Page 24 of The Stranger

I’m signing the last page of my contract when there’s a knock on his office door. “Your ten o’clock meeting has arrived, Mr Prescott,” the pretty redhead says.

“Thanks, Simone.” He suddenly stands, collecting the paperwork and handing it to her. “Can I get you to take these to HR?”

“Of course, Mr Prescott.”

“When you’re done, I’ll get you to spend the next few hours showing Delilah the ropes.”

Her eyes dart to me and she smiles. “It would be my pleasure.”

I watch on, somewhat mesmerised, as Spencer rolls down his shirt sleeves and reattaches his cufflinks before reaching for his jacket and sliding it on. I’m again forced to look away, because damn … this man in a suit is a sight.

He rounds the desk, pausing halfway to the door. “Delilah, this is my assistant, Simone. She’ll be able to answer any questions you have.” With that, he continues walking, leaving us both alone.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Delilah,” she says, extending her hand to me.

“You too,” I reply, standing and wrapping my fingers around hers.

The next two hours are a whirlwind, to say the least. Thankfully, I have enough sense to take notes as Simone runs through not only my duties for the day—starting with me fetching a black coffee for the boss man from his favourite barista—before moving on to the computer programs I’ll need to familiarise myself with.

I feel completely overwhelmed, but it’s my first day, and I’m experiencing information overload. I’m confident I’ll pick it up in time … I can only hope Spencer will cut me some slack until I do. I remember my first day at the dental clinic and I was feeling much the same.

“How about we take some time out and go for a tour of the building? We can pick up where we left off after lunch.”

I look up to where she’s standing beside my chair and smile. “That sounds great.”

“Mrs Prescott,” Simone says with surprise in her voice when we step off the elevator and back onto our floor half an hour later.

“Simone,” she replies, nodding as she crosses the floor in our direction.

“Eloise.”

“Delilah, darling,” she pronounces, clasping my shoulders and leaning in to air kiss both my cheeks.

“I see you two have already met.” I side-eye Simone and notice the intrigue on her face as she speaks.

“Delilah and I go way back,” Eloise answers.

I wouldn’t exactly call a little over a weekway back.

Eloise hooks her arm through mine as we approach my desk. “Spencer’s in a meeting,” I tell her.

“I’m not here to see my son,” she replies.

“You’re not?”

“No, I’m here to take you to lunch, dear.”

Chapter 8

Delilah

“Thanks, Damien,” I say when we reach the front porch of my home. “I can take them from here.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind helping you get these bags inside.”

“Here’s perfect,” I reply, feeling my cheeks heat for the umpteenth time today.

Damien never mentioned my run-in with Abigail when I slid into the back seat of the limousine this morning, but he was standing outside the vehicle when I exited the house, so there’s no way he didn’t hear her screaming like a banshee. I’m pretty sure the entire street was privy to her meltdown. “Thank you for the offer, though.”