~~~
James had been carefully rehearsing the words he was about to say when, to his surprise, Crystal reached for a pen and confidently signed the contract without hesitation.
With a sense of determination, she handed the contract back to James and retained her own copy.
Standing up purposefully, she was ready to dive into her new responsibilities.
James was visibly taken aback, his mouth hanging open in astonishment as he accepted the now-signed contract.
A smile slowly spread across his face, revealing charming dimples on both sides.
"Thank you! That desk is waiting for you. Feel free to start settling in," he said warmly as he carefully placed the signed contract in a drawer and locked it away.
Crystal was already immersed in arranging her new workspace and didn't notice James securing the contract for whatever reason he might have.
***
