“Speaking of Solomon,” Asher said. “He’s actually returning at a bad time. I always have someone to take care of his needs in his office, but the woman who usually does it is on vacation. I didn’t expect him back so soon. I was wondering if maybe…”
“Are you asking me to do it?”
He smiled, sheepish. Not really an Asher Landseer look. More relaxed and comfortable and endearing. I smiled back, caught off guard.
“If you wouldn’t mind,” he said. “I’ll pay you, of course. You can come in with me and Jeremy. I’ll find suitable business attire. It shouldn’t be anything difficult. Sit in his office and wait for him, go deliver papers or pick something up. Like a secretary, except not exactly.”
I nodded. “I can do it. I don’t think there will be any problems.”
These were, one might say, famous last words.
“Thanks,” Asher said, sounding genuine. “What do you want for breakfast? I’ll make it. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.”
“The breakfast show?” I asked, tittering. My God, was I some crazed school girl? Giggling in front of a grown man? I lowered my eyes, self-conscious.
He strode towards me and put his hand under my chin. Gentle, yet firm, he lifted my face so that I had to look at him. My eyes moved to the side, denying him, but I could only do it for so long. He met my gaze.
“Yes,” he said, sounding completely serious. “I shall fry the pans and toast the eggs like you’ve never seen before. In your name, Jessika, for the greater good.”
“Stop it!” I said, laughing. I slapped his cheek, playful and light, then turned my eyes down again. “I do like pan fries,” I added.
“You have a beautiful smile,” he said, but that was it. Before I could blush or accept the compliment or say anything at all in return, he squeezed my chin gently between his fingers, let me go, and walked away.
…
We finished breakfast and Jeremy drove us to Landseer Tower. Asher spent most of the ride on his phone, talking, asking about this or that, requesting someone find figures on something and have them brought to him or someone else, or whatever. I sat there quietly, trying to get into the right mood for this kind of thing.
Today, I was a businesswoman. Not exactly, and even if I was one I was quite a bit lower in importance than anyone else. A temporary position, again, except this time I had the full backing of the CEO of the company. For some reason, that made me feel better. In actuality it wasn’t too much different from when I’d gone to clean Asher’s office, but the fact that before was on initiative from the temp agency, and now was because of Asher himself, it just felt different to me.
I folded my hands on my lap, sat perfectly still, and thought about what I would do. Should I call him Solomon, or Mr. Royce? I should ask about that. Maybe Mr. Solomon Royce? Did he want me to get him coffee? Snacks? That seemed kind of lowly, but who knew what his usual assistant did. I needed to run errands, fetch papers, and help him out in whatever way necessary, so I should prepare for the worst. And, really, there were worse things in life than someone telling you to get them coffee. I could handle it.
We arrived, Asher left. He told someone about what I would be doing and they showed me to Solomon’s office. Solomon, they said, was what I should call him. I thanked the woman and smiled and then looked around Solomon’s office to figure out what I could do.
He wasn’t there yet, and would arrive when he arrived. That’s what Asher told me. Solomon did his own thing most of the time, but he was always prompt in doing his job. Just not always in his office, but what did that matter? For someone like him, or Asher, or most of the higher ups in this building, I assumed they could probably do their work wherever they wanted and it wouldn’t make too much of a difference.
Solomon’s office was weird, though. Nothing like Asher’s, first off. Asher’s office had a comfortable feel to it. Maybe a little cluttered, with the reading nook and bookcases and little oddities he had arranged around the room, but it felt cozy and nice. Solomon’s office was mostly utilitarian.
The room had a desk with a large window behind it, shaded. One high-back chair sat behind the desk, with a regular office chair in front of it for visitors. A table off to the side with books on it, sorted neatly in stacks. Then a leather couch, a mirror behind that, and a shaded lamp in one corner.
The couch looked nice enough. I sat on it to test it out, and it felt plush. Cold, though, like no one ever sat on it, but then again, no one had sat there in awhile, right? Solomon had gone on a business trip to oversee some things, and his assistant was on vacation, so no one had any reason to use this room for at least the past couple of weeks.