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“What helped you decide?”
“I knew if I passed on the opportunity, I’d always wonder how my life would have turned out if I’d taken it. It would have eaten at me when things weren’t going well, or anytime I was bored or unsatisfied.” She shrugs. “I don’t like regrets.”
I think about my London flat, which I spent months decorating until it felt like home, and my friends I’ve known forever, my family too. “What about regretting that you took the chance and didn’t stay in Israel, in a life that you already knew you loved?”
“In my life, I’ve only regretted choosing safety, never choosing growth—even if I fell on my face chasing a dream.”
There’s so much she could teach me—not all of it work related.
“How do you make it work, living and working with Zé?”
“I work for Rafael and Valentina, although I report to Rafael, for the most part. As much as I’m sure he hates it at times, I don’t report to Zé. I’m the only one.” She raises her brow with a small smile.
“He respects the boundaries,” she continues, “and so do I. If our relationship ends tomorrow, I’ll still have a job. It would become complicated, and I might eventually have to work remotely—but I’m in IT, so it could work.” She gazes at me. “I won’t lie to you. There are times, because of my relationship with Zé, and Zé’s relationship with Rafael, that life becomes very challenging.”
I’m sure I’ll face similar challenges.
At this point, I really have only one major concern. I glance at Tamar. “Will I be a member of the team, or just a girlfriend who needs a hobby?” Despite all the upside, this would be a deal-breaker for me.
“I like you, Lexie. But I don’t have time to play house with you and Rafael. You’ll be a member of the team. Rafael agreed to that. Although—” she says carefully.
“Although?”
“He was very clear that you’ll never become a guard or even a soldier. You can go to the range with the team and also learn some survival skills, but your work will not involve ninja tactics. His words, not mine. He was also clear that there will be times, like during the launch, that your ‘job’”—she punctuates the word with air quotes—“will be to have fun.”
“Did the boss have any other stipulations that will make your life more complicated and annoy me?”
“He is the boss, and you are his woman. Not many men in his position would allow any of this to happen, and that would be a shame, because you have so much potential.”
“Rafael is never off—even when he’s having fun,” I tell Tamar. “If you need an extra pair of hands at three in the morning, I hope you won’t hesitate to call me because I might be having fun.”
She grins.
“What’s so funny?”
“You. You’re so refreshing. If I need you, I’ll call you.” She pauses. “There will be sticky wickets, and a learning curve, for all of us, one that I suspect will be rocky in places until it flatlines. If we want to make this work, we’re going to need to trust each other and communicate openly.”
“I agree.”
“Does this mean you’re taking the job?”
As we’ve been chatting, I realized that while I have some concerns, I’m mainly projecting my worries about the relationship not working out onto the job. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. I’m not turning it down.
“Yes!”
“I’m happy to hear it,” she says sincerely. “Welcome aboard in an official capacity. There will be some paperwork to fill out so you can be paid for your work, as you should be.”
I don’t really need the money, but I’ve always loved earning a paycheck, even the pittance from freelancing. There’s something empowering about it.
“Since Rafael handed you a gun in the hotel room without blinking, I assume you can handle one.”
There must have been surveillance in the bathroom. It probably saved my life. I push the thought away.
“I’ve been trained to use a gun, and I have advanced self-defense skills. Although I’ve gotten lazy, and they could both use some polishing.”
“There will be an opportunity to improve your skills. Even if you don’t work here, given who you are, you should keep those skills sharp.” She stands. “One more thing. I’m a stickler about chain of command. As is Rafael, which will make this endeavor easier for all of us. I’m your boss. You take orders from me. You have a problem, you come to me. Rafael can usurp my power at any time, of course, but I don’t think he’ll do that.”
“I understand.”
