He pulled her into his arms and forced her to jump around with him and Lyse was too exhausted to protest so she just let him sway her around the room until he let her go.
"You got mail and since I took the liberty of opening it—"
"Why did you do that?" She asked exasperatedly.
James had the bad attitude of reading her mail and he had no boundaries.
"So that i could have the honor of informing you that you've got a job!" He screeched loudly and jumped around.
Thanks to the loud screeching that caused Lyse to cover her ears, it took her a second to come to terms with what he had said.
"Wait, did you just say that I got a job? How? Where? Who?"
Lyse had just gone to get her papers so that she could start applying for jobs, how possible was it that she already had a job?
"That does not make sense." She muttered.
"Are you going to look a gift horse in the mouth?" James stared disappointedly at Lyse who was not mirroring the excitement he had.
"What is important is that you need a job and you have gotten one that comes with a sexy sugar daddy too."
"Huh?"
"Come and look." James said and ushered Lyse to the open laptop where the image of a man covered the entirety of the screen.
Lyse's first thought was that he was gorgeous, he looked like he was in his early forties with startling green eyes, a sculpted face with a trim beard and full dark hair. Lyse stared at the man, completely mesmerized.
Older men were not usually her type but this man could absolutely get it. He looked suave like he knew exactly how to treat women… and was probably a huge player too.
She snapped out of her reverie and pulled away from the screen then turned to James with narrowed eyes.
"Tell me that you are not pleased that you will be able to stare at that man all day?" He asked with a smug grin,
"If you have no interest i don't mind going there in your place, I bet Mz Dixie Normous can get him to fall in love." He added with a coquettish smile as he batted his eyelashes flirtatiously.
"It just feels a little suspicious since I did not apply for a job at whatever company he owns." Lyse frowned.
"What does that matter? You have a job working with a fabulous boss and just wait till you see all of the benefits attached."
James quickly moved the picture on the screen and Lyse looked closer, her jaw dropped when she looked at the figure attached to the position of PA to the CEO.
"Very nice amount isn't it?" James smirked knowingly.
"I mean yeah that's a great amount but as a PA? I haven't done that in years, I would rather find something in fashion." Lyse maintained stubbornly.
With a sigh James pulled her to the couch and made her sit down before he sat beside her, his expression solemn while he took her hands.
"I did not want to tell you this but there is no way that you are going to get a job in fashion."
"What?" Lyse gasped and he nodded sadly.
"It does not matter how talented you are, no one is going to touch you with a six foot pole." He said, "someone has been going around warning people against employing you."
Lyse was shocked by James news. If she was indeed blacklisted in the fashion industry then it would be next to impossible for her to get a job. No one would employ her even as a cleaner and she had an idea about who could be responsible for that.
There was only one person who had enough clout to influence the fashion industry like that and that was Sutton Marlowe.
Lyse's shoulders slumped in disappointment as she thought of her dreams being dashed. She had not done anything wrong enough to deserve this sort of bile.
"I'm so sorry." James whispered.
Lyse straightened her shoulders and raised her head up. No one could destroy her dreams. James was right, she needed a job and this one had come right on time. Despite her misgivings she had no other choice than to take the job at least until something better came.
*
"I'm here to see Mr Van Doren please." Lyse said when she walked into the mammoth building and headed to the reception.
The receptionist, an icy looking blonde with equally cold eyes looked dismally over Lyse, seemed to find her lacking then said in a bored voice.
"Is he expecting you? Who are you?"
"I am Lyse spade." Lyse answered.
The girl at the reception pulled out a drawer and brought out a visitor's ID which she handed to Lyse.
"Pin that on and take the elevator to the top floor."
Lyse did as she was told as as she walked away she noted the curious stare of the receptionist but she walked with determination to the elevator.
When she got out at the top floor she approached a desk with another icy looking blonde, this time with brown eyes and Lyse wondered if Mr Van Doren had a thing for blondes, why then was she there?
"I am Lyse Spade and I am here for Mr Van Doren." Lyse said.
The secretary carelessly waved her to a bench. "Mr Van Doren is currently busy and will see you when he is ready."
"Could you at least tell him that I am around?"
The secretary stared at Lyse then said in a snarky tone.
"When the boss is ready he will see you." Then she went back to looking at her phone.
Lyse's jaw tightened at the dismissive way she had been spoken to. She had been informed in the letter of employment that she was to come to see Mr Van Doren at exactly 9 am and here she was at the stated time but she was being relegated to waiting with the bitchy secretary?
She took a seat and made herself take a deep breath and waited. She noted with mounting irritation as time passed and considered getting up to leave when almost an hour passed.
Then just when she was at the end of her rope, the door behind the secretary opened and a most stunning woman in what had to be the tightest, most mini skirt stepped out and behind her came the man that she had seen on their computer screen.