The elevator opens on my floor to Natalie. This elevator services twenty-five hundred square feet devoted to my personal space of the six thousand square feet floor. The twenty-five hundred square feet contains my office, a conference room, a small break room, two bathrooms, and my assistant’s desk.

The remaining square footage is where my executive team have their offices along with two other conference rooms, a break room, and two other bathrooms and a devoted elevator. It’s odd for her to be waiting for this elevator.

“What are you doing here?” A little after six, it’s almost two hours earlier than she’s normally in the office.

She is startled, “I was looking for you. I wanted to talk to you about the interview to see how it went. What did you think about Alexa?”

I was certain Natalie knew my hours, it’s an hour earlier than my normal time to be here. Even as I wonder about it, I cannot imagine she would be here for anything else. “You were right. I hired her. She starts on Monday, make sure everything is ready to go for her in the first hour. Contact her, tell her I start at seven and I want her to as well.”

“Yes, sir.”  There is no gloating from her, surprising. “I’ll see to it now.”

My morning is a busy one, coming in early was an unexpected benefit. I’m beginning to wonder where Carol is when my cell phone rings. I’m not surprised to see it is Victoria. “Good morning Victoria. How are you doing today?”

“Don’t leave me in suspense, Leo. Did you hire her?”

“Victoria, I love the way you ask questions you already know the answer to. Yes, I hired her.”

“Splendid, I think she’s perfect for you.”

“Hmm... She said that you said as much. She also said you convinced her that I’m not as scary as she thought I was. I must tell you that disappoints me. A little fear does an employee good.”

Victoria laughs, “Please, you aren’t nearly as ferocious as you want to be. I like her. I don’t want to hear about you being mean to her.”

“I am wounded you would think so terribly of me. I am never mean if you do not deserve it. The girl will survive.”

“She’s hardly a girl, Leo.”

The sly way she says it makes me wonder even as my body clenches in memory of all the ways Alexa was no girl. Her body was every inch that of a woman. Temper hot at how easily the thought of Alexa makes me want her sends the word out harsher than I intend. “True.”

“Hmm... after you have finally found the perfect replacement. I would have thought that would have settled your nerves. Any reason why you’re cranky you’d like to talk about?”