Tempted By Their Promises

2 - I Want Her

“Is she what you thought she would be?” Henry asked, coming out of his motel room. Toby knew his best friend and second in charge only wanted to get the scoop on the gorgeous red head, but he didn’t want to talk to him about it. She was gone by the time he woke up, and it didn’t help his mood because Sarah called to tell him they were having trouble with the sale of some land in Fortitude. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Huh?” Toby asked, looking at Henry bewildered because he wasn’t listening; his mind was on Amanda and why she had left. “Our plane will be ready to leave in the hour, and I need to get back to see Dad,” Toby answered, hoping this is what Henry was talking about.

“And the redhead?” Henry asked, with any preamble.

“What about her?” Toby replied, pretending not to be fazed by the fact that Amanda left, but the reality of it was far different. “She left before I woke up.” He hoped he wasn’t coming across he was upset about her leaving, even though he was livid. He was going to ask if she would like to join him for a few weeks. Clearly, last night meant more to him than it did to her. Sure, he has had a few one-night stands in the past, but Amanda was different. Toby could tell just by looking at her.

“And you aren’t upset. You were saying you had found your future, Mrs Sommerville,” Henry mocked, eyeing Toby suspiciously. The pair know one another like siblings, and he knows when Toby has an idea about someone or something, he doesn’t like to be questioned.

“Why would I be?” Toby answered with a shrug before pushing past Henry to take his luggage out to the hire car and sitting in the driver’s seat. “Are you coming?”

“Davison wants another meeting. He is getting cold feet regarding the sale of his land,” Henry murmured, changing the subject as he climbed into the passenger seat, knowing not to push the redhead issue.

Toby let out a sigh of relief that Henry dropped the subject of Amanda. He also understood the Davison Ranch has been in the family for generations, but this sale means big things for Sommerville Shopping Malls Inc. His Ranch will ensure a new mall and plenty of work for a growing community. Sommerville Shopping Malls Inc are spread throughout the country, allowing all shops to be housed in one venue and customers can do their shopping without going all over town to find what they need.

Toby and Henry reached the airport and, thankfully, they owned a private jet. The flight was carefree, with no additional questions regarding Amanda. At least until they got off the plane and Sarah was waiting on the tarmac for them. “Your father wants to see you as soon as you get into the office,” she said as Henry and Toby reached the car and Ramirez opened the rear door for them.

“I figured as much,” Toby answered the slightly greying brunette as Henry, Sarah and he climbed into the waiting car and Ramirez sped off to the CBD, towards the Sommerville Shopping Malls 12-story office building.

“And Miranda would like you to go over the applications for admin assistants” Sarah mentioned, holding out a manilla folder full of resumes for Toby to take.

“She can make the decision by herself,” Toby remarked, opening his laptop to read the 114 emails sent during his time away as Sarah raised her eyebrow at him. “Fine,” he sneered, snatching the folder and placing it under his laptop.

“How was the wedding?” Sarah asked, as Toby gave up on the emails and shut his laptop again.

“Long-winded and boring,” Toby answered, not giving his personal assistant any more information than he deemed necessary. The more he keeps to himself, the fewer questions are asked.

“Ask him about the redhead?” Henry mocked, nudging Toby in the ribs as he let out a sigh; fewer questions unless you have Henry with you, Toby muttered to himself.

“There is nothing to say about her. We met; we kissed and had fun. Nothing more,” Toby snarled, staring Henry down, advising him to shut the hell up because he didn’t want to talk about it, especially with Sarah.

They sat in silence for the remaining 10-minute trip to the building and Toby headed straight to his office on the 12th floor, where his father was waiting for him. Placing the resumes on his desk, he sat down to look at his father. “Can you believe Cameron Davison wants to pull out of the sale? Something about looking after the existing shops in Fortitude,” Tobias started as Toby sat behind his desk.

“We have been over this. I’m not going to throw away the hard work those shop owners have done for Fortitude and we are reallocating them. We will be giving all 73 shops the opportunity to work within the shopping mall, and he isn’t in any financial stability to be knocking our offer. He needs this to upgrade to a larger ranch,” Toby explained for the umpteenth time to his father, who already knew the argument he was making.

“That is true, son,” Tobias answered, pinching the bridge of his nose as though he felt a migraine coming on. “We need to ensure we are doing what is best for his ranch. I have scheduled a meeting for next Tuesday, so play nice with him and get the deal done.”

When have I not played nice with Cameron? Toby thought to himself, while moving his laptop to the corner of his desk. A little over a week, he could work out a plan to ensure Cameron Davison came to the table. “Is there anything else?” Toby asked as his father paused to look at him.

