‘How many times, Vanessa?’ I gagged, trying to get the acrid taste of black coffee off my tongue. ‘Milk and two sugars!’
‘That’s what I gave you,’ my assistant said, unfazed by my outburst. ‘I’ve been serving you coffee for fifteen years, I know the order.’
‘That was clearly a one-sugar coffee,’ I growled, dabbing at my tastebuds with a napkin. ‘You’ll have to make it again.’
‘You think I don’t make two cups every morning, just in case you pull this stunt?’ she asked me, sliding an identical mug across the desk at me.
I surveyed her with a glare – she was good at this particular game. I guess that’s how she’d lasted fifteen years.
‘What’s my day look like?’ I asked, conceding her the point as I picked up the coffee.
‘Overstuffed,’ she replied. ‘The usual – seven hours of work in a six-hour day.’
‘Gimme the highlights.’
‘You have a board meeting at eleven,’ she said, scanning my diary. ‘Then a video call with your wife’s decorator at twelve.’
‘Oh, look, I’m too busy for that,’ I said sarcastically. ‘What a shame. Next.’
‘Your new hire has a promising lead on a company near Melbourne for corporate video production – he has you at one.’
‘Interesting…’ I nodded, leaning back in my chair and steepling my fingers.
‘Then the investment team have asked to speak to you about—’
‘So he pulled it off?’ I asked. She looked up at me, frowning.
‘What?’
‘New guy,’ I elaborated. ‘He actually found us a video production team?’
‘I don’t know,’ she shrugged. ‘That’s just what he said in his note asking for the meeting. You think he’s lying.’
‘No, actually,’ I said, surprising myself. ‘He has something… special, that kid. Rare.’
‘I hope it’s a company that does 2D animation work for corporate videos,’ my assistant grinned. ‘I do love those videos.’
My pensive stare snapped back into a frown.
‘What else?’ I grumbled.
‘Oh… your wife is coming by at three to ask about the meeting with the designer. Should I…’
‘Yeah,’ I sighed. ‘Add him back on the list.’