CHAPTER ONE
Fastening the last bobby pin into my hair, I looked in the mirror. Black pinstripe skirt-suit with a pale pink blouse and black peep-toe heels, your feet are going to hate you tonight Alexis, surely you realise this. My blonde hair was neatly twirled into a bun and I had just a touch of make-up on. I had recently lost 20kg from a mad affair with my local gym and now fit into a size 12 which I was more than happy with. Today was the day I start my first full time job since having my two children and I was so nervous.
Argh, this will do. I really didn’t know how to look the corporate part anymore, I was used to shrugging on a pair of jeggings and t-shirt or gym pants and a tank. The last 9 years of my life were spent getting the kids ready for school and kinder, therefore make-up was the last thing on my mind, if anything my ritual was a quick glance in the mirror on the way out, checking I had no food stuck to my face or teeth.
“Ok Ratbags, are you ready we need to leave or Mummy will be late for her first day at work.” Both my adorable children were waiting by the garage door, Charlotte was 6 and in her first year of Primary School.
“Sweetheart your shoes are on the wrong feet, Nate can you please help her fix them?” Nate rolled his eyes, bent down and fixed his little sister’s shoes.
“Mum I really don’t want to go to before-school care, it’s for babies.”
“Nate, it’s not for babies and you don’t have a choice, please don’t make this difficult, I’m really excited about my new job, anyway it will give u a chance to sit quietly and draw your pictures.” Nate dropped his head and turned for the car, my 9 year old son was very much a mummy’s boy and was not happy about my decision to go back to work.
“What time will you be home?”
“I’m not sure Sweetheart, hopefully before dinner, Dad will pick you both up at the gate after school and the slow cooker is on, so it’s all sorted.” With that I kissed his golden head and gently pushed him towards the car where his sister was already seated and buckled in.
The drop-off was much easier than I had expected, Charlotte was more than happy to play with the other kids before school, she really was a social butterfly, but Nate, well he had the best talent in making me feel guilty, he’ll come around I know he will.
Turning onto the Tullamarine Freeway I felt somewhat free, OMG Alexis, you are really doing this. I knew this day would eventually come, but being a stay at home mum for the past 9 years was what I had grown accustomed to, driving into the city at 7:30 in the morning however, was definitely something I wasn’t used to. The traffic was horrendous, stop start, stop start, how did my husband do this day in and day out? I’d never really had to deal with bumper to bumper traffic, I was a Secretary to a suburban Solicitor not too far from home before deciding to stop work and have children at the age of 25. This new job however was completely out of my comfort zone, not only was I taking on a complete career change, I was doing it in the biggest Entertainment Complex in Victoria. My new role was to be one of the Concierge Attendants at City Towers, which is a luxury 5 star Hotel with 43 floors, 481 rooms, 30 Villas and the Penthouse Residence. I’d always loved City Towers and had the privilege to have stayed in a suite with my fiancé, now husband Rick, a year after we got engaged.
As I pulled into the City Complex staff car park I was running short on time, I hated being in a rush, you’d think that after 9 years of raising my babies I’d be used to it, nonetheless I wasn’t and of all the days I could be late, today was not going to be one of them. I found the closest car spot and bee-lined straight for the entry knowing where I had to be at 9am. Despite my crazy busy lifestyle, with sports pick-ups and drop-offs, running errands, shopping etc, I was brilliant at organisation and multi-tasking so had already visited the complex 3 times in the past fortnight to become familiar with where I was going to be starting my new career. I had made up some time by taking a few short cuts, this allowed me to pop into Gloria Jeans for my favourite drink, hot white chocolate with a marshmallow. The young attendant was bright and bubbly and obviously enjoyed her job, as she handed me my drink I noticed her cheeks flush and her entire demeanour change.
“Thank you.” I said slightly confused by this sudden change of personality. I spun around and began to head for the Hotel Foyer when I slammed straight into the person in line behind me spilling my entire white chocolate down the front of me and him.
“Oh Shit, Shit, Geezus that is HOT, oh I am so sorry.” Looking up, I expected to see an extremely livid gentleman, after all I had stupidly and clumsily doused him in my milky drink. Staring down at me however, could only be described as the most delectable specimen of a man I had ever seen and he was smirking at me, yes ‘smirking’ not livid or furious as I had expected but smirking.