Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
“Hah, then she was forty pounds in a couple of months,” Quaid continued.
“And now she’s eighty pounds and it’s her lunchtime.” She glanced down at her watch. “I should head back and feed her. I don’t have another appointment until tomorrow, so I should get some work done. I’ve got a suit to file because your client won’t wear a suit. I need to do some research and that means heading to the library because my mom’s Wi-Fi is awful.”
He grinned. “I’ve got some space. If you’re going to work in town, you might as well have an actual office.”
“I can’t afford rent right now. I’m afraid this booth is it for me for a while.”
“Look, the truth of the matter is you’re helping me out by taking the city work off my plate. The least I can do is give you a place to do it. I own the whole building. The first floor is the office, and it’s got space for a partner.”
Jayna raised her eyebrows in question.
“My father always meant for me to work beside him, but that only lasted a few years. He retired when he thought I was ready to take over, but I expected to be able to consult with him for a long time.” The bittersweet tone of his voice let her know how much he missed his dad. “There’s a second floor with a full apartment. Dad used to rent it out, but I’ve kept it empty since I took over. I like to be able to use it when I’m working late or I need a place to be alone.”
“Living with your mom a drag?” She realized that could sound like she was ragging on the man when she wasn’t. “I get it. I love my mom, but I did not expect to be in my thirties and stuffed on the twin bed that was already too small when I was fifteen. And Luna tries to share it with me.”
“Then the least I can do is give you a place to work,” he offered. “In fact, my legal secretary is off for the next four weeks. Her daughter had a baby and she’s helping out. You could answer phones and act as an assistant when you have time. You are the only qualified person around.”
“She’s a legal secretary. She shouldn’t be answering your phones, and neither should I.” An idea played around in her head.
“Well, my last receptionist ran off with one of my clients, and I haven’t been able to find a reliable replacement. I would call a temp agency in Houma, but no one wants to drive that far every day,” he admitted. “We could take turns answering the phone?”
“Or you can take a chance on someone.” It was time to pay her sister back. Sienna would never think to apply for a job like working for a law firm, but she was smart and she learned quickly. The woman could take a ten-person order and get it perfect without taking down a single note. “How about I’ll answer the phone today until Sienna’s shift here is done. She can be your receptionist until three o’clock when she has to pick up the girls. If she works out, she can quit the diner and work full-time for you. That way your legal secretary won’t have to act as your receptionist anymore. Sienna’s going to need good insurance and two weeks’ paid vacation.”
“Whoa. How did I go from being the nice guy who offered you free office space to hiring your sister and paying for insurance?” Quaid asked.
“You got lucky because she’s going to be excellent and she’s going to be reliable. She’s got two kids to support, and if I can find a way to make sure that they don’t spend their entire childhoods with a mom who works two or three jobs to barely make a living, I will do it,” she vowed.
“I would typically require an associate degree. Even for a receptionist.”
Jayna shrugged. “Then she’s going to need tuition assistance. Quaid, how old is your legal secretary? Because if I’m correct and we’re talking about Cynthia Dobson, she’s in her sixties. How long before she wants to retire and hang out with her grandkids all the time?”
He sighed. “She’s already told me she intends to retire in five years.”
“Are you willing to take the chance that you’ll find someone qualified who’ll want to move here?” She could win this particular negotiation. And that’s what they were doing. Quaid Havery had a problem. She had a problem. There was a simple solution that only required something Quaid had plenty of—money. The other part might be harder. She had to convince her sister to believe in herself, but she would deal with that. She would make Sienna see how perfect she was for this job. “Or you could take on someone who needs a break and give it to her. You could lift someone up.”