Meagan gave her friend a look of disapproval. They’d been friends for years, had recently graduated from college together, and this was the most they’d everargued.
Meagan thought that they should both find any job that they could and start bringing in some money while Erica felt living in Chicago would make it easy for her to find a job in her field, and she wasn’t going to waste her time on a job that wasn’t taking her down the road to her dreams of being a successfulaccountant.
Unfortunately, that meant she had been sleeping on Meagan’s couch for the past few months, and she was just as ready to get out of the crowded apartment as her friend was ready for her to go. She had been giving Meagan as much money as she could afford to spare, to pay for her bunking in the living room, but the tension was growing between them. If she didn’t get out of the apartment soon, Erica knew their long friendship might notsurvive.
She looked away from Meagan, back to the computer, and scrolled down another row on Monster.com. To her surprise and delight, uppopped:
FutureEnterprises
Urgent: Seekingsecretary.
“Look! Here’s something!” Erica pointed and Meagan came over, sitting cross-legged on the couch with her cup of coffee in herhands.
“What isit?”
“It’s a secretarial job. Not accounting, but I’d rather serve staples and office memos than Diet Cokes. I’ve never heard of this place before, though. Future Enterprises?” Erica looked up from the screen at her friend, who looked just as confused as she was. Suddenly, there was a flash of recognition in Meagan’sface.
“I know what that is! The guy’s name is Brock Gordon, and he established some sort of Bitcoin bank or something. He’s looking for a secretary? Apply!” She pointed to the ad, running her fingers across the lines and looking at herfriend.
In spite of her momentary excitement, Erica frowned. Her stubbornness was both her best and worst quality. “I don’t know. It’s notaccounting.”
“Erica,” Meagan groaned. “Are you kidding? It’s a major financial firm, so consider it a stepping stone. Not to mention you’d be working for one of the richest men in Chicago, if not the world. The guy’s a billionaire. Think of the bonuses.” Meagan nudged her with her elbow, and Ericahesitated.
“It’s not really the same thing,” she started to argue, but Meagan cut heroff.
“Apply! It’s not a restaurant, and you’ll be making good money if you get it. Who knows? He might have something available that you do want to do, but you’re never going to know if you don’t apply.” Meagan got off the couch, skillfully rising without spilling her coffee on either herself or the floor. Erica watched as her friend rose, then went back to the screen in front ofher.
“What makes you think he’s going to hire me? He’s got quite a list here of the things that he’s looking for. I doubt a twenty-two year old college graduate is going to make thecut.”
“You’re hot. That might help,” Meagan replied with a sly wink as she walked over to the kitchen, kicking aside a pile of Erica’s dirty laundry as shedid.
“Meagan!”
“What? I’m just saying. Use what you’ve got. If you don’t have the credentials, use your assets.” Meagan smiled then set her mug on the counter. “Anyway, you need a job, and I need a shower. And maybe my couch back at some point this century. When I get back out here, I want to hear that you’veapplied.”
“Yes, Mother,” Erica said dryly. Meagan gave her another look on her way to the bathroom. After she disappeared from view, Erica sank into the couch with anothersigh.
Is this really what it’s coming down to? My looks instead of mybrains?
She didn’t even believe that she was hot. Attractive, perhaps, but certainly not hot enough to get a job based on that fact. She had auburn red hair cut close to her head on one side and longer on the other, edgy for a secretary, but she could pull it back and hide the fact she had it short on the side. She was short, but of an athletic build, and commanded the attention of everyone in theroom.
Erica knew how to work what she had, but she didn’t think it would work on a man like Brock Gordon, even if she dared attempt it. Now that she thought about it, she had heard of him; a billionaire in his thirties who had been made rich with a good idea. He was like the next Bill Gates, onlybetter.
It didn’t matter what she looked like. She’d have to be a celebrity if she was going to rely on anything but her education to get her a job at a place likethat.
But then, it certainly didn’t hurt totry.
What was the worst that could happen? And after he found her attractive and hired her, then she could put her brain front and center.Right?
Chapter2
“I just want to know what’s taking so long? Who wouldn’t want to work for my company? Or me, for that matter?” Brock muttered. It had been only three days since he had put the listing on the job service website, but he’d expected that there would be more applicants than what they were alreadygetting.
“We’re working on it, but I can only talk to those who have come through,” Angie said. “It’s not like nobody’s applied. You’re just so freaking picky.” She didn’t bother hiding her annoyance with Brock. But then, no one did. He had the kind of relationship with his employees that allowed them to talk to each other in such a way without worrying about anytension.
“More should apply,” Brock grumbled. “I reserve the right to be picky about the people I’m trusting with mycompany!”
“The next applicant is supposed to be here in an hour!” she called after him as he stormed off toward his office. “The résumé’s on your desk, along with herreferences!”
