Page 21 of Assistant to the Billionaire CEO

For a moment, I was certain the white scooter would simply race past us. Just as I was preparing to resign myself to my fate, the vehicle slowed down and pulled up next to us.

“Were you gesturing at me?” the driver asked in a raspy voice, tilting his scooter to one side and placing his right foot on the pavement.

“Hey there,yes,” I started. “So sorry for stopping you. But I need your help.”

“What kind of help?” the delivery driver asked suspiciously. He was a younger guy, somewhere around twenty-two, with a patchy brown beard covering his cheeky face. He looked friendly enough. He raised one of his hands and leaned away from me. “But fair warning: I don’t have any medical training if it’s something like that—”

“No, no. It’s nothing like that,” I reassured him. “Can you give me a lift? It’s just that I’m going to be late for an interview.”

“An interview? For a job?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “A job that I really, really need.”

“Where do you need to go?”

“You’d give me a lift? Oh, my gosh, thank you! I thought I was pushing my luck—”

“Hold up, Miss. I haven’t agreed to anything yet. I’ve got to stick to my route. If where you’re going is on my route, I’ll take you there.”

I told him the street and corner I needed to get to. “I can pay you. I have an extra twenty in cash on me. I’ll give you twenty dollars if you can just get me there. You have no idea how much it would mean to me.”

“Hop on! It’s your lucky day. I’m headed that way anyway. I’ll have you there before you can say ‘interview.’”

“Make sure she gets there safe please, mate,” Jay told him, as I pulled out my cell to pay the cab dues plus a sizable tip. Jay refused to accept, telling me that as always, Damon was covering all costs in my account, including tip—and so I fumbled my way up onto the scooter.

“Thanks!”

“No probs—you just get there and get that bloody job. Good luck, love.”

Maybe itwasmy lucky day. The delivery man started the scooter’s engine again before it spluttered to life, and we zipped forward. Within a matter of seconds, we were snaking through the traffic, drawing even closer to my final destination.

Just as he had promised, the scooter guy promptly delivered me to the address I had given him. “What time is it?” I asked as I scrambled to my feet and started digging through my handbag to retrieve the payment I’d promised him.

“Ten minutes past eleven,” he replied.

“Shit.”

“Hey, how about instead of paying me, you give me a kiss and your number?”

Huh? I wrapped my fingers around my purse and looked up at him, taken aback. “I’m sorry, but I’m not looking for a relationship right now. It’s nothing personal.” It was the truth. Sure, I could have used Bonnie’s favorite technique and told him that I had a boyfriend to avoid the awkwardness, but I couldn’t bring myself to lie. I waved a twenty-dollar bill at him and hoped he’d forgive me for turning him down.

“Okay, just your number then?”

“No…I’m sorry, I’m good.” I started feeling a little uncomfortable.

“Just have dinner with me then? I’d let you choose the pizza place, you know.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered, but I’m good. It wouldn’t be fair of me to let you buy me dinner. Thank you, though, I appreciate it.” I tried to deposit the twenty-dollar bill into his hand, but he pulled away.

“Keep your money, sweetheart,” he replied with a mischievous smile. “No hard feelings. Just go in there and get the job.”

“I’m going to try my best.”

“Maybe I’ll stop by in a week or two. Maybe you’ll have changed your mind,” he rasped and winked, and this time it gave me creepy vibes.

“No, plea—” I was unable to complete my sentence before he sped off, disappearing into Manhattan’s buzzing streets.

Well, this was it.Better late than never, I thought as I turned to face the looming building I’d been told to report to. The sun illuminated its large glass windows, casting an almost ethereal circle of light around it. The ground was covered in small white flowers that had fallen from a tree planted beside them. Two eastern bluebirds were sitting on one of the branches, looking down at me, chirping happily. Usually, I would have appreciated the sweet moment much longer, but I was too focused on my trembling legs as I climbed the handful of steps that led up to its imposing double doors. They swung open as I pushed my way through, revealing a receptionist seated at the other end of the huge bright foyer.

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