A very Corporate Affair Book 1 (The Corporate Series) (10 page)

                 "No. He was quite clear. He came to us as he was impressed with you," said Lewis, "although I'm concerned about his motives."

                "Hmm. I think you may be right there. I'm sure I can handle him. Has this all been agreed yet? Do we have a start date?"

                "I have to call him to confirm that we can meet all his requirements, then we begin tomorrow. He insists that you have a private office, Elle, so we need to move you this afternoon. We also need to assign you a secretary, and get all the NDA's signed and sent up to Mr Porenski's office." Mr Carey smiled and stood up, "this is quite something of a coup for Pearson Hardwick, so we need to get on it. I'll show you your new office."

                 I followed Mr Carey out and down the corridor towards the executive offices. They were far swankier than the office I currently shared with Peter and the others, and were accessed via their own secretaries office. He pulled out a key and unlocked room 3. It had a roomy foyer area with a desk, computer and phone system for the secretary. In front of us was another door, which led into my new office.

                 The first thing I noticed was the view. Vast windows looked out over London, which shimmered slightly in the early summer heat. The office was large, furnished with a large desk, a seating area and bookshelves. It had thick, deep blue carpet, which muffled the sounds of the main secretarial area down the corridor. When Mr Carey closed the door, it was silent.

                 "Totally soundproofed, in case Mr Porenski asks," he said, "Lewis, can you re-assign all Ms Reynolds work, and assist her in getting this ready for tomorrow. You also need to assign her secretary and set her up in here. Maintenance can assist you with furnishings if these aren't to your liking." He handed me the key, and the two partners left.

                Lewis looked at me, "I'll sort you a secretary, and get the NDA'S typed up. I thought Laura McIntyre might be a good choice. She's experienced and discreet."

                I nodded, "yes, she'll be fine." I frowned, "Lewis, do you think I can do this?"

                "Only one way to find out. I'm sure you'll be fine, and the rest of us are here as backup. This is a big deal for the firm, we won't let you fail."

                "Thanks. This office looks very bare. I don't have lots of stuff to fill it. A few legal textbooks I suppose." I mused out loud as I wandered around the room. The other lawyers had full bookshelves and loads of personal stuff in their offices. I would have to go with a minimalist look. Lewis laughed.

                "My shelves are overflowing, so I think some can be stored in here, and we can ask housekeeping for some plants and stuff. Come on, lets get this move done. I have a stack of work to get sorted." We headed back to grab my stuff.

                 It took less than an hour to re-assign my workload and move my things. I've never been one for tons of 'stuff' at work or anywhere else for that matter. I quite literally had pens, pencils and a calculator to move once my files had been farmed out to the others. IT came and set up my computer and email, and Lewis had the maintenance man move some of his books onto my shelves. The room still looked a bit bare, but I liked that. Less clutter meant I could think clearly.

                 A little while later, Lewis returned with Laura. She was one of the nicer secretaries, and was clearly delighted to have been picked for what was in effect a promotion. She stood in her new office, away from the gossip and bitching of the main floor, and sported the widest smile I'd ever seen.

                 "This is so cool. It's gonna be so much easier to work without all the noise and aggro. Has my computer been set up yet? Or do I need to call IT?"

                "All done. They just left. You're good to go. Lewis, I just thought, Mr Porenski may want us to photocopy in private rather than in the copy room."

                "Good point. Here are your NDA'S, I'll get these sent up, and then I'll sort the copier issue. Good thinking Elle." We signed the documents, and Lewis hurried away to pick up the ones signed by the partners and get them sent to Ivan, along with my contact numbers, fax number and office address.

                 I helped Laura move her things from her cubicle. Thankfully there wasn't much room on her desk there for tons of gonks, and fluffy pens, although I suspected that given half a chance, she'd fill her new office with sparkly crap. Even so, we moved two boxes of her personal stuff. Back in the office, she checked her computer. Satisfied that all was working ok, she began to unpack the photos, cutesy notebooks and glittery pens.

