Page 34 of Her Secret Santa

“Is everything alright, Clara?” she asks.

“I… sorry,” I say with an anxious little laugh. “Are you saying I got the job?”

That can’t be what she’s saying. There’s no way.

“Unless you don’t want it,” she replies, sliding the folder across the table toward me along with a pen. “Salary is negotiable, of course, but we are looking for a full time commitment after the new year.”

There’s an employment contract in front of me, listing out wages and benefits and hours. I stare at it in complete shock.

It can’t bethiseasy.

I grab the pen and sign before I can overthink it all. I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, and I’m not stupid enough to ruin an opportunity for myself before I even get the chance to prove my worth.

“I want it,” I say firmly, pushing the contract back toward her.

“Good,” Heidi says, her smile widening ever so slightly. “We’re glad to have you as part of the team. You’ll have a separate manager for your graphic design duties, but I’ll be your trainer for the personal assistant role. I was the secretary and assistant for the two previous CEOs, and have kept the role with our current company head, Mr. Zaiden Hawthorne. I’m approaching retirement, and will need someone to fill in for certain duties while I find a full time replacement for my role. We would have loved to put you into the Graphic Design Department full time, but we currently have a number of outsourced projects. Once they come to a close, and I find a permanent replacement, your role will change to suit your strengths.”

I didn’t realize I was going to be a PA for the CEOhimself. That’s a hell of a bomb to drop. At least it’s not permanent. From what I’ve heard of Zaiden Hawthorne, he’s kind of an ass. I mean, the guy didn’t even bother to show up to his own company’s holiday party.

If that’s the price for getting my foot in the door, it’s worth it.

“I do have another job right now, but it’s seasonal,” I say. “Will that be an issue with any training schedules?”

“Not at all,” she tells me, flipping the folder closed. “Most of us are working from home until after the holidays. The majorityof your onboarding will be online, and you can do it on your own time. Just remember to log your hours so you get paid for them.”

Shit, I’m getting paid for training too? This really is too good to be true.

Only one, massive, glaring problem with that.

“I don’t have a computer at home,” I admit with a wince, sure that this is where the offer will get rescinded. “Will I be able to do the trainings on a library computer?”

It’s more embarrassing than I can put into words to admit to someone so well put together that I can’t even afford my own computer.

“That’s no problem. I’ve set up an appointment at this store for you tomorrow morning,” she says, sliding a card for a computer store across the table. An appointment time is written on the back, and I stare at it in shock. “If that doesn’t work, just call them and reschedule. They know to charge it to the company, so pick whatever laptop you’d like, then drop it off with IT so they can program the security system on it before you start working. You’d have a desktop in the office, so this will be for any work you take home and any personal projects you’d like to use it for.”

A computer?

They’re giving me a fuckingcomputer?

How is any of this real? I pinch myself subtly beneath the table, so certain I won’t feel it that the pain is a genuine surprise.

“I—thank you,” I blurt.

It’s probably unprofessional, but I’m so shocked that I can’t even try to hide it.

“Oh, no, thankyou, Clara,” Heidi says, standing and holding her hand out again.

There’s a twinkle in her eyes that makes me wonder if she’s thanking me for more than taking the job, but I have no idea what else she would be referring to.

I rush to copy her, shaking her hand with fervent appreciation. I’m still too dumbfounded by the insane turn of luck to say anything intelligent. It’s probably obvious on my face, but Heidi kindly doesn’t mention it.

“You can fill out the rest of your paperwork with HR tomorrow when you drop your laptop off for programming,” she says. “I have another meeting to prepare for, but it was wonderful to meet you. Once your company email is set-up, I’ll email you to schedule the few in-person trainings we’ll be doing together. I look forward to working with you, Clara.”

“Yes, thank you, Heidi.” I know my eyes are wide and I’m stumbling over my words, but I do my best to keep it together. “I look forward to working with you as well.”

We say our goodbyes, leaving the conference room and heading our separate ways down the hall. I rush back outside, trying not to hyperventilate in shock and excitement. As soon as I make it out to the sidewalk, grateful tears spring to my eyes, an almost manic smile on my lips.

I’veneverhad luck like this.

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