Page 12 of Miss Treated

We got into the elevator, and he hit the button for three floors above. “Speaking of careful, you’re about to meet the accounting director.”

“Sophia Russo?” I’d familiarized myself with the organization chart for accounting management.

“Yes. She was blindsided by your presence, and I’m not sure she’s cooled down completely from my father’s idea to bring you in.”

Great. Although I was no stranger to being unwelcome—because who liked an audit?—I wasn’t looking forward to an out-and-out obstacle. “How bad is it?”

“Did you pack Kevlar?”

Ugh. “What do you suggest?” Maybe it was wrong to assume Dominic was on my side, but I did hope he could help.

“I suggest you let me take the lead and act as an intermediary for whatever you might need from her.”

Whatever worked. As soon as we stepped off onto the main floor, the pretty receptionist laser focused on the man beside me. “Hello, Dominic, how are you today?”

“I’m great, Heather. How about you? How was the girls’ trip to Cabo last week?”

She beamed, tossing her strawberry-blond hair over her shoulder. “It was so much fun. The restaurants you recommended were the best. Especially the margaritas.”

“Glad it worked out. Heather, this is Kelsey. She’s an auditor on assignment here for a few weeks. Kelsey, this is Heather, our switchboard ninja.”

She giggled as though he’d said the funniest thing ever, finally looking over at me as if only then noticing my presence. “Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.”

We’d met yesterday when I’d checked in, but I apparently had a forgettable face, unlike the man beside me. “Nice to meet you too.”

Her gaze bounced back to Dominic like a moth to a flame.

As he took me around the floor to meet some of the people in accounting, I noticed the same reaction from all the women. I mentally dubbed it the “Dominic effect.” Women, young and old, went out of their way to talk to him. And of course he did not disappoint, knowing all of their names and tidbits about their lives. Hadn’t he only been here a month? How did he remember everyone?

As we were about to head in to see Sophia, a bubbly redhead came out from her cubicle beside Sophia’s office.

“Sophia is in a meeting but should be off the call soon. How are you, Nic?”

He smiled. “Hi, Reese, I’m good. This is Kelsey, she’s—”

Her big blue eyes focused on me while her voice dropped to a whisper. “The auditor.”

Dun, dun, dun. The ominous music might as well have followed those two words.

“Yes, the auditor. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Her gaze ping-ponged between me and Dominic. Whatever she saw must’ve decided her to go for her pitch. “Me and my friends are going out on Friday to a new club opening on Sixth Avenue. You should come out and join us. My friend hooked us up with a VIP booth and everything.”

“That’s nice of you to offer. I have plans on Friday, but you’ll have to tell me how you like the club.”

Disappointment was obvious in the way her cheeks pinkened, but Dominic’s reply had been a gentle rejection. Most likely he had a date on Friday with any number of the bevy of women who practically swooned at his mere presence.

She glanced at her phone line to see the light had turned off. “She’s done with her call. Good luck.”

Nic knocked, and we walked into a spacious office with an incredible marina view. Nerves hit me. But I had to remember my confidence in my personal life might still be flimsy at best, but this was my professional career, and I would not be intimidated.

Two women were present. One was the blonde from the lobby yesterday. She mentally undressed the man beside me with her gaze. The other, older woman with black hair swept up in a twist stood up from her desk. She was dressed to the nines in a red power suit, and a large diamond adorned her left hand. Confidence oozed from every pore. It was clear who was in charge here.

“Nicky, nice to see you,” said the older woman. Her voice held a hint of an accent, making her seem exotic. She kissed him on both sides of the cheeks.

The exchange seemed strange until he answered. “You too, Aunt Sophia.”

She tsked. “What did I say to you? While at work, call me Sophia.”