Page 33 of Owen North

She appears very efficient, capable, and intelligent.

The other thing about her? She’s just as beautiful as she is smart.

Looking at Jill, I wonder if Owen usually has a type. If he does, he deviated when he met me. Physically, that is. We look nothing alike. Jill is taller than me with long, brunette hair, paler skin than mine, and boobs for days. She also looks like she works out a lot. I can see definition all over her. Me? My body doesn’t even know what a gym is.

I’m thinking about this when Jill says, “Charlize? Are you good with all that?”

I shift my thoughts back to the job at hand and nod. “Yes, I’m good.”

“Okay, great. Just let me know if you need anything. I’ll be in this meeting for about an hour and then I’ll be here for the rest of the day. Marla is also available on email if you get stuck.”

At this point, the plan is for me to work two days with Jill while her assistant is sick. However, the agency made it clear this could turn into extra days if Marla doesn’t recover as fast as Jill hopes.

Before Owen became part of the picture, I was secretly hoping Marla develops some kind of tropical disease that necessitates her quitting her job so I can be hired full-time. Now that I know who Jill’s ex-husband is, I’m aware that wishing tropical diseases on people only leads to sticky situations best avoided.

If working for the ex-wife of the guy who had his face in your vagina on the weekend is not classified as a sticky situation, then I don’t know what is.

I take up residence at Marla’s desk and log into the email account Jill directed me to. I’m just about to open the email she’s sent when my cell buzzes with a text. I ignore it because I’m at work and Jill strikes me as the kind of boss who sees everything even when it appears she’s not watching. It’s probably my mother, anyway, and I’m not in the mood to deal with her incessant requests for dinner with her, Dad, and Benjamin. Apparently, Ben mentioned yesterday when they had breakfast together that he’d love to see me.

Another spoiler alert:Iwould not love to see him.

A few minutes after I get to work, Jill leaves her office to go to the meeting she mentioned. I keep working for half an hour, losing myself in the jobs she’s assigned me, until another text comes through. This time, I check my phone.

Mom: Don’t forget we’ve got the charity gala next week and that I want you and Nate to be involved this time.

Mom: And please wear something appropriate.

Shoot me now.

After being away for a year, I’d almost forgotten about the family duty she lumps on me and my brother at times. Almost.

I send her a reply.

Charlize: I haven’t forgotten. Dylan’s coming with me.

A call comes through on the office line. After I finish with that call, I google North Management on my phone. I didn’t have time to research the company after I received this job this morning, which is what I would usually do. I like to know who I’m working for. Naturally, the only time I don’t do my research is the time I get caught out and presented with a totally unexpected situation.

Of course, I know of the Norths. Not Owen and Jill, but having grown up in New York, I’ve heard of Owen’s family. Everyone has. However, since I don’t make it a point to keep up with society, I don’t know much about them.

I learn that Owen and Jill founded this company seven years ago and have built it into a huge company. I learn that Owen is one of the most successful hedge fund managers ever. And I learn that since they divorced a year ago, Owen has become one of the most eligible bachelors of New York. It’s at this point that I put my phone away. I don’t like reading gossip and I don’t want to know anything about Owen that comes from people who probably don’t even know him.

I spend the next hour working through Jill’s tasks. She returns from her meeting looking furious. I take it by that and by the way she barely acknowledges me that I should do my best to avoid her.

“Charlize,” Jill says just after noon, “I’m heading out for an appointment. I should be back in about two hours. Call me if you need me but try not to need me.”

I nod my understanding.

Once she’s gone and I finish the current job I’m working on, I head into the break room to grab the lunch I stored in the fridge. I’m pleasantly surprised to discover the break room has a high-end coffee maker, so I make myself a coffee and then take it and my lunch back to my desk. An email that just came in catches my eye while I eat.

From:Owen North

To: Jill’s Assistant

Date: May 17, 2021, 1:13 PM

Subject: My office

Charlize,

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