                "Tea or coffee Elle, and do you have a favourite cup?" Laura looked at me expectantly. I had been lost in thought, staring at the magnificent view from my window.

                 "Coffee please. Milk no sugar thanks. I don't have a special cup." She hurried off. I dragged myself back to reality, and went in search of stationary.

                 Sitting in my new office sipping my coffee, Laura quizzed me on our new assignment. "I don't know yet what we'll be doing, it depends what Mr Porenski gives us. I know about as much as you right now, but I'm damn sure that'll change quick enough. He comes across as rather exacting."

                "He comes across as rather gorgeous," she replied. We both laughed.

                "This is a huge deal for the firm Laura, so no mooning over him or cows eyes. We have to really deliver on this." I was serious. Whatever Ivan's motives were, I had to remain professional, and make sure the company was represented properly. Men came and went, but I had to live with my career for the rest of my life.

                We both jumped when my new phone rang. It was Ivan, his accent more pronounced on the telephone than normal.

                "Good afternoon Elle, we are on the same side at last. I trust you now have a private office?"

                "Hello Mr Porenski, I do indeed have a private office. Thank you for insisting on it."

                "Call me Ivan please. We need to make a start. I have a few cases that I would like your company to handle, to test you out as it were. What time do you arrive in the morning?"

                 "7.30 normally. I can be earlier if you require."

                 "I'll meet you at Smollenskis for breakfast at eight. Bring a notepad."

                  With that, he rang off. I stared at the receiver for a few seconds, marvelling at the rudeness of the man.

Chapter 7

                 With no work to do, I left at five and raced home to see James. He was busy playing call of duty, but stopped when I walked in. "You're early? Did your boss take a kindness pill?"

                "Nope. I start a new project tomorrow, and it's a biggie, so all my work was given to other people. I was twiddling my thumbs, after I moved into my swanky big office, that is," I grinned. I proceeded to tell James the story of my day, including every detail of my new secretary and posh private office.

                 "Well, if you tame this Ivan, you're definitely up for a pay rise or a promotion. Sounds like you earned your stripes faster than you expected. Just be careful of Oscar, he worries me, and by the sounds of it, this Ivan is very sweet on you."

                 "I'm not so sure. I'm now his lawyer, so we have to have a professional relationship. If he was 'sweet' on me, as you so charmingly put it, he would have kept away from me professionally, surely?"

                 James looked amused, "he was simply making sure that you weren't the opposing lawyer honey, that's when there would be a conflict of interest. Now, dinner. Shall we have chicken or prawn?

                 "Prawn please. Any more news from America?"

                 "Yup, they have recruited the team I'm to head up, I just have to ok them next week. There's way too much coding for one person on these apps, so I have to direct a whole group of geeky nerds. My idea of hell, but the money makes up for it." James busied himself chopping veg as I opened the bottle of Chardonnay I had picked up on my way home. I poured us each a glass, and sat watching James as he cooked.

                 "What does Oscar think of Ivan's actions?" James asked as he chopped the mushrooms. My hand flew to my mouth.

                 "I haven't told him yet. I never even thought of it."

                 James stopped and gave me a quizzical look, "but he's your boyfriend, right?"

                 "I don't know," I admitted, "we go out, we've done the nasty, and I think he likes me, but I don't know if it's exclusive. He might have other women for all I know. I might have other men. We haven't discussed it, although he asked if I was shagging you."

                 James looked pained. "Elle, you are better than that. You deserve a man who treats you like a goddess, not one that you can't say for sure if you're an item. Look in the mirror sometime."

                 "I know. I feel out of my depth with him, as if I'm not quite good enough, but I put that down to my own insecurities. You gotta remember that I'm surrounded every day by people who were born into privilege, and I'm often aware that I don't quite belong, regardless of how hard I work for it."

                 "You don't belong because you're better than them. To make it to a swanky office by sheer hard work alone is more than they could have done. Could they have made it to where you are if they hadn't had an enormous leg up in the first place?"

