Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
The door closed behind her, and I groaned. I was going to have to put in some work if I wanted to be prepared for tomorrow. I was going to ace this interview process and have the best assistant in the company.
I was looking forward to the groveling after.
I reached for the files and began my work.
Given the number of candidates, I divided the folders into two piles—the strongest contenders and the runners-up. Reading through résumés, I made notes, checked references, nodding over some of the comments. When I finished, I had the three top choices, and the rest were graded as to how compatible they seemed. A lot was expected from my assistant—I knew that. I worked hard and anticipated them to do the same. My office needed someone smart, able to think on their feet. I didn’t expect them to know how to use CAD—a computer-aided design software—but a general understanding was a bonus. At present, I already had assistants to work with me on the landscape designs when needed. The person I hired was required to run my office and calendar and keep me on track. I needed them to understand the basics of what we did. To go over numbers and budgets. Schedule meetings, bring clients up-to-date, handle small problems, keep up with emails and calls.
And yes, make me a sandwich and coffee when I requested it. The occasional personal errand.
And I expected them to be polite, quiet, and stay out of my way.
And I always got what I wanted.
Friday afternoon, I stared at the dwindling list on my desk.
Who the hell knew how hard it was to find an assistant? At times, I felt as if I were the one being interviewed—and found lacking.
One woman laughed when I went through the list of duties I expected. She took my list, read it, picked up a pen, and stroked off over half the items on it. Then informed me her expected salary was twice what was on offer.
And she had been my fourth choice.
My first and third had been such terrible interviews, I knew there was no point in trying to offer them a job. My second choice never showed. Number six was married with three kids and spent most of the interview explaining she didn’t do overtime, no travel, and needed a lot of time off for kid appointments and personal days if they were sick.
“Which is often,” she said with a shrug. “But I can work from home.”
I managed to get her out of my office without insulting her.
I had two names left on the list. I glanced at the clock, grimacing. I had a feeling number nine was a no-show as well. It was well past his appointed time, and he hadn’t shown up or called. That left a Magnolia Myers. I picked up her résumé, refreshing my memory. She’d been a personal assistant for an account manager who retired four months ago. She’d been working part time ever since with an agency. She had the qualifications I was looking for, but it was the personal letter of reference that gave me pause. Although glowing, the words spunky, eager to help and learn, and always smiling gave me pause. I didn’t want spunky and smiling. I wanted quiet and industrious.
But I was almost out of options.
When five forty-five came and went, I sighed. Obviously, Ms. Myers had changed her mind as well. I laughed dryly as I picked up my coat. I was going to have to admit defeat to Laura on Monday and eat crow.
I pushed the button for the elevator, switching off the overhead lights and waiting in the hallway. Realizing I’d forgotten my phone, I hurried back, swiping it off my desk and rushing back as the elevator dinged in the hall. I caught my foot on the edge of a display case as I hurried toward the door, anxious to put this day behind me.
But someone was dashing across the outside reception room at the same time I lurched sideways. We crashed together, my arms automatically grabbing at the person who hit me. We went down to the hard floor, a mass of sprawled arms and legs. I managed to be the one who hit first, a small, warm body landing on top of me. A loud exhale of air escaped me in the form of a grunt, and the person on top of me gasped, a soft, surprised sound, letting me know the stranger was female. The lights around me had gone out for some reason, and for a moment, I was frozen.
It felt like an eternity in which nothing happened, even though I knew it was only a few seconds. Thirty, tops. I was in shock, holding a sweet-smelling woman who seemed content to stay where she was. I lifted my head, realizing the reason that the dim light had disappeared was the heavy fall of hair that covered my head. I reached up to swipe it aside, forcing away the impulse to bury my face into the thick tresses and sniff them. That silly impulse made me angry.