‘You’re now my employee, Perla. Prepare yourself for the fact that some of your life is now an open book to me.’
A shiver went through her at the low, dark promise. As much as she tried to tell herself she wasn’t affected, his voice did things to her that were indecent. Her hand tightened on the phone. ‘So open that you decided to share some of it with your HR director?’ she demanded.
‘Excuse me?’
‘Did you tell your HR director that I needed money?’ The very thought of it made her flush with mortification.
‘Why would I do that?’ He sounded amused. Vaguely it occurred to her that he didn’t sound as tormented and as bleak as he had a few days ago. Why that thought lifted her heart, she refused to contemplate as she reminded herself why she was annoyed with him.
‘Because he offered a month’s salary in advance. I may have been out of the general workforce a while but even I know that salaries don’t get paid in advance.’
‘Did he offer only you that option?’ he asked.
‘No, he offered it to the other new employees as well.’
He remained silent for several heartbeats. ‘The reason for that perk is because most of the people I hire for the role you’re filling are young, dynamic graduates. Broke, young, dynamic graduates who I expect to hit the ground running. The last thing I want them to be thinking about is how to pay their rent or feed themselves. If and when I headhunt other talent, I offer them signing-on bonuses too. Either way, everyone gets the same treatment.’
The bruised hurt eased a little. ‘Oh, so I wasn’t singled out for special treatment?’
‘Now you sound disappointed,’ he mocked in a low tone that was equally as lethal to her senses.
‘I’m not.’ And of course, now he’d explained the reason for the stipulation, it made total sense. How better to keep his employees happy and loyal than to ease the one thing certain to add to their anxiety in their first months of employment? Realising there was something else she needed to do, she cleared her throat. ‘Thank you...for giving me this opportunity. I promise I won’t let you down.’
Again a thoughtful silence greeted her words. ‘I’m glad to hear it, Perla, because I’m giving you the chance to prove it sooner rather than later.’
Her heart jumped into her throat. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It means I’m throwing you in at the deep end. You fly out to join me in Miami after your accelerated orientation tomorrow. My assistant will provide you with the details.’
CHAPTER SIX
TEN VIP GUESTS.
Miami Fashion Week.
What could go wrong? It turned out to be plenty as Perla doused yet another metaphorical fire four days later, this time in the form of a wardrobe malfunction for one of the guests—a social media mogul’s wife, minutes before she was due to head down to the Pantelides V3 Hotel & Casino.
She curbed the urge to blurt out that she was an events organiser not a stylist and placed a phone call to summon the harried stylist. Twenty minutes later, after the crisis had been averted, the young blonde cast a grateful glance at Perla as they rode the lift down to the lobby.
‘I should’ve gone for something like what you’re wearing instead of this...this thing.’ She indicated the blue organza multi-layered dress that showed off more cleavage and bare back than Perla would ever be comfortable showing.
Her own knee-length silk dress, although slashed dramatically at the waist and side, was covered with thin mesh netting that made her feel not quite so...exposed. And the long fitted sleeves made of the softest leather offered further boosting confidence.
‘That black totally rocks against the vivid colour of your hair. You must give me the name of your colourist. Everyone tells me red and curly is the new black this season.’ The blonde flicked her straight hair back and offered a brittle smile.
Again Perla bit her tongue, smiled back and discreetly checked her watch. The pre-runway show drinks would be served in exactly six minutes. Although she realised she was probably being rude by not responding and discussing her now extensive wardrobe that had come courtesy of her generous Pantelides clothes expense account, she couldn’t think beyond the fact that in a few minutes she’d be coming face to face with Ari for the first time in almost a week.
By the time she’d arrived in Miami, he’d left for New York and she’d been given three days to prep for the arrival of the special guests, who ranged from a young senator to Hollywood royalty.