Page 51 of Don't Quit the Day Job

It just doesn’t even make sense to me that she got hired. She has about as much experience as I do, which is none. I want to ask her how she'd gotten the job, but a part of me is nervous that maybe she'd lied, and I don’t want to be burdened with her truth just in case HR or Max come to me with questions.

I don’t mind a little white lie every now and then, but I really hate having to lie frequently. And as much as I like Skye, I don’t want to have to lie for her. And I have a teenzie-weenzie suspicion that she hadn't been utterly honest about her qualifications. I’m not sure why I have that feeling, but I can’t shake it.

Maybe it's just my female instinct, but I’m suspicious that a man like Kingston, who had seemed like he wanted someone with a lot of experience, would hire Skye. Almost as suspicious as I am about the reason behind why Max had hired me. It just doesn't make sense, unless they were trying to hire the worst assistants for the jobs. But why would they do that?

I realize that I've been sitting at the desk for thirty minutes already and have done absolutely no work, so I quickly type into Google, "Lucinda Whittington" and wait for the results to show so I can do a deep dive into her life and personality. I’m kinda hoping that I'll find enough information to somehow take down Jack Whittington, that I find something to make Max question taking him on as a client. I’m hoping to impress him.

Because even though I have no interest in being a personal assistant to an attorney for a long amount of time, I want Max to eat his words. I want Max to really believe that I’m a great assistant. I want to leave and make him feel disappointed. I want him to regret every negative word he's said to me, because even though I want to make it as an A-list actress, I also want to be the sort of assistant that people don’t want to let go.

Maybe that’s just my nature. Maybe I’ve just always wanted to be the best. I don’t care that I have no knowledge of the law. I don’t really like being subservient to people. I just know that when I take on a role, I do it to the best of my ability.

"Aha," I say as I bring up Lucinda Whittington's Facebook account. I frown slightly as I see her profile picture. She's dressed in a bikini at the beach. Not the very best sign for someone that I'm trying to prove is innocent and demure, especially because the bikini's a thong bikini and there's a guy slapping her ass who is definitely not her husband.

I bite down on my lower lip. Maybe Mrs. Whittington did cheat on her husband. Maybe Jack does deserve to keep every penny that he’s made. Maybe I'd gotten it wrong. Maybe she isn’t someone who needs my help. But still, I know I’m going to continue looking to see if there is anything else I can do.

Chapter Fifteen

Max

I make my way back to the office, curious about what information Lila may have dug up on Mrs. Whittington. Not that it will affect my decision, but Jack had been an asshole and I'd been literally seconds from punching the shit out of him. The comments he kept making towards Lila were completely inappropriate, and I felt like he was disrespecting both her and myself with the way he'd been flirting with her.

I hold the brown bag in my hand and look down at it as I make my way back to my office. I wonder if Lila's going to be surprised at the little present I've gotten for her. I know I surprised myself when I purchased it. I’m not normally the sort of man that buys gifts for my assistant.

"How is lunch Lila?" I ask her. She's sitting at her desk staring at her laptop as if she’s seen a ghost. She looks up at me, blinking slowly, and offers me a wide smile. When she smiles at me it's like the Earth stands still. There's something so calming and pleasant in her spirit.

"It was great. I went with some of the girls. We're actually going to be going to HR in an hour for some paperwork."

"Great," I say, standing by the desk and looking down at her. So did you find any information on Mrs. Whittington?"

"A little," she says, frowning slightly, and I can tell by the distress in her expression that whatever she's found isn't as great as she would've hoped.

"And are you going to impart that knowledge on me?"

"No, because I haven't finished my research and it wouldn't be smart of me to give you any sort of opinion without fully knowing what I'm talking about." A slow smile spreads across my face and I chuckle.

"Well, you are a thorough detective, aren't you?"

"I try to do my best." She grins at me.

"Well, then I'm glad I got you this." I hand her the small brown bag quickly and she takes it from me with a surprised expression.

"What's this?" she asks, raising an eyebrow, not opening the bag.

"A little gift."

"A gift? For me?" Her eyes widen. "What sort of gift?" She looks at the bag. "You didn't get me..." She blushes and my heart races.

"What do you think is in that bag, Lila?"

"I don't know. You didn't get me a thong or something, did you?"

"A thong?" I ask her, grinning. "Do you wear thongs?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I don't wear thongs. I mean, unless, you know…"

"I think I get what you're saying, Lila. But no, I didn't get you a thong."

"It's not any sort of underwear like a bra or panties or…?"

---