Boardroom Attraction
highlight_author
Trinity Blue
highlight_reads
3,2M
highlight_chapters
44
Chapter 1
Book 1: Sweet Sugar Kisses
ALEX
âHow do you spell ârapportâ?â a sharply-dressed, older woman asks the younger gentleman next to her. He gives her a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.
His eyes dart to the cell phone lying facedown on the linen tablecloth. Itâs not my place, but I intervene to help him out.
âItâs R-A-P-P-O-R-T,â I say, placing a separate cup and saucer in front of both customers. âYour coffee.â
Itâs obvious Iâm pouring coffee, but I was taught to quietly announce my movements before executing them so patrons could correct me before I made a mistake.
The man looks relieved. Iâm grateful that heâs not upset. I could have possibly stepped on his proverbial toes. You never know how these professional business types are going to react.
Especially to the waitstaff.
The woman turns her head, scrutinizing me with shrewd brown eyes. Her hair is salt-and-pepper, pulled back in a severe bun.
She has black-rimmed glasses, giving her a stern appearanceâor maybe itâs the frown on her face doing that.
âWhatâs your name?â she demands.
Oh no.
Straightening my shoulders, I relax my face and tell her my name. âAlexandra Livingston.â
I hope I appear confident. Not cocky.
Please donât make a complaint against me. I need this job to pay rent and tuition.
âLivingston, that sounds familiar.â The woman looks at me expectantly.
Yeah, itâs a name commonly thrown around in certain circles, but Iâm not about to enlighten her.
âIs this job something you hold dear, or is it just a stepping stone to bigger and better things?â
What an odd question.
âA stepping stone,â I say.
My eyes quickly scan the section Iâm in charge of today. Some of my other tables need refills.
Iâm pretty sure some of their orders are sitting under the warming light that has the power to turn things from rigid and crispy to chewy and limp.
Plus, itâs busy. And idle chit-chat is not on todayâs menu.
âYouâre in school then?â she asks.
I nod, trying not to appear anxious to get back to my duties.
âWhat are you going to school for?â
âIâm getting my masterâs degree in Education with a major in English. If youâll excuse me,â I say politely, attempting to extricate myself from her barrage of questions.
âWould you be interested in a better-paying job while you finish your degree?â
Now sheâs gotten my attention.
âItâs not a career,â the woman explains. âBut itâs definitely a step above waitressing.â Her faintly-lined features are pinched with a look of distaste at the mention of my current standing.
âItâs a position as an administrative assistant, and if youâd like the job, I can guarantee you the position. All you have to do is say yes.â
Who is this woman who can offer me a job off-the-cuff like this?
âIâm sorry, maâam. I didnât catch your name.â
âIâm Barbara Platt. Head of Human Resources for the Blandford Corporation.â She gestures to the man with her. âThis is my assistant, Jeff Longmire.â Barbara narrows her eyes at him.
âAlthough I might consider replacing him.â Thereâs a small smile on her thin lips and Jeff appears to be nonplussed as he rolls his big brown eyes.
âYou know you couldnât replace me for all the money in the world, honey.â Jeff flicks an imaginary length of dark hair over his shoulder and crosses his legs.
âAnyway, dearââBarbara is too sophisticated for an eye roll, but I can tell she wants toââpay starts well over minimum wage. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. What do you say?â
âIt sounds amazing,â I say.
But Iâm also thinking it sounds a little too good to be true.
âAnd I donât mean to be rude,â I add nicely, âbut can I get something in writing?â
âSee!â Barbara smiles. âI could tell you were a smart cookie.â She pats an expertly manicured hand on the table in front of her assistant.
âJeff, draw this young woman up an intent-to-hire form.â She pulls something out of the small purse on the table beside her.
âYou can report to work Monday at this address,â she says, handing me her business card. âThat should be enough time to give your notice here.â
âThank you, Ms. Platt.â
Jeff hands me the hastily written paperwork that he pulled from his briefcase. After I read and sign it, Jeff takes a picture of it with his phone, allowing me to keep the original.
Thanking Ms. Platt and Mr. Longmire again, I rush to get back to work.
After finding a notice of rent increase on my apartment door this morning, I was sure this day was going to be challenging, to say in the least.
Who could have guessed that that the stars would actually begin to align in my favor? Though, I have to admit, for a girl named Sugar Alexandra Livingston, Iâve lived a pretty charmed life thus far.
Well, not always. And definitely not in the beginning.
My mother was a strung-out prostitute who died shortly after I was born. No one knows who my father is.
They can only guess that he wasnât Black, like my mother, because I have hazel eyes and skin the color of light brown sugar. Maybe thatâs why she named me Sugar. Who knows.
What I do know is that a name like Sugar doesnât do a girl any favors.
Think about it. Who has a name like Candy, Lacy, or Sugar?
Strippers, thatâs who.
Luckily, fate had other plans.
My motherâs older brother, Jonathan Livingston, took me in. He and his wife Macie raised me as if I was their own.
Jonathan and Macie couldnât have children, so it turned out to be a blessing for everyone. They are my true parents in all the ways that matter.
Thereâs no doubt in my mind that Dad and Mom would pay my rent and tuition, but Iâm determined to do it on my own. Iâve been an adult for a while now. Itâs time to behave like one.
My best friend and roommate, Shayla, will be so jealous to hear that I found a jobâand a better-paying oneâwithout even trying.
Sheâll also be relieved.
Because we definitely need the money.
