Emily - A well paid opportunity
1206 Words
“I’ve hired some new teachers for the summer. Can you help train them?” The boss asked Emily before she left for her Vatican class.
“Yes, if you give me a raise.” She stared him down. “Since you’ll cut my hours too, with the new teachers.”
“I can’t afford to pay you more just now. Maybe… we can negotiate.” He winked and put his arm round her shoulder. Leading her out of his office, he tried to look down her top.
She pulled away, hiding a shudder and looked at her phone. “I’ll be late for class but I’ll come back afterwards and we can continue this discussion.”
He tried to pat her ass as she left but she knew it was coming and dodged. Grumbling to herself about her clichéd pervy boss, she ran out the door. The boss’s brand new BMW was parked illegally in front of the school, she kicked the tire as she passed. “Can’t afford to pay me more, my ass! I need a new job.”
Her bad mood followed her all the way to the Vatican and it didn’t help that the painter was gone. Someone was in there assembling furniture already so she doubted he would be back. She did notice a scrap of paper stuck to the window.
“Staff Wanted. Come in and ask!” she read. She might just do that. It boded well that the sign was in English. Although three jobs might be going a step too far.
So after her class, she took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
A young guy slid off the newly built desk and looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes. “American, right?”
Emily smiled at the typical opening line. “Scottish. I saw your sign.” She looked around for clues. “Although I'm not sure what staff you’re going to need?”
He turned and switched on the tiny espresso machine already in situ. “Coffee?”
“Uh, sure. Thanks.”
He gestured to the only chair, “Take a seat and tell me about yourself and I’ll see what would be your best fit.”
An interview for an unknown job? She laughed, flicked back her hair and tried to ramp up the charm. “I'm Emily and I'm on a break from my course in archaeology and classics. I teach English at a nearby school. I'm good with computers and I speak Italian.”
“And you like Rome? You’ve done all the touristy things?” He handed over a tiny plastic cup of espresso, “Sugar?”
She shook her head. “Yes, of course, I love it here. I’d like to think that after three and a half years I knew Rome reasonably well.” She wondered where this was going? She waved to the four walls, “What is this going to be?”
“A tour office, offering golf cart tours of Rome, and inside guided tours of the two major sites. Which would be?”
“The Vatican and Colosseum with Forum,” she replied without hesitation.
He smiled. “We have enough guides but more importantly, we need an English speaking, pretty girl such as yourself for the office. To correspond with potential clients by email and phone, welcome tourists, take payments, advertising, that sort of thing. Interested?”
She was. Perhaps it was a risk joining a start-up company in a city full of tour offices but it was also exciting. There was one issue, “What are they hours and how much will you pay me?”
“Eight to three. Monday to Friday. Sometimes we’d need you for evenings or weekends but we’d give you plenty of notice. How much would you like?”
A guaranteed thirty five hour week! Teaching hours were unpredictable, she competed with other teachers for hours and this way she could keep waitressing. She drank the coffee in one mouthful and took a chance, “Fifteen an hour?”
He laughed, “I'm sure you’re worth it but we are just starting out. How about twelve and we can review in six months, depending on how the business is going?”
Twelve! She almost burst with satisfaction, she expected nothing above ten. “Sounds fair,” she said casually. “Do you need my CV? References? What about a contract?”
“We can look at a contract again after six months if everyone is happy? When can you start?”
“Just like that?”
“I am an excellent judge of character and I think you’d be a great fit.” He winked and passed a sheet of paper across the desk. “Write your number and email, in case we need to contact you.
She noted down her contact details in her flowing script. “I’d have to give the school a weeks notice.”
He gestured around the almost empty office. “As you see, we have a bit to do before we open officially. Start date can be next Monday but feel free to drop in any time. You can maybe meet the boss at some point.”
“Wait, you’re not in charge?”
“Second in command, but I can make staffing decisions.” He looked up towards the glass door. “But you’re in luck, boss just came back.”
She turned and the plastic cup crumpled in her hand. It was the painter. The stunning painter was going to be her boss. He put the stack of boxes he was carrying down by the door.
“Davide, I have found the face of our company and new receptionist. Emily!”
“Hello, again,” he said. His smile melted her insides and the memory of his blue eyes did not do them justice. She jumped up and shook his offered hand. But then he surprised her by pulling her close to give the typical greeting of a kiss on both cheeks.
Again? He remembered her from yesterday? She blushed at this familiarity and inhaled his spicy aftershave. “Hi, nice to meet you.” That was an understatement, it had been love at first sight.
“So Rick managed to persuade you to join our exciting new enterprise. The fate of which now also rests with you.”
“No pressure then,” she said with a smile. Her legs were actually trembling.
“Amore, aiutami!” A petite brunette with too much make up, struggled pathetically through the door with one box. God forbid she chipped a nail! Emily’s elation fell a fraction. It was for the best. Relations with the boss just led to disaster and hurt. Her father’s new girlfriend was proof of that.
“Arrivo.” Davide saved his damsel in distress. Relieving her of her heavy burden with one hand and opening the door with the other. “I would have got the last one. You should have waited in the car.”
“I wanted to see your new office. Is this it?” She didn’t look impressed.
“Stefania, darling, I just finished painting yesterday. Once all the furniture and artwork is in, it will look amazing.”
She wrapped herself around him, like a skinny possessive cat. “I don’t know why you had to paint. You could have hired someone.”
“Waste money on something I'm perfectly capable of doing myself?”
“Stef, he didn’t do it all himself. I helped. See there.” Rick pointed to the corner hidden by the desk. “I did that.” He rolled his eyes in Emily’s direction.
Emily hid a smile and said, “Thanks for the coffee. I’ve got to get back to the school and tell my boss the news.”
“See you on Monday,” said Rick.
“And we’ll have a proper chat later too.” Davide managed to extract himself from Stefania enough to wave goodbye.
- Writer
