ONE
Reese Chambers arrives at the Butterfly building at 830 a.m. She is desperately trying to be on time for her first interview in years. She needs to get this job. She parks her car in the parking garage and hurries. She hasn’t had a job in six years.
Recently divorced, Reese moved back to Pine Cove. She missed the city and her brother, Roman. The only place to get a job in the town was either the cheese factory or the Butterfly building.
Reese was excited when she got the call from the temp agency. Her resume was selected out of hundreds. Everyone wanted a chance to work at the Butterfly building. The Butterfly building housed several offices for the Myles family. Luca Myles had his office on the top floor. Reese did not care if she worked in the parking garage. She knew she did not want the alternative of working at the cheese factory.
Reese wasn’t sure which office she was interviewing for. She had a slip from the temp agency for parking and was to report to the second floor.
“s**t. I can’t be late,” she said as she rushes for the parking garage elevator.
Reese scrambles into the elevator and hits the number 2. She was breathing heavily and out of air. Calm down, she thinks to herself. She clutches her purse as the elevator stops on floor 2. She hops out and looks both ways trying to decide which way to go.
“Are you lost?” A man asks her.
“kinda,” she answers.
“Where are you headed?” he asks.
“I have an interview,” she says, “I am supposed to report to floor 2 to sign in first.”
The man looks at her slip of paper. “Lucky girl,” he says, “You have an interview with the big guy.”
Oh s**t, she thinks to herself, the big guy. Reese starts to panic. “I hope I am what he is looking for,” she says. “I really need this job. Can you help me find where I am supposed to sign in?”
“Sure, follow me,” he says.
The man walks her down the hall to a peach door. He holds the door for her and follows her in.
“Chanelle, this young lady has an interview today and needs to sign in. Can you help her,” he says.
Chanelle quickly gets Reese a day badge and a sign-in sheet. “Sign here for me, please,” Chanelle says as she hands her a badge and the sheet.
“Thank you,” Reese says as she signs the sheet. She quickly clips the badge on.
“Don’t take the badge off. When you are done with your interview, bring it back here,” Chanelle says.
“Thank you. Where do I go from here?” Reese asks.
“I will take her from here,” the man says.
“Thank you, Mr. Myles,” Chanelle says.
Mr. Myles opens the door for Reese. “May I escort you to my office,” he says.
“Thank you,” Reese says.
The two walk to the elevator. Reese is a little embarrassed. He is the boss. He must think I am an i***t, she thought. The two rode the elevator silently up to the 22nd floor. Reese knew she had blown it and would not be getting this job. I will be in the cheese factory, she thought.
When the two reached the 22nd floor, she hurried to the elevator. “Wow!” she said.
“My office is at the end of the hall. Tell Ali to let you in my office. I will be right there.” He says and walks down the other hall.
Reese walks down the hall. There is a glass office before the end of the hall. An older lady is sitting at her desk. “Excuse me, Mr. Myles said for me to wait in his office,” she says.
Reese? Is that correct?” she asks.
“Yes. That is me,” Reese responds.
“I am Ali. I picked out your resume. I think you will be perfect for us. Go on in his office and have a seat,” she says. “Do you want tea or a coke?” she asks.
“No, thank you,” Reese responds. Reese walks into the office. It's extraordinary.
The wall décor was beautiful. The couch and chairs in the huge well-decorated office looked extremely comfortable. Reese takes a seat in an oversized chair to wait for Mr. Myles. I have a good background, and I am a hard worker, she thought.
She thought about all the interview questions he was bound to ask her. She wanted to be prepared. Mr.Myles came into the room. “I don’t think I formally introduced myself,” he says. “I am Luca Myles.”
“It is very nice to meet you again,” Reese says with a huge smile and a giggle.
“Do you know what we do here, Reese?” Mr. Myles asks.
“No sir, I am sorry to say I don’t,” she says.
“Do you know what position you are being interviewed for?” he asks.
“I applied for a personal assistant, sir,” Reese answers him.
“Reese, I need a personal assistant,” he says. “My last assistant quit and said I was too demanding.”
“Can you tell me more about your needs?” she asked.
Luca thought for a moment, she is beautiful but is she up for this job. Stay on track, don’t get distracted by her.
“Reese, nothing against anyone, but I usually hire a man for this position. I am demanding. I require 24 hours a day,” he says.
“I understand, sir. I am not married, and I have no children. I would be available to you whenever you needed me,” she says.
“But you do not know what we do here?” he asks.
“Can I be candid with you, Mr. Myles,” she asks.
“Please do,” he responds.
“I just got divorced and moved back here. I have a degree, and I am good with people. I will work my a*s o for you. I am sorry, I am not a male if that is what you are looking for. I will come when called. And to be completely honest, I have got to work, and I do not want to work in that damn cheese factory,” she says all in one breath.
Mr.Myles is impressed with her and maybe a little turned on by her. “You’re hired,” he says.
“Really,” she says.
“Go see Ali. She will set you up with a parking pass and a badge. You can leave the other one with her, so you don’t have to go back to Chanelle’s office. Ali will give you everything you need to start,” he says.
“Thank you,” She says.
Reese exits Mr.Myles' office and into the glass office of Ali.
“I got the job,” she says to Ali.
“Good. I thought you would be perfect. Let me get you all the necessary paperwork. You can take it home and fill it out. Bring everything with you in the morning,” Ali says.
Ali stacks the papers neatly and paperclips them into smaller stacks. Then slides all the stacks into a folder.
“There are papers to sign for your cell phone, laptop, parking pass, company car, credit card, and your agreement not to discuss the business with anyone. You must sign everything,” Ali says.
“Yes, I understand,” Reese says. She picks up the folder. “I will pick you up in the morning or send a car for you. You will be getting a company car tomorrow. Mr. Myles will have you run errands, and he prefers his assistants have a company car,” Ali says.
“What time?” Reese asks.
“Let me see. You live on Randolph. Those are nice apartments. I will have you picked up at 745,” Ali says.
“Ok, Thanks again,” Reese says.
“Oh, one more thing, dress code. I bet he didn’t tell you the dress code, did he?” Ali asks. Reese nods. “We try to be very conservative here. So nothing too bright and nothing showing. No short skirts and nothing sheer. Got it?”
Ali says. “I got it,” Reese says.