Alpha Billionaire Series
Baby Surprise Chapter 10

ALICIA

Ichewed at the hangnail on my finger. I needed to stop or I'd walk into my next interview with a bleeding cuticle. That would leave the wrong impression completely. I pulled the finger from my mouth and rubbed at the spot I was chewing on with my thumb. Looking at my nails I couldn't tell I had been gnawing at them for the past week. Hopefully, no one else would notice I'd been chewing them either.

I closed my eyes and tried to take a few calming breaths.

Hannah's lead had been better than good. Hayes Imaging Solutions had been the first place I submitted my resume and the first place to call me for an interview. The initial interview had been over the phone. It hadn't made me any less nervous but being able to have the first contact while in my comfy lounge pants had helped me not feel so nervous.

Today I wasn't allowed such luxury and comfort. My professional wardrobe was as comfortable as I could manage without looking like pajamas, but interviews were different from daily wear. I spent the morning fighting my way into compression wear so that my gray suit fit without looking like I was dressed up in sausage casing.

My day began with a mid-morning interview. Knowing that it was possible they would have me go through several rounds of interviews, I made sure that Ceejay's day-care knew I might be late than I had been the past few days.

When Hayes Imaging Solutions called to set up the meeting, I had been warned that I might be there all day, if I was a successful candidate. So when the people interviewing me asked if I could wait around in the lobby for a bit my stomach had done an exciting back flip. That had also been terrifying. The lobby was populated with other candidates who had been asked to stay. I was right there as other candidates left the lobby. They had to be conducting some kind of mass hiring. Not all the candidates could possibly be here for the same admin job I was.

"Alicia?"

I looked up into the smiling face of Amy Torres, the woman who had conducted my earlier interview. Amy stood with her arms wrapped around file folders.

"Would you mind coming with me?"

I gathered my belongings and followed Amy back to the small empty room where she had conducted the morning's interview.

I sat nervously in the lone chair across the desk that Amy had her notes and folders piled on.

"We've decided to forward you to the next candidate round. When you applied at Hayes, you applied for an administrative assistant position. We have several open. Mr. Hayes was given your resume, along with several others after your initial phone interview." Her choice of words and her limited hand gestures made me think she was focusing hard on not trying to build my hopes up, all while still giving me great news. I made it to the next round.

"Mr. Hayes?" Shit, he was the CEO. His father founded the company.

"Yes. You'll be meeting with him this afternoon."

I squirmed in my chair. I hadn't applied for it, whoa, that was a bigger job than what I had thought. "I didn't apply for the executive-"

"No, but you've clearly had executive admin experience. And Mr. Hayes did express interest."

"Out of curiosity, had Mr. Hayes not seen my resume?"

"I think you would fit in here at Hayes, and we do have several openings you were being considered for. This morning's interview showed me that you represented yourself very clearly on your resume, and you displayed the level of competency we are looking for. Mr. Hayes is available this afternoon after lunch and will be meeting all of the candidates one on one for a brief introduction."

I blinked a few times.

"If you need to make arrangements so that you can stay for the rest of the day, please take care of those during lunch. We will expect you back in the same lobby no later than ten minutes after one. Your same guest badge will let you back in, please do not lose it." She stood and held out her hand. "Congratulations for making it to this level."

I stood and shook her hand. I oddly felt like I had just entered into some dystopian fight for my life competition. I left her office a bit befuddled. I had just over an hour to prep for an executive administrative assistant position. Well, I guess technically I had been an executive assistant for Thomas. Jacob Press was small potatoes. Plus, I was really worried about my prospects. Thomas' horrible reputation preceded me with every application I submitted.

If I could get the position as executive assistant to the CEO, that had to mean higher pay. Everything would be so much easier with even just a little additional income. At best I was hoping not to take a pay cut.

I didn't want to get my hopes set too high. I drove to the closest fast-food place and ordered chicken nuggets and fries by default. I didn't have Ceejay with me, and I was still ordering his food.

