Chapter Text
Anthony prepared for his eight o’clock appointment and wondered, not for the first time, why he let his sister talk him into things. Maybe it was because Eloise, his second-oldest sister, so rarely asked him for any favors that he was inclined to grant this one. Maybe it was because it was a simple enough request: hire Eloise’s best friend Penelope Featherington to work in his office. The last time he’d seen the girl, she barely spoke two words and seemed to dissolve in a puddle of self-consciousness whenever anyone so much as looked in her direction. How on earth was she supposed to hold it together when showing his very high-powered associates and clients into his office or a conference room? If she was so self-conscious with people she’d known most of her life, how was she around strangers?
Despite his misgivings, he found himself agreeing to take Pen on on a trial basis. She had a week to prove herself. If she couldn’t handle the pressure, or she was letting things slip through the cracks, she was out and would have to figure out her next moves on her own. El, acting as the intermediary, agreed on Pen’s behalf.
And now he sat in his office, tapping his fingers in impatience, waiting for Pen to show up for her first day. While he waited, he reviewed notes from the last board meeting discussing a merger with Danbury Industries. The CEO, Daniel Danbury, was the son of Anthony’s mother’s oldest friend, Agatha Danbury. The two companies, Danbury Industries and the Bridgerton Corporation, had run parallel to each other for many years, but never crossed paths out of respect for the matriarchs’ relationships. It had recently become clear, however, that they were destined to work together, and the process to envelope Daniel’s company under the Bridgerton umbrella had begun in earnest a few months ago.
He was midway through the second paragraph of the initial proposal when the intercom buzzed.
“Mr. Bridgerton, I have a Penelope Featherington here to see you,” his secretary Edwina informed him over the speaker.
“Send her in,” he replied shortly.
Setting the stack of papers aside–with documents such as these, he preferred to handle physical papers rather than a digital format–he folded his hands and prepared to summon all his patience so he didn’t frighten his sister’s nervous best friend. Somehow he had to develop a working relationship with a girl who had never said more than two sentences together to him in their entire acquaintance.
The woman who breezed into his office couldn’t possibly be the same person. Her usually-frizzy red hair was brushed back in a sophisticated twist at the base of her neck. Instead of the ill-fitting sweatshirt and black leggings that had become something of her uniform among the family, she wore a white blouse, unbuttoned just one button too many, and a high-waisted black pencil skirt that showed curves he’d had no idea were hiding underneath those hoodies. Gone were her worn-in, scarred Doc Marten boots, and in their place was a pair of nude-colored suede heels with pointed toes and heels that had to be at least four inches high.
“I hope I’m not late,” Penelope said, snapping him out of his thoughts. “I took the wrong elevator.”
He cleared his throat and forced his gaze back to her face and away from her delectable body. “Uh, no, it’s fine. That happens a lot.” He raised up slightly out of his seat and motioned to the empty chair on the opposite side of his desk. “Please, take a seat.”
Pen strode over to the chair and set her cognac-colored leather bag next to it as she sat down, crossing her legs at the thigh. His mouth suddenly felt very dry.
“I want to thank you,” Pen began. “I really appreciate you taking a chance on me. I told El not to say anything to you, but she insisted.” She picked at an imaginary piece of lint on the hem of her skirt as she continued.
“I want you to know, I don’t take hand-outs. I realize how lucky I am to know someone who was able to find me a job, but I promise you I’ll earn your trust. I’m a hard worker and a fast learner, so feel free to throw whatever you’ve got at me and I know I can handle it.”
He was impressed by her little speech. Most people in her position, if they acknowledged the favor at all, would simply say thank you and be done. Pen wanted to prove herself, and he appreciated that.
“You’re practically family,” Anthony said after a moment. “Family helps each other out. I know what a tough job market it is out there right now. I can’t imagine trying to find your first job fresh out of college right now.”
She shrugged a shoulder as if it was no big deal, but something in her eyes gave her away. “It’s what I get for chasing my dream of being a writer instead of choosing a sensible major.”
“You mean like business?” he asked, tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
Too late, Pen realized what she’d implied. “Oh!” she gasped and covered her mouth, turning an enchanting shade of pink. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sure it’s not–I mean, clearly you like–Um…”
Anthony found himself laughing softly to himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he laughed in the office. “It’s fine, Penelope. I know this world isn’t for everyone.”
“Pen, please,” she corrected. “Only my mother calls me Penelope.”
He nodded. “Pen. I’m glad I can help you get a foot in the working world that might be helpful when you get offered the job you really want.”
She leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knee and giving him a lovely view down her blouse. “You should know, this may not be the job I saw myself in, but I will give you one-hundred percent every day. This isn’t just a placeholder for me. I intend to give this job my all as long as I have it.”
A corner of his mouth quirked up in a barely perceptible smile. The girl had moxy, he’d give her that. “Glad to hear it. Until you get the lay of the land and a feel for how I like things done, you’ll be working sort of as an assistant to my assistant. It will be a lot of running errands, setting up conference rooms with refreshments, inter-office mailings, that kind of thing. Gradually you’ll be given more responsibility until you and Edwina serve largely the same role. Is that acceptable?”
Pen nodded quickly. “Yes, I can do that. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. You won’t be sorry for giving me this opportunity.”
She was so eager to please. It was refreshing amid a culture of young people who acted as if they were owed their dream jobs without any proof of knowledge or capability.
“I’m sure I won’t.” He stood from behind his desk and came around it to stand next to her. “Would you like a tour?”
Pen nodded and stood. “Should I bring my bag?”
“No, it will be fine here.” He put a hand lightly on the small of her back and opened his office door with the other, ushering her back into the small sitting area just outside.
