Page 54 of Trapped with the Billionaire

“Where are you going?” he asked.

I turned. “To do my job.”

“You do that, while I work on the minor problem of making sure the bank account doesn’t run dry tomorrow.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“And, to reassureourpeople that you’re not about to fire them all.” I reached for the door handle. “I can tell them that, right?”

“Business as usual.”

I shut the door behind me.

Every eye in the room found mine.

Jenny’s eyes pleaded with me, and I strode in her direction. She’d be my first stop.

I gave her a genuine smile and a thumbs up before I reached her.

The relief that grew in her expression was the payoff I needed.

Mybusiness as usualmessage would percolate fastest if she and a few others were the first to hear it.

“I’m staying,” I started. “Nothing’s changing.” I didn’t add the obvious words—for now. Nothing in business was ever completely static.

Her face lit up.

Now I was irrevocably committed. Changing my mind with Benson wouldn’t bother me. But recanting after assuring these people, my extended family, that I was staying would not be happening.

Chapter 14

Josh

First things first:plugging the financial holes in the leaky ship. I opened the door to my office to find an older redhead sitting outside at the desk that had previously been unoccupied.

She stood and extended her hand. “You must be Mr. Benson.”

I took it. “Josh will do.”

“Sorry, Mr. B. I was out yesterday and this morning. Tommy, that’s my grandson, had a fever, and his mother couldn’t watch him. Mr. Berg said it was okay.”

This wasn’t getting me anywhere.

“And what do you do for us?”

“Oh, I’m your secretary, Deandra. But everybody just calls me Dee. I mean, I’m yours and Nicky’s, but of course you come first. And I don’t mind the term. I grew up with it and actually prefer it. These days the girls want to be called personal assistants, but that sounds to me like somebody who helps you get dressed in the morning. I don’t want somebody thinking I help you tie your shoes, if you know what I mean.”

I nodded. “I see the problem, Dee.” I rubbed my chin and lowered my voice to a whisper. “But secretary is a bit outdated. How about we call you a PO instead of PA. Personal Organizer.”

A broad smile grew on Dee’s face. “PO. I can live with that. Mr. B’s PO. I like the sound of that.”

“And Nicky’s too. Can’t forget Nicky. And no shoe tying. I promise.”

Dee nodded. “Right. Phone?” She held out her hand. “I’ll add everybody’s numbers for you.”

I handed over the device. “I’m told Stephanie Quantell has left us, and I need to talk to whoever is most senior in finance now.”

Her smile betrayed her when I said Quantell had left. Quantell hadn’t been universally liked. There was a story there somewhere.

“That would be Gary, Gary Fontaine. He’s the controller.”

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