Maybe that was why I took Calla up on her offer. My initial instinct was to usher her out the door; there was no use for someone so green. But when her voice started to break, something in me did as well. It was odd; empathy wasn’t one of my strengths. Maybe it was a result of working alone for the past few weeks. I was so desperate for human contact that I was willing to lower my usual expectations of my employees.
When I arrived at the office that morning, the elevator doors dinged open, and I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t the first one in. Calla smiled brightly at me from the reception area, grabbing the two coffee cups waiting on the counter behind her.
“You look surprised,” she smirked as she passed me one of the white and blue paper cups.
“I’m not used to seeing someone else here,” I answered honestly. I took a long sip of the beverage Calla made for me, but my whole face contorted. “This is horrible.”
Calla grimaced. “Sorry, Mr. Ayad. I wasn’t sure what kind of coffee you liked, so I went with black.”
My brow arched. “Is that the impression I give?” She shrugged, following me as I turned down the hall. “In thefuture, cream and sugar. Nothing over the top, but I need a little more than just plain coffee to start my day.”
She pulled out a notepad from her cardigan pocket, quickly jotting down the order. I couldn’t help but smirk. It reminded me of my mother, how she was always bringing home her checkbook after long nights of waitressing. At the thought, my throat tightened, a wave of grief washing over me before I cleared my throat, willing it away.
I led Calla into my office, motioning for her to take a seat as I got settled behind my desk. She tapped her pen on the notepad. “So, boss. What do you need me to do first?”
I thumbed through my papers, reviewing the various stacks of documents I’d haphazardly piled there last night. I put my finger on the largest stack, dozens of file folders waiting to be looked through. “These are all the recent client intake files. The LA office sent us a bunch of people located in the city, and we need to start evaluating to see if anyone is worth a meeting. Scan each one of these and create some kind of document to help me wade through the requests.”
Calla started to reach out to take them, but I shoved my hand on top again. “Normally, I’d make you sign an NDA, but I have too much to do to draw up the paperwork now.”
“Ah, yes.” Calla smirked. “I’ve heard all about your infamous NDAs.”
“A requirement in this line of business, I’m afraid.” I tapped the files with my thumb. “I’m trusting you, Miss Winters.”
She shook her head. “Mr. Ayad, I promise that I do not have any intentions of betraying your trust. No offense, but I’m not really interested in your secrets.” She winked. “Just the paycheck.”
She slid out of my office, dropping the files on top of one of theempty desks outside. After leaning back in her chair, she pulled the top folder into her lap and started reading.
As the morning moved along, I tried to focus on my list of tasks, but for some reason, my eyes kept getting pulled back to Calla. It had to be a morbid curiosity, one that came when my initial impression was so off. I had doubts that she would even show up today, much less beat me to the office. It was only the first morning, but she was already defying my expectations. Time would tell if she would keep it up, but something told me she would.
During her interview, Calla tried to appear confident and strong, but there was a quiet doubt that filled her eyes, especially when I brought up her work history. She’d visibly flinched at my harsh words, a slight I’d regretted since they slipped out of my mouth. At first, I thought it was because she had little work ethic, relying on her parents’ money to coast through life. But if this morning was any indication, Calla was a hard worker and wanted to prove herself.
As my mind wandered, wondering what had caused Calla to come to the city without a job, a voice called out from the other side of the doorway.
“Excuse me, Mr. Ayad?” I lifted my gaze away from my desk. Calla toyed with the end of her hair as she stood at my door, wrapping an auburn lock around her finger. “If you don’t mind, I have a question.” I nodded, allowing her to continue. Her nose wrinkled as she looked around my office. “Who decorated this place?”
“No one,” I answered honestly. “Most of this furniture was left from the previous tenant. It was easier to keep it than to replace everything.”
“Oh,” Calla sighed, shifting her hands down to fumble with her dress pockets.
“You don’t approve?” I asked, leaning forward in my chair.
“It’s not that,” she said. “It’s just….”
“Stale?”
“Boring,” she answered. “Looking through these files, I don’t know—these are people chasing their dreams; they’re bold and unafraid.” She grimaced, looking around the room. “This place looks like the land where dreams go to die.”
I chuckled at her words. “And what would you do differently?”
She smiled at me. “If I was the one in charge, I would start by adding some color to the walls. More artwork, maybe some candid photographs of different clients if they were willing.” She shrugged. “Different things to make it cozier, more welcoming.”
“I’ll take it under consideration.” I turned back to my computer, but something nagged at me as she turned back to leave. “Calla, wait,” I called out. Sighing, I reached into my wallet, pulling out one of the corporate cards. “When you finish with the files, see if you can find some pieces to make this place feel lessboring.”
She tucked her lip between her teeth as she stepped closer to my desk. I pulled the card back before she could take it.
“Do not make me regret this.”
Calla’s lip curled into a devious smile. “Don’t worry, Mr. Ayad. I have excellent taste.”