Undeniably His(6)

“Oh, yes. If I get lost I have satellite tracking to get me out of the woods.” He smiles at me, and I get a glimpse of those beautiful white teeth against his dark whiskers.

He holds the car door open for me, and I jump onto the soft black leather seat that massages every curve of my body.

Concetta’s is an exquisite Italian restaurant with large mahogany doors under a red awning. Mr. Davis escorts me by the arm as the valet zooms off in his $90,000 toy. We are immediately greeted by a tuxedo-clad maître d’.

“Good evening, Mr. Davis. Your usual table, sir?”

“That would be fine, Anthony.”

“Miss.” The maître d’ politely bows slightly toward me, and escorts us to a corner table overlooking the twinkling city lights over a black sea of water.

“What a beautiful view!”

“It’s one of the reasons I like this place so much. It sits on top of a bluff that provides one of the best views in the city. And the food is pretty damn good, too.” He shoots me a playful smile and his eyes sparkle.

The waiter provides the wine selection, and Mr. Davis picks out an eight-hundred-dollar bottle of Italian chateau.

“Sip it very slowly, and you can taste the roses, hazelnuts, and fine spices. You will think you are in heaven.”

After Mr. Davis orders for us, he cuts right to the job. “Miss Ried, I understand that you are somewhat concerned about finances in this economy. Many college graduates are, and quite frankly some companies are holding onto their cash.” His eyes narrow to emphasize the point. “They’re not hiring.”

I take a deep breath and feel the familiar tension in my body again. “It’s not easy out there, that’s for sure.” I take a sip of wine and look away. I am somewhat embarrassed that it has taken me this long to find a job. I hold my arms against my body and glance at the view. Surely he’s noticed that on my resume.

“It’s never as easy as it seems. There are a lot of college grads looking for a limited number of positions.” He pauses for a moment and threads his fingers together over the table. “But I liked what I saw in that interview. You managed to understand the fundamentals of how marketing works in spite of all the crap you may have been taught in college.” He gives me a comforting smile that sets me at ease.

“Expensive crap at that.” I smile.

“Miss Ried, let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I am willing to offer you a fifty-thousand-dollar hiring bonus to pay off your student loans while putting enough cash in your pocket to keep you comfortable. How does that sound to you?”

Fifty thousand dollars! What?

“I’m sorry. What?”

“Fifty thousand dollars should be enough to keep you focused on your job until your regular pay kicks in, while alleviating any financial concerns. Would it not?”

“No, I mean, I don’t understand. That’s executive-level pay. How much is the salary?”

“I am willing to offer you one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars a year in annual salary.”

I feel my eyes bug out like a cartoon character’s, and my jaw drop in similar fashion.

I jerk my hand over my water glass and bump it. It almost spills and thumps back onto the table, and I instinctively reach for the glass with both hands. A splash of water spills onto the table. I feel my face flush red. Good job, Annabelle. Spill something during a crucial offer. I take a sip of water, roll my lips between my teeth, and give him a nervous smile.

“But I’m not that qualified. I mean, yes, I graduated at the top of my class in a top university. But I have no experience, unless you count waitressing and job hunting.”

“I find your inexperience to be an advantage. Most of the advertising firms out there have missed not only what sells a product, but what is at the root of human desire.”

“But Mr. Davis, you know that I am just one applicant in a sea of applicants from top colleges. Why me? Why this great offer? And why here at a restaurant in the evening?”

Kalin leans in toward me, as if sharing a secret. “I like what I see in you, Miss Ried. I haven’t quite figured you out yet, but I like you, and my instincts are usually right. Keep in mind that we will be working very closely together. This is not a typical job, so it’s not a typical job offer.” His big brown eyes bore into me, and I feel heat rush to my center and uncertainty flutter in my stomach. I nervously bite my index finger and look down.

Mr. Davis leans back in his chair. “This company, and this firm’s reputation, must remain in good hands if something ever happens to me. Between you and me, Miss Ried, I’m in the process of selecting an apprentice, someone who will work with me confidentially and intimately.”