Chapter 2 The Interview

Christopher Richards

I sat in my office tapping my long fingers repeatedly on the keyboard not typing anything but enjoying the soft clicking the keys made as they bounced up to meet my fingers again and again. I'm not in the mood for this, after 8 years my Secretary has decided to retire. She was nearly 70 though so it was probably time, she had been my father's Secretary for nearly 40 years and it was bound to happen eventually, but why did I have to endure endless interviews.

8 this morning already and every one of them a carbon copy, all roughly the same age all with as much experience as needed but all bland. I just wanted it over and thankfully it almost was one more for today then I could finish but she was late so I was done and now I could just pick one, maybe from a hat, did it matter? I chuckled to myself at the thought.

The interviews done my secretary Rose put her head around the corner and asked what I wanted for lunch but disappeared again as I heard the elevator ding, about a minute later after what sounded like firm disapproval of someone's timekeeping she walked up to my desk and said there is one more explaining her train ran late! I shook my head "no, no I'm done for today I can't be bothered just say I'm sorry but no" she turned and walked out.

Another minute passed and Rose walked back in my patience wearing thin now I looked up at her as she entered "Rose? " she looked down then back at me "I'm leaving in 3 days and you still haven't managed to find a decent replacement. She seems nice and it's only 10 minutes of your time" She looked at me sternly. "Oh, fine Rose" I caved. I didn't want to upset her right before she left. I let out one long sigh and said. "Send her in"

I quickly scanned the resume in front of me one more time. I realise she was quite young but she also didn't fit the bill, she got her undergrad and was now wanting to become a Secretary. I wondered again what kind of woman wouldn't be getting her postgrad. I admit I was a world-renowned lawyer and I took over my father's practice eight years ago but this position had no possible step up or learning atmosphere. How could she think getting my coffee or my laundry would help with her becoming a lawyer.

Just then she walked in I looked up from my paperwork and time seemed to slow, she was the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. She wasn't thin she was soft, even to look at, quite voluptuous around the bottom half, She had put her breasts on display and they were not something to smirk at they were beautiful and round and they looked like they fit perfectly in my hands even though I had quite big hands.

Her long wavy dark hair hung past her waist I wondered for a second what it would feel like to run my fingers through her hair and then I got to her face, it was perfect she wore a dark red lipstick that made her full lips seem delectable I couldn't picture a woman so beautiful but she stood in front of me and then I saw her eyes she was looking at me with the most stunning soft brown eyes I've ever seen she made my heart stop I smiled and gestured for her to sit. It took a moment for me to compose myself. I adjusted in my seat and noticed the hint of an erection forming. I'd spent too much time on her body and her looks and those lips... no I needed to concentrate on forming words. If I didn't speak soon this would be awkward I looked down at her resume and pretended to check something.

"Miss Vaughn " I looked at her name April oh how I longed to drop the informalities. "I see you're a bit overqualified for the position. What makes you want to join my team?" She looked a bit puzzled then opened her mouth and said "I'm hoping to get some real-world experiences before I complete my degree as I'm still undecided as to what specialty I'd like to go into"

A rehearsed answer I could tell she had been to many interviews and the answer was textbook for some reason, though her answer was compelling it didn't match her delivery as if she was sabotaging the interview without even knowing it. "Miss Vaughn," I asked "what is it that you currently do ?" she tilted her head to the side as if the question had never been asked of her before "I work in a convenience store." I smiled and pressed for more "and this convenience store, you like working there?"Well yes, I do actually." She answered promptly with a smile that finally reached her eyes."So why the change is maybe a better question?" She looked at me again and the light I thought I'd seen a second ago was gone. "Mr Richards honestly I feel like I could learn a lot about myself and this is where I'd like to learn it." I accepted her answer as much as I could. There was more to this girl and I wanted to figure it out. She adjusted in her seat and smiled at me "is there anything you would like to know about the position Miss Vaughn?" her smile was captivating even if it didn't seem all too genuine.

"Uhm yes, I was interested in finding out if the position required a 24hour availability ?". This was beguiling, was there something that she wanted her free time for was she dating someone, I obviously couldn't ask so I simply said " I do believe it is around the clock position, except Sundays unless we are required to travel but these instances are far and few between and you will be given sufficient notice to take care of any personal matters" I liked how in her mind the question was formed as if she already had the job no mention of salary or benefits just how much of her time would I be taking. The rest of the interview was standard I asked about where she had studied and if she could commit to the full-time position and my round the clock requirements I again got the inclination that she had completed many interviews after 5 more minutes of questioning I said "Well Miss Vaughn thank you for coming in you will be hearing from Mrs Thornton in the next two days"

She smiled at me one more time bent forward to pick up her bag and I had to keep focused not to ogle her chest. I smiled at her and she stood up and left. I'd like to think I gave them all a fair shot but the moment April stepped into my office nobody else could have gotten the job. Secretly I'd hoped that her almost undetectable resentment to some of my questions was more based on her having to leave her current job and not on the job she was being offered and as my Secretary she would be second only to my partners with full access and full disclosure on all my cases. She needed to understand the circumstances of working here; there were many documents and legal disclosure agreements she would have to sign when she started to work here.

