Her eyes rose to meet mine as the slightest bit of anger fell away from her gaze.
“Her name is Delilah Kent, and I suggest you learn it if she’s going to be your ten thousand dollar champion,” I said.
“Yes sir,” Padma said.
“Is there anything else?” I asked.
Everyone around the table shook their heads as I sighed internally with relief. If all the team meetings were going to be this brutal, then this company was further behind than I originally thought.
“All right. Meeting adjourned. Padma, I expect those mockups of the new company sign to be either on my desk or in my email by the end of this week,” I said.
“Yes, sir.”
I stood up as my eyes panned over to the corner, but Delilah was nowhere to be found. Had she already left the fucking meeting? I looked over towards the door and saw her billowing down the hallway, her cardigan flying behind her as her skirt wafted around her legs. I wanted a chance to introduce myself personally to the woman I was apparently going to be working alongside, but she was gone before I could get out into the hallway.
What the fuck was her problem? And why the hell was I so anxious to talk with her alone?
This woman was already driving me crazy. I just didn’t understand why.
“Bernard used her as his personal secretary,” someone said.
I looked down and saw the woman who introduced herself as Deena Courey.
“Your Padma’s secretary?” I asked.
“Yes, sir. Part time. Bernard Hathaway used Delilah Kent as his personal secretary. She went with him to all of the meetings he attended and took notes for him. A lot of people thought they had something going on for awhile.”
“Oh, really? Was there any truth to that rumor?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” Deena said. “Delilah’s…odd. Keeps to herself. Stays in her office when she can. Bernard tried to get her to take an office right next to the Vice President, but she refused. Said she wanted the office she has now.”
“That small thing? It doesn’t even have a window,” I said.
“She likes it that way, I guess. I’m telling you, she’s weird.”
“What else does she do? Do you know?” I asked.
“All I know is she handles the investor’s money, pays them when it’s necessary, and followed Bernard around to meetings when he needed her. Bernard kept her close. I don’t know why, though.”
“Any reason why she might hate me?” I asked.
“Besides the fact that you’re replacing one of the only people that looked past how odd she is? No clue. She keeps herself cooped up, is weird with crowds. Never attends any of the company functions despite the fact that Bernard always personally invited her.”
“Sounds like they were close,” I said.
“Then you see why the rumors spiraled,” she said.
“Well, thank you for your input. Is there anything else?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said as she handed me a piece of paper.
I unfolded it and saw her name along with her nine-digit phone number.
“I’m free every evenin
g and on the weekends,” she said. “I don’t like to dilly dally at work, though. Gotta keep it professional.”
Then, the woman named Deena Courey sauntered off, swaying her hips broadly as I licked my lips.