Employed by the Boss (Managing the Bosses 7)

“I’ll see you then,” Christine said, and Jamie thought she could almost hear a smile in her sister’s voice.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Jamie answered, surprised by the fact that she actually was. She and Christine had a better relationship since her breakdown, but there had always been the concern about Christine’s mental health hanging over their heads. This time it would just be them, doing what sisters did, and Jamie found herself wanting that experience. “I’ll see you on Thursday.”

“See you then.”

Christine hung up, and Jamie followed suit, setting her phone down on the desk. Things were coming together. And the babies hadn’t started crying again yet. She smiled, and got back to work.

***

“What I’m saying, Alex,” Zander said, looking across the desk at him, “Is that no one can take care of newborn twins and do the amount of work we need a PA to do all on their own. It’s just not humanly possible.” He smiled. “Your wife is a force of nature, but even she should have the opportunity to slow down a bit. So I’ve hired a PA to help out while she’s busy.”

Jamie wasn’t going to like that. Alex, however, was relieved. He was worried about how much weight she was putting on her shoulders. He couldn’t have gone behind her back and hired someone, but this way it was out of his hands. Zander had the right to hire anyone he felt was necessary for the well-being of the company. Explaining that to his wife was not going to be a thrill, but Alex was confident she would come around once she realized how much time it freed up for her to spend with the twins. She needed some time to just relax.

“Well,” Alex said. “I can’t say Jamie will approve, but I’m not going to veto your decision as long as she knows what she’s doing.”

Zander grinned. “Oh, she knows what she’s doing. Miss Eriksson has a very impressive résumé. I’ve got Justin briefing her on company practice and she’ll be syncing her schedule to ours.”

“Sounds like everything is under control, then. Of course, I still have to let Jamie know,” Alex said.

“I don’t envy you that job, to be honest.” Zander stood. “Why don’t you come meet Miss Eriksson?”

He had a million other things to do, but he was going to have to meet her eventually. It might as well be sooner rather than later. Alex got up from his chair and followed Zander out into the waiting area that sat in front of his office, where Justin was standing at the secretary’s desk, his head bent over a phone he was holding in his hands as he talked in a low voice to the woman standing next to him.

Miss Eriksson, as it turned out, was exactly the kind of woman Alex would have hired before Jamie – tall and statuesque, with wide blue eyes and a full mouth under a fall of white-blonde hair.

“An impressive résumé?” Alex asked, amused.

“Very impressive,” Zander answered. “There’s little about her that isn’t.”

Alex shook his head, chuckling. “No. I would say there isn’t. Lucky for you, I don’t have eyes for anyone but Jamie, so Miss Eriksson is all yours if you can manage to convince her of that.”

Zander turned to look at him. “You know that’s exactly the kind of thing that will get you a sexual harassment lawsuit.”

Alex shrugged. “I have no plans on harassing her. What you do is up to you, though I do, of course, encourage a professional relationship between employees.”

“She may be all Justin’s,” Zander said, as Miss Eriksson leaned in closer to the secretary to see something he was pointing out.

This time, when Alex chuckled, so did Zander. “We’ll just have to see where it goes, then, won’t we?”

“Might as well at least approach,” Zander said. “We are their bosses.”

“We are,” Alex agreed, following Zander at a slower pace as the other strode forward to speak to the two at the desk.

He hid the smile that wanted to escape. Ten years ago, he thought as he waited next to the desk for the introduction Zander was giving, he would have been all about the woman smiling politely at both of them. Now, though, he had Jamie, and she and the twins were all that he needed. So he smiled just as politely, and offered Emelie Eriksson his hand to shake. If Zander said she was exceptional, he had no doubt she would be.

Whatever else Zander had planned was up to him, and as long as it didn’t interfere with the daily operation of the office, Alex didn’t care. Knowing his senior advisor, it likely wasn’t anything more unprofessional than the desire for a little eye candy. If that was the case, well, Alex had done worse.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Eriksson,” he said, taking a step back. “I look forward to seeing your work.”

“And I look forward to being a part of this business, Mr. Reid. Thank you for hiring me.”

“I’m sure we won’t regret it.”

Introductions dealt with, he went back to his office. There was a lot of work to be done.

Chapter 4

Camille left Saturday night. They’d said goodbye almost awkwardly, standing beside her car in the driveway. After the playful intimacy in the bedroom, it had been strange to watch her drive away with no expectation of ever seeing her again. She’d given him her number, but Mark knew that if he called she wouldn’t come running back. As she’d slipped into her car, she’d told him that this time tomorrow she planned to be in Richmond. Mark had smiled, and wished her well.