Page 25 of Decoded
“Anna, it’s really brave of you to pack up your life and start somewhere new. I think a fresh start is good for you.”
“Thanks, Dad.” He may not have said he was proud, but his words mean a lot just the same.
I hang up with my parents and look back at the guest house where my new life will begin.
Here’s to fresh starts.
Chapter eighteen
Keaton
I
’ve been on this call with Caruso Enterprises for over two hours and I’m ready to fire my newest client. The excitement of acquiring the huge resort and casino fades with every one of their lengthy follow-ups with some concern or another. “I understand,” I say for the umpteenth time. “We will take a look into that right away and I will personally see that your concerns are addressed.”
I hang up just in time for my brothers to saunter into my office because obviously I can’t catch a break today. They both have huge smiles on their faces, and I wonder if I could stand them side-by-side and slap it off them at the same time.
“Have you met your new assistant yet?” Camden asks.
“Haven’t had the time. I’ve been stuck on the call with Vegas for the past two hours. Next time I’m letting one of you fuckers deal with them.” This weekend I did catch a glimpse of a blonde moving things into the guest house. I was probably a dick for not offering my help, but I didn’t have it in me to care.
Honestly, I couldn’t give two shits about the new woman moving in. There’s only one woman I want living on my property and in my home.
“We just had the pleasure. Spoke with her for a little bit and I think you’rereallygonna like her,” Cam continues.
Lincoln tags on, “She’s your type, you know. Blonde. Beautiful. Curves for days. You may actually decide to keep this one around awhile.”
Camden nods vehemently. “And if Janine hired her, she’s gotta be smart. Though, I’m sure she’s madesomebad decisions in her life."
“Would you both shut the fuck up?” My voice is raised, which isn’t something I do at work except in circumstances when I’m talking to the two dickheads standing in front of me. “I don’t care what my goddamn assistant looks like. She could be fucking Miss America for all I care. I don’t care if she’s good at her job. I don’t care if she’s fucking married to the Pope. I just care…”
“Mr. Fisher.” I’m cut off by the sound of my name followed by the clearing of a throat. Janine, the head of our HR department, is in my office with her signature retired school principal look. “I’m here to introduce you to your new assistant.”
Taking a deep breath and cursing myself for letting these motherfuckers get to me, I look at the woman standing beside one of my most trusted employees. Her golden hair has the slightest curl through it so that it looks like waves drawn in the sand. Plump lips painted in a beautiful shade are slightly parted. My gaze travels down to her ample breasts that show just a tease of cleavage in her cream blouse that’s tucked into a navy pair of pants that have a cute tie at her waist. A waist I remember holding in my grip all too well.
“This is Anna Keith,” Janine introduces me to the woman I’ve been obsessing over for the past month.
I look Anna in her wide eyes as she takes me in. “Nice to meet you Mr. Fisher. I’m excited to be here, but I should inform you my husband isn’t the Pope. He’s actually a real asshole.” Then she abruptly turns and storms out of my office, away from me.
My brothers are still in my office, Lincoln snickering and Camden masking his laughter behind his hand. “You knew?” I growl at the pair of idiots. “You knew my wife was hired as my fucking assistant? You knew that the woman I have been obsessing over was steps away from me, just on the other side of that door and neither one of you fucking told me?”
Camden holds his hands out like he’s Chris Pratt and I’m a raptor. “Calm down, Keaton. We had no idea Anna was your assistant until this morning. We would have told you if we had known.”
“Would we have?” Lincoln’s smug smirk has an intense rage building up inside me. I take a step toward him, but then he throws his hands up, not wanting to deal with my fury this morning. “Well, are you gonna go get your girl?”
“Yes, Mr. Fisher, I think it would be best if you go see if you still have a freshly hired assistant who stood out among all the other applicants and would benefit both you and the company. Then maybe the other Mr. Fishers won’t mind filling me in on what exactly is going on here.”
Shit. I forgot Janine was still standing there and she not only saw me almost punch my chief financial officer but now she knows about my marriage to Anna. Not that I want to keep it a secret. If Anna would let me, I’d send an email out informing my entire staff about our wedding and even include the pictures the chapel emailed me thanks to the package we purchased. But I can’t do that if I don’t have a wife, and that’s going to be the case if I keep fucking things up with her.
I leave my brothers, who have been smirking at one another like a couple of schoolboys who just pulled a prank on theirteacher, to Janine. My human resources manager has her arms crossed, her hip popped, and a look that tells me she’s about to knock them down a peg or two.
Couldn’t happen to two better people. Those two dumbasses deserve to be incurring her wrath today. I have more important things to deal with. Like making sure my wife doesn’t leave me. Again.
A few of my employees pointed out the direction they saw a small, blonde woman huff in and now I’ve been standing outside this bathroom door for about ten minutes. Usually, I’d be running through my neverending to-do list in my head, but the only thing I can think about right now is making sure Anna is okay. When I hear the click of the bathroom door, I straighten and smooth down my shirt. Do I smile? Where should I put my hands? Why is this awkward?
Anna steps out with her head down, bumping right into me. My arms raise to grip her shoulders and when she looks up at me, her eyes are rimmed in red and puffy. Even still she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. “Anna, Baby, I’m so sorry.” She brushes my hands off, then taking a deep breath, she straightens up to her full height, fixing her eyes directly in front of her at my chest. “Mr. Fisher,” she begins.
“It’s Keaton, please. Please, Anna, call me Keaton.” I’m begging to hear my name from her lips again. Her eyes flick up to mine briefly before she centers them so that she’s staring at my chest. Her chin lifts and even though I know she’s probably about to say something I don’t want to hear, I’m so damn proud of her for being so strong in this situation. This shitty situation I’ve put her in.
