CHAPTER EIGHT

SCARLETT

 ""Fancy running into you here," Jenny said as he took the empty seat beside us.

He shot her a stern look, adjusting his tie with practiced precision. His tailored suit hugged his frame perfectly—it was definitely custom-made and looked like it cost a small fortune.

"Don't you usually book an entire restaurant?" Jenny teased, imitating his formal tone. "'I don't like eating with people; the sound of their cutlery irks me.'"

I bit back a laugh, amused by her impression. His sharp gaze flicked toward me for the first time. Oh wow, he actually noticed someone else was here. Impressive.

"Shouldn't you be wrapping up lunch? We have work to do," he said curtly, his deep voice commanding attention.

Jenny gestured to the table with an exaggerated flourish. "As you can see, I'm not finished yet."

He arched his brow. "Care to introduce me to your guest? Your manners are appalling."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Scarlett, this is Michael—my grumpy boss. Michael, this is Scarlett, my friend."

"Nice to meet you," I said, extending a hand toward him.

He simply nodded, ignoring the gesture. Embarrassed, I withdrew my hand. Guess physical touch wasn't his thing.

"She needs a job," Jenny said bluntly, catching me completely off guard.

Michael's brow furrowed. "Good luck with that," he muttered, glancing briefly at me.

"No, I mean you should interview her for the secretary position," Jenny pressed on. "I'm tired of doing two jobs because someone has anger issues and can't keep a secretary."

"And why would I do that?" He crossed his arms. "Don't think just because we're family you can hand out jobs to your friends."

Family? That explained a lot. No one talked to their boss like this unless they had connections.

"I'm not asking for a handout," Jenny insisted. "That's why I said an interview. If she's not good, that's fine. But I know she's perfect for it."

Michael snorted. "That's what you said about the last secretary."

"Oh, please. That disaster was entirely your fault, you grumpy old man."

Finally, I spoke up. "You can test me. Give me two weeks. If I'm not good enough, I'll walk away."

He narrowed his eyes, considering my offer. "Fine."

"Fine?" That was surprisingly easy.

"Don't you need my personal details or qualifications?" I asked hesitantly.

"Not necessary," he said flatly. "Like you said, it's a test. If you pass, I'll ask for those later."

"Wow. Thank you, Mr.—?"

"Sterling," he supplied.

"Sterling," I repeated, savoring the name on my tongue. It had a nice ring to it.

Later that afternoon, after Jenny returned to work, I took some time to shop for a few essentials. With limited funds, I settled on two knee-length skirts, three blouses in different colors, and a simple pair of black flats.

I also treated myself to a salon visit, getting my long brown hair washed and styled. By the time I returned to Jenny's apartment, she still wasn't back. I decided to prep dinner to pass the time.

The sound of the door unlocking pulled me from my thoughts. Jenny waltzed in with a mischievous grin.

"Guess what I bought?" she sang.

I laughed, walking over to her. "I hope it's not—oh my God, is that a bag?"

"Yup! You need something classy for your new job, and what's better than a designer bag?"

I gaped at the sleek Louis Vuitton in her hand. "A Louis Vuitton bag, Jenny? That's ridiculously expensive!"

"It's really not," she said dismissively. "Besides, you saw Michael. I didn't exactly know how to tell you he's my cousin, but now you know."

That explained their bickering.

"Honestly, I don't even need the money from the job," she admitted. "I just work because staying home is boring. So, I spend my paycheck on things like this."

I shook my head, still amazed by her generosity. "Thank you, but I'll pay you back with my first paycheck."

Jenny waved me off. "Please. Save your money for my future godchild instead. You're going to need it if you plan on taking Jason down."

I'd told her all about Jason and my determination to make him pay.

"Okay, okay," I relented. "Dinner's ready—come eat."

We sat down to eat, and Jenny practically moaned with delight after the first bite.

"This is reason enough to buy you fancy things," she declared. "You're an amazing cook."

After dinner, we indulged in ice cream and a Netflix binge before calling it a night.

Tomorrow, my two-week test with Mr. Sterling will begin.