Donna Hill - Mistletoe, Baby

“Tracy is my executive director and probably knows more about how this business runs than I do. She’ll bring you up to speed and get you set up in your office.” His phone rang. He reached for the phone and gave them a brief look that the meeting was over.

Tracy retrieved her iPad from the desk and stood. “I’ll direct you to your office,” she said, swinging past Alexis. Alexis offered Graham a tight smile that he completely missed before leaving with Tracy.

“So how long have you been with the organization?” Alexis asked while they walked down the hall and back to the elevators.

Tracy tucked her iPad under her left arm and pressed the up button on the panel. “Since we opened,” she said without any further elaboration.

Alexis’s right brow flickered upward. She slid a look at Tracy from the corner of her eye. This was going to be interesting.

They got off on the sixteenth floor and Tracy silently led the way to the corner office at the end of the wide hallway. She took out a key card from the pocket of her jacket and slid it through the slot like a hotel room. The lock clicked open. Tracy opened the door and stood aside to let Alexis go in. Her first gracious overture since they met.

Alexis looked around. A genuine corner office. Wow. She turned to Tracy. “Thank you.”

“IT will be up in about—” she checked her watch “—twenty minutes to get your computer set up, and give you a company cell and iPad. I’ll send in Claire. She’ll be your assistant. Graham... Mr. Stone has you on his schedule for eleven-thirty in his office.”

“Thank you, Tracy.”

“I’ll send Claire right in.” She handed Alexis the key card, walked out and closed the door behind her.

Alexis stared at the door for a moment. Tracy Carter clearly had a bug up her behind. Alexis wasn’t quite sure how she fit into the equation but she wasn’t going to let Tracy’s cold shoulder rub off on her. She walked to the window that overlooked the city. In the distance she could see the treetops of Central Park, and felt the buzz and electricity of the city speeding by below. It was like looking at a magnificent movie with the sound muted.

Her heartbeat escalated. She was here—New York City, with a six-figure job and an apartment on Sutton Place. She had the opportunity to make major changes in education on a global scale. It was everything she could possibly hope for. And then, of course, there was the Graham Stone factor that made the package perfect.

She turned away from the window at the sound of a knock on the door.

“Yes, come in.”

The door eased open and a young woman peeked her head in.

“Claire?”

“Yes.”

Alexis crossed the room as she spoke. “Please come in.”

Claire stepped fully inside. “Good morning, Ms. Montgomery. Claire Davis.”

Alexis extended her hand. “My pleasure. I understand we’ll be working together.”

“Yes, ma’am. Whatever you need.”

“How long have you been working here, Claire?”

“Two years.”

Alexis bobbed her head. “Good.” She blew out a breath. “IT will be up shortly. But until they get here why don’t you give me your perspective of R.E.A.L., the who’s who and where you see yourself in five years.”

Claire blinked back her surprise. “Well...”

Alexis sat down on one of the club chairs and indicated that Claire should sit, as well.

“Before you say anything, I want you to understand that as my assistant I will be entrusting you with keeping me on task, from something as simple as taking a phone message to scheduling appointments, maintaining my calendar, navigating me through the minefield of R.E.A.L. We are a team. That means we work together as a unit. I depend on you and you depend on me to help you do your job. When I’m lagging, I want you to let me know. I can be demanding and get an awful case of tunnel vision when I’m immersed in a project. I give one hundred fifty percent, and I expect no less from anyone that I work with. I make sure that hard work is rewarded.”

Claire sat up straighter in her seat. “As I said, I’ve been here for two years. I worked for Mr. Martin. He had the position before you arrived.” She paused a moment. “Actually, we all thought that this position would go to Tracy.”

That explained the attitude. Alexis nodded and let Claire continue.

“I have a master’s degree in educational leadership. I spent four years with Teach America, teaching fifth grade in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. I’m good at what I do. I’m married and have a two-year-old son. I’m dedicated to my job but I will be honest, my family comes first.”

Alexis smiled. “That was the most impressive thing you said...about your family.” That little ache that echoed in her belly was still there, not as powerful or as painful as when her mom first passed away, but there nonetheless. She knew the importance of family. She was sure that if her mom would have still been here she would have never left Atlanta, no matter how good this deal was. She cleared her throat. “I think we’re going to make a formidable pair.”

Claire smiled and appeared to physically relax.

The knock diverted their attention.

“IT,” a voice announced.

“Come in,” Alexis said, standing. Claire followed suit.

“Morning, I’m Jason. I’m gonna connect all of your equipment and set up your accounts.”

“I’ll get out of your way.”

“It should only take about fifteen minutes.” He sat down at the desk, booted up his laptop and turned on her computer. He got set up and went to work.

“Where can I get a cup of coffee?” Alexis asked.

“Come on, I’ll show you the employee lounge and my office...and,” she added with a grin, “the ladies room.”

* * *

By the time Alexis and Claire returned to her office, Jason was just finishing up. He showed Alexis how to sign into her email account, and had her sign for an iPad and a company cell phone.

“Thanks, Jason.”

“Sure thing. Any problems or questions, we’re at extension 2100.”

Alexis and Claire sat down to finish their coffee.

“While you’re at the meeting with Mr. Stone, I’ll get your files set up on your computer and check your supplies to see what you may need.”

“Perfect.”

Claire got up. “If you need anything before your meeting, I’m on speed dial.”

Alexis grinned. “That’s definitely good to know.”

“And I’ll email you my cell so that you can program it into your phone,” she added on her way out of the door.

Claire quietly shut the door and Alexis released a long breath. The combination of excitement and nerves ran rampant through her veins. She was eager to get started. She’d had the opportunity to review Graham’s plan and she had some ideas on how to make it happen, as well as a suggestion that she hoped he’d agree to. After studying the company’s objectives and their projects already in operation, she found one area that had been overlooked and if implemented could elevate R.E.A.L. on yet another level.

She turned on her computer and took her jump drive from her purse and popped it into the computer’s USB port. Once the notes that she’d made appeared on her computer screen she reviewed them, made a few corrections and additions and then sent them to a secure folder. Just to be on the safe side, she printed two copies of her report.

She jumped at the sudden ring of her desk phone. She picked it up. Claire was calling to inform her that Mr. Stone wanted to move up their meeting to “right now.” She added that it was something she would have to get used to as he often changed meeting times when he was juggling several projects.

“Thanks. I’m on my way.” She collected her notes, laptop and cell and took the elevator down. It occurred to her as she stepped off that it was odd that Graham, as the founder and CEO, should be on the lower floor. But from everything that she’d gleaned about Graham Stone he was anything but status quo.