She tended to hide her curves from the world. She was well endowed, in what an ex-boyfriend had called “all the right places” and she was self-conscious of the fact. She also didn’t like the fact that her green eyes gave away every emotion she was feeling, and that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t manage to fix it.
She still couldn’t believe she’d been hired as executive secretary for Lucas Anderson. Anyone who lived within a thousand-mile radius of Seattle, Washington, knew who the Andersons were. Their corporation had a variety of divisions, which required a large staff. They dealt with everything from construction and farming to high-end corporate takeovers. Although their headquarters was in the U.S., they did business all around the world, and she was excited to be a part of it.
Her job was in the corporate headquarters, working for the fairly new president, Lucas Anderson. All she really knew was he’d taken over his father’s position about a year ago.
Though she’d graduated with honors, she was still fresh out of college and felt a little bit overwhelmed at the prospect of working for such a powerful man. She hadn’t actually met Lucas, yet, just his father.
She’d originally met Joseph at a college fair toward the end of her senior year at the university. He’d given her his card and told her to call after graduation, telling her he was impressed with her college transcript. She’d called the day after her commencement ceremony, and he’d gotten her in for an interview faster than she’d dared to even hope for.
As she continued the long ascent in the elevator, she let her thoughts drift back to the previous week when she’d interviewed for the job.
Amy took a fortifying breath as she stepped from the cab, looking up at the huge fortress of a home in front of her. Before she could blink, the yellow car pulled away, leaving her frozen at the bottom of the large cement staircase. There was no turning back now.
She slowly climbed the steps and approached the door, which was big enough to fit a large truck through. It seemed Mr. Anderson liked to do things on a much larger scale than the average person.
She rang the doorbell, though he must know she was already there as he’d opened the gates at the bottom of the driveway.
Within seconds, the door was opened by an older gentleman who, thankfully, was smiling.
“Hello, I’m Amy Harper. I have an appointment with Mr. Anderson.”
“Good morning, Ms. Harper. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please follow me to the sitting room, where Mr. Anderson will join you shortly,” the man offered.
Amy nodded, then followed his quick steps as he led her through the overwhelming home. She couldn’t help but look around as her steps echoed off the walls.
The home screamed luxury, from the gorgeous marble floors to the priceless pieces of artwork adorning the walls. The longer they walked, the more out of place she felt. She couldn’t figure out what had ever made her think she could handle such a prestigious job as to work for the head of a multibillion-dollar corporation.
They walked through a set of oversized double doors and Amy looked around the warm room as her shoulders relaxed. A fireplace, so large she could literally walk inside of it, was burning what smelled like cedar, giving the room a comforting quality. Though the room was well lit, it was done in soft bulbs, making the space incredibly inviting.
“Would you like something to drink while you wait?”
Amy shook her head and gave the man a small smile. She didn’t want to appear rude.
“Go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the seating area. I’ll let Mr. Anderson know you’ve arrived.”
Before Amy could respond, he exited, leaving her standing near the entrance. Eventually she was able to make her feet respond to her brain and walked over to the comfortable-looking sofa. She sank onto the soft leather and leaned back. She wasn’t kept waiting long before a rumbling voice startled her, causing her to sit straight up. She was thankful she hadn’t accepted the drink or she would’ve spilled it all over herself.
“Good morning, Ms. Harper. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Sometimes it’s difficult to get off the phone,” Joseph said.
“I haven’t been waiting long at all, Mr. Anderson. Thank you for getting me in for an interview so quickly. I really appreciate it.” Amy jumped to her feet and moved forward to shake his hand.
“The pleasure’s all mine. Now, let’s get the formality out of the way. Call me Joseph, please,” he said as he held out his hand.
Amy felt like she was caught before an oncoming train. She didn’t know how to react. She couldn’t be rude, but she was uncomfortable calling him by his first name. She took his hand as she shifted on her feet.