“It was at first, but once I was in my teens, I wanted more.”
She’d wanted more too. “Maybe I can give you a few pointers—after your project is complete, of course.” Ella assumed that would take many years, and by then, she’d be long gone, unless he asked her to stay, that is.
Tanner grinned. “It’s a date.”
Because this conversation was getting a bit personal, Ella dug into her meal and instantly moaned. “Oh, my goddess. This has to be the best burger I’ve ever tasted.”
“Right? I told you. This isn’t your usual fare in Thedia?”
“No. My mother is a vegetarian.” The irony wasn’t lost on anyone in the family especially since snow leopards were hunters of animals—not plants.
“No wonder you like this.”
They finished their meal in relative silence. When Tanner finished, he pushed back his plate and polished off his coffee. At the restaurants that she had eaten at during her ski tournaments, the servers were a bit more attentive. While Ella would have enjoyed a second cup of coffee, she wasn’t in the mood for another confrontation with the woman who lusted after Tanner.
“This is rather awkward to ask, but since I’ve only just arrived, do you think you could suggest how I go about looking for a job?” she asked.
“You want a job?” His eyes actually sparkled.
“I do.”
“What kind of job are you looking for?”
That was the big question. “Given the lack of snow around here, I think ski instructor is out of the question.”
He chuckled. “True.”
Her parents had hired tutors to teach her everything from language arts to science, but she didn’t hold a degree. “I’ve been working in management for many years.” Dealing with the complaints of the staff for the last ten years should count for something. Her mother made working at their big house rather unpleasant for them.
“Hmm. I can ask around, but Plux went through a real hard time when someone blew a hole in our dam, and it flooded the town. A lot of businesses and homes were lost.”
The horror of it all physically hurt her. “I can’t imagine losing everything. How did people survive?”
“To be honest? It was mostly the doing of one man: Slade LaMont.”
“Your business partner?”
“The one and only. He was well off and wanted to help. And he did. He rebuilt a lot of businesses, though it was the arrival of the Conrad Hotels that really took us out of our recession. With the new construction, Slade was able to hire a lot of people.”
“Hence, the Expansion Day celebration.”
“Exactly.”
“I can’t wait to meet him,” she said.
“You’ll be able to in three days at the dance.”
As fun as that sounded to let loose for a night, it might be less awkward if Tanner told his friends that she was unable to attend because she was ill.
You owe him, her leopard reminded her.
You’re right. I should play along. Ella had certainly pretended to be the happy hostess to those who visited her father over the years, learning to smile with the best of them.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
Tanner snapped his fingers. “You know, I’m looking for an office assistant. I realize it wouldn’t fully utilize your talents, but it would really help me out. I have been so swamped lately. Even if you only work for a week, it would be great. The moment you find a better job, I won’t hold a grudge if you leave.”
That sounded amazing. Working in an office was just up her alley, or so she hoped. “What would be required of me?”
“Nothing more than scanning a few documents, some shredding, and answering the phone.”
“I can do that in my sleep. Thank you!” Because it would have been rude to ask him about the pay, she didn’t. “When would you like me to start?”
“How about tomorrow? It won’t take long to show you the basics. If you can field the phone calls, I can see about bringing back your car.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can hire someone to retrieve it.”
Tanner chuckled. “On what I’m going to pay you? Nope. Save your money.”
He was joking right? It didn’t matter. She needed the work experience. “Then thank you. Where is your office?”
“Let me pay the bill, and I’ll walk you over there right now, assuming that’s okay?”
“Sure.” Why wouldn’t it be? He probably wanted to show Sasha that they really were together.
When they stepped outside of the diner, it was almost surreal. People were bundled up, walking down the sidewalks, some with partners, others alone. It screamed normalcy, which was something she craved. Ella looked around, half expecting to see the Clan guards standing watch, but thankfully, there weren’t any.
“My office is only one street over.”
That was convenient. “I won’t need a car to get to work then.”
“I guess not, but it is nice to have one.”
“Do you drive often? I mean you can fly.”
Tanner placed a hand on her back as he led her across the street. “Dragons are large, so finding a big enough space to land can be challenging. Sometimes, it’s easier to drive.”
“I see.” She never had that problem.
“For long distances, I always take to the air though.”
“Good to know.”
Less than five minutes later, she spotted the Lamont, Sanders, and McCarson Construction office.
“Here we are,” Tanner said. “It’s not glamorous, but it gets the job done.”
She’d not come looking for glamour—just freedom. “Looks fine to me.”
Inside, he flicked on the lights. The entryway was small, but it contained a sofa, three chairs, and a desk that she assumed would be hers. Straight ahead was a hallway.
“Down there are the five offices. Three are for the owners, one is for my assistant, Clint Singletary, and the last one is a conference room. Across the hall from that is our breakroom. We’re often too busy to remember to stock it, so maybe you can handle that?”
“I would love to.” Ella supervised the kitchen at home, so that would be a breeze.
“It could also use a bit