“We’ll start in the basement and work our way back up,” he advised Pen, directing her to the bank of elevators just across a small row of cubicles. As Pen walked ahead of him, he found himself admiring the way her body moved in the form-fitting black skirt. He noticed Edwina watching him watching Pen. She gave him a knowing look and raised an eyebrow, to which ANthony could only scowl and walk away.
He pressed the down button on the elevator and they waited silently for the vessel to arrive.
Once they were inside, Pen leaned against the hand rail on the opposite side from where he stood.
“I didn’t expect to see Edwina here,” she observed absently, more to herself than to him.
“Why not?” he asked, genuinely curious why Pen wouldn’t expect his assistant to be at her desk.
“I just thought after the whole thing with Kate, you wouldn’t want her around. It’s got to be awkward working with your ex-fiance’s sister.”
It wasn’t often Anthony was rendered speechless, but this became one such occasion. No one had ever directly mentioned to him the potential awkwardness of keeping Edwina employed given his history with her older sister. Many thought about it, of course, but none before Pen had been brave enough to say anything to her face.
Gradually, Pen realized what she’d said out loud, and that full-body flush returned.
“There I go again–I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” She hung her head in shame. “I was just thinking out loud, I never meant…And after I just got done promising you wouldn’t regret hiring me…”
“It’s alright, Pen,” Anthony told her gently. “You haven’t said anything that everyone in this building hasn’t wondered.”
“They’re probably not dumb enough to say it to your face, though,” she countered, still looking humiliated.
“Is it dumb, or is it brave?” he countered. “It’s amazing how often those two ideas intersect.”
Pen looked down and picked at he carpet with the toe of her shoe. “Either way, it’s none of my business. I just think it’s nice you didn’t let your personal life impact your staffing.”
“Edwina’s a good worker and she’s never given me reason to doubt her dedication to the company. She is not her sister and doesn’t deserve to be punished for Kate’s choices.”
He rarely said his former fiancé's name out loud. It brought a familiar pain, but the pain was somewhat dulled, not as sharp as usual. Perhaps that was all to do with the healing process.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. They had arrived at their destination.
Over the next hour, Anthony showed Pen the 24-hour company gym, coffee bar, cafeteria, and one of the break-rooms. He gave her a quick tutorial on how to work the copy machine on the executive floor, and showed her where the conference rooms were located and how to call down to food services for refreshments ahead of a meeting.
“When you start running errands for me or Edwina sends you out for lunches, I’ll have her give you the company credit card.” He leveled his most intimidating CEO look at her. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that that card is for company-sanctioned purchases only. If personal items start showing up on the bill, questions will be asked.”
“Of course,” Pen said with the same bobble-head nod she’d used earlier. “I would never take advantage that way. But I’m sure you have to give everyone that warning.”
“That’s right. I’m glad you understand.” He started to lead her back to the elevator to return to his office. “Do you have any questions now? I’m sure more will come as you get into the work itself.”
“What hours do you typically work? So I can plan my schedule accordingly.”
He smirked. “My days vary wildly depending on what I have going on. Your day will end at 5. There may be days I ask you to come in early to prepare for a meeting or assist on a call, but you’ll be able to take that time back another day. I may practically live here but I don’t expect my employees to do the same.”
“What if you need me for something after regular business hours?”
It was an innocent question that conjured very not-innocent thoughts. “I try to handle anything that comes up after hours myself. If I get really stuck, I ask Edwina to either come in or assist me remotely. I doubt you’ll have to worry about those instances for a while, as uncommon as it is.”
The elevator arrived again and they stepped on. “You’re young,” he continued. “Too young to be married to your job. I expect your full attention during business hours, but after that point, your time is your own.”
Pen only nodded, but he could tell she was fighting back a smile.
“What’s funny?” he pressed.
“Nothing.”
He cast a long, even look at her, a tactic that weaseled answers out of the most evasive vendors.
She huffed. “It’s nothing. El was sure I’d never have time to hang out again once I started this job. She thought you’d make me work the same hours you work–which I think is fair since I’m your assistant and all. I should be available in case you need anything.”
“I enjoy my work and spend a lot of time here. I don’t expect others to feel the same way. YOu can assure my sister that you’ll have plenty of time to go out. I only own you until five pm. After that, I have no claim on your attention.”
They got off the elevator on the executive floor with Pen trotting after. “She acts like we go out all the time now. We don’t. In order for long working hours to disrupt my social life, I would first have to have a social life.”
“That does tend to help.” He led Pen back to his office. “I promise you and El that I won’t chain you to your desk.”
“You should at least buy me dinner before that kind of thing anyway,” she joked. Anthony was grateful he wasn’t drinking his coffee at that moment because he would have ended up spitting it all over Pen’s white shirt. Was she flirting with him?
“Um…right.” He moved quickly to sit back behind his desk, at a safe distance from the daring redhead whom he’d greatly underestimated. “You can shadow Edwina for today, see how she handles my calendar and things like that. And probably tomorrow too. Later in the week we’ll see about adding some tasks to your plate.”
Pen grabbed her bag. “Sure thing, Ant–uh, Mr. Bridgerton.”
“You can use my name,” he told her. “Everyone knows our families are old friends.”
“No, this is business. You’re Mr. Bridgerton when we’re here. I’ll try to do a better job of remembering.”
“If you say so. Edwina should be ready and waiting for you to shadow. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll have your ID badge and company laptop ready by the end of the day.”
He turned his attention to his computer, effectively dismissing her. Pen took the hint and left, quietly shutting his door behind her. ONce she was gone, he blew out a long breath. If she was going to show up every day looking like that and with that wicked sparkle in her eyes, he was questioning his decision to give her a job so close to himself.
This was going to be a disaster.