I'd already decided she would get the job but Rose would see right through my choice. I picked her because she was beautiful. The other ladies that had shown up today were all a little older with far more experience but none had captured my attention has April had. I realised id called her April in my head almost instantly I would quickly have to learn the habit of calling her Miss Vaughn as simply calling her April right off the bat would be unprofessional, I secretly deep down knew I didn't want a professional relationship with the woman I wanted her.

I'd wait until just before I left to let Rose know my choice. Maybe so it would seem as if I deliberated on who the best candidate was. I shuffled my paperwork and pretended to be looking through the applicants' answers to the online questions as Rose walked back into the office "ready for that lunch now? " she asked I looked up and smiled "yes please, caesar salad if you could and maybe a danish from that pastry shop on Hay street if you wouldn't mind" she looked at me as said, "not a problem it might take me a few minutes to get the danish though they never answer my calls right away!".

10 minutes passed and Rose came back with my food I was still pretending to go over the interviews and she simply said: "you can stop pretending I know you picked the pretty one thats what I would have done, but just remember you need to be focusing on your clients, not your Secretaries "assets" she put her hands up and signalled the parentheses with her hands. She hadn't even given me the benefit of the doubt she saw right through my faked reviewing of candidates. She laughed out loud at my feigned shocked expression and walked back to her desk, just then I heard the elevator ding again.

"Oh, Crap" I huffed as I realized someone would be coming into my office. Would I not get lunch today? Then I heard his voice "don't worry Rose I'm just popping in to grab a file." Darren King my partner or more accurately my father's long term partner was a bit of a hard man but he and my father had been fast firm friends for the better part of 30 years and as much as I thought I could do this job on my own he was a reliable constant mentor and father figure that I often looked to for advice. His own son Jeffery was currently taking a gap year, or 6 before he took over his father's side of the partnership as both men had arranged for their sons to take over the company when we were in high school together. I loved having Darren around but the few times Jeffery had made an appearance I had taken an instant dislike to the man he had become, crude and volatile came to mind, his father had endless patience with him and I couldn't understand why.

Darren walked in "Hello my boy. How are the interviews going? Having any luck? I've just come to pick up the Watly case file for one of my classes." I pointed at my file cabinet and said: "would you like me to get it out ?" He smiled "no-no my boy eat your lunch I'll Have a little rummage " he walked over to the cabinet and opened the T-Z cabinet drawer. He found what he was looking for relatively quickly as I was starting on my salad. "You wouldn't have the redacted version laying around here anywhere?" He asked with a smile. Ühm no but Rose can make a copy and redact it for you before the day is up if that's ok?"

"Perfect, I'll miss Rose when she leaves on Friday I can't believe she finally retired it will take a lot of getting used to first your father now Rose I know to you it seems like a long time but it feels like just yesterday I joined your father and I am so used to seeing her sweet face when I come up here." The look of nostalgia on his face was evident. He missed my father. He missed how things used to be but a second after I caught the sadness on his face it was gone. "It's all good out with the old and in with the new I say." he laughed at his little joke.

"Well, thank you this is going to help with explaining how a guilty and a not guilty plea affect the outcome of a case." he walked out of my office and I heard him ask Rose for the redacted case file, say goodbye and head out. I enjoyed the rest of my lunch in peace I heard Rose answer a few calls and arrange for me to call them back or try again in an hour she was good that way always making sure I had the lunch hour I needed to clear my head, a trick she had learned from taking care of my father for so many years.

I was going to miss her. I hate to think the amount of training that April would have to do, even if I did enjoy staring at her from behind it would take months to get her up to Roses level. Well so be it, someone would need to be trained, why not her? She could learn to do things the way I'd like them done and I could revel in her beauty. I did a lap around my office while I thought of how best to handle the new training, maybe Rose could leave some notes. Or a spreadsheet of her weekly responsibilities. Just a rough draft, I wouldn't want April to know I'd told a little white lie about the commitment requirements for the job. Rose was available but I'd set the whole system up so that after 6 at night I was able to access my entire network without her assistance.

As well as avoiding Rose between 6 pm to 6 am I had not taken her on any business trips thinking the plane rides that were sometimes 9 hours long would be excessive and unnecessary, even abroad where time differences have become an issue. I did look forward to having a younger Secretary in that regard. Someone I would feel less Guilty of waking at 2 a.m.

The rest of the day continued as normal. Business, as usual, as some weeks I wouldn't even leave my office. Just before I left for my regular gym session at 4:45 I stopped outside my office and closed the door. I didn't normally do this. I'd normally just leave the door slightly ajar. This got Roses' attention "Yes, Mr Richards" I smiled at her "Yes Rose, I realised even though you were joking earlier I have decided to hire Miss Vaughn, would you be able to type up an email with all the specifics and maybe arrange for a day of shadowing you so that she can get a feel for the job?". Then she smiled "Would you believe I sent the email at 14:00 already I simply had a feeling you liked her".

She did know exactly what I wanted. I was going to miss that.