Page 18 of Boss of Me

I shift nervously in my chair. “I have a cat.”

She draws back as if I just revealed that I’m a cannibal. “Mr. Ransom doesn’t allow pets. Especially cats.”

What does he have against cats?I want to ask.

“I don’t have to live here to do my job,” I say instead. “I worked at the hotel without?—”

“Mr. Ransom is a stickler for punctuality,” she cuts me off. “He doesn’t tolerate tardiness. At the office, if anyone shows up late to his meetings, he makes the offender stand up and apologize to the whole room.”

Holy crap. What a douchecanoe.

“One of our previous housekeepers was consistently late due to car trouble. After she was terminated, Mr. Ransom decided to make this a mandatory live-in position.” Mrs. Calder’s tone is firm. “It’s nonnegotiable, Miss Somerset.”

“I understand.” Living in a lakefront mansion wouldn’t exactly be a hardship, and not having to pay rent would help me save a ton of money. But if I accept this job, I’ll have to find another home for Sansa. The thought depresses me.

“Mr. Ransom is very particular about the people he hires,” Mrs. Calder informs me. “Whether they work in his company or his household, he holds them to the highest standards and compensates them accordingly.” She pauses. “For a few years, we used a cleaning service that we were very pleased with. But after some confidentiality breaches, we were forced to terminate their contract. Since then we’ve had difficulty finding a suitable replacement.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I say with appropriate solemnity.

“It’s regrettable. Having to hire and train new housekeepers so frequently can get tiresome.” She pins me with a direct look. “I’ve been interviewing candidates for a week now, and I believe you’re the best fit for us. So I’d like to offer you the job.”

I feel a leap of excitement despite the fact that this interview is raising all kinds of red flags. “How soon would you need me to start?”

“As soon as possible,” Mrs. Calder says crisply. “Mr. Ransom is going away on business this week, and he expects the position to be filled before he returns.”

“Oh.” I chew my lower lip while running through a mental checklist. I’ll have to break my lease. Pack up my apartment. Put my stuff in storage. Find a new home for Sansa.

“Based on your background and qualifications,” Mrs. Calder continues, “your starting salary would be one hundred thousand a year.”

I gape at her in stunned disbelief. I couldn’t have heard right. “Did you say one hundred thousanddollars?”

“That’s correct.” There’s a knowing twinkle in her eyes. “Your salary includes a benefits package and a year-end bonus that you’ll find more than generous.”

My head is reeling. I’m speechless. Completely freaking speechless.

“The offer is contingent upon successful completion of reference and background checks, and a drug test. You would also have to sign a nondisclosure agreement, given Mr. Ransom’s high-profile status as CEO of Pantheon Global Solutions. The NDA is very important, for reasons I’ve already discussed. Confidentiality violations won’t be tolerated, nor will any other forms of inappropriate behavior.” Mrs. Calder pauses to examine my face before rising with her hands clasped in front of her. “I’ll give you a day to?—”

“No need,” I blurt out. “I’ll take the job.”

Chapter Five

marlowe

Ten minutes later,mrs. calder escortsme to the front door.

I’m grinning from ear to ear. I can’t help it. In less than two hours, I’ve gone from being unemployed to landing a six-figure job. I’ll be earning more than three times what I made before. That means I can save enough money to buy another car, which I’ll need to get back and forth to school. I can even donate more to the local animal shelter.

I can’t believe my luck. I’m tempted to pinch myself just to make sure I’m not dreaming. It’s entirely possible that I fell asleep in the backseat of that sweltering Prius, and this is all a fevered delusion.

“I would have asked our driver to take you home,” Mrs. Calder says, “but he’s driving Mr. Ransom to the airport as we speak.”

“That’s okay,” I assure her. “My Uber should be here any minute.”

She opens the front door for me. “I’ll be in touch soon.”

“Great.” I beam at her. “Thanks again for the opportunity.”

She gives me a faint smile before closing the door.