An Unexpected Pal

               CHAPTER FOUR.

MAZIKEEN.

  “Miss Smith, welcome.”

I gave a small nod to the portly receptionist as I came to a stop in front of her desk,I couldn't muster a smile just then…. perhaps not for the rest of the day too, after the night I had.

Graylin had brought Savannah home for dinner,then made out with her for a long time in the living room before taking her home,and only returned to the house by two AM. But I should be happy that I'm the one he comes home to at the end of the day right?

 So why was I so irritated?

“Hello,I'm here for Mr.Black?” I said and the lady nodded.

“He's currently on a family vacation but he says you can start,” she paused to hand me a file and a key. “Your office is on the fifth floor,and here are his schedules for the next couple of weeks.”

I forced down the mix of emotions swirling in my chest as I took the file, “thank you…”

“Linda,” the lady offered.

“Sorry I forgot....thank you,Linda.”

“No problem at all,”she beamed. “Just let me know if you need anything else,okay?”

I nodded, shifting slightly on my feet as I scrambled for the thought in my mind that'd suddenly disappeared.

“Oh,yeah!... How do I contact him…?” I asked and Linda quickly grabbed a card and held it out to me.

“Sorry I forgot to give you that the last time,”she murmured cheerfully then gestured around. “This is all different, we've never blindly hired an assistant for Mr. Black…he's always directly involved in choosing who gets to handle his businesses.”

“Yeah..” I replied, “him and my fiancé are associates,so I kinda got the job handed to me on a golden platter.”

 I didn't know why I was telling her this, but I…I don't know,there was just something warm about her disposition,and the small laugh she let out, revealing two smile lines across her chubby cheeks.

“Your fiancé must really trust Mr. Black then.”

I didn't answer because I didn't know what to say,so I just gave her another nod.

“Thanks again,Linda…and please call me Maze.”

“No problem,” she replied then moved around her desk,towards me.

“Here,I'll walk you to the office.”

I gestured to her post, “you're just gonna leave your position open?”

Linda shrugged. “Carey would be out of the bathroom soon,she has a stomach bug or something…” she began steering me forward as she continued to speak.

“Carey's the other receptionist,we usually take shifts when one of us is indisposed.”

“Oh,” I simply said as she pressed the button then shot me a glance as we waited for the doors to open.

“Have you worked as an assistant before?”

I looked at her, noting her politely curious gaze and nodded.

“Yeah,for six years.”

The elevator doors slid open and we entered. 

“Wonderful,”Kinda chirped. “You do look oddly uncertain,that's why I asked…and Mr. Black doesn't tolerate…mistakes.”

“Trust me,I know what I'm doing.”

She shot me a grin and I replied with a tentative smile I couldn't control. The rest of the ride up was done in comfortable silence and I wondered if I'd just made my first friend in years.

“You and the boss are gonna be sharing the same space,” Linda explained as we stepped out of the elevator and walked briskly down the hallway.

“When will he be back?” I asked and the other woman shrugged.

“He didn't say, perhaps Maryann would know but we're not on talking terms…she's a huge bitch, you must avoid her.”

I swallowed, smoothing a hand down the side of my dress.

 “Who's Maryann?”

“Oh,she's the HR manager and she and the boss are kinda close…here,” she came to a stop in front of the door and held out a hand to me.

It took me a brief moment to realize she was asking for the key she'd given me downstairs.

She took it and silently unlocked the door that led directly into a sparsely furnished office.

“Welcome to J.B adverts,Maze.”

I shot her a brief smile smile as I let out a sigh.

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome…. I'd throw you a welcome party but I still love this job.”

I chuckled as I glanced around the room.

“This is where you're gonna be working from,Mr. Black's office is through that door,” Linda began as she moved forward and threw the door open, revealing an office that was the direct opposite of the one we were standing in.

It was spacious, with a large desk sitting proudly in front of an equally large window overlooking the city,and a shelf filled with books.

“Fancy.” I muttered dryly, taking in the comfortable looking seats.

“Yeah,the boss lovesss his comfort.” Linda chuckled softly as she shut the door and turned to face me, “I'm pretty sure there's a closet in there because he sometimes sleeps over.”

“At the office?” I queried and she nodded.

“Yup…” 

She paused at the sudden buzz of the phone in her hand,then sighed a few seconds after she glanced at the screen.

“I have to go,” she said quickly. “Carey's taking the rest of the day off to go to the hospital…”

“Oh that's fine” I cut in gently. “Thank you so much for walking me through…”

She waved my words aside with a small smile,her cherubic face creasing up sweetly.

“It's no problem at all…I have a good feeling about you,” she added, moving past me as she walked towards the door.

“You can call Mr. Black right after I leave,” she threw over her shoulder as she opened the door, “just to let him know you've officially started and maybe get a few briefings from him.”

“I sure will,” I replied just before she closed the door and not without shooting me another smile.

We were definitely going to be friends.

I let out another sigh as I moved towards and around my desk,then studied the uncomfortable looking chair for a few seconds before sitting down and flipping the file open.

It then occurred to me that I'd forgotten to ask Linda why Mr. Black's last person

al assistant was fired.

“Next time,” I murmured. I'd ask her that and also for her number.