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“One hundred thousand,” I said. “And I need the first paycheck in cash.” I certainly couldn’t cash a cheque made out to an Ava Grady.
He tilted his head. “Are there any illegal activities I need to know about?”
“No,” I squeaked, then steadied my voice. “Still settling some things with my bank.”
He tossed the resume into the wastebasket and turned toward his computer. “Fine. You start tomorrow,” he said, and began typing, rudely dismissing me.
“Tomorrow,” I repeated as I smoothed down my skirt and turned to leave.
“Ms. Grady,” he called.
I slowly turned to face him and held my voice steady. “Yes?”
“Welcome to Crawford Corporation,” he said and cleared his throat. He continued to stare at his screen while straightening his tie, his lips twitching as though it pained him to be nice.
I swallowed with difficulty. “Feels like I’ve already worked here for years,” I said and rushed out before he read the truth written all over my face.
3
Frances
Erika’s bulging eyes and open mouth would have been comical if I wasn’t so terrified. We were sitting at Katy’s deli and I’d just told her what I’d done. When I’d left Colton’s office, I was too scared to stop and speak to Erika in case he came out and overheard us.
“You did what?” she asked for the second time.
I inhaled a deep breath and closed my eyes. “I took the PA position.”
“But you didn’t apply for the position.”
“I know. It was a mix-up. When I held Ava Grady’s resume in my hand, he thought I was her.”
“I don’t know about this, Frances,” she said, staring at me.
“I just have to keep up the ruse for two weeks, then I’ll quit,” I said.
“And I’m supposed to pretend that I don’t know you?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “This sounds like trouble.”
Yes. Big trouble. What the heck was I thinking? Maybe it wasn’t too late to call it off. But then what? I still didn’t have a plan to help Marco. I couldn’t let him down when there was something I could do to help him. And maybe, well, maybe there’d be something in it for me, too. “With the experience, I’ll feel more comfortable applying for PA positions with my real name.”
She blew out a breath. “I don’t like this, Frannie. You’re a terrible liar. Remember when we tried to sneak those boys up into your room?”
“Are you kidding? My grandmother would have killed us.”
“What about when you tried to return those shoes and the clerk asked if you’d worn them and you’d said, ‘only once’?”
I twisted my lips. “This isn’t the same thing.”
“No. It’s worse. You could lose your job.”
She was right, but I wasn’t turning back now. “I’m doing this for Marco because I would do anything for him. Besides, you know better than I do, Colton Crawford rarely speaks to his assistants. He just barks orders at them. I only have to stay quiet and get the work done. I can manage that.” I was trying to convince Erika as much as myself.
Erika pursed her lips, then exhaled loudly. “Fine. But stay away from him as much as you can.”
“I will,” I said, then my eyes caught a tall figure at the deli’s entrance. “Oh, god!”