                 I thought about it, "no, probably not, but that doesn't make me any less of an outsider."

                 James raised his glass, "to the outsiders, and to quote Steve Jobs, to the square pegs in the round holes."

                 "I'll drink to that." We clinked glasses and both smiled. I noticed that James had the most perfect teeth. "James, can I ask you something?"

                 "Of course."

                 "What's with the beard and hair?" He looked uncomfortable, and I instantly regretted asking.

                  "My shield against the world."

                  "Oh?"

                  He sighed, "I used to take pride in how I looked, but it made no difference. Janine still left me. At least like this I don't have to think about women. In general they don't go for scruffy hairy blokes."

                 "So you're hiding behind it?"

                 "Yeah, I spose."

                 "Well, if it keeps you happy...." I trailed off.

                 "I'll shave it off one day, when I'm ready," he snapped, which made me flinch. "Sorry Elle, didn't mean to bite your head off."

                 "It's ok, I shouldn't have asked." I reached over and squeezed his hand, which he whipped away as if I'd burnt him. Embarrassed, I ignored it, and poured us each another glass of wine. James busied himself with the stir fry, and the awkwardness was buried.

                 After dinner, I decided on a long bath. Our favourite telly program didn't start till nine, so I spent a pleasant few hours exfoliating, shaving and body buttering in anticipation of my lunchtime assignation with Oscar the following day. When I was fully depilated and covered in body cream, James called out that our program was about to start. I threw on my dressing gown, and padded out to the lounge barefoot. James plonked a coffee down in front of me, and sat back to watch 'Mock the week'.

                Just as the opening credits began, James yelped, "Elle, sleeve." I looked down to see a giant, hairy, spider sitting in the crook of my arm. I screamed, loudly, like a girl, and as panic gripped me, I dragged the robe off and threw it on the floor. James deftly whacked the spider with a magazine as it tried to crawl away.

                 It was at that moment that we both realised I was standing there starkers. Instinctively I tried to cover myself with my hands, feeling a deep blush rising up my cheeks. I had to let a hand uncover something in order to grab the robe. James just stood and stared.

                 "Turn round!" I barked at him. With a last rake of his eyes over me, he rather reluctantly swivelled around while I shook my robe before putting it back on, tying it tightly round my waist.

                "Ok, I'm covered," I said, mortified. James turned back round sporting a deep blush, and I suspected, an erection.

                 "I'll get rid of the spider," he muttered, picking up the carcass and swiftly turning to run to his own bathroom. I heard the loo flush as he disposed of the body. It was at least five minutes before he returned, and we both settled to watch our programme with a slightly uneasy silence shimmering between us.

                 I was at Smollenskis by 7.45 the next morning, bright eyed, bushy tailed, and ready for Ivan, and whatever he wanted to throw at me. I was also ready for Oscar, wearing a skirt and stockings rather than tights. I found a table, and ordered a coffee.

                Ivan was precisely on time, and flanked by two bodyguards. I wondered why he had wanted to meet in a restaurant rather than my private office when he had demanded I be given it. My breath caught as he approached my table, and I wondered whether seeing him frequently would lessen the effect of his beautiful face. He sat facing me, while his security took the table behind us. He smelt delicious, and looked as though he was fresh from a shower. It was too warm for a three piece suit, so he was wearing a dark blue two piece, a crisp white shirt, and a cerulean tie. The total effect was breathtaking.

                 He smiled widely as he shook my hand, "lovely to see you Elle. So much more civilised to meet over a meal I think. Now what would you like to eat?" I chose poached eggs on toast, and sat back as he ordered for both of us. Once the waitress had stopped batting her lashes at him and taken our order, he leaned forward, and whispered conspiratorially, "I just wanted to take you out for a meal."

                I laughed, "isn't taking us on as your legal advisors a bit over the top to just have breakfast with me?" He smirked.