Virginators: College Buddies' Quest Ch. 04

“She will be the best girl you could hire, seriously Mr. Henderson.” Sweet Lindy gave me one last hug. She gave me a smile with her blue eyes shinning between her soft wrinkles. Lindy gave me her notice last week. Her husband Harold has Alzheimer’s and she wants to be at home for him. I felt so bad for her troubles, I gave her a very nice paycheck for all her hard work over these last six years, and now, she’s saying her good byes.

“Oh Lindy, you have been such a great secretary.” I hugged her this time. I really don’t think my business would have picked up if it hadn’t of been for her. She was the best secretary a guy could have.

“Well you are sweet.” She smiled and grabbed her purse. “Now make sure you call that girl. You will right?” I nodded a yes. “You take care sweetheart, and give me a call in a few weeks, alright?” I nodded again and watched her leave. Oh, I’m going to miss that cute lil’ old lady.

She had written a number to her neighbor’s niece who is looking for a job. I’m not sure I’ll call her though, she sounds young. Lindy said she’s right out of college, so she could be between 21 and 26, and that’s too big of a change for me. After having sweet Lindy for so long….hearing her soft voice on the intercom and how she’d make my coffee the right way, remind me to eat healthy when she would take my order for lunch and occasionally on a hard night, dinner. Oh dear Lindy.

Ring! Ring!

Damn it. I never realized how annoying the phone sounds, I guess it’s because now I have to answer it when it rings. I pick up the receiver. “Hello, Henderson Service’s. How can I help you?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Hello, are you Miss Stephen’s?” I ask.

She looks up at me and smiles. “Yes sir. I’m Rebecca Stephen. We talked yesterday about the job opening for the secretary position.”

“Yes…yes we did.” I look her up and down. Damn, she’s pretty hot! Her legs darkened by the stockings, her dress skirt right above her knee and a white top buttoned down gave her a great look of professionalism. “Come on into my office here, miss.” I directed her the way into my office.

She walks in and sits on a chair in front of my desk. I sit down on my chair and find her take a look at her resume. I glance it over; she hasn’t had much work experience with office work. I look up at her, she’s looking at the picture of me and my college buddy James in front of my cabin. He recently went through a divorce and apparently is dating some hot girl. I never got to meet his wife but apparently from him, I’m really lucky to have not had her acquaintance.

“Alright, Miss Stephan–”

“You can call me Becky, all my friends do.” She smiled again.

“Well, if you work here, you will not be a friend, do you understand?” I sat there sternly.

“Yes sir, I understand.” She stayed there with her hands folded.

“Do you want a job?” I asked.

“Yes, sir…I do. I need a job very much actually.” She paused and then cleared her throat. “I have a lot bills to pay off….my parents aren’t paying for my housing anymore.”

“And why is that?” I ask.

“Well, I was stupid in college and slacked off. Now, I have graduated and I need a job to pay rent and bills….that sort of thing, Mr. Henderson.”

“Please, call me Carl.”

* * * * * * * * * *

So, she’s hired. I’ll probably be thinking I was absolutely stupid for this by week’s end. She’s young, probably doesn’t even know how to use a computer or a fax machine. But, she looks the part, her clothes were respectable at the meeting and she has a pretty face.

I glance up at the clock, 8:19am. She’s late.

I tap my fingers on the desk. “If that phone rings before she’s here, she’s fired,” I say to myself.

A knock on the door to my office. “Come in,” I call out.

The door opens and Rebecca comes in, her hair pulled back to a bun and her blouse tucked into a very tight skirt. Her blouse is unbuttoned at the top and when she walks to me; her breasts sway behind the fabric. “Miss Stephan….do you feel that is appropriate attire?” