Love, Inc Read online

  Love, Inc

  Lily Zante

  PUBLISHED BY:

  Lily Zante

  Copyright © 2012

  www.lilyzante.com

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

  The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book through the internet or any other means without the prior written consent of the author is illegal and is punishable by law.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously and do not bear any resemblance to any real person, alive or dead.

  Copyright by Lily Zante 2012

  www.LilyZante.com

  Table of Contents

  Love, Inc

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Booklist

  Love, Inc

  By Lily Zante

  Website: www.LilyZante.com

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lily.zante

  Twitter: @LilyZanteBooks

  Email: [email protected]

  Please visit my website or get in touch with me through Facebook, Twitter or drop me an email. I would love to hear from you!

  Chapter One

  “You have got to be joking!” Lexi murmured as a scowl spread slowly across her face. She sat behind the wheel of her dark red VW beetle and wondered whether it was safe to get out.

  The red-brick building in front of her looked tattered and old. She checked her booking sheet and then looked up at the sign on the gate. “WB Enterprises” Yes. This was definitely the place and there was no mistake on her booking form. She should have known as soon as she saw that it wasn’t a Manhattan address.

  Karn, her TeamHQ contact at the temporary agency where she worked, had warned her that it wouldn’t be her usual type of work.

  “But I really need a contract right now!” Lexi had pleaded. The flexibility of working temporary office jobs meant that she was never tied down to one place for too long but, more importantly, it allowed her to work on her own side business when possible. ASL, Alexis Stanning Lingerie, was Lexi’s own company. She ran it from her tiny apartment in Murray Hill. This latest venture, one in a line of many over the years, was showing all the right signs of turning into a viable business. And Lexi’s product range of brightly colored corsets and basques, which could be worn as outerwear as well as undergarments, were beginning to take off. Her increase in sales meant she had to replenish her stocks and she needed cash flow immediately.

  Unfortunately, it also meant that she now had to accept whatever work came her way. She could not be as picky and as choosy as she had been in the past. She had been lucky to land some very well paid jobs often working as a PA to CEOs as well as providing last minute cover for secretarial staff who suddenly fell ill. Lexi was good at her job. Quick, clever, smart and professional, Lexi was also able to multi-task and was very efficient. It was no small wonder that so many companies often asked for her to come back.

  As she sat in her hot, stuffy car, Lexi surveyed the building in front of her with disdain. She didn’t even know if she dared to take in her Prada handbag. Fearfully, she looked down at her feet and looked at her cherry colored Mordore high heels. A fleeting thought crossed her mind to change them for the sneakers she had in the trunk of her car.

  She briefly wondered about driving away but knew that the only option open to her was to walk through those doors. If only for the one day.

  She was desperate for the money.

  Reluctantly, she got out of the car. Too late now. She would need to give this a go. After all, how bad could it be?

  She started to walk gingerly towards the door that was directly underneath the “WB Enterprises” sign. For a moment, Lexi wondered whether she was at the back of the building. She hesitated slightly but then suddenly the door opened outwards and a short, slightly dumpy blonde woman, wearing a top that was a good two sizes too small for her, flounced out. She took one look at Lexi and immediately gave her a quick once over. Lexi watched as the woman’s small brown eyes quickly scanned her body up and down, taking in everything. She was used to this.

  “You look a little lost honey,” said the blonde, revealing a line of perfect white teeth that looked a bit too big for her mouth.

  “I’m looking for Mr. Blunt,” said Lexi, just about remembering the name on her sheet. The blonde looked baffled for the briefest second, then her face lit up like a candle on a birthday cake. “Sure, come on in.” She retreated back through the door, through a wide hallway where just to the right hand side was a large office. The top half of it was made of glass and it was easy to see inside.

  The blonde knocked on the door. “Someone to see you, Wayne,” she said. Her face seemed to light up when she spoke to him. The man inside, tall and slightly built, appeared to be dressed more like a firefighter. He had his back to the door when the woman knocked. As though caught off guard, he spun around, clutching a cell phone to his ear. He beckoned Lexi in but carried on talking.

  The woman gave Lexi another winning smile before heading back towards the hallway. Slightly bemused, Lexi stood inside the room, unsure of what to do next.

  “Sure, sure, I understand. Don’t worry, we can make that shipment and I’ll get onto it right away.”

  Lexi watched him as he spoke. He looked unkempt and tired, with a five o’clock shadow giving his face a dark overtone. He looked as though he hadn’t showered for a couple of days. Lexi shuddered. He was nothing like the men she had worked with before.