It was just fine as well. Nuggets and fries without sauce didn't drip, and the last thing I needed was a big splotch of sauce dripping onto the middle of my boobs when I had an interview, and not enough time to go home and change clothes. I did make a note to myself, next time I had an interview, bring an extra blouse. I almost always managed to get food front and center on my blouses on the days it was vitally important that I made a good impression. Food stains on my chest did not make a good first impression... I ate my lunch too fast and gave myself the hiccups. Perfect.

I also hadn't packed a toothbrush. My skills for surviving a day-long interview were sorely lacking. I added a packed toothbrush to my mental interview survival kit list. With the help of a napkin and some vigorous rubbing, my teeth looked clean enough. I made sure there wasn't any food caught. That would be so embarrassing.

After I returned to Hayes Imaging Solutions headquarters, I pulled out my phone and began a crash course on Christopher Hayes, and the command structure of the company. It seemed Christopher did not like to have his picture taken. The only shot I could replace was more portrait than headshot on his biography page from the website. He wasn't a bad-looking man, with a severe haircut, a regal nose, and heavy-rimmed glasses. But I really didn't get a sense of what he looked like beyond being broody and humorless. From the corporate site, I learned how Christopher took over after the unexpected passing of his father. Sales were good, and Hayes was an industry leader in innovative press solutions. Things I already mostly knew.

Checking on a few rate-my-job type sites I was able to get more of a scoop on what the work culture was. As I read, I got more excited. Which unfortunately meant my anxiety started to kick in. Of course, if I wanted the job, it always seemed like my likelihood of actually getting the job was an inverse graph to my enthusiasm. Hayes sounded like a great place to work.

I bit my lip as I read another review. The company was good, but there was a warning not to fall into Agatha Hayes's bad graces. Interestingly, Christopher's mother was head of the board. This reviewer said she was the one who made all the decisions and ran the company. She was a bit of a battle axe.

I did a search on her next. Now, this was a woman who did like to have her picture taken. She reminded me of what an internet influencer might become when they got older. There were photos of her standing in the middle of a closet filled with nothing but designer handbags. She liked to wear neutral-toned designer clothes and pair them with obnoxiously bright accessories and bright red lipstick. With a mother like that, no wonder Christopher Hayes looked stoic in the single image I could replace of him. With my newfound knowledge, I didn't feel any less nervous as the afternoon dragged on. I watched as the people I had assumed were other candidates were led away in pairs. Amy had mentioned one-on-one for me, so they had to be interviewing for the different jobs Amy mentioned were open.

I began to worry as time passed and I was still in the lobby with fewer and fewer other candidates. Eventually, I was the only one left. I cast my gaze around, looking for anyone familiar. Should I go up to the reception desk and ask if Amy Torres was available? I had a sinking feeling in my gut that something wasn't right.

"Alicia Collins?"

I turned to see the same woman who had been collecting everyone else for their interviews.

"Yes?" I practically jumped to my feet.

"Thank you for waiting. You will be meeting with Mr. Hayes. I believe you were given a brief rundown of what this interview will be."

I nodded. "I was told more of a quick introduction."

"Exactly. If Mr. Hayes wants, we will follow up with additional interviews. This should only take a few minutes, yours is the last interview of the day for him, and he doesn't have much time for you."

All of the feel-good positive energy that I had sensed Amy had tried to keep in check was missing from this woman. I got the distinct impression she did not like me.

She stopped and opened the door. Following the nod of her head, I stepped in.

"Alicia Collins, nice to see you."

I was stunned in place. Christopher Hayes was a remarkably handsome man. He had a smile that made me feel special and unique. His eyes sparkled with infectious joy. There was something familiar about him, but I had never met him before. I hadn't even gotten a decent look at him from the picture online.

My throat went dry, and my heart sped up. I was nervous, but my body was reacting in a very different fashion. When we shook hands, it was as if a jolt of lightning struck us.