“Let’s get this straight. You’re not running interference. Your job will be to work with the community and answering any…simple, straight forward questions. Everything else will be handled by us. Is that understood?”
As they walked towards the elevator she lost the battle, and the words flowed out. “I take it you weren’t in favor of my being hired.”
“That’s an understatement,” he snarled.
Her positive attitude just vanished. There was no point in trying to change his mind. When she’d spoken to him at Gareth’s wedding, he made Charles look like a standup comedian. Thank God I don’t report to him, or this job would be hell.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get to my office. I have a meeting to prepare for,” she said brushing past him.
He didn’t attempt to stop her or apologize. Charlene didn’t expect one either. She’d made the mistake of thinking that getting the job was the hard part. Obviously being allowed to actually do the job was going to prove even more difficult.
She wasn’t going to let Seth’s comment set her up for failure. The last thing she wanted was for Seth to be right. Charlene knew she was out of her league, but she also knew she wanted this badly. Her own drive had gotten her this far. Would it be enough?
I sure hope so.
She knew where her office was, because Charles had the security guard show her around after offering her the job. It was small and far enough away from the executives so she wouldn’t be in their way. With her not so warm welcome from Seth, that probably was going to be a good thing. Charlene hoped that Dylan didn’t feel the same as Seth, but she barely could remember the other three brothers.
As she made her way down the hall she racked her brain trying to recall their names. They were the owners for goodness sake. Why was she drawing a blank? Maybe if she tried putting them in order by age? I’d need to know their age first dumbass.
Charlene was mumbling them to herself when she noticed Sal approaching her. No smile on his face either, but that wasn’t uncommon. Instead of her bouncy cheery tone, she opted for her business one that she’d been practicing for weeks.
“Good morning Sal. How are you today?” she asked.
“I saw you on the camera. Thought I’d escort you to your office.”
“Thanks,” she said.
“You looked like you were in deep thought. Nervous?” he asked.
Who wouldn’t be?“I’m having a brain freeze. I hate to ask, and it is really embarrassing but…”
“You’ve got me scared if you’re embarrassed,” Sal grinned.
She forgot herself for a moment and shot him a warning look. It was too easy to fall back into her playful banter with him. Of course he never seemed to have enjoyed it. “Sal, that was the old me. The new one is…professional.” Sal shot her a look like he didn’t believe her. Charlene bit her lip and responded in a serious tone. “Mr. Lawson is counting on me. I won’t disappoint him.”
Sal looked at her long and hard before asking, “What do you need. Maybe I can help.”
“I can rattle off the full history of Lawson Steel, but I can’t recall all their names.”
“The founders?”
“That wouldn’t be as bad. I mean the current owners,” she sighed.
“I can see how that could be embarrassing. For the record, I have to catch myself and not call Charles, Charlie. But you’ll get it. So you know Charles, he’s the eldest.”
“Yes, he interviewed me. And of course I know Dylan, the baby of the bunch.”
“Don’t let him hear you refer to him as that,” he warned.
“Okay. Good point. I also know Seth.” The not so friendly one.
“He’s the second to oldest.”
“Seth is…tough to read.”
“He’s not as bad as he comes off. But somehow he feels the need to pick up the slack around here instead of sharing in the work load. It doesn’t all fall on his shoulders, but he seems to put it there.”
“Maybe he’s trying to show Charles he’s just as capable of running the company as he is. It’s not easy living in someone else’s shadow you know.” Like me with Sofia and we’re not even sisters.