  They were smart and sophisticated executive types. Not like the man standing before her now. He looked as though he would be more at home on a construction site. Was he really in charge? And if so, what possible work could he have for her? She had to fight hard to resist the temptation of making a run for the door. He summoned her to sit down whilst still on the phone. His table was a mess. How did he ever find anything amidst all that rubbish? Lexi played with the strap of her Prada bag, her Chanel varnished nails scratching the soft leather of the strap.

  “I’m so sorry about that,” he said, propping himself against his desk. “Can I help you?” his deep green eyes had a hint of bewilderment as he watched her, wondering what she was here for.

  Lexi couldn’t help thinking that they were piercing, sexy eyes. They were so out of kilter with the rest of him. She surveyed his sweaty hands as he ran them through his dark hair. Realizing that she was staring at him more than she had meant to, Lexi got up and forced herself to take out her hand, “I’m Lexi, Alexis Stanning.”

  And when he still looked puzzled and confusedly shook her hand she added, “from the agency TeamHQ. Karn said you were looking for a temporary office manager?” At this his eyes perked up briefly, as though a jigsaw piece had suddenly fit into place. But then she could almost read the disappointment in his eyes. She wasn’t sure what it was but the friendly and open initial welcome had quickly turned into a look of annoyance.

  “They sent you?” he asked, barely able to disguise the shock in his voice. And without realizing it he looked her up and down and shook his head. He was sure she’d soon fall over in those ridiculously high heels and she just….didn’t……fit. During his five years in busine
ss, when he had often relied on temporary staff to help out, the agencies occasionally sent him these prettily dolled up secretarial types. But his experience had shown him that they had cost a lot and his simple office tasks didn’t really warrant highly qualified secretaries.

  Still, this one was nice enough with her shoulder length straight brown hair and chestnut brown eyes. Like a little doe. What a shame she would be so out of place here.

  “Yes, they sent me ….here,” said Lexi slowly, making sure he heard the emphasis on the last word. She found the assignment equally as distasteful.

  “I needed an office manager. Cindy, my previous one, went on maternity leave a little earlier than she expected.”

  “I am an office manager,” asserted Lexi, defiantly clutching her Prada handbag. “Though I doubt you could call this an office.” Lexi muttered the last few words under her breath.

  The man’s face darkened. “Look, lady, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “So do you want me to work here or not?” She glared at him, looking deep into his dark green eyes.

  “Now that you’re here, why not?” said Wayne, forcing a smile. She wouldn’t last more than a couple of days anyway and definitely not on the factory floor. Lovely eyes though, he thought, staring at her a while.

  “I’m happy to start right away,” returned Lexi. She gave him a tight smile. She would have a word with Karn as soon as she was finished today. She would get out of this hell hole as fast as she could. But as she had already wasted a few hours of her day, she might as well get paid for it.

  “I’ll get Greta to show you the ropes,” announced Wayne, getting off the table and brushing past her in annoyance. She smells so good.

  “Greta!” He said loudly, sticking his head out of his door. A middle-aged woman came rushing in.

  “This is?” he turned to Lexi, who stood rooted to the spot. “Sorry, I’ve forgotten your name.” Her perfume was so captivating, that he seemed at a loss for words.

  “Lexi,” said Lexi, finding it hard to get the word out of her mouth. She stepped forward and shook hands with Greta who smiled at her warmly.

  The lady had a genuine air of friendliness. “Lovely to meet you Lexi.”

  Wayne flipped open his cell phone before saying, “Greta please show Lexi” he said her name with extra emphasis, “what Cindy was working on before she went on maternity leave.”

  Greta nodded and both she and Lexi walked out of Wayne’s office.

  Wayne scribbled a note on his post-it pad. “Replace Lexi asap” before getting ready to make another phone call.

  Chapter Two

  Lexi followed the rather matronly Greta to another office, directly opposite Wayne’s one. It was about the same size as Wayne’s office, the only difference being that this room had two desks facing each other at opposite sides of the room.

  “I’m responsible for the accounts,” said Greta, sitting down at her desk. “Go ahead, make yourself at home,” she beckoned for Lexi to sit at the desk opposite her. “I tidied it up as best as I could.

  She gave Lexi another warm smile and the crows feet wrinkles fanned out at the corners of her eyes.

  “Cindy was supposed to have the baby a month later but it happened early. She called in last week saying she’d had a baby for breakfast!” Greta chuckled to herself and looked at Lexi who forced a smile. The girl didn’t look the slightest bit amused to be here.

  “You don’t really want to be here do you?” asked Greta kindly. “You look way too smart to be working here.” The older woman had read her mind perfectly. Lexi warmed to her in that instant. She liked frank and down to earth people who said things exactly as they saw them.

  Lexi shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, not to Greta. “I suppose I’m used to working for corporate bosses,” she answered before raising her eyebrows and saying, “that’s also why I dressed like this today,” she pointed to her clothes.

  “Don’t worry,” soothed Greta. “Wayne’s only interested in the work you do, not how you dress.”

  But Lexi couldn’t help wondering if Greta had got that bit wrong. She distinctly remembered Wayne looking at her with distaste after he had given her the once over the minute she had set foot in his office.

  Nevertheless, Lexi settled down at her new desk, vowing to herself that she wouldn’t be there tomorrow.

  *

  Greta gave Lexi a rundown of Cindy’s job responsibilities and showed her how Cindy’s tasks overlapped and interfaced with that of the other workers at WB Enterprises. It was simple enough and Lexi realised, perhaps with a little relief, that this assignment would be quite laid back and unchallenging.

  WB Enterprises had old, manual based systems which required lots of orders to be processed by data entry and then more intensive labor was needed in order to get an order placed and dispatched.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” gasped Lexi, as Greta ran through the office systems.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Greta looking at her over her black bi-focals, much like an elderly school mistress might have looked at a child in class who put up his hand.

  “This……is………..so,” Lexi was lost for words.

  Greta arched an eyebrow, which also had the secondary effect of wrinkling her brow. Lexi tried to find the right word. “Antiquated,” she said. “I mean…………..did your boss never think to get into the twenty first century?” She was flummoxed. In her entire nine years of working as an office temp, she had never seen a place so stuck in practices that were years old. “I can’t wait to get out of this place.” She muttered under her breath.

  Wayne, who happened to be passing through, overheard the commotion and poked his head around the door.

  “Anything wrong ladies?” he asked, his green eyes twinkling with just a hint of mischief. Oh yes. He knew these la-di-da types. It happened every time. A new little upstart would turn up for work only to be shocked when she (for they were always women) saw his system. The truth was, he had meant to update everything but the business had taken off faster than even he had anticipated. He had never gotten around to doing anything to make the work flow more fluid and seamless. He seemed a little amused as he looked over at Lexi. Why, her face was redder than a sun-ripened tomato. He could tell that she was absolutely fuming over his system.

  He was bemused by her horrified reaction.

  “Got a problem?” he asked, surveying her with interest. For some reason Lexi found herself lost for words. Either she was too mad and furious and the words wouldn’t come out or…..something about that man was making her feel funny. If he cleaned up a little he would actually be quite nice looking. She shook her head, as if to shake these very thoughts out of it. Where this idea came from she did not know.

  “No, we’re good here, thanks.” Lexi looked up and managed a smile. Wayne retreated, not before throwing a sidelong glance at Greta.

  They had both seen these prim office types before and heard these comments many a time.

  “I’ll get these orders processed Greta, no problem,” said Lexi authoritatively. She sat down, took off her Prada shoes and moved her Prada handbag well out of sight and under the table. And then she got down to work.

  Chapter Three

  Lexi sat back in her chair and looked at her watch. She had ploughed straight into the orders, for there was a backlog of almost a week.

  There were many orders from new companies for various products designed for carrying out different tasks related to the construction of buildings. The most popular products were the expansion joints, hook-on scaffolds and spacer tools that helped with the erection of roof trusses. Most notably, one of the newest products that Wayne’s company was forging ahead with was a part plastic and part magnetic rod that helped to thread wires and cables safely through walls. This was their consistent best seller.

  Following Greta’s instructions, Lexi set up accounts for each of them and then manually typed in the orders
and forwarded them via email to someone called Terri at the warehouse for processing. The warehouse was the huge building behind the office and there were different sections for manufacturing and distribution. Greta had given Lexi access to Cindy’s email account until they got around to asking the IT guy to set her up with a new one. As it was, the IT guy only came once a week. This was yet another thing that Lexi found almost quaint about WB Enterprises. Though Lexi wondered whether she would still be here by the end of the week. She prayed not.

  By the time she had set up accounts for the new batch of orders, she was getting emails back from Terri at the warehouse with dates for when these orders would be expected to ship.

  Lexi then emailed or faxed back the people who had placed the orders to let them know of the intended delivery date and whether there were any problems with the order.

  Yes, thought Lexi to herself as she sunk back into her chair, this was going to be a simple placement after all. For once, it would be good not to have a high-powered executive type barking orders at her. She was usually expected to work extremely fast and furiously. But she could see that the pace of things here was different. Although it was set back in the dark ages, she actually liked the idea of taking a breather from the corporate environment.

  Greta had left over an hour ago and Lexi had told her she’d only be a couple more minutes. But now it was way past six o’clock. She had become so engrossed in her work that she didn’t realize how late it was. The fact of the matter was that Lexi liked nothing more than meeting a challenge. This was exactly what she saw before her. The mish-mash of a manual system that she now found herself using was something that harked back to the dark ages. She was sure she could streamline this business, at least the administrative side of it.