Page 51 of The Forever Rule

“Well you’re going to get to know them well, as well as your admin as soon as you start working with them fully. So let’s get going.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Aston at the other end of the hall, speaking to a woman in a gorgeous red pantsuit, as they went over paperwork, and then moved the other way. His back had been to me, so he wouldn’t have even noticed me, but I noticed him.

This was going to be a problem if I let it. So I wasn’t going to let it. I was going to pretend that everything was fine as always.

“Blakely?” James asked, and I pulled myself out of my reverie, and smiled. “I’m ready.”

Thankfully he didn’t question it.

It turned out that I loved this place. I had only been working for a few hours, and I already felt as if I belonged.

Garcia, my admin, grinned at me over paperwork. Actually grinned. “It’s going to take a while for you to get used to all the ins and outs and acronyms, but I’ve got you. I’m really excited to see how you can manage this next project of ours.”

I nodded, a little nervous because I was being thrown into the deep end, even though this was exactly what I had wanted.

We were going to try to maximize our output for this small business that the Cages had invested in, without losing any staff, or creating panic. It was my job to make that work. Meaning I would work with the Cagesthemselves, and this small business. On top of that I’d be working on the microloans program.

I had four other people on my team in addition to Garcia. Jeanette, Ruby, JR, and Max all worked with me on projects, but also bounced around with other team leaders so that way they could gain the experience and make sure that we weren’t missing key elements in our connectiveness. I liked the fact that the Cages seemed to think about the whole, and not just their small part in isolation.

It was weird to think that after so many years of trying to find ways to improve, and not cheat my way through business like the Howards wanted, I might have found something that seemed far too good to be true.

By the time I finished my first meeting, truly feeling that I had been thrown into the deep end with a small life vest, James stood in my door.

“Doing okay?” he asked, that brow raised.

I swallowed hard. “Sure?”

“Was that a question or a statement?”

“Definitely a question. I can’t believe you’re throwing me into this huge project on my first day to be honest.”

“You’re not alone on it. Garcia was working with the previous person in your position and knows what they’re doing.”

“That’s good, because I feel like I’m going to let you guys down.”

“If you do, then you’ll figure out a way to fix it. And it’s not like you’re making major decisions on your first day without a safety net. I’m going to have to be the onethat approves everything, and you’re going to have to really wow me in order for that to happen.”

“That’s the tough talk I’m used to.”

“And I didn’t yell or throw anything.”

I winced. “I think he only threw a pen once. It wasn’t in my direction.”

James’s face darkened. “Mr. Howard never had much to do with me, other than the fact that he hated my last name. He really had it in for Aston though. Probably because of the whole president thing.”

Just hearing Aston’s name once again made my stomach tighten, and I ignored it.

“So he’s the president of Cage Enterprises.”

“That’s his title, and I’m the co-chair. Flynn is the vice-president. In the end, we all do the same thing in different departments, so that way we can oversee each other, and not have to be each other’s bosses. We get along as siblings, but not always. And our fights don’t need to bleed over into work.”

“Well that’s a novelty.”

“I know, right?”

My phone dinged, and I looked down at it, smiling at a familiar name.

Isabella:

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