She sighed. Of course she would lose it in front of her boss. Because he didn’t already think she was crazy. Jamie and the valet both looked at Alex, who stood with a middle-aged couple in expensive, yet casual, designer wear, with mimosas in hand. They all looked at the spec
tacle curiously.
The valet rushed to open the gate and Alex came walking through. “So, sorry, Mr. R-Reid,” he stammered, blushing the same color as his jacket. “She refuses to leave, but I was told not to—”
“I know what you were told,” Alex said. “I’m the one who issued the instructions after all.”
The valet’s face grew even redder and he shot Jamie a dirty look, as if it was her fault he was getting told off.
“Jamie Connors is my personal assistant. Please let her through.”
“Of course,” the valet said stiffly, gesturing for her to pull her car up.
“Jamie, why don’t you join us for brunch?” Alex said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “We would love to have you.”
The man and woman, who had been apparently taking a walk on the front lawn with Alex both nodded, smiling kindly.
Jamie smiled at them weakly. She didn’t have a choice. “I’d love to,” she said finally, “I’ll be there shortly, after I change.”
Alex smiled. “Excellent,” he said. “I can’t wait for you to join us.”
Jamie slipped her sunglasses on and drove slowly to the house, avoiding the lines of parked cars and people walking around the grounds. No one paid much attention to her as she parked near the house and jogged around the back to her apartment. Anyone who noticed her probably thought she was hired help.
She kept her head down until she got into her place. She raced to her room and into the walk-in closet, stripping as she ran.
Why didn’t I let him buy me fancy casual clothes? Jamie looked through her new clothes for something suitable to wear. The last thing she needed was for her pants to be falling down in the middle of brunch and then trip over something. It was bad enough when it happened in front of Alex, and the last thing she wanted was for it to happen in front of people who hadn’t seen her naked and had no wish to.
She settled for a pair of tan slacks and a dark red blouse. She still looked like she was ready for the office, but at least she looked comfortable and not stiff in the clothes. She surveyed the rest of her clothes critically. She should have bought a dress or two.
She hurried to the bathroom to add make up and let her hair out of her bun. “This’ll have to do,” she told her reflection in the mirror. Slipping on a pair of Mary Jane pumps, she then cautiously stepped out and stuffed her key in her pocket. She walked around to the front of the house and casually made her way inside Alex’s.
There were about a hundred, maybe more, guests chatting and mingling in the living room and spilling out into the backyard. They walked around outside in small groups, eating mini baked pastries and drinking apple cider and mimosas. There was a constant trickle of people going back into the living room for the extensive buffet of food.
Jamie poured herself a small glass of mimosa, too nervous to actually want food. Maybe if I’m in enough nerve-wracking situations like this, I’ll be a size two by the wedding. I could wear any dress I like if that happened. She smiled and then jumped when a hand touched her lower back. She turned around, thinking it would be Alex, but instead, she met a handsome man she had never seen before.
He grinned as his eyes roamed down and then up her. It was a gross gaze, but more like one appreciating the company. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s fine,” Jamie giggled. He was really cute.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said. “I’m Nicholas. I’m the founder and CEO of Sunrise Applications.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of you,” Jamie snapped her finger as she spoke. “Nicholas Wright. I’m Jamie Connors, Mr. Reid’s assistant.”
He held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jamie.” He smiled again. “I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”
Jamie went to shake his hand and Nicholas squeezed it gently before raising it to his lips to kiss. Butterflies fluttered in Jamie’s stomach, which were not altogether unpleasant.
Just then, Alex walked in with two other guests. He caught Jamie’s eye just as Nicholas kissed her hand. She thought she saw him frown and his face turn dark, but he smothered it quickly, or it never happened. He turned to talk to the woman next to him.
Jamie took a sip of her mimosa and smiled at Nicholas, turning her attention back to him as he continued chatting.
“So, tell me, how does an amazing woman like yourself end up working for grumpy Alex Reid?”
Jamie bit her lip to keep from giggling. A pickup line it definitely was, but that was something so rare that when she got them, she couldn’t help but feel incredibly flattered. “An excellent resume and a need for a job. How did you end up creating Sunrise Applications?”
Nicholas’ face brightened. Perfect question to ask a guy like him. “Well, I and a friend from college wanted to go into business together. He was the nerdy smart guy, I was the risk taker. He happened to know a lot about technology, including developing wicked-complicated cell phone applications. I majored in business with a minor in marketing. It made sense for us to start a cell phone application company. Hard stuff behind the scenes, easy click for customers.”
Jamie loved hearing people’s stories on how they got to where they were today. It was fascinating. “Very humble beginnings, for a company with a net worth of five million dollars today.” Jamie smiled, and ignored Alex’s blatant stare from behind Nicholas’ shoulder. He wanted her to interact and mingle. She was doing that.