Minutes crawl by before the guard returns. “Miss,” he says carefully, “HR confirmed you weren’t hired.”
Heat floods my cheeks.Well, this is awkward.
“I have an email from Mr. Miller confirming my employment,” I say, pulling out my phone and sliding it across the desk for him to see.
He leans closer, scanning the screen with a skeptical frown. “I’ll call up to his office.”
Again, I’m left standing there like some kind of lost puppy while polished employees stride past me without sparing me a glance. My palms are damp, nerves buzzing under my skin as the minutes tick by.
He returns, looking regretful. “I’m sorry, but I can’t get through. Mr. Miller’s receptionist isn’t at her desk and his assistant is busy onboarding the new hires.”
A groan builds in my throat, but I force it down, pasting on the most polite smile I can muster. “I understand that you’re just doing your job…” I glance at his badge. “Constantine. But I really need to get inside. I don’t want to be late on my first day. Now, please just let me up to the fifteenth floor. Escort me if you want, but I’m not missing this opportunity. And I’m sure you don’t want to be the reason I get fired before I even start.”
“I’m sorry, Miss?—”
“Please, call me Mya.”
“Mya,” he corrects. “It’s protocol. I’d be risking my job.”
Before I can argue further, a tall, bulky man approaches from the elevators. Broad-shouldered, built like he belongs in a lumberjack calendar, with neck-length ginger hair and a neatly trimmed beard to match. He claps Constantine on the shoulder, briefly glancing my way “Hey, Stan. What’s going on?”
Before Constantine can answer, I jump in. “Apparently, my name isn’t on the new hires list, but I was offered a position here. I’m supposed to start today.”
That gets his attention. His green eyes snap to mine. “You must be Mya.”
Relief washes over me as he extends his hand. I study him quickly—ruggedly handsome, the kind of man who looks like he could chop wood with one arm and draft a skyscraper with theother. But the attraction dies as soon as our palms touch. Not my type.
“I’m Griffin,” he says. “Worth mentioned he was expecting you this morning.”
I let out a breath. “Great. So you’ll be able to take me upstairs?”
He nods and murmurs a few words to Constantine, who finally waves me through the barrier.
The walk to the elevator is short and quiet. Once we’re inside, I notice the faintest smirk tugging at Griffin’s mouth.
“What is it?” I ask, my voice shaky despite my best effort to sound casual.
He shrugs me off with a chuckle. “Oh, nothing. Just thinking about how the boss messed up.”
“I don’t get it.”
“You will soon enough.” The elevator doors open on the fifteenth floor, and he steps out, leaving me no choice but to follow.
I’m hit with a cacophony of sound—phones ringing, conversations overlapping, the clack of keyboards filling the air. The space is buzzing with good energy, focus and chaos.
This is it. My new world. My new beginning.
Griffin gestures around as he guides me through the bustle. “W.H.M. spans several floors, but this is where the magic happens. Over there is the design team where you’ll be stationed. On this side, spaces for our contractors. And at the far end—” He points towards a row of private glass-walled offices. “The executive wing. CEO, CFO, and mine.”
“You’re an executive?” I blurt, surprised.
He crosses his arms, cocking a brow. “Is that hard to believe?”
“No, sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I just thought?—”
“Relax, Mya. I’m just giving you a hard time. I know I don’t exactly look the part.” He gestures at his jeans and plain white tee, shrugging. “But I’m usually on-site more than in the office. Besides, Worth and Henson are like brothers to me. They can’t say shit.” He winks, then continues towards the corner offices.
Heat creeps up my neck. Griffin seems nice and easygoing. But as we get closer to those glass doors, my nerves kick back in with force, heart hammering. Am I about to face Worth again?