Page 7 of Starting Over with Her Billionaire Boss

Before Kinsley had a moment to respond, the woman walked impressively fast across the gleaming marble floor. Kinsley hurried to keep pace as the woman entered the elevator.

“Westerhouse Investments Group is a great place to work with a lot of opportunities for growth locally, nationally, and even internationally.” The woman selected the top floor as the doors closed.

“It certainly seems like a beautiful place.” Kinsley admired the refined, polished details in the elevator. A faint hum accompanied their smooth ascent, and the light vanilla scent in the air helped ease Kinsley’s nerves.

“Beautiful place, beautiful people. I’ve been with the company for thirty years, back when the current owner was just a baby, and his father—God rest his soul—was in charge.”

“Was the family from the area?” Kinsley asked out of curiosity.

“The Westerhouse family has roots here going back multiple generations. The late Mr. Westerhouse’s widow’s family are also from the area, though none of her family permanently reside here any longer. Trueport was always so important to the late Mr. Westerhouse.” Her voice quieted. “He chose to make this town the foundation for his company. But as he grew, he also realized the importance of having offices in bustling cities. ‘Youwanted to go to the money, not have the money come to you,’ he would say. So he set up offices in Chicago, New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles. There are also offices in London and Paris. His son, the current owner, just opened the first new office location in over a decade.”

“Oh, where is the new location?” Kinsley’s mind wandered to all the interesting and luxurious cities it could be.

“Seattle,” the woman said proudly.

Rain.

“We’re still getting that going. I haven’t been, but I’ve heard it is a beautiful building.”

The elevator dinged, the doors opening a moment later. Tina bolted from the elevator at what Kinsley thought was the fastest speed she had ever seen a woman walk in heels. As she struggled to keep up, she was sure that she must look like a newborn giraffe, trying to figure out how to walk.

“Do you typically do interviews for office employees?” Kinsley tried making small talk to calm her nerves. In past job interviews, she’d stumbled over her words and left feeling defeated. She was determined to make a better impression this time. Securing this position would help fund the necessary renovation projects to get the house back on track.

“Rarely. That is in Lourdes’ hands most of the time. I actually have an important video conference to attend in about five minutes. Otherwise, I probably would do your interview today.” She stopped at the end of a hallway, smiled, and extended her arm through the doorway there.

If Tina wasn’t doing her interview…

“Mr. Westerhouse will see you now.”

Kinsley couldn’t decide whether to enter the room or walk through the wall. At this point, the wall might be the best option. Her stomach twisted; no amount of comforting platitudes from Tina could save her now. She was about to stand in front of theman who ran this entire empire. What if she said something stupid? What if he saw through her nerves and decided she wasn’t worth the effort?

Kinsley’s heart pounded in her chest as she stepped through the door, open in Tina’s hand.Is this lady feeding me to the lion?Kinsley faked a smile, hoping it would mask her nerves.I can do this, she thought, trying to steady her breathing, her own encouragement feeling as fake as her smile.

The man behind the desk looked up, his sharp black suit—with a tie not an inch out of place—and neatly combed brown hair a perfect match for the commanding office. His brown eyes, dark and assessing, met hers with a spark of curiosity, sending Kinsley’s heart into a full gallop. His presence filled the room—not just because of his stature, but the aura of confidence that emanated from him.

He greeted her with a self-assured smirk, as if daring Kinsley to step into the ring.

While Daegantypically delegated office interviews to his employees, today was proving to be an exception. A series of unexpected events had cleared his schedule, leaving him the only one available while Lourdes was away for an off-site meeting. Though the interview was for a receptionist—a position Lourdes insisted needed to be filled—Daegan’s need for a personal assistant was far more pressing.

What Daegan didn’t expect was a beautiful woman in his doorway. The natural lighting from his floor-to-ceiling-length windows glistened across her figure, casting a warm glow in the room. It highlighted her face, making her light-blue eyes catch the light just so. He found himself lingering on that detail for abeat too long. The faint scent of her sweet perfume wafted his way, mingling with the crisp, clean smell of the office. Her light brown hair fell in gentle waves, partially held up by a few pins. Her charming pink outfit looked like an impressive work of art on her toned body.

Pull yourself together, Westerhouse.It had been three long, sexless years since Megan had left, and they hadn’t treated him well. Daegan pushed those thoughts aside. This was business, and he couldn’t afford distractions, especially now.

The clacking of her heels echoed through his office.I could get used to that.He cleared his throat, trying to focus. “Please,” Daegan motioned to an empty chair opposite him, “have a seat, Miss…”

“Pruitt. Kinsley Pruitt.” The young woman spoke matter-of-factly, though she seemed to avoid eye contact with him.Nerves.

“Miss Pruitt.” Daegan smiled. “Welcome to Westerhouse Investments Group. I’m Daegan Westerhouse.” Daegan watched carefully as the woman stiffened up, allowing her gaze to draw nearer to him. “You’re here to apply for the receptionist position?”

“Yes, sir. Here is my resume.” Kinsley slid a folder across the desk.

Daegan quickly reached for it, taking a minute to look over the document inside. It was a typical write-up for the position, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, she was far overqualified for something so trivial. Looking up, he was surprised to finally catch Kinsley’s gaze. A rush of desire flowed through Daegan’s veins; he nearly forgot what he was supposed to be doing. Her nervous smile seemed more suited for meeting over drinks, or coffee. It wasn’t just her looks; it was the way she carried herself, a mix of determination and quiet uncertainty. He shoved the thought aside. This wasn’t the time or the place. “I’ll just askyou a few questions.” Daegan set down her resume. The slight squeak broke the budding silence as he eased back in his chair.

Kinsley leaned back without saying a word, though she held onto Daegan’s gaze as if it were the only life preserver in a hurricane. Her confidence seemed to flicker like a candle in the wind—tentative, but steady enough to hold his attention. Daegan brushed off the unwelcome twinge of personal interest. This was an interview, not a date.

“The receptionist position requires a minimum of two master’s degrees, twenty years of experience, and the ability to say,‘she sells seashells by the seashore’three times fast,” Daegan joked, though he attempted to keep a straight face.

He failed.

---