expensive high heels. She carried an immense mug, the
sort you buy at the convenience store and use for refils on
fountain drinks. It looked out of place against her high-
profile suit and jewelry, but she clutched it like she'd kil
anyone who tried to take it.
'Paige.' She nodded. After a second she remembered to
smile, too.
'Vivian.' I didn't get up from my desk, though I did take
my hands from the keyboard. 'Paul said you wanted to
meet at eleven. He's in his office. I'l be in when I'm
finished with this last file.'
My smile stretched the corners of my mouth, but I didn't
feel it in my eyes. Vivian took a long, gurgling swig from
her mug and went into Paul's office without more than a
swift rap of her knuckles on the door frame to announce
her arrival. My victory was smal but mighty. She couldn't
complain I wasn't being prompt, but I'd made it clear I
wasn't going to be rushed, either.
I'm not a fan of scary movies, especialy the kind where
the girl knows there's something awful in the basement or
attic but goes in anyway, armed with only her ear-piercing
screams and a wooden spoon or something. Facing Paul's
office felt that stupid to me. I knew what they wanted to
talk about, and I knew I didn't want to discuss it.
I liked working for Paul, even if I was 'only' an executive assistant. It wasn't, frankly, al I intended to be. Not
forever. But for now. Moving into another position,
working for another person didn't appeal to me even
though I knew it should, but I didn't want to work for
Vivian Darcy. I didn't like her, and I didn't think she liked
me, which made her sudden interest al the more
disturbing.
Despite al that, at 11:00 a.m. exactly I pushed away from
Despite al that, at 11:00 a.m. exactly I pushed away from
my desk and knocked on Paul's door. They were laughing,
their heads bent together, when I knocked, and they both
looked up. Paul put distance between them at once,
pushing back in his roling chair. Vivian didn't move. Her
mug rested with familiarity on the edge of Paul's desk.
I hadn't brought him coffee but he stil sipped from a venti
Starbucks cup, so I figured he was al right. I took the
chair in front of the desk but kept it back far enough that
my knees didn't come close to the wood. I crossed my
legs, watching her, not him, and she gave me a level stare
in return.
'So. Paige.' Vivian's smile didn't warm me any more than
it ever had, though I thought she'd put more effort into it.
She tucked a short blond curl behind her ear with French-
tipped fingers and didn't say anything else.
I smiled, too.
