“Look, I can see from your face you’re quietly horrified by my lack of professionalism. Don’t worry, most people are.” She spun the laptop around, showing me a login screen. “Type in your new password twice. Has to have a capital letter, a number, and a special character, and don’t use any of your personal details, like name or birthday.”
“OK…” My fingers hovered over the keyboard, then I decided on a weird combination of my mum’s name and my dad’s birthday, typing it in and substituting the ‘A’ for an @ symbol.
“Look, you must’ve just walked into the biggest clusterfuck, but you don’t know what the rest of us have been going through.” She grinned at me when I turned the computer back to her. “Ding dong, Crystal the wicked witch is dead. That bitch…” She shook her head slowly. “Thought because she was able to get one of the bosses’ dick’s into her, she was queen bee of the whole building, busting into meetings and ordering people around like Lady Muck. I love Max. He’s my line manager and the nicest guy you’ve ever met, but damn… She tried it on with every other brother before she set her sights on poor old Max, knowing he wouldn’t be able to pass up gold-plated pussy like that.”
My eyes jerked wider, and she just grinned, licking the tips of her fingers with lascivious intent.
“I’m not sure if I would either, if y’know what I mean.”
She winked and then turned back to the laptop, opening folders, typing in commands into text boxes, and generally performing that ole IT magic the proficient seem to just know and the rest of us are oblivious to.
“So she’s gone for good?” Joey asked, trying one last time.
“She was escorted out by security, so yeah, I think she’s gone,” I replied, giving her one little crumb to hopefully keep her happy.
Joey’s smile widened in slow increments until it felt like I had the damn Cheshire Cat sorting out my work computer. She slapped the lid down, then handed over the device and a bag she’d brought in with her.
“Two chargers,” she said. “A mouse, a trackpad, a stylus, and pretty much everything else you’d need is in here. Just hook it up to your Wi-Fi at home and you’re good to go. Let me know if you have any issues. Have they assigned you a work phone yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Gimme your number.”
I rattled it off with a slight frown, wondering if I had just left myself open to midnight messages about Crystal and her exit. Joey typed something into her phone, thumbs a blur, then I felt a small buzz, letting me know a message had come through.
“You have issues? Call that number, day or night. One of Max’s crew is on call, always. You’re on the executive floor, so you get special IT privileges and I’m guessing you’re gonna need them.”
As if summoned, Lucien walked back in through the door, a sheaf of papers in hand.
“Sage is all set up? And you gave her the special IT support hotline number?”
“I looked after your girl,” Joey said, raising a fist for him to bump. Lucien did with a smile. “You know that.”
“Joey’s the best,” he assured me as he set the pieces of paper in front of me. “A pain in the arse, but the best.”
“You know it.” Her eyes flicked back to meet mine. “Have any issues, just call me.”
Then Joey left the room. Lucien leaned over the desk, his amber and sandalwood scent filled my nose, then he set the paper in front of me and reached over for a pen. When he held that out, ready for me to take, we were creating a line we couldn’t step over again, and I needed to make sure he realised that. He saw my eyes flick to the door, then moved over, closing it behind him.
“If I sign this, it’s like it all never happened,” I said. “We didn’t… That didn’t—”
“You want us to start off fresh, begin our working relationship anew—I get it.”
Those big fingers offered me the pen again, and this time, I took it. I scribbled my signature down on each place marked by small little stickers, until finally, I got the last page.
“You won’t regret this, I promise,” Lucien said. Those hazel eyes searched mine for a reaction, a small smile curling his lips. “Give me your address. I’ll come by and pick you up on the way to the airport.” I went to protest. “Just trying to make sure we’re as efficient as possible, and pack a bag. We’ll be in Sydney for a couple of days.”
Right then.
12
“What am I going to wear?” I asked Nikki, staring intently at the phone screen.
“Damn, girl, dial the crazy down a notch. I haven’t even had my coffee yet,” my friend retorted, glaring back at me. She rubbed at her eyes and then stared at me. “What is your sartorial emergency? Did you get the job?”
“Yes,” I said, huffing out a breath as I sorted through all of the piles of clothes strewn across my bed. “For twice the pay they offered, which is part of the problem.”
“How the hell is that a problem? And if it is, how do I get hit by that problem? I would like that problem very much, please and thank you.”