Page 2 of Dirty News
“It’s not hot in here at all.” She pulled out a notepad, looked it over, then looked back at me. “Let me guess. Lila Banks, here for an interview with Mr.Wolfe?”
A nod moved my head. Then I looked around for a ladies’ room. “Ineed…”
She pointed in the direction she already knew I needed to go. “There’s a bathroom right over there. I’ll inform the boss that you’re here, and someone will be down to get you shortly. And try not to be so nervous. Mr. Wolfe and Mrs. Baker are very nice people. Both are very down-to-earth. You’d hardly be able to tell Mr. Wolfe is a filthy rich billionaire—it hasn’t seemed to go to his head at all. You’llsee.”
“K,” came my simple reply before I hurried off in the direction shepointed.
I found the small private bathroom to be just as elegant as the reception area. As I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t quite believe it. There I was, in a fancy building, about to interview for the job of alifetime.
“Is this real?” My reflection nodded back at me, telling me it was indeedreal.
A thorough handwashing had my sweaty palms under control. A few deep breaths took away the knots in my stomach. “This is what you’ve always wanted. Now, time to stiffen that upper lip and let these people know that you can do the job they’ve brought you here to interviewfor.”
Smoothing out the white blouse I’d tucked neatly into an A-line black skirt that hit me just below my knees—which were thankfully no longer knocking after my stern pep-talk—I headedout.
My shiny black heels clicked and clacked over the black and gray marble floor, taking me out to meet the person who’d lead me to Mr. Wolfe and Mrs. Baker. Time to get this show on theroad.
“Miss Banks?” a short young man asked me as soon as I came out of thebathroom.
“Yes?”
“Come with me, please.” He headed to the bank of elevators, and Ifollowed.
The doors closed on us, confining us together in the vast space. “Man, this elevator ishuge.”
“We anticipate this place being very busy and full of people soon.” He pulled his round-frame glasses off to clean them with a hanky he’d pulled out of the pocket of his suit. “I’m Brady, the receptionist for Mr. Wolfe’soffice.”
“Nice to meet you, Brady.” I offered my hand to shakehis.
But he only shook his head. “Germaphobe.”
“I see.” Putting my hand back by my side, I wondered if I’d find many more people in the big city who would be afraid of catching something fromme.
At the very top of the tall building, we got off on the twenty-second floor, the last floor. I’d thought the reception area on the first floor was elegant but it was nothing compared to this one. This one had a chandelier hanging from the very tallceiling.
Brady stepped off first, leading the way, his arm flowing out to gesture at the grandeur. “This is the penthouse. Mr. Wolfe’s office is located here. His personal assistant, Mrs. Baker, has an office right across the hallway from his. There are two meeting rooms on both sides of the hall after them. We have eight more offices up here too. Those will go to the anchors on the newsshows.”
“Do you mean that if I get one of the anchor positions, then I’ll have an office up here?” My eyes scanned every inch of the magnificent area, as far down the hall as I couldsee.
“You would.” He tapped lightly on a door that had a gold-plated nameplate with the name Artimus Wolfe engraved on it. “They’re waiting for you in here.” Brady opened the door then stepped inside. “I have Lila Banks here, Mr.Wolfe.”
An older woman with dark hair and eyes to match got up from her seat on the side of a large cherrywood desk. The man who sat behind it in a high-backed rich brown leather chair had his back tome.
“Miss Banks, it’s lovely to meet you,” she greeted me. “I’m Mrs. Baker.” She shook my hand before gesturing for me to take a seat in one of the large, matching dark brown leather chairs in the giganticoffice.
Taking my seat, I said, “Thank you for asking me to come interview. This is a dream opportunity forme.”
The chair turned around, and a very handsome man with dark hair and piercing blue eyes smiled at me. “Artimus Wolfe. Damn glad to hear this is a dream of yours, LilaBanks.”
“A dream?” I shook my head. “Thedream. Theonlydream.”
His dark brows rose as Mrs. Baker smiled. “I told you, Arti. She’s verydriven.”
They had no idea how driven I trulywas.
ChapterTwo
Duke
