Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I was shocked. Isaac had always been a bit of a playboy and I expected him to end up a lifelong bachelor like me. I never once thought he’d get married, but I was a good sport. “Congratulations,” I told him with as cheery a voice as I could muster. “Seems like you’re already getting on board with the new corporate culture!”
“Well, it never hurts to play it safe,” Isaac told me with a laugh. “Anyway, we’ll talk more later. I’ve got a lot of other calls to make today.”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll see you later, Isaac.”
“See you later, Griff.”
The call disconnected and I put the receiver back in its place. I leaned back in my chair and pressed a finger to my lips. Thoughts of my mother were gone now and instead, my phone call with Isaac was all that was on my mind. It was so strange that Isaac had suddenly gotten engaged. He’d never even told me he was dating someone! Then a thought occurred to me.
Could it be that Isaac really got engaged just to keep his job?
No. Surely not. Marriage was a huge commitment and not something to do on a whim. Yet, Isaac was almost as cutthroat as I was when it came to career progression. In a way, I could see him doing this if it meant his career was safe.
But then came the bigger question: Could I do something like that?
No, I told myself instantly. While I didn’t want to be married and I didn’t want kids, I knew the value of them. Marriage wasn’t something to be taken lightly. I could never be someone who used another human being just to get a little boost professionally. No, I could never abuse my wife like that. Not like my father.
Besides, I’d sworn off relationships a long time ago. I’d spent most of my adult life focusing solely on my career and I was good at it. I didn’t need some piece of eye candy on my arm to get ahead. I could do it with my merit alone.
The doubt was already creeping in and I had to tell myself I was worrying over nothing. Just because Albert Anderson had made those changes at his old companies, it didn’t mean they were going to happen here at Enviropak. Everything was going to stay the same and if it didn’t, I was determined to prove myself without resorting to getting engaged.
I’d never get into a relationship just for a job, no matter how important that job was to me… Right?
2
Remy
My new Manolo Blahnik heels were beginning to feel like a mistake as I carried my boss’ lunch across the office. I hadn’t had a chance to wear in the emerald green shoes before I decided to wear them today, hoping they might catch the eye of the guy I’d been crushing on for so long now. Instead, however, they might cause me to ruin that same guy’s lunch by spilling it everywhere! I knew how much Griff hated his lunch delivered messy which was the whole reason I’d started picking it up myself instead of letting the teenaged delivery boy bring it here. That and the fact that I was determined to keep myself on Griff’s good side—crush or no crush, I needed this job.
As I shuffled my way down the aisle and meandered through the cubicles, I noticed Shelley was eating lunch at her desk. I called her name and nodded at her with a smile. She was my best friend and closest co-worker. Though I was happy to see her, Shelley didn’t seem to feel the same. She pursed her lips as she eyed what I was carrying before shaking her head and rolling her eyes at me. She knew exactly what I was doing and she did not approve of me going to such lengths in order to take care of the boss. But it wasn’t exactly like I could help it!
To me, Griff was a smoldering fire on an arctic day. He radiated strength, warmth, and was always kind to me. So, of course I liked him—maybe even a little too much. Seeing him smile every day made me happy, so if ensuring his lunch is perfect and just the way he likes it made him happy then, well, I was more than happy to do it. In fact, I was a little scared of the lengths I might go for such an attractive and charismatic man.
I’d been so busy thinking about Griff, I hadn’t even realized I had arrived at his door. I took a deep, steadying breath and knocked lightly on the door.
“Come in,” Griff’s rough, deep voice commanded.
I was already excited to see him before I even opened the door, but when I finally pushed open the door, the sight before me was not what I expected. Instead of the usual busy Griff, I was confronted by the back of his head as he stared out of the window at the bustling city streets below. Normally at this time of the day, Griff would be busy on the phone to different liaisons and partners about mergers or deals. If he wasn’t doing that, he’d be issuing orders to other members of staff or strategizing new ways to increase our profits. Never did Griff do absolutely nothing.