Terms and Conditions (ONC 2023)

05

Harley's POV

As I step into the conference room, a few eyes turn to me but some just continue their conversations. There aren't many people in the room, but the plethora of suits and more formal wear makes me feel as if I'm in a room with a bunch of elites.

"You must be Harley." A man with a receding hairline and grey hair stands and reaches a hand out to me.

I shake it and smile. "Yes, sir. I'm very happy to be here."

"And we're very glad to have you here. You come very highly recommended. I've heard many impressive things" He pulls out a chair and gestures to it. I regard him for a moment, wondering how he heard so much about me. The rumor mill around here must move quickly. "Please, sit. I'm sure Mr. Ricci and Mr. Catalano will be here soon."

I take a seat in the plush chair, fighting back a yelp as it tips backward suddenly. Once I realize I'm not actually falling - that the chair is meant to recline - I let out a breath. That would have been so embarrassing if I freaked out in front of the board members.

As Jonah enters the room, the tension between him and Marco is palpable. From what I've gathered from random bits of conversation, Marco is Jonah's father's lawyer and best friend. That can't make their working relationship an easy one to maintain.

"Sorry about the delay, everyone." Jonah clears his throat and tugs at his suit jacket as he lowers himself into the chair next to me. "But let's try not to allow any more distractions. There is much to discuss."

---

I didn't say much for the duration of the meeting. Jonah had emailed me a detailed list of the information I needed to know for the meeting, but there was so much for me to read and so little time to do so. So, I just sat and listened, chiming in when I was asked a question or we were discussing something I had actually gotten to read about.

One thing that got my attention was that they had been planning a trip to Russia - and that I would have to leave Seattle tomorrow. The late notice caught me off-guard, but I tried not to argue or make a big deal about it. Losing this job is the last thing I need right now. Plus, if I'm being honest, it doesn't bother me much. My life isn't so eventful that such plans would upend everything, so there's not much for me to complain about. 

"I'm sorry we had to throw you in the deep end like that," Jonah says as we leave the conference room and head down the hall that leads to the elevators. "That doesn't usually happen, but we're on a time crunch and it took us a while to narrow down translator applications enough to do interviews. So, all of the pressure of the rushed timeline just kind of crashed down on us."

"It's okay," I tell him, adjusting my walking pace to match his. His long legs make it harder for me to keep up, especially since my mobility is limited because of my heels. "I'm used to high-pressure situations and stress. When I interned at H&L, I had to make sure I was translating correctly but could still do it as fast as possible, especially when helping the police."

Jonah nods and pulls his phone out of his pocket to type something quickly. "The plane leaves at one tomorrow afternoon. I'll send a company car to your apartment, so try to be ready by about twelve." 

He looks up and offers a small smile. I'm caught off-guard by the sincerity of the smile and the way his earthy eyes crinkle at the corners. The same cocky or stressed look was always on his face, so it never dawned on me that he had any other emotions. "I'm sorry about the late notice. Things move so fast around here sometimes that even I cannot keep up all the time."

I shake my head skipping a step to adjust my shoe. "I promise, it's no big deal. It won't take me long to pack at all, and I love to travel."

His head bobs a little but he doesn't say anything else, almost as if he's lost in another train of thought. After a moment his head gives a little jerk as if he's trying to focus on something else, and he clears his throat. "That's good. I also love to travel. It's probably one of the best things about my job."

We reach the elevator, and he tips his head forward a little after I push the down button. "I have to go deal with something else right now, but feel free to go home for the day, or you can head to the staff lounge to get to know some of the other staff members. I'll be emailing you some documents to look over later, as well as some you must sign virtually."

"I don't have a laptop, yet," I tell him. It would be impossible to read everything on my phone, let alone sign any documents. Between the deposit on my apartment, as well as furnishing it and getting new clothes for work, I have no extra money to spare.

"Don't worry. If you stop by HR before you go home, they'll lend you a laptop to use until you can afford your own. Or, you can continue to borrow one until you decide otherwise. It's entirely up to you." His phone chimes and he looks down at it, running a hand through his fawn-colored hair. "I must go now, but if you need anything, feel free to email me or call my office."

I watch him as he turns and walks down the hall, taking long strides to cover more ground faster. I tilt my head a little as he disappears around the corner. It baffles me how someone can be so flirty and charming one day or moment and then can hardly focus on one thing at a time the next.

The elevator dings as the large metal doors slide open. I step into the elevator and mutter a meek "twelve" as someone else in the elevator asks what floor I'm going to. The amount of pressure Jonah - and the company in general - is under right now is insane.

But my mind wanders to last night when his hands were on my hips and his chest pressed to my back. He's a completely different person at night. Maybe clubbing is his way of de-stressing.

My phone rings, and as Danny's face appears on the caller ID, I smile. "What's up, girlie?"

"I just adopted a cat and I'm feeling like it's a movie night kind of night."

I blink a couple of times. Those were the last words I expected to hear out of her mouth. I can only imagine what got her into that kind of mood. "Uh, okay."

"Be here at seven-thirty? I have so much to talk about."

I grin as I step off the elevator. "You know it."