Chapter 15: Luke
Was I really a monster?
April took one look at me and burst into tears. I had enough on my plate without an emotional PA to add in the mix.
This was the reason I didn’t hire unattached secretaries like most of my counterparts and I realized Jeff had a thing with his PA the moment he patted me on the back. It was as if to say, Welcome to the Club.
There was no fucking club. Work required concentration and I wouldn’t have any if I worked with her every day. She was too much of a temptation. I had a plan to show up to the wedding with her in three weeks and end it. She would be gone like the wind, this wasn’t working. I hated to kick her out on the curb, but she would be compensated for it so well, I had no reason to feel guilty about it.
None at all.
She entered the conference room with the same confidence I’d seen her walking around the office all week and I knew she was back on track. She laid down the muffins, donuts and fruit in a corner and I couldn’t believe we had spent over half an hour in here and no one had a better suggestion, to fix the issue, we were going round in circles and clearly on the road to nowhere.
“The most widely spoken language in the world is English. Maybe we should be focusing on getting the products in the baseline language and then focusing on translations, but only translating with companies who have experience of working in foreign languages in education products,” Stephanie said, the Head of Marketing after I roared my temper about the fact no one had a better suggestion as to how to move forward. They had suggestions, but none of them were any different from the original plan.
I stood frozen taking in her words and then April smiled and said, “If I may?”
I nodded, “I think you already began without my permission.”
She hesitated, probably wondering if I was being sarcastic. I wanted to hear what she had on offer, so I sat down and for once in my life listened with no judgment.
“I have it all on my computer. I’ll go and get it,” she ran off like a cat chasing a mouse to get her computer and everyone looked at me to say something.
Apart from Jeff who got up and whispered in my ear, “Wow, maybe she not only has a good ass, but a brain too. You hit the jackpot this time.”
I could deny there was something going on, but I couldn’t as he wasn’t stupid and there was no way April sprawled like an eagle on top of my desk wasn’t a giveaway. The thought of it was doing my head in, but as she waltzed in with so much enthusiasm, I couldn’t help but wonder if my first impressions about her were totally unjustified. She took to the floor like a natural and everyone watched her with amazement as she presented evidence of our competitors and how she had created such innovations and targeted markets we hadn’t even thought about. She was a breath of fresh air in the boardroom and when she finished speaking, I stood up alongside everyone and clapped.
She stood in amazement and her eyes were focused on me, I didn’t say a word, I was fucking speechless. Something that never happened, apart from one time when my ex told me she was leaving. I didn’t say a word because part of me was relieved and the other part felt guilty about not making the first move, and telling my ex to leave in the first place.
I hurt April and there was no denying I’d done everything wrong on my side.
April was the type we needed in research and development and I’d mocked her about being a babysitter and being set-up with her on a blind date. She deserved more than that, she’d done her homework and the only thing clearly missing was the chance to prove herself outside a mere week or so.
“Great,” I said waving my hand. “It’s clear none of you have found a pot to piss in.” They all looked at me confused because it was a term Ed often used about his colleagues and a colloquial saying only the Brits understood.
“April can help you fix the mess. I’ve got some sweet talking to do with the Russians. We can reconvene here at seven and I want to know the progress you’ve made. And remember nothing about what’s going on leaves this room. There’s nothing worse than gossip. One it causes panic and two, it pisses me off and I don’t want to be more pissed off than I already have been today. Understood?”
They nodded their heads and I left the conference room completely confused. I should have congratulated April, but I couldn’t. We weren’t out of the shit hole yet. If her plans and suggestions are right based on her research, then I’ll congratulate her. Until then, the only thing I could do was come up with a new plan as to what to do with her. I couldn’t let her go after the three weeks. Doing so would be one of the most stupid business decisions I’d ever made. I hadn’t never made a business mistake yet. And I wasn’t about to start making them now because I couldn’t get my emotions or even my cock in check.