The CEO's Secret

2: Settling In

April 2009

C H A P T E R T W O:

S E T T L I N G I N

"So we have to keep digital and paper copies of everything. Here's your planners-don't worry you can write everything in that's important later, I'll give you mine to copy from."

"But there's three planners here, don't I just need one?" Katie asked the older woman in confusion.

"Yes dear, I know. Colin is a very busy man, well... when he feels like showing up to half these things."

"Really?" she was puzzled. "Wouldn't clients get annoyed if he doesn't turn up to his meetings?"

"Well his father, Jeffrey is the one who actually owns everything here. He's really in charge. That is, until he hands it all over to his son which won't be happening anytime soon because of simple reasons like this. I tell that boy so many damn times but he will never listen." Carrie shook her head as she mumbled the last part, but her words were still clear enough for Katie to comprehend.

She began to wonder just how incompetent Colin actually was? Sure, he was charming and friendly, but it seemed that wasn't what ran the company. Not turning up to events or meetings whenever he felt like it was not a normal thing a CEO should do.

"Carrie!" Colin called from inside his office, "Would you come here for a minute please?"

"Sure. Come with me Katie." The pair of women left their shared office and walked in to find Colin on his cell phone, lounging lazily at his desk.

"Um, Katie if you wouldn't mind giving us a moment? Thank you." He was very polite whenever he spoke to Katie but she wondered why she wasn't allowed to stay. Carrie was training her in and helping her get settled which meant she was by the older woman's side a lot during work hours.

"No problem sir." She nodded before entering her office and closing the door.

"Carrie." Colin said rather sweetly, giving her a big smile. She knew exactly where this was going, standing there with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

"What do you want me to lie about now Colin?" Carrie rolled her eyes.

"What? I never ask you to lie for me... ever."

"Y-"

"Anyways... take a seat for a moment, I just want to get an update on how Katie is doing."

"She's perfect actually, it's really great to have someone helping me with everything. I have to admit over the past couple of months with John being in and out of the hospital work has been piling up on me and can be a bit of a struggle."

"So you need her here?" Carrie was unsure what the point of this conversation was just then.

"Yes? She catches on quickly, she's done everything up to standard so far and she really does seem dedicated to the job. Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not. It's just that my father will be here in the next day or two to see how she's getting on. If she doesn't perform in the job up to his standards he wants her to go, which I think wouldn't be fair to you or Katie. And so- I might need you to talk her up a bit once he visits."

"Talk her up?" the woman questioned, a curious yet humoured look on her face.

"Yes. Like you know, make her sound amazing, maybe even exaggerate how much she's needed."

"That won't be necessary, she's already doing wonderful. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh yes, I definitely would, but my father thinks otherwise. I wouldn't have hired her if I thought different."

"Of course you wouldn't." Carrie said sarcastically. "There's no other reasons you could've hired her."

"None at all." She heard him say as she walked to his door.

"Katie's doing fine Colin, I don't think you have anything to worry about." She stopped and turned to him before she opened the door.

"But you know how Dad is, nothing's ever good enough and I really do think she deserves the job. She needs it and she hasn't had much luck finding other positions around the city."

Colin was clearly allowing his emotions to make decisions within the company for him, but he could not help it with her. Although it was strange to feel the way he did, only knowing her a couple of days, Colin didn't want her to have to look for a new job since she had told him how difficult it had been for her already.

"I understand." Carrie gave him a small smile and a nod before she headed out the door but not before she heard Colin's phone ringing.

"David, hi..." was all she could hear of the conversation.

Soon enough Carrie had given Katie more tasks to do and showed her how to use the photocopier before leaving her to it alone. It was then that Colin came out of his office and walked up beside Katie.

"Hi Sir, is there anything you need me to do?" she asked as she lifted up the lid and switched sheets.

"I'm fine for now but I was thinking maybe you could take an early lunch today? I might need you around during lunch time."

"Sure, when should I leave?"

"Right now is fine."

"Okay, I just need to finish this-"

"Don't be silly, the photocopier won't move during your lunch break." Katie couldn't help but laugh at his words.

"Um sure?" she felt his hand on the small of her back as he directed her toward the coat hanger in the reception. "Should I be back in an hour?"

"Give or take a couple minutes if you like." Colin smiled warmly at her, making her insides melt just a tiny bit.

