Jack's Surrender (Holiday Cove 5)

The best part about the job description was the amount of freedom Noah was willing to let me have. The entire reason I’d started my own business was to escape the suffocating rules and red tape of working for large companies that had more policies and procedures than people skills. Even after our short meeting, I knew he wasn’t like that and he didn’t run his company that way either.

The conversation wound down and he finally asked the all-important question, “Well, what do you think? Could you see yourself here?”

I set down the frosty glass of sparkling water. “Well, I have to say the view is swaying me,” I said with a smile. It took me a second before I realized how my statement might have come across like I was staring at him instead of out the window. “I meant the—”

Noah laughed softly and held up a hand. “I get it.”

My cheeks warmed and I knew there was no way in hell my full face of makeup was hiding my furious blushing. “I should mention that most of my experience is with smaller companies but I’m confident I’d be able to adapt.”

Noah grinned. “It’s always more fun playing with bigger numbers.”

I wasn’t sure that was entirely true but I nodded and smiled along.

He hopped up from his seat with the grace of a panther and buttoned his jacket. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”

I followed behind him until we reached the door. He stood back and ushered me forward. “Thank you,” I murmured, passing him by. Damn, he smelled good. He took the lead again as he showed me around the third floor, where there were two other conference rooms that he explained were mainly used for builder meetings.

The second floor was home to the support staff: real estate agents, assistants, tech team, and an in-house graphic designer. The employee lounge was nicer than some of the restaurants in Holiday Cove—and that was saying something—complete with everything anyone would ever need or hope for. Sand colored leather couches, a glass coffee table, and fire and ice gas fireplace with cobalt shards of glass embedded among the flames.

“Just one more stop,” Noah said, flashing a smile at me as he led the way out of the lounge. He stopped at the office next door which was just as polished and beautiful as the rest of the offices we’d seen. “This one would be yours.”

Immediately, I could picture myself at the desk, crunching numbers and untangling spreadsheets with the settling comfort of the tide washing in and out on the shore below.

“What do you think?”

“It’s perfect,” I breathed, still lost in my imagination. A flicker of anticipation curled up in my stomach. I wanted the job. I wanted to have purpose and meaning and be a part of something big. I wanted a fancy office and everything that came with it.

Noah chuckled softly. “I’m glad you like it.”

Somehow I managed to peel myself away from the doorway and let him lead me back to the elevator bank. He pressed the down button and we waited for the surprisingly soft ding of the elevator. “It was a pleasure, Holly,” he said, extending a hand.

I took it and met his cool eyes. “Likewise.”

“I have to be honest and say I have one other interview pending. But I’ll be making a decision very soon and will give you a call within the week.”

My heart sputtered. Another interview? Everything he’d said had me thinking the meeting was a formality and that the position was already mine. After all, there weren’t exactly a lot of local choices. Unless he wanted Merle.

A sudden realization struck and I wanted to slap myself in the face. A man like Noah, with a company like Scoville Properties, would grab a lot of attention. People from all over the country would be clamoring for a job like this. Who wouldn’t want to move to Central California and work for a billion-dollar company mere steps from the sand? It was the perfect job. How had I been so naive to think it was a sure thing?

The elevator dinged and jarred me. I plastered a serene smile on my face and headed for the doors as they slid open. “Thank you, Mr. Scoville.”

“Noah, please.”

I nodded and boarded the elevator. I turned around and smiled at him as the doors started to slide shut. “Thank you, Noah.”

He gave a quick wave and then disappeared from view. Only once the doors were shut tight did I release the pent-up sigh I’d been holding onto. “Talk about putting the cart before the horse, Holls,” I scolded myself.

The ride to the first floor was short and within minutes I was back in my SUV and barreling up the highway toward home.

All I could do now was wait.

5

Jack

“Boomer, you out there?”