Page 94 of Think Outside the Boss

I lean against Quentin’s desk. “How late did you guys stay at the bar the other night?”

His gaze slides to mine. “Not that late.”

“Uh-huh.” My face is neutral, but he narrows his eyes regardless. I give him an innocent look. I don’t know anything, won’t say anything. A flush creeps up his ruddy cheeks.

He turns from me to Toby. “Are you done soon?”

“Yep, I just need to send this email off to Clive. He’s up my ass about the Stanton project, wants all the details… I don’t even know why,” he grumbles. “I’m reporting to Sharon on this case. But I’ll be a few minutes late for lunch.”

Quentin groans beside me, but it’s not as dramatic as it would’ve been a week ago. Call me Sherlock, but I’m on to something here. “We don’t mind waiting,” I tell Toby. “Isn’t that right, Quentin?”

He shoots me another withering stare. I grin gladly back at him.

But then his gaze drifts over my shoulder, eyes widening. It’s the classic oh shit look.

Eleanor’s voice falls like a scythe. “Frederica. Do you have a moment?”

“Of course,” I say, pushing from the desk. “In your office?”

“Yes.” Not waiting for me, she turns on her high heel.

I grab my notebook and pen. “Go ahead and have lunch without me, boys.”

Quentin groans. “Unlikely. At this pace, my stomach will devour itself, and you two will be responsible for my death.”

“In that case,” Toby responds, fingers typing furiously, “I suggest you start working on your eulogy.”

I leave them to their bickering and head into Eleanor’s office, closing the glass door behind me. She gestures to the chair in her office and looks over at me from the edge of steel-rimmed glasses. She rarely wears them, but when she does, she goes from ice-cold raptor to intimidating librarian.

“Excellent job on the pitch the other day.”

The unexpected praise makes me smile. “Thank you.”

“The clients were impressed, and I’ve sent word along to my superiors about how important your contribution was.”

“Thank you for that,” I say. “That was very thoughtful.”

She holds up a finger. “Not thoughtful. I was being fair. And if I hadn’t been, you would have been in the right to ask me to do so.”

I nod. “Okay, noted.”

“To tell you the truth, Freddie, you’ve surpassed my expectations during your time here already.”

“I appreciate that.”

She gives me a thoughtful look. “This is a bit unusual, but I recognize an ambitious woman when I see one. A position has become available, one we need filled soon.”

Her words set off a storm of excitement. “This sounds interesting.”

She gives me a rare smile. “Yes, one could say so. One of the international consultants at our Milan office will go on eight-month-long maternity leave. We need to replace her for that time… and when I saw the email, I of course thought of you.”

My stomach squeezes into a tight fist. “You did?”

“You speak Italian. Now, it is uncommon to hire a junior trainee like this, but I think there’s some real potential here. This would be a full-time, fixed position, and after your eight months there, I can promise you the company will want to retain you. Either in Italy or back here at headquarters.”

“This is incredibly kind of you.”

She raises a finger, but there’s a smile in her eyes. “Not kind,” she says. “Remember, just like I wasn’t being thoughtful before.”

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