so I don’t laugh. “Are you baking, Mrs. Conti?”
“Absolutely not, Maria is but she decided to overfill the mixer, my kitchen is a sight. I haven’t had time to shower yet.” She takes the bag from my arms as I juggle it with Mr. Conti’s files that he requested.
I try not to laugh. Maria, their ten-year-old daughter, is wild to say the least, but not in a naughty way. She just doesn’t have any boundaries. She’ll go where she wants and do what she wants as she wants it.
“It was no problem, Mrs. Conti,” I respond. “I’ll just put these in Mr. Conti’s office.”
“Sure, go on up.” She turns away from me, reminding me of the first day I met her.
I had seen her emails to her husband about hiring a whore to tend his office and shadow him, she was terrified I’d sleep with him, but then she saw me, took one look at me, turned, and walked away. He never got an email like that again.