One for Me

Chapter One

"Thank you for coming." Lincoln stood and shook Kayla's hand as his brother Grant stared her down while pacing the length of the conference room. The conference room was rather large, actually the largest in the ten story building located in downtown Manhattan. It had huge floor-to-ceiling window panes, a long mahogany desk with thirty chairs surrounding it and a state-of-the-art projection system. Lincoln watched Grant stop in front of the window and stare out at the city below them. "So what did you think of her?" Lincoln pushed his Tom Ford glasses up to the top of his head and ran a hand over his face before pulling his glasses back into their rightful place.

"I thought she was a brown-nosing, neurotic, clumsy idiot." Grant squeezed the stress ball in his hand then turned around with a blinding smile. "But, she had some excellent ideas in her designs. We can admit her for the fall internship."

"She's neurotic?" Lincoln asked his brother disbelievingly. "If she's neurotic then what are you?"

Grant ignored his brother's question and continued talking.

"She's a double threat. She can work with the marketing team on social media and she can also design. She will be admitted for the fall internship. As for the others, I'm not entirely sure yet."

"So I have absolutely no say in who gets admitted? It's all, once again, left up to Grant?" Lincoln's question sounded like more of a statement but a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Come in." Grant said, still facing the window. He was known to be a very impatient, very anal man with charm that could take panties off of a nun. He was ambitious, if he wanted something he got it. Be it a new client or a woman, he was never told no. The two lettered word was as foreign to him as the Italian marble he was standing on. And in addition to his charm, his physical appearance was also a big part in his personality.

His face was adorned with a dark beard and he kept his long hair pushed away from his face.

However, his twin brother who had beat him by just two minutes was the opposite of him. Mostly shy but still handsome, he was rather passive but also had his share of women; the ones who cared for a sensitive and soft man. Because of his appearance, it was easy to tell the twins apart. Where Grant's beard was dark, Lincoln's was more of a five-o-clock shadow and he had a head full of short hair that he'd had dyed lighter than it's natural nearly black color.

Lincoln turned his attention to the door and watched Sharon, their shared assistant enter. "Mr. Bass," she stood, wringing her hands, a nervous habit of hers. Both Lincoln and Grant looked at her and she blushed in embarrassment. The only thing identical about them besides their appearance were their intense stares. She felt as if their eyes could see through her soul. "Sorry, Mr. Grant Bass," She amended, being specific in whom she was speaking to. "The eleven o' clock interviewee is still here...the one that showed up late."

"I told you to tell her she lost the opportunity to interview at 10:59. Why is she still here?"

"I did. She refuses to leave the premises sir." Her hazel eyes were very apologetic as she spoke to him.

"Let her up," Lincoln said but Grant glared at him, then looked at Sharon, stopping her in her tracks.

"No, have security escort her down." He said to her and she just stood there in an awkward silence. Many women in the office always told her how 'lucky' she was to be the assistant to both of the Bass men but she felt she was nothing of the sort. She could handle them though...on most days. But, it just so happened, today wasn't most days. Today, they were being extremely difficult for her to please but she held her tongue.

"I'm not sure what you two want me to do." She looked between both of them and Grant caved.

"Send her up." Grant said to her, allowing her to do what his brother had told her to. Lincoln leaned back in his chair and loosened his tie then stared at the back of his brother's head.

"Mom wants us to visit," He went on to read on his legal pad, jotting a few notes next to a couple of interviewees.

"I don't want to." Grant replied in a clipped tone and Lincoln knew it wasn't up for discussion anymore. Their mother, Marie Bass was the former owner of the company but had stepped down ten months ago after being diagnosed with breast cancer. While Lincoln was there for his mother, Grant took it the hardest which surprised everyone because he wasn't much of a family man. In fact, he was a recluse in all aspects of his life except the company he and his brother were running.

"I'll tell her you missed her and that you send your love." Lincoln told his brother just before there was a knock at the door. "Come in," he grabbed the red mug in front of him and took a sip of the black coffee he had been drinking.

Neither of them turned towards the door to acknowledge the interviewee. So she stood just over the threshold on shaky legs with one hand on the doorknob and the other clasped around the pearl pendant hanging from her necklace. "I-I'm Violet...I'm here for my interview."

Grant turned around with an unwelcoming glare and raised a brow at her, "You're late." His eyes traveled down from her face, down her body, appreciating the way her royal blue blouse fit her perfectly, then landed at her feet which were in a comfortable pair of flats. He was truly turned off at the sight of them. "Strike one."