Alpha Billionaire Series
Baby Surprise Chapter 13

CHRISTOPHER

Valerie surprised me when she selected Alicia as my new assistant. That was something I would not have done. I was entirely too close to the situation to make a clear judgement call. I had thought my interest in Alicia had been purely physical. It was why I handed the final decision over to someone I trusted. I didn't trust myself.

Now that she worked for me, I would behave completely professionally around the woman, but that still didn't mean that my decision-making process was based on professional reasons.

Alicia's first day in the office was a combined good thing and bad thing. Good, I had Alicia back in my life. Eventually, maybe, we could get back together. On a personal level, this was a success. On a professional level, Alicia's presence meant that my trusted assistant was abandoning me.

I shook myself. Valerie was right, I was being dramatic. Maybe I had been relying on her too much these past four years.

Mother always said emotions had no place in business. I think she had let that cross over entirely too much into her personal life. I saw nothing wrong with feeling sad that I was losing a friend and a highly competent co-worker.

However, I needed to watch what I thought about my new assistant. She could get me into trouble, and I didn't mean with HR. I had already spent the past four years comparing my dates to my limited time with her. Now, I needed to make sure I didn't put her up on an undeserving pedestal when it came to working. She needed to earn her place up on that perch.

"Christopher?"

I looked up from my emails as Valerie stepped into my office. Alicia hovered just behind her shoulder.

"Hi, good morning. Come on in. Welcome aboard Alicia." I stood and offered her my hand.

I bit my tongue as our hands met, and there was still that electricity between us.

"We aren't going to bother you this morning. I just wanted to let you know Alicia is here. And I have an hour blocked off for you this afternoon."

I grimaced and shook my head. "This afternoon isn't going to be good."

Valerie looked concerned. "What came up? Nothing is on your schedule."

"Dawson wanted me to come looks at the system they've installed. I'll be out of the office most of the afternoon."

"Okay." She turned to Alicia. "I guess we'll go over the scheduling system a little sooner than expected." To me, she said, "Can you update any meetings I don't yet know about so I can get Alicia onto your schedule?"

I nodded as they left. Shit, I didn't have a meeting with Dawson. What kind of middle school panic had that been? I was being an idiot.

I did my best to stay out of Valerie's way while she showed Alicia the ropes. I told myself that avoiding the new assistant while she was learning the ins and outs of my office was to keep her from being distracted. More like to keep me from constantly getting in her way.

After spending the entire afternoon away from the office, I found I'd much rather be back there, getting in Alicia's way. I found an excuse to not be in my office for more than a few minutes on the second day.

The following morning, my two assistants were heads down and focused when I walked in. I was greeted with a good morning and then ignored. I didn't know how I felt about being ignored immediately after being out of the office for a day and a half.

I pressed the intercom button on the phone before I had even taken my coat off for the day. "Valerie."

I didn't wait for a response; she was in my office in a matter of moments.

"How did everything go with Dawson?"

"Fine, but that's not why I called you in."

She shook her head. "You need a coffee?"

"No, I need to know how the new hire is working out."

"Her name is Alicia. And she is fabulous. Smart, funny, and already up to speed on most of the systems we use here. I think as long as you don't try to break her right away, she'll be a real asset for you."

"What do you mean break her?"

Valerie crossed her arms and lifted her brows. "You can be a little harsh to new people. It's your way of seeing if they will stand up to you or fold. It's not necessary. She's going to have enough animosity when she meets your mother. You should be on her side, after all, you've hired her to be on your side."

"I was never like that with you," I pointed out.

"You weren't exactly the same when I started here, remember?"

She was right. When I started working with Valerie, she had already been in the position, and I thought I could drink my way through quarterly reviews since my mother had taken over the reins. More like she had taken them out of my hands, even though they had been handed to me and had my name on them. Valerie had been with me through the process of wrestling them back. Mother had said she wanted me to do the work, yet she had been very unwilling to let go of the control she had.

"I remember. I promise I'll play nice with the new kid. Send her in, will you?"

Moments later there was a soft tapping at my door.

"Enter!" I bellowed. "Alicia," I stated as she seemed to reluctantly open the door.

"Mr. Hayes?" She blinked up at me. Damn, she had big eyes.

"A few things to get cleared up right off the bat, if I call you in here, you do not need to knock. Come on in."

She nodded. Her hair, which was swept up into a bun except for a few strands that framed her face, bounced. For a second I couldn't remember what Valerie's hair looked like. It wasn't something that I had really ever paid attention to. How did she wear it? What color was it? And why was I so aware of Alicia's hair if I never paid any attention to Valerie's?

I gestured for her to come in and take a seat.

Alicia perched on the chair across my desk. She had golden blonde hair. The color of a field ready for harvest.

Brown, dark brown, that's what color Valerie's hair was. I knew. I was only distracted by Alicia's hair because she was new in my office, and not because I remembered how those strands wrapped around and held on to my fingers.

"Call me Christopher. How are you replaceing Hayes Imaging Solutions?"

She smiled and I felt her reaction in my gut.

"Everyone is being so nice and accommodating. Valerie is terrific. I confess to being a bit overwhelmed that I am replacing her."

"Good, you understand the enormity of the job you were selected for. And you think you'll be able to handle all of this?"

"All new jobs are overwhelming until they become familiar. It's not that I can or can't handle the workload. I'm not yet familiar with your personal quirks, or the interoffice functions. As I become more familiar and more comfortable it will settle down." "And how long will that take you?"

She shrugged. "Different jobs, different people, different adjustment periods. At some point, it won't be new."

"But you feel you can handle the challenges that you've already been made aware of?"

She nodded. "Oh, definitely."

"Good, I have a special project for you. Just you, not Valerie. And I will be assessing your ability to get this right. As you know Friday is Valerie's last day. I need you to pull a little something together."

"When you say a little something, you mean cookies and balloons, or something a bit more elaborate?"

I sat back and templed my fingers together. "I'm going to leave that up to you to figure out."

She bit her lip and then nodded. "I have to figure it out, but did you already have something in mind?"

I smirked and nodded. "I expect you to have Valerie's favorite cake, and figure out the appropriate location within the office, as well as timing."

"Does this little test have a budget?"

I shook my head. "I think all of that needs to be part of the test."

Alicia looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. She really shouldn't do that around me.

After a moment, her eyes flashed up at me. "I missed the part in the job skills requirement list that said I needed to be psychic."

"Not psychic, but appropriate to our corporate culture. I have no doubts that you know how to set up a good time."

"Is that everything you wanted from me this morning, Christopher?"

She bristled with the challenge I had given her.

"I think that's everything, Alicia."

"I'll do my best not to disappoint you."

"I doubt you could do that. We both know you are a girl who knows how to party, I'm sure you'll pull this together without a flaw. Remember don't tell Valerie, it needs to be a surprise." I shot a wink at her. She flushed and closed my door behind her with a little too much force.