"Thank you Sir." Katie couldn't help but allow a smile to fall onto her lips also. The two stood there looking at each other for a moment in silence before she snapped out of her daze and began to grab her coat. Once she was all set, she headed for the elevators.

Colin watched carefully as her silhouette swayed from side to side, he could not help himself. Although there were plenty of other distractions from work- she had become his favourite one.

Katie looked at her watch as she exited the elevator, checking the time to ensure she was not late back from her break despite Colin's casual suggestions about time. She was not looking where she was going and before she knew it she had bumped into a man rushing past her.

"I'm sorry." She smiled at him, hoping she had not knocked anything out of his hands. The man's facial expression changed from one of annoyance to content the minute he laid eyes on her.

"No need, it was my mistake. I need to watch where I'm going." His voice was a little too sweet for her liking, but she smiled and turned back to walk out the main entrance of the company building. His face stayed in her mind for a minute or two but had faded by the time she reached the nearby coffee shop.

*******

"So where is she? I came all this way to introduce myself."

"Sorry man, she had to run some errands for Carrie. She won't be back for a while. Maybe next time."

"It's cool." David nodded before he sat down beside across from his friend.

Carrie was near the door to her office and listened carefully to the two men, knowing exactly what Colin had done. She did not usually want to listen in on any of David and Colin's conversations as they were never appropriate for her to hear and so got back to work once they changed the subject.

David spent a long time with Colin, both deciding their plans for the weekend, but all that was on Colin's mind was saying goodbye. There was nothing particularly surprising about his friend's situation with Stacy. She broke up with him the day after they went out for drinks together and he had not seen her since. Despite Stacy being the one cheated on and also the one to end their six-month relationship together- she had not stopped calling and texting him.

Hearing of David's story made Colin feel slightly uneasy although it shouldn't. Colin had been with a couple of women but not as many as David. Most of those women were from long-term relationships and he had never given in to the temptations placed before him whilst in any of those commitments. He was struggling then to have a non-judgemental approach to his friend's stupid decisions even though when they were in Puerto Rico he did not care in any way.

"So..." Carrie raised an eyebrow at Colin once he said his goodbyes to his friend. She was leaning against the frame of his open door, a knowing look on her face.

"So?" He was uncertain where this conversation was going.

"Where's Katie?"

"She went on an early lunch."

"Funny how you sent her for her break early and it happened to be just around the same time David paid you a visit huh?" Carrie almost grinned at the young man.

"That did not register in my mind actually. Is that all Carrie?"

"Sure it didn't Colin." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Hi." Katie appeared at the doorway then and smiled at the two of them.

"Why are you out of breath? Is something wrong?" Carrie seemed concerned.

"No, no. I just didn't think I'd make it back on time. It's fine though, I made it." Katie laughed, which felt like the sweetest music to Colin's ears. "Anyways I better get back to work." She smiled in at Colin then to the woman next to her before hanging her coat up.

The first-time Katie saw Colin actually doing work at his desk was during lunch time that day. Carrie just left along with a couple of the other staff and so Katie decided to knock on his office door.

"Come in." she heard him say.

She stood at the opened door for a moment and waited for him to look up from the paperwork on the desk in front of him. Colin was surprised to find her waiting expectantly a few metres away from him but she had yet to say anything.

"Is there something you need Katie?" He asked, not quite sure what she was doing.

"You said you needed me around lunch time earlier?" Katie replied politely.

"Oh, yes. Take a seat." Colin was trying his best not to come across as sheepish or timid, he was usually very confident around women but it was difficult with her around.

"Okay."

"How are you finding everything?" he almost felt nervous having a conversation with her then, he needed to snap out of it.

"Great."

"I'm sure you love working as my PA." he said in a cocky tone that only made her chuckle.

"What? You mean as a PA to your PA."

"Well yes, that sounds correct actually." Colin laughed after he thought about it. Katie paid more attention to how the skin on either side of his eyes crinkled when he laughed rather than his words.

"Thank you, Sir."

"For what exactly Katie?"

"The job of course." Her little laugh was breathy and light, it fluttered around the room. "It feels weird to actually be working again."

"Again?" He asked, remembering how she had no experience stated on her resume.

"Sorry, I meant just working." She lied. "I have to say, I wasn't sure if this was all real in the beginning- you gave me the job so quickly."

"Well I took a chance, it seems to be paying off. You're a great help to Carrie. How is the commute? Do you have to travel far to get here?"

