Page 2 of Knocked Up By the Silver Fox

WILL

Ms. Reid stood with a box of her belongings across from my desk looking apprehensive, though she had nothing to fear from me. After Jill talked her up so highly and showed me her work, I knew the potential we had in her as an analyst. It was at my order, after I watched the recordings of her interviews, that she was given the job. However, it was satisfying seeing the look of shock on her face when I heeded her advice instead of Kevin's.

She may not have known who I was, but her work was impressive. And even more so, she had cajónes. There wasn't a single analyst in that group who would stand up to the others, and she had done it on her first day.

I'd seen her findings on the reports she sent to Kevin. She had no way of knowing that I was bcc'd on every email in the office like that. With an acquisition this big, I made sure all of my senior analysts were on the task, and Ms. Reid's words were wise. I was shocked that Kevin refused to heed this wisdom, as odd as it seemed to spend more money than we originally planned. But her numbers were correct. There was hidden value he had overlooked.

"Ms. Reid, " I said, looking her up and down. "I'm very interested in your work. In fact, I'm so interested in having your eyes looking over the most important projects we are undertaking, that I want you to report directly to me. You'll have a team of a few newer analysts to report to you, but I want your findings and research to come directly to my eyes."

Her extreme intelligence and talent didn't detract from her stunning good looks either. She was a knockout, though it was hardly something her boss should be noticing. Her suit wasn't designer, but it fit her thick curves like a glove, and I was the sort of man who loved a curvy woman.

"Yes, sir. Wow, thank you, sir. What an honor." She blushed awkwardly and stood there staring at me like she had no clue what I was saying. I had a plan in my mind, and it required her to be at my disposal immediately without a trip to the senior analysts' floor. I wanted her closer, right on the other side of my wall.

I pressed the intercom button on my phone and said, "Sarah, can you come in here please?" When I had my secretary show Ms. Reid in, she seemed pleasant as could be, but I knew she was about to sour at my next order.

The door opened and we both turned to see my secretary walk in with her designer suit and shoes. For a secretary she made good money, and she had her own large office with a view of the city. Not as good as mine, mind you, but she enjoyed perks most secretaries in this firm didn't. Perhaps too many. She'd grown spoiled.

"Yes, sir?"

"Sarah, I need Ms. Reid close to me. I need an office space for her somewhere on this floor." I wasn't stupid. I knew as well as anyone else, that on the seventeenth floor there were only the offices for the C-suite. And all of those offices, along with the respective areas for assistants and secretaries, were taken.

"Well, sir, I think there's one near janitorial." She winced slightly as she made the suggestion, probably because she knew what I was going to say. Janitorial was one floor down and all the way on the other side of the building, half a city block away.

"I need her closer. She needs her own office." I smoothed my tie down and stood with my shoulders squared as Ms. Reid gawked at me.

"Sir, the only place would be my office, but?—"

"Good. It's settled. Give her your office and I'll have a desk brought up from the basement. You'll work right outside the door."

I watched her wilt and then I watched her nod slowly. The glare she shot my new analyst didn't get past me. There would be drama for sure, but I would have my analyst right where I needed her. When Sarah left, I nodded at Ms. Reid.

"You are free to go, Ms. Reid. You can start setting things up in the outer office space here, but give Sarah a bit of berth. She's a feisty one at times." I winked at her and she smiled.

"Uh, it's Elizabeth…But my friends call me Beth." Her smile was so attractive, I couldn't help but feel warmth swelling in my body. And I didn't shy away from checking her out as she walked out the door either.

I had no more than sat down and got myself under control when my phone rang—my cell phone. There were very few people who had this number, and it rarely rang except for specific situations or emergencies, so I was pleased to see my daughter's caller ID when I swiped right to answer.

"Abby, baby, how are you?" At eighteen she was ready for her life to begin, barring the final few months of high school. We weren't extraordinarily close due to her private school schedule and my work-life balance, but I always tried to make time for her.

"Hey Dad. How's your day?" Her question was run-of-the-mill. We didn't talk on the phone often, but when I said goodnight before bed each night, she'd always ask. It was a small comfort since Kate died.

"It's going well. How is your day, baby?"

She sighed a big sigh and I knew there were things brewing, but I knew she'd never speak up. Kate always had a way with her, always knew what to say. But I just never quite broke through. Abby had this way of bottling it up and thinking she was protecting me. She knew how I struggled when her mother died.

"Things are good … Lots of quizzes this week … Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"There's this fall banquet and I'm getting an award, and well…Can you escort me there? It's Thursday night and it won't take too long, but you might have to leave work early. And if it's too late it's okay, you don't have to but?—"

"Baby," I said, interrupting her nervous rambling.

"Yeah?"

"I'd love to. I wouldn't miss it. I'll clear my schedule and you can count me in. In fact, take my credit card and buy a nice new dress to wear, we'll make a whole night of it." I pictured the smile on her face as she squealed with happiness. There was no feeling in the world like knowing my little girl was so happy.

"Oh my God, thanks Dad."

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