Page 10 of Raspberry Cake
He glanced down at the papers, the top being on official company stationery—a contract.
“That’s the work and non-disclosure agreement. We have some high-profile clients, so we don’t allow our employees to discuss anything about the building sites or about the people who own them or live there. There’s also an application for the health insurance we offer and an agreement on how you would like to handle overtime. We have found that offering the overtime as PTO is rather popular, but you can always have it paid out regularly. We just ask that you choose one or the other—you can switch them up, just not too much.”
“I can take off my overtime?”
She shrugged and grinned. “I spent some time in Europe. That option is something everyone seems to love.”
“How old are you?” He blurted out his question before he could stop himself. Renley clapped a hand over his mouth. “Shit, sorry.”
“Thirty-four,” Eveline answered without hesitation.
He only stared at her, hardly able to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. There was no way she was that much older than him. Then again, people likely thought he was older than twenty-five. “You don’t look it.”
Pink cheeks pushed into a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
He snatched the contract sitting in front of him. “I would like to work for you.”
“Once you sign the work agreement, I’ll make sure you get your work gear.”
“My gear?”
“Yeah, safety boots, some clothes, you know...”
“You provide that?”
She gave him another wholesome smile. “Yes.”
Renley filled out the agreement, then scribbled a sloppy signature across the bottom. Eveline patiently waited until hewas finished before jetting off to make copies of them. She filed away one stack, and handed him the other, adding two sticky notes with an address on each.
“That’s where you can get your work clothes, and the other is your first assignment. Can you start tomorrow, or do you need an extra day?”
“Tomorrow is fine.”
“I’ll make sure Jeronimo meets you there at seven.”
He collected all the information and stood, with the cloud of surrealness still fogging his mind. “Thank you.”
When she only smiled at him, Renley turned and left.
Eveline
Watching Renley leave her office left Eveline with a rather odd feeling. It wasn’t that she disliked him—it was the exact opposite. The… intimate way in which they knew each other would make it difficult to separate their personal relationship from their professional one.
She sighed to herself, hoping he would stay true to his word and keep things private. Even though it came with immense risk, she knew she’d done the right thing by hiring him. He’d seemed rather desperate, and her personal fears shouldn’t have to punish him.
Feeling eyes on her, she glanced up from the paperwork in her hands to where Jeronimo stood at her door, a smarmy grin on his face. “So, how do you two know each other?”
“Why does it matter?”
“Because that blush tells me you think he’s rather attractive.”
She shrugged. “I thought the same when I met you.”
He crooked his brow. “Not anymore, huh?”
“The lack of administration skills ruined it to be honest.”
“Such a stab in the back,” he chuckled, taking the chair that Renley had just vacated. “But you don’t mind a young, dashing man working for you.”
