Valencia Issachar looked at the man that stood on the threshold of the Victorian house, gaping at her like he had never seen a woman before. She looked down at the address on her phone. Oh yes, this was certainly the address.
16, Norksfold drive, Sanchusett, Baleria.
She was not expecting it to be a home though, she had expected an office.
When you get an ad for an assistant, of course, you expect to be received in an office by an actual business and not by a confused-looking man, standing on the threshold of what some would call a gothic-style home, gaping at you.
She gave him a fleeting smile "Mr Alarick?" she tilted her head in question, her honey-coloured hair, waving gently as if asking a question of their own.
Jordan berated himself for zoning out. Look at him, a Sherriff, well an ex-sheriff and a man of the badge; ex too, yet here he was staring at a woman as if he had never seen one before.
Of course, he had seen his share of beautiful women, even Peonia had been beautiful if you want to overlook the fact that she did not have enough brain in her head to fill a teaspoon.
Yet the woman was damn gorgeous. She couldn't be more than early twenty, he deduced. And h was gawking.
Embarrassed by his initial response, he responded with a sheepish smile.
"Who is asking?" he asked warily even with his smile firmly in place. Politeness and gorgeous women aside, he had learnt fast enough that you can never be too careful on the streets of Baleria or on your threshold for that matter.
He saw the woman's smile tighten a bit, her perfectly sculpted lips pinching at the edge, still looking gorgeous despite the annoyance that crept into her eyes.
"I am Valencia and I got this address concerning the posted ad for an assistant" she replied.
"Oh, so she was the one?" Jordan wondered as he remembered that when she called, he had been held up with a client and he had informed Chione, who was still around then to pick up the call.
"A woman calling to inquire about the assistant position," Chione told him later. "I told her the address and the requirement. She had to be good with the system, great communication skills, flexible hours, blah blah blah right?"
"Yes, I hope you didn't add the blah blah blah part to it" Jordan had responded in amusement with his head more on the latest info his client just gave him. He was a private investigator and a good one at it for that matter. A perfect cover for him to go place and uncover more things in the meantime.
"Maybe I did, maybe I did not" Chione replied to him.
Who knew the assistant would be this…well. He didn't want to sound gauche.
"Yeah, yeah," he said with a wider smile hoping that would make up for his initial rudeness. "Yeah, I am Alarick. come right in" he invited as he stepped aside.
Valencia stepped in and looked around discreetly at the interior of the home which looked even more magnificent than what could be seen from outside. Yes, it had an old feel to it and felt like a home that had been filled with a lot of activities in the past but not so much these days.
She reminded herself that she was not here to check out the ambience of someone's home. She was here to be an assistant and nothing had been as she had expected since she stepped through the door.
When Valencia had finally declared herself having enough to do with her father and his dealings. When she finally decided to cut ties with him since he was not ready to let go of the things she hated most. His shady dealings. The same dealings that got her mother killed eight years.
She had finally given up and moved out despite his disapproval. She did not need his approval, she believed and she moved out to a small apartment on the other side of town. Yes, the room was smaller than the palatial mansion she was used to but it was her own. And now she was about to get a job for herself. By herself. Not because she was someone's daughter.
She was excited when she set out that morning after procrastinating for a while after making the call the other day.
She was not so sure anymore now though. She seemed to have stumbled on a disoriented man who had no idea that he had put out an ad or he was so forgetful that he forgot after putting in the ad.
Well, she was sure she would find out soon enough. She thought as she sat in an armchair in a large office that seemed to have been converted from something else. She was sure the room was not originally designed to be an office but he had made it into a formal setting. Valencia was impressed and she wondered what the room had originally been. A ballroom? Interesting.
Having no experience before, she had tried to get some jobs but it is was either they were asking for years of experience or they wanted a recommendation. Valencia had no experience and the only person who could have given her recommendation was the person she did not want to go to. Not that he would have given it to her anyway.
So she had decided to try her luck when she saw this particular ad. She hoped she wouldn't regret it though or have to start searching again.
Jordan, who saw how uncomfortable she was even though she hid it well, cleared his throat as he sat behind his desk facing her.
"Miss…"
"Issachar, I am Valencia Issachar" she answered.
"Issachar, that is not a common name you hear regularly in Baleria," he said with a slight smile. "It sounded a bit familiar though. I can't figure out where I heard it before. Have we possibly met?" Jordan asked though he doubted that he could forget her if he had seen her somewhere before.
Valencia hoped he couldn't connect the name. Oh, why had she been so stupid that she didn't change the name? She could have lied but then she knew that her credentials have it in glaring details. Valencia E. Issachar, there would be no escaping that. She just hoped that he would know nothing about him. Or connect her to him.
"No, I am sure we haven't met, Mr Alarick" she smiled.
"If you are going to be my assistant, I would prefer you call me Jordan. I am not big on formality"
Well, Valencia might not have been an employee before but she had done her research and she was sure that regular assistants don't call their boss by his first name. But then there was nothing regular about this man who turned a ballroom o some other such room into an office nor about her. So she nodded.
"Good, introduce yourself fully and tell me your strengths," he said turning brusque.
Valencia had been expecting him to ask for her qualification or something however that worked.
She spouted her well-rehearsed speech, explaining as much as the youtube tutorial she had watched told her about how to get in her interviewer's good graces.
He asked, and she answered. Leaving out some vital information though. She doubted if he would be so affable and receptive if he knew what she came from.
"Good," he said after a while. "When do you think you would be able to start, Miss Issachar?"
"Just Val is fine, sir," she said, elated that he accepted her, if she was going to learn how the outside world worked, she had to start from somewhere and starting in this residential office seemed like a good place to start.
"I could start tomorrow sir"
He nodded. Extended his hand to her as he stood up "You are welcome to Alarick PI Firm"
Valencia shook his hand and before she could say anything, he said "I see that look. I see that look"
"What look?" Valencia asked with a hint of a smile as he wondered what he was talking about.
"The "What firm?" look," he said with a wider smile and she smiled back.
Yes, she had fleetingly thought about it but she hadn't expected it to show on her face or for him to catch on. She hoped he couldn't read minds too.
"Yes, I know it is just me but with your arrival now, we are two already ain't we? The perfect number for a firm" he laughed.
"See you tomorrow," Jordan said as he led her to the door.
"Yes, sir" Valencia replied.
"I would show you your office tomorrow," he said and shook his head as he caught her look of surprise again.
"Thought this was the office, didn't you?"
"I didn't…" his raised brow stopped Valencia.
Yes, she had thought it. She shut her mouth and simply nodded her head before she bade him goodbye.
Just as she got to her car, her phone vibrated and she checked her phone.
"When will you stop this childishness and come home?" the message read.
Valencia rolled her eyes. He wouldn't let up, would he?
Well, she was not about to give in this time