The tour of Mystique took the rest of the morning. Penny was very gracious about showing me every nook and cranny of the hotel and casino. The spa was to die for, so I made myself an appointment for Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the first week of my new job, and after my meeting with Trent this morning, I was sure I would need a little pampering and relaxation.
My coworkers at Mystique were extremely friendly and welcoming. It didn’t hurt having Penny as my guide. She knew everyone by name and the staff seemed to adore her. I’d hit the jackpot with Penny.
Back in my office, she and I unwrapped our sandwiches from the café downstairs. “I didn’t want to push, but how was your meeting with Mr. Dorsey?”
I took a very unladylike bite of my sandwich. “Trent?”
Penny nodded.
“He’s an asshole, but manageable.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Don’t tell him I said that.”
She crossed herself. “Absolutely not. I’d like to keep my job, and besides, I try to avoid him at all costs.” She did a dramatic shiver. “I’m pretty sure he could turn me to dust with one look.”
I knew exactly what she was talking about, but I also knew the other look he could give. The cocky smirk and sideways smile that melted an unsuspecting woman into a big puddle of mush. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be seeing any more of those.
Not that I wanted to.
After our meeting, I pulled up the email he sent me with the employee handbook. As promised, two sections were highlighted in bright yellow… professional attire and the nonfraternization policy between managers and their subordinates. The whole thing pissed me off. First of all, I was dressed totally appropriate. Second of all, the man had an ego the size of Vegas. One night did not equal “stage-five clinger.” Yeah, he was extremely attractive and his skills in the bedroom were exquisite, but this was work. I had no intention of mixing business with pleasure. And… he was a jerk with a capital J. Trent Dorsey had no problem letting me know I was as insignificant and annoying to him as a mosquito buzzing in his ear. “Tell me about your job in Wa-kee-gan.” What a condescending prick.
“Hello-o-o.” Penny waved her hand in front of me.
I blinked. “Sorry about that.”
She pointed to her face in a circular motion. “Your eyebrows are all scrunched up. Do not let that man give you premature wrinkles.”
“That obvious, huh?” I sighed.
“I’ve worked here a while. I’m well aware of the effect he can have on people.”
I was sure she was referring to the anger he incited inside me and not the wet spot on my panties. Working with Trent sent me on a roller coaster of emotions. One minute I wanted to stab him with my fancy pen, the next I wanted to relive my Friday night rendezvous. It’d be best to scrub the night from my brain entirely, but I wasn’t under any illusion it would happen quickly. The memory of great sex didn’t evaporate, especially when I had a constant reminder.
Taking my aggression out on my sandwich, I tore another piece off with my teeth and swallowed down the hunk of meat and cheese. “I’m supposed to have a proposal for the spring fundraiser on Trent’s desk by Friday. We also need to have ideas to up the quality of the hotel for the staff meeting on Friday. The Mr. Dorsey was adamant all departments contribute.”
Penny took a bite of her lunch that was much daintier than mine. “We?”
“You and me.” I pointed between the two of us. “We.”
She slouched back in her chair. “I’m just the assistant.”
I abandoned my sandwich and gave Penny my full attention. “You are not just the assistant. You know this place inside and out. You have your finger on its pulse. What did you do for your last boss?”
“Suzette? I mostly got her coffee, took notes, and answered phone calls.”
Suzette? That was noteworthy. “Then you were underutilized. I don’t know much about Mystique, but you do. I would rather we work more as partners. I value your insight and knowledge. What do you think?”
She sat up straighter. “I do have a lot of ideas, but just so you know, I didn’t go to college,” Penny said sheepishly. “I got this job right out of high school. My dad is friends with Mr. Dorsey. Not Trent. The big guy.”
I waved my hand dismissively. “I don’t care about a piece of paper. You’re more than qualified to have an opinion. Do you have a list of the charities we’ve supported in the past?”
She raised her finger. “I can do better than that. I have files on every charity event we’ve run since I’ve been here, including themes, menus, and entertainment. I’ve also put everything into a spreadsheet.”
I gasped. “Penny, you’re a dream come true. Get everything you have and bring your laptop too. I’m going to call Teresa and have a table moved in here. We’re going to need room to work.”
She hopped up from her seat and headed toward the door. “Do you want coffee?”
I smiled at her. “Actually, I’d love a Diet Coke.”
“On it. Anything else?”
My lips pressed together, not sure if I should ask the one thing that’d been niggling at my mind all morning. “What happened to the last event coordinator? Suzette?”
She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Officially? She got a better offer.”
I quirked a brow. “And unofficially?”
Penny held a hand to her mouth as if she were telling a secret. “She had a fling with Trent. Apparently, she got a little stalkerish, so he cut her loose.” She made a slashing motion across her throat. “But you didn’t hear it from me.”
“Hear what?”
She giggled as she opened the door. “I’ll be back in a few.”
I tapped my nails on the desk. No wonder he was such a jackass this morning. Not only was I a complication he didn’t see coming, but he had a history of hanky-panky in the office. It wasn’t about me at all. It was about him not being able to keep his sexual appetite under control. Sounded like he was the one who needed to read the handbook, not me.
It was an important piece of information. I had no doubt Trent would fire me without a second thought. I was nothing to him but a random fuck he never expected to see again.
I needed this job. The last thing I wanted was to go crawling back home with my tail between my legs. Regardless of this sticky situation, I was resolved to make it work. If my résumé didn’t convince Trent I belonged here, then my performance would. I had to impress him, and something told me he wasn’t a man easily impressed.
He might have been determined to see me fail, but I was equally determined to succeed.
Watch out, Trent Dorsey. You ain’t seen nothing yet!
The next morning, there was a quick rap on my open door. A handsome, blond-haired man stood in my doorway wearing an impeccable-looking suit. He reminded me of a young Brad Pitt, back when he dated Gwyneth Paltrow in the nineties.
“Come in.”
He walked smoothly across my office and stretched out his hand. “I’m Hunter, CFO of Mystique.”
I stood and took his hand. “Gia Romano.”
He sat down and crossed one leg over the other. “I know who you are, Miss Romano.”
Of course he did. I recognized him from the staff meeting yesterday morning. “What brings you to my door this morning?”
“I wanted to introduce myself. See how my big brother was treating you.”
“Your brother?”
He straightened his cuff links. “Yes. Trent.”
“How many Mr. Dorseys are there?” I asked, sighing. The last thing I needed was another complication.
“Just the two of us,” he said with a chuckle. “And my father, of course. I’m the charming one. Trent can be a bit”—he wobbled his head from side to side—“abrasive at times, and I wanted to make sure he was welcoming.”
I read between the lines. Hunter was fishing for dirt on his brother, and I wasn’t biting that worm. I smiled sweetly. “Rest assured, your brother has been perfectly pleasant. He has an air of professionalism I appreciate. As a matter of fact, I think we’re going to work quite well together.”
Hunter lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Absolutely. We’ve already discussed the spring fundraiser and I’ll have a proposal on his desk by the end of the week.”
He clapped his hands together. “Perfect. If you run into any issues whatsoever, my door is always open. I’m here to help.”
It was an odd statement considering Trent made it clear he was my boss. “You mean with the financials for the fundraiser?”
“Absolutely. That or anything else that comes up.”
I played along. “That’s so sweet of you. You all sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.” Charming or not, something about Hunter smelled off. I wasn’t sure what it was yet, but when something smelled rotten, it usually was.
“That’s what I’m here for. Once you have your proposal finished, maybe we could get a cup of coffee before presenting it to Trent. You know, make sure everything’s in order?”
Trent’s words rang in my head. “All ideas and events go through me first. Nothing happens at Mystique I don’t know about.” I was sure he wouldn’t be happy with his brother’s attempt to undermine him.
“That’s a very generous offer, Hunter. I’ll let you know.” I gave him a flirty wink.
His eyes lit up as he stood. “I look forward to it.”
Men were so easy to manipulate. At their base nature, they were sexual beings. It might have been unethical to use my feminine wiles on him, but it was certainly effective. “Me too. And again, thank you for checking on me. That was super sweet.” I walked around my desk and ushered Hunter to the door. “I’ll see you soon.”
“For sure,” he said, giving me a nod.
I watched him walk away and a shiver ran down my back. I didn’t buy his Saint Hunter charade. I was manipulating him, but I had a feeling he was manipulating me too. Something was definitely off.
At least with Trent I knew what I was getting. He didn’t make any pretenses. What you saw was what you got.
I stepped back in my office and shut the door.
The Dorsey brothers were double trouble.