“How was the wedding?” Tobias questioned.

“Normal and long,” Toby frowned, shifting in his seat to stare into his father’s brown eyes. “Too many people pissed off their faces.”

Toby gave up alcohol just after university and his father thinks he is following in his footsteps, although Toby’s decision wasn’t because of him. Tobias senior always said, ‘we need to keep our minds fresh, for any given moment.’ Toby struggled at first, but it was the best decision he had made. Toby sees his friends slowly losing control because of alcohol consumption, while he has his wits about him. Toby pulled out the resumes from the folder and started scanning through them, hoping it was enough for Tobias to leave. “What’s that, son?” Tobias asked.

Toby paused what he was doing; “Resumes for the new admin assistant,” Toby answered, glancing back to look through them again. “I figured after the last time; Miranda needed a little help in recruiting.” The last time Miranda got a new admin assistant, she found someone dumber than dog s**t. Toby vowed she was not to hire anymore, while going all Oscar on her.

“I will leave you to it. Your mother wants you and Joyce around for dinner on Sunday; no excuses,” Tobias injected before leaving the office and shutting the door so Toby couldn’t argue his way out of it.

“Tell that to Joyce. She is off, galivanting to God knows where,” Toby called after him, knowing his father was standing on the other side of the door before continuing to scan the resumes. “Holy f**k!” he screamed, coming to the second last resume. Amanda’s picture was posted at the top of the page, while Toby blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. Amanda Frost; Diploma in Administration from Bay’s Beach Community College. “I think we have just found our new Administration Assistant,” Toby mumbled, smiling to himself and picking up the office phone to call Miranda.

“Hello,” Miranda answered, after the second ring.

“Miranda, I have just gone over the resumes. I have narrowed it down to one. Amanda Frost; when can we get her in for an interview?” Toby asked as a long pause came from the other end of the line.

“Are you sure? I was planning on interviewing a few more. Those with experience,” Miranda sarcastically replied as Toby frowned at her lame attempt at being funny.

“I want her and will leave it to you to schedule the interview” Toby remarked, hanging up the phone before she could argue. My first question will be; why did she leave me? Toby thought to himself as Miranda called him back.

“Yes!” Toby answered, making sure she knew how irritated he was.

“Mr Sommerville, I know you said you want Amanda Frost," Miranda stated as innocently as she could, trying not to upset him. “I was looking through the resumes again, and I think Belinda Spence is more suited for the job.”

“Did I ask you what you thought?” Toby yelled, pinching the bridge of his nose just like his father does. He used to make fun of his father for doing this, but the more he worked as CEO, he understands why Tobias did what he did, and he finds himself mimicking him more. “I told you I wanted Amanda Frost and you are going to bring her in for the interview.”

“But sir, this is an administration position. Amanda doesn’t have the necessary experience, and I believe Belinda will be better suited for the position,” she argued as Toby sucked in a deep breath to reign in his annoyance.

“I didn’t ask you opinion,” Toby scoffed before sucking in a deep breath. “If you want to interview Belinda, so be it. But they will have to take a pay cut and share the salary. I will have Amanda, if you like it or not,” Toby spat, hanging up the phone again, and it instantly rings again. “What?” he screamed as he saw Miranda’s extension flash on the phone again.

“So, you are telling me, we could have both women working in admin?” Miranda asked tentatively, hoping what she thought was exactly what Toby was offering.

Toby inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, I am willing to give you two administration assistants, and I will sort it out with HR. Please do the necessary interviews,” Toby responded calmly before hanging up the phone for the third time.

Toby sat back in his chair and picked up the landline again, pushing the extension to Human Resources. “Mr Sommerville; what’s up?” Fredrick said after the third ring.

“I have Miranda interviewing for two administration assistants. I need you to make a package for both and how they can share the responsibility,” Toby replied to his head Human Resource Officer.

“Done. How was your vacation?” Fredrick asked.

“I would hardly call my cousin’s wedding a vacation,” Toby sighed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his feet on the desk. “It was good to get away for a few days.”

“Was there anything else?” Fredrick asked as Miranda’s email came through, telling him the interviews were scheduled for two days’ time.

“No,” Toby answered, hanging up the phone without saying goodbye and glancing at the email again. Two days. Two long days, before he sees Amanda again. “I need to keep her out of my mind. It’s clear she doesn’t feel the same way as I do” he whispered to himself, opening another email to start on the mammoth job of answering them.