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“Of course!” I said, a little too enthusiastically. I tried to calm down. “Is there anything you need me to prepare?”
“No. All you need to do is listen and observe. I will introduce you. We’ll leave in an hour.”
“Right. Can I get you a coffee in the meantime?”
“Yes, please. Make it a large one.”
“Coming right up.”
I scurried to the kitchen, pleased to get away from Neil for a few minutes. On my way there, I saw James. He was humming an upbeat tune to himself, a vacant look in his eyes. My approach burst his bubble. He stopped humming but didn’t seem to care I’d overheard him.
“Hi, James,” I said as we both entered the kitchen.
“Hey, Milly. How are you settling in?”
All I could do was sigh in response. Sure, Neil had just invited me to a meeting with him, but it didn’t make up for everything else he had put me through.
James grimaced. “That bad?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never experienced a new job like this. Neil doesn’t do a lot of hand-holding. He just lets me fail, then criticises me for it.”
“That must be why Bridget left.”
“You mean the woman before me?”
James nodded. “She didn’t last long.” He reached for a box of berry-flavoured tea bags from the overhead cupboard.
“How does Neil treat you?”
James shrugged. “I suppose we get along okay, but I keep my communication with him to a minimum. He’s not my direct report. Charlotte Dalton is—the head of admin.”
“I see.” I pressed the button on the coffee machine, and it groaned to life.
“Most of the other execs on this floor like to keep their distance from him too. It’s like they’re scared of him or something.”
I recalled how the COO had cowered in Neil’s presence that time he unexpectedly took the stage.
“I wonder why that is.”
“Beats me. I’m just the receptionist. All that stuff is way above my pay grade.” James stirred his tea, then dumped the used spoon in the sink with a clang. “Well, all I can say is good luck, and I hope you outlast Bridget,” he said on his way out of the kitchen.
At least there was someone around here I could talk to about my troubles. James was a good guy, even if it seemed like he was away with the fairies half the time.
I tidied up after myself, as well as washing the spoon James had left in the sink. Neil’s coffee mug was full to the brim. I carefully walked it to his office.
Neil sat in front of his computer with a heavy frown on his face. A familiar scene. I placed the coffee cup down in front of him, but with a little too much force. The hot liquid splashed over the edge of the cup and fell right in the vicinity of Neil’s lap, making him wince.
I gasped. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry.”
“Be more careful,” he bit back.
“I’ll get some cloths and clean it up.”
Neil stood, revealing the wet patch on his crotch. I never thought I’d have a reason to look at his crotch, but there it was. Were his trousers always that snug? I looked away, feeling even more hot and flustered. One thing was clear; a dab with a cloth wasn’t going to fix this mess. We would have to go to the meeting soon, and he couldn’t go with pants looking like that.
“Oh no. What can I do to help? Where can I get you another pair of trousers?”
Neil brushed me off. “It’s fine. Stop fretting. Do you think I wouldn’t keep a spare suit for cases just like this? In fact, I have several.” He walked across the room to a closet and opened it. Three suits, in immaculate condition, hanging up side by side.
