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If she was hired here, Emma resolved to make it her mission to melt that ice around Vivian’s heart.
3
Vivian
Vivian watched as Emma Williams interacted with the rest of the office staff for a few minutes before retreating to her office, giving them space. She would wait for official feedback from everyone, but so far, she liked what she saw.
Emma seemed to get along well with everyone. She had a sunny personality that threatened to break through the cold walls Vivian had built around herself. That was unnerving, but Vivian wasn’t going to let her personal feelings interfere with making the best decision for her business.
She glanced back at Emma once more before closing the office door. Vivian didn’t do relationships but if she did, Emma was exactly her type. She enjoyed looking at Emma Williams and she hoped that that wouldn’t become a problem,
Emma was curvy and Vivian enjoyed letting her gaze run over Emma’s body. The curve of her breasts and hips in the navy pant suit were very pleasing on the eye. Emma’s hair was thick black curls, her skin smooth and brown and her smile was dazzling and warm. She seemed so happy and lighthearted as she chatted to everyone; it felt like a breath of fresh air. Vivian was already weighing the pros and cons of different offers in her head, wondering which kinds of benefits would entice Emma the most.
Assuming she got the all-clear from the rest of her team, she was going to offer Emma the job. Emma was by far the most suitable of the candidates Vivian had interviewed. Vivian’s only worry was that Emma had only worked in much smaller businesses before, so the sheer volume of work might be overwhelming at first.
However, Emma seemed eager to learn and willing to embrace the challenge, which was the most important thing. The rest would follow with training and mentorship. Jane still had two weeks, which should be plenty of time to give Emma a good start, and Vivian could coach her on the rest of what needed to be done.
Vivian took lunch in her office, as usual. Once everyone started filtering back into the main workspace, Vivian went down to join them. “Emma, would you mind going to the waiting area, please? I need to discuss your potential fit with everyone here.”
“Of course. Do you mind if I check on Lily in daycare?”
“Not at all—you go ahead. I’ll have Jane fetch you when we’re done here.”
Vivian waited until Emma was out of earshot before turning to her team. “Well? What do you all think of her?”
“I think she’ll be a great fit. I like her.” Nathan was very introverted and didn’t connect well with many people, which meant his recommendation carried a lot of weight.
“Yeah, she seems great,” Ruth added. “I’d be very happy to work with her.”
“I asked her a few technical questions over lunch, and she aced those. It might take her some time to adjust to a bigger work environment, but she seems resilient and determined. I’m sure she can do it.”
Vivian nodded seriously. Jane’s recommendation was the one that she would take into the highest account, since it was Jane’s job that Emma would be doing. “Does anyone have any objections to me hiring her?”
All around, people shook their heads.
“Okay, then I’m going to offer her the job.”
“Already?” Jane raised an eyebrow. “Not even a second interview?”
“I don’t think I need one. I think I’ve got a good idea of who she is and what she’s capable of.”
It was unlike Vivian not to do a second interview. She was usually more thorough, but Emma was so open about everything that it hadn’t been difficult to understand her strengths and weaknesses.
“Then I say go ahead.”
“Yeah, Jane is right. Hire her. I think she’ll do really well here.”
Vivian smiled at Nathan, grateful for his input. “Alright, then. I’ll tell her. Jane, would you mind asking her to step back into my office?”
When Emma arrived, she looked almost as nervous as she had the first time stepping into Vivian’s office and Vivian couldn’t help but find it endearing. Her big brown eyes looked anxious. Vivian was sure that those nerves would fade with time. Emma was understandably anxious about hearing feedback from an important job interview.
Vivian didn’t keep her in suspense. “I’ve got good news, Emma. The job is yours. Can you start tomorrow?”
“Oh! That’s wonderful. I didn’t expect you to come to a decision so quickly. Yes, I’d love to start tomorrow. Would it be alright if I keep bringing Lily to daycare until school starts?”
“Yes, of course—daycare is open to all employees, you included. We just need to decide on terms, and then I’ll have our lawyers draw up the contract for signing tomorrow morning.”
The discussion of salary and benefits didn’t take long. Vivian knew that her salaries and benefits were competitive, and Emma clearly did too, because she had no desire to haggle. She gave Vivian a bright smile as they wrapped up the discussion. “I’m so glad to be working for you, Vivian. I’m sure we’ll end up great friends.” She exuded warmth.
