Small Town Girl (Pink Springs 1)

When the doors open for my floor, I’m the only one left on the elevator. I step out and then look up and down the long hallway, not seeing anyone. Shouldn't there be a desk or someone to greet people as they enter? In the distance I hear someone typing and walk toward that noise. When I turn the corner, I see an older woman sitting behind her desk, and as if she’s been waiting for me she looks up.

“You must be Lux,” she says.

“That’s me.” My smile is genuine because she kind of looks like my grandma on my father’s side, which has me relaxing.

“I’m Kate.” She returns my smile. “This desk will be yours.” Katie stands and motions to the desk not far from hers. I put my purse down on it and look around.

“Mr. Starnes has a lot going on right now. He has a project he needs to hand off to me, so I need you to carry some of my load and do any odds and ends he might need you to handle.”

“Okay, just tell me what to do and I’ll get started.”

“Katie, can you send Miss Cross into my office?” a deep voice says from a speaker somewhere on her desk.

Goosebumps break out along my arms because that voice is so familiar.

“That’s you.” She points to the double door to the right of my desk.

Taking a breath, I walk over and knock softly before I pull open the door and step inside.

“Mr. Starnes, you wanted to see me?” The office is large and I step forward to get closer to the desk. Just as I do, the chair turns around to face me and I stand there in shock when I realize who it is.

Bastian

8

Bastian

“Thank you for coming in today, Miss Cross. Please take a seat.”

I try my best to be professional, but all I want to do is get up from my desk and go to her. It was torture the past two days waiting to see if she’d show up. I wasn’t sure if she'd looked into the company that hired her, or if she’d notice what floor she was being sent to.

After she took off Friday night I went home and wrestled with my feelings. I should have let her go, but I couldn’t get her out of my mind. Not after spending hours with her in the cigar bar and listening to her talk. She’d burrowed under my skin, and I couldn’t sleep that night. The next morning I’d gotten in touch with the people who put on the event and from there figured out who they hired to do the staffing for the bunnies.

What I should have been worried about is the situation Stan got himself into and the way Richard covered it up. I should also have been worrying about my promotion and how me not going out with them has probably made them question my loyalty. But instead of thinking of all those things, I tracked down the company and hired Lux as a temp.

“Um, okay,” she says and then comes farther into my office to take a seat at the chair in front of my desk. I wait as she sits and crosses then uncrosses her legs. She settles on placing her hands in her lap, and yet she still manages to fidget with them once they’re there. “This isn’t a coincidence, is it?”

I love her honesty and how she’s getting right to the point. I feel the corner of my lips try to turn up, but I keep from smiling.

“No, it’s not a coincidence. But I have hired you.” I sit back and look over her whole body, while thinking of how completely exposed she was the last time I saw her. She’s not showing any skin in her long-sleeve blouse and long pants, but somehow she’s just as sexy without revealing anything.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

She looks around the office and then back to me. “Why me? I mean, you seem to have the means to hire anyone. Why hunt down a cocktail waitress in a slutty costume for a corporate job?”

I can’t sit this far from her any longer, so I get up and go to the other side of the desk. I want to take the chair next to her, but right now it’s too close. I lean back against my desk and cross my arms over my chest. Mostly so I can keep myself from touching her.

“You were a terrible waitress.” She looks as though she’s going to protest but then shrugs like I’ve got a point. “So if I were to base your work performance solely on that job, objectively I wouldn’t say that was the reason I hired you.”

“Fair enough. So why then?”

“Because in the time we spent together I knew that you’re looking for an opportunity. Maybe it’s not this job or in a corporate job at all, but I’ve got the vacancy and you’re capable. I know that with a little experience under your belt you would have your pick of jobs.” Now it’s my turn to shrug because it’s all true. “With Balman and Pierce work experience on your résumé it will get you into any interview in the city.”