I promised Jamie that I would stay here as her assistant and keep an eye on you while she was gone. And I’m a woman of my word. So, I’ll stay here and report back to her until she returns. Then, I’ll find a new job.”
I start walking to the door when Sean jumps up, and just as I begin to open it, he slams it shut. I jump back, startled.
“Sit back down, Olive.”
Whatever confidence I had a moment ago vanishes when he growls at me that way. The look he is giving me is more than enough to make my panties wet. And I don’t even like this man. But the way he’s looking at me now is enough to make me forget about all of that.
We cautiously sit back down as we stare intensely at each other.
“What makes you think I’m giving the job to Floyd?”
“Aren’t you?” I ask.
“I was, but then you came in here and did that.”
My eyes widen. “I don’t understand. I just said some ridiculous crap about finding you attractive, and you’re going to give me the job because of that?”
He shakes his head. “No. I’m not giving you the job.”
“Oh.”
“But I am giving you a chance to learn to become a manager. I’ll put you through a training program of sorts, and if you pass, then you’ll get the job.”
“What kind of training program?”
Sean leans forward on his desk as a slow grin spreads on his face. “The kind that’s going to test your limits. The kind that will prove to me who the real you is—that confident woman you were just a few minutes ago or the shy, pathetic woman I met the other day. Either way, you’re probably going to hate me after this is all over. And there’s no way I think you’re going to follow through with the program to the end in order to get the job.” Sean pauses as he leans back, smiling. “But then again, I’ve been wrong before.”
My mouth drops open in complete shock. I have no idea what Sean is talking about. All I know is that he’s giving me a chance to be manager if I complete whatever silly training he has planned. And I’ll do anything to make this work.
“Well, I already hate you, so what difference does it make?”
“Is that a yes?” he asks.
“Sorry. Yes, that’s a yes.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t want to hear sorry drop from your lips again. That’s your first lesson. No more saying I’m sorry or apologizing of any sort. Managers don’t apologize for the decisions they make. They stand behind them. And, if I hear anything like it again, you will be punished. Do you understand?”
I bite my lip as he says the word punished. Because all I can think about are naughty things involving spankings and whips. But I know that’s not what he means. It’s just my dirty mind playing tricks on me.
“Understood.”
“Good. Now, our first real lesson will begin at dinner tonight.”
I scrunch my face. “Dinner?”
“Yes, dinner. We both have to eat, and I don’t have time to train you during normal work hours. I have enough on my plate with running my own business and keeping Jamie’s afloat while she’s gone. I need a manager to get on board as fast as possible to help me out when I need to travel for my own business.”
I nod. “I understand that, and I’m willing to come in after hours or do whatever it takes to get this job. It’s just that I was unaware that training was going to start tonight, and…well…”
“For goodness’ sake, spit it out, Olive!”
“It’s my and Owen’s one-year anniversary tonight. We were going to go out to dinner.”
“The training times and places are nonnegotiable. I don’t want to hear your excuses or reasons for not being able to attend them. Either meet me for dinner tonight or consider yourself out of the running for the job, and I’ll just give it to Floyd. It will make both our lives easier. You can go out with Owen or whatever after we finish our training. I don’t care if you starve and wait and eat until after we’re done, most likely nine thirty or ten, but I will be eating.”
I frown, trying to think about what I should do. I think about what Keri would say. That I should go out with Sean. Do something for me for once. Give myself a shot at taking my career to the