Page 94 of Through You
“Oh, please, call me Paula. ‘Mrs. Marks’ makes me feel old.”
“All right, Paula.”
Paula is the manager of the marketing department at Hidalgo Enterprises. She introduces me to the rest of the staff and to Kelly, the other intern. I take a seat on one side of the large desk Kelly and I share.
I still can’t believe it’s the first day of my internship. The very first time I have the opportunity to put into practice what I’ve been learning in school all these years; a chance to do what I like.
It goes without saying that I’m grateful to Mr. Juan for letting me take over the housekeeper position when my mother fell ill, but I don’t plan to work for the Hidalgos forever. I have many goals and aspirations, and this is one of them. My connection to the Hidalgo family didn’t influence my desire to work for this company; I was objective in my selection process and made my decision based on the fact that this is one of the most successful companies in the state. Their marketing department has a strong reputation and it’s highly respected, having launched some of the most creative and innovative marketing campaigns I’ve ever seen.
I knew this was the place I needed to be whenever I came across one of their projects or read about its team.
I’m pretty sure Artemis won’t find out I’m here. This building is immense, and I’m just one intern of many working three days a week during the afternoon shift. I can’t completely abandon my position at the Hidalgo house, so I’m glad the internships aren’t full-time.
“Are you excited?” Kelly asks me.
“Yes. And you?”
“Extremely. I’ve heard that they received over a hundred applications. One hundred! And here we are, you and me. We’re so lucky.”
I smile at her. “Yes. Indeed we are.”
I spend the first hours of the afternoon setting up my half of the desk and organizing the desktop computer assigned to me so I can perform well and do my work the way I like. During the afternoon break, Paula gives us the company credit card for the coffee run. Kelly and I go to the cafe across the street and pick up drinks for the whole team. This is one of the tasks on our list of duties, so I’m not bothered in the least. Caffeine is often considered the fuel of the workplace, and we are the newest members of the team. When we make our way back to the building and walk through the revolving doors, I come to an abrupt stop and nearly drop the tray of coffees I’m carrying.
Artemis is coming out of the elevators, dressed in an impeccable dark-blue suit paired with a light-blue tie. His handsome face wears the cold expression he shows to the world. His cell phone is plastered to one ear while he’s riffling through some papers with his hands. Two men in dark suits follow closely behind him. I move before he can see me, trotting to one side, where I hide behind a potted plant that’s slightly above my height.
I’m amazed I manage to avoid spilling one drop of coffee—I should add that skill to my résumé. I sneak a peek, sticking my head out from behind the potted plant and notice that Kelly is frozen in place. She gives me a “what the fuck” kind of look. Her gaze turns to Artemis, who walks right by without noticing her and exits through the revolving doors.
I let out a deep and long breath. That was close. Kelly comes near, waiting for an explanation. “Claudia? What’s going on?”
“It’s . . . complicated.”
“Why are you hiding from the CEO?”
“How do you know he’s the CEO?”
“Because he’s the face of the company. He appears in tons of the promotional materials and ads. And how could he not be—he’s gorgeous.”
And he’s also a great kisser.
“It’s just that, you know, I felt intimidated. He’s the big boss.
Maybe it’s first-day jitters.”
“I completely understand. To be honest, I felt shivers when he passed by. He looks terrifyingly intense and intimidating.”
“Exactly.”
We go back to our desks after we deliver the coffees to the team, for which they’re all very appreciative. I still can’t believe Artemis almost saw me; that was a close call. I can’t say exactly why, but I’d rather he didn’t know I work here. I guess I don’t want to be treated differently, and want to avoid any discomfort resulting from the team finding out he and I are acquainted. I want them to value my work based on my own merits, and not the people I’m connected to. Even if they were to deny it, I’m certain the dynamics would change if the staff here found out I have a close relationship with the CEO.
By the time I get home, I’m exhausted. After I was done at work, I had classes at the university. I may have underestimated the demands of this internship—it’s amazing how even a few hours can wear you out. I’m not surprised by how still and quiet the house is when I make my way inside. I head to the kitchen because I’m starving. I let out a yawn, covering my mouth with my palm. I nearly choke on my own saliva when I find Artemis inside.
This is the first time we’ve been in a room alone together since the night he said the words that keep tossing and turning inside my head. It’s not so much his presence that catches me by surprise, but his attire. He has on an apron over a white dress shirt and he’s cooking something that smells delicious. His back is turned to me, so he hasn’t seen me yet. I lean against the doorframe, watching him. It’s a very nice view.
“How long are you going to stand there staring?”
His voice catches me off guard. How did he . . . ? He answers by pointing his wooden spoon at my shadow on the wall next to him, anticipating the question I was about to ask. Shit.
“It’s an unexpected sight, that’s all.”