"Just one train ride away. The station's really near our apartment too so that helps."

"Our?" he had a curious look on his face. Did she share a home with her boyfriend? He wondered, although he knew it was not his business.

"Oh, sorry. My friend and I share an apartment together. She's a nurse so she's at work all the time so it was getting very lonely by myself when I had no job." Friend was the only word that stood out to Colin in her sentence.

"And where are you from originally?"

"Detroit but I moved to Chicago when college started, I've never looked back." Colin noticed the way in which she said the last part. He sensed some feelings of accomplishment behind it but did not want to pry.

"Have you much family back home?"

"Um, no. A lot of friends though."

Katie remembered her days at the girls home she lived at during her teenage years after being passed around in care when she was younger. Katie smiled at the thought of all the friends she had made then and how she really should keep I closer contact with a couple of them.

But then her mind wandered off and thought about what other questions her new boss might ask her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat a little, the smile melting from her lips. Colin noticed this and felt the need to speak.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so nosey. I just like to get to know my staff a little better."

"Oh, there's no need to apologise Sir."

"Please, I've told you already- you can call me Colin." He said politely as his lips tugged upward.

"Right." She remembered back to the interview. "Are you originally from Chicago or?"

"Yes, my mother and father met during college here and married. Dad set up the company a couple years after that and now here we are today."

"And did you go to college here too?" Katie asked then, she guessed that they must be very close in age. He looked young but then again, there was a possibility he was older.

"Oh no, I didn't go to college. I started working here as soon as I finished high school."

"Oh right." She nodded before smiling at him.

The two chatted for another while but time seemed to fly. Colin had felt a little more relaxed after talking with Katie for longer and getting to know what she was like. Although they were talking rather casually, she remained polite and professional somehow.

Carrie returned to the office and spotted the two of them laughing about something at his desk. She smiled as she took in the sight of the young pair from the reception.

"Interesting." Patrick, the receptionist said as he too spotted Colin and Katie. He had a look of humour on his face when Carrie looked at him.

"Colin seems to be quite the charmer." She rolled her eyes before she asked how Patrick's children were doing. A few moments later, Colin heard a knock on his door and Carrie entered.

"Apologies if I'm disturbing something but I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal Katie away from you for a while."

"Sure." He said before Katie got up and followed Carrie out of his office.

Katie spent the rest of the afternoon organising her planners and diary. She was copying important dates from Carrie's planner while the older woman was busy with other work when she came across a date at the beginning of June that caught her eye.

"Um Carrie? What's this?" Katie saw that every Friday in the month of June had 'Gala' writing underneath.

"That's the Summer Gala we hold every year dear. It's an amazing night, everyone dresses up and enjoys the dinner and fundraiser afterward."

"Oh, I see. But why is it noted for every Friday in June? I was just wondering should I put them all down in my planner or is there a specific night?"

"Well, the planning committee haven't decided which date to pick yet so you can just copy what I've put down."

"Thanks Carrie. So do we all attend this gala or is there a strict guest list?" Katie enquired, wanting to know more.

"Well the company throws two galas a year. One in the summer and one in the winter. The summer one, a lot of important staff members are invited but only a few workers are invited to the winter gala. It's mostly for big investors and clients but the good news is, I strangely am always invited to both! Which means you will too. You really will enjoy it, it's a nice night to spend out with everyone and not have to worry about work."

"It sounds like a lot of fun." She smiled at Carrie then before getting back to work.

It had taken her quite some time to finally reach the end of Carrie's planners where she discovered the dates for the winter gala. Katie looked up at the clock once she was finished and realised it was time to go home. She said goodbye to the other woman who called her back before she could leave their office.

"Katie." She had called.

"Mhm?" Katie smiled.

"It seems like you and Colin are getting along so far. But I just wanted to give you a few words of advice."

Katie began to get nervous then, maybe she had caught her ogling at their boss when Katie thought nobody was looking. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed but realised Carrie was not concerned about that.

"Colin is still young, he isn't as business savvy as his father and half of the time he doesn't know what he's doing. Just don't be afraid to give his head a shake sometimes, because he definitely needs it. Don't hesitate to tell him when he's wrong and you don't always have to be polite." Katie chuckled then, holding back her needed sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Carrie." She nodded before heading home but not before stealing a quick glance into Colin's empty office.