Page 3 of Scout

Shepherd had a massive heart to go with his impressive résumé. Scout didn’t know many people who would willingly be late to an interview with him to save a dog’s life. Shepherd also left a job he loved to be near his parents and sister. Family was important to Scout—he was very close to his—and Turner Continental was an extension of that. Alex Shepherd was the type of man who would fit right in with the company.

With a decision made, Scout pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket and tossed a twenty next to his soda, indicating to the bartender he would also pay for the other man’s drink. He then retrieved a business card and dropped it in front of Shepherd. “Call my secretary in the morning and reschedule the interview for tomorrow afternoon. I rarely give second chances, so don’t be late this time.”

He almost laughed out loud as Shepherd’s eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets when he read the card and then stared at him in disbelief. “You’re—you’re Scout Turner?”

He smirked. “Minus the beard and mustache, yeah, I’m him. See you tomorrow.” He started to turn awaybut then paused. “Bring the dog’s vet bill with you. I’ll take care of it.”

If Shepherd’s jaw dropped any further, it would’ve hit the bar. “Mr. Turner, I-I don’t know what?—”

“Just be on time,” he reminded him again. Without letting the man get another word in, Scout left him in shock. If Shepherd arrived early for his interview, as Scout expected, he’d certainly get the job.

Two

Riding the elevator up to the fourth floor, in a repeat of yesterday, minus the injured dog and with a new cell phone, Alex checked his tie in the mirrored door. He then wiped his sweaty palms on his ass, under his jacket, where any moisture wouldn’t be noticed, and willed his hammering heart to slow down a bit. It was years since he’d been to a job interview, and he hoped this would be the last one for a long time. How he got so lucky to run into Scout Turner in the bar yesterday was beyond him, but he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

Alex immediately noticed the good-looking man who had sat beside him the previous day but was too annoyed about the missed opportunity to engage him in conversation. Then, the man turned the tables on him. In preparing for yesterday’s interview, Alex studied everything he could find about Scout Turner, looking for ways to make a good impression. Still, he hadn’t discovered any recent photos of him without the beard and mustache. Hence, he hadn’t realized that the owner of Turner Continental was the same man he’d discreetly ogled as they talked.

As the elevator doors slid open, he checked his watch for the eighth or ninth time since entering the lobby a few minutes ago. It was ten to three—early enough, but not too much as to seem overly eager. Not that it mattered. Turner knew Alex desperately wanted the job—he said as much in the bar before knowing who the man was.

He approached the impeccably dressed, middle-aged secretary for the second time in as many days and announced, “Alex Shepherd to see Mr. Turner.”

He didn’t miss how her green eyes flickered to a clock hanging on the wall above her desk before she gave him a nod of approval. “Mr. Turner is on a phone call and will be a few more minutes. Please help yourself to a bottle of water and have a seat.”

She gestured to a small fridge near the door he’d walked through moments before. It was filled with three-ounce bottles displaying the Paradox logo on the labels.

“Thank you.” After grabbing a bottle of water to relieve his parched throat, he sat and glanced around the reception area. In addition to the glass door he’d entered through, three wooden doors leading into other rooms were closed. The furniture was upscale, asexpected for an elegant hotel. One wall was covered with stunning black-and-white images of the various hotels and other properties owned by Scout Turner’s ever-growing empire. The guy was a fantastic businessman, having reached multi-millionaire status in the hospitality industry before the age of thirty. Forbes, Fortune, Newsweek, and the New York Times were just a few publications featuring in-depth articles about him recently. His business savviness, coupled with his good looks, employees’ loyalty, and significant contributions to several charities, had made him a popular public figure.

At three o’clock on the nose, the secretary’s phone rang, and she answered the call. “Yes, Mr. Turner, he’s here ... certainly.” After hanging up, she pointed to the closed door on her left. “Go on in.”

Taking a cleansing breath, Alex pulled himself together, got to his feet, and tossed the now-empty water bottle into a small recycling bin beside the fridge. Out of courtesy, he knocked before pushing the door open. Turner rose from his leather chair behind a large cherrywood desk and held out his hand. “Ready to try this again?”

Alex shook the man’s strong hand, trying to ignore how good it felt against his own. “Yes, sir. I apologize again for yesterday. It was completely unprofessional.”

“Yet understandable. Have a seat.”

The men sat on either side of the desk. Like the rest of the hotel and reception area, the office wasdecorated in rich tones, fine furnishings, and attractive but unobtrusive artwork. Alex could see his résumé and employment application directly in front of Turner, who relaxed back in his chair and pinned him with an inquisitive stare. “So, tell me something about Alexander Shepherd that I won’t find in your résumé or on social media. And, yes, security does check that for me.”

Alex had seen too many people crash and burn their careers because of the crap they posted on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Mostly, he avoided the sites except to stay in contact with some friends and family members scattered around the country.

“You mean besides everything I unloaded on you yesterday before I knew who you were?”

Turner’s chuckle was deep and sexy and sent a shiver down Alex’s spine. “Yes, although that did give me quite a bit of insight about you. Tell me what I don’t know already.”

Alex wasn’t sure what the man wanted him to say. Again, it’d been a long time since he interviewed for a job. “Okay, well, I’m a bit OCD about certain things, which, I’m sure you know, in the hospitality business, isn’t a bad thing. I enjoy traveling for both work and pleasure. And aside from when my mother had her stroke and when I had an appendectomy three years ago, I never took any unplanned time off from my job with the Four Seasons. I loved working there, but as Isaid yesterday, I felt I had to be closer to my family in case they needed me.”

Nodding, Turner appeared to mull over that answer for a few moments. Alex hoped his response had been appropriate enough.

Turner picked up a pen and twirled it between his fingers. “You do understand, if you’re offered the position, you’ll be working long hours for me—fifty to sixty per week. It’s Monday through Friday, eight to five, but you’ll also be expected to attend late-hour meetings and the occasional weekend event. Those will almost always be scheduled in advance by at least a few days.”

“Yes, I understand.” The job description posted on an employment site had listed all of that.

“Breakfast and lunch meetings happen frequently as well. But, as you’ll probably hear from my employees, I’m not a heartless man. If something happens within your family that needs your attention, I expect you to let me know, and I’ll make sure you have the time you need.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Turner.”

For the next fifteen minutes, Turner asked questions, and Alex answered them to the best of his ability. While his mind stayed focused on the interview, he still found himself studying the other man. Turner’s dark-brown hair went well with his hazel eyes, which were more green than brown—probably because of his emerald-colored tie. He was about an inch or two shorter than Alex’s six-foot-two and obviously had a fine physique under his custom-made, dark gray suit. All the images Alex had seen of Turner for the last ten years or so were with him sporting a beard and mustache. It was a sexy look on the man, but so was this clean-shaven one. Alex couldn’t decide which he liked better.

As Turner wrapped up the interview, Alex presumed he’d get a phone call in a few days about whether or not he got the job. Undoubtedly, there were dozens of interested applicants vying for the position. When Turner stood and held out his hand, which Alex shook, the last thing he expected was for the man to say, “Welcome to Turner Continental, Alex. Before you leave today, go over to personnel and fill out all the payroll and insurance paperwork. They’ll give you an employee packet with all the information you need about the company and assign you a parking space. After that, stop by security to have your picture taken for your employee ID. They’ll also fingerprint you for the electronic scanners on some restricted doors and give you a set of keys. Are you available to start tomorrow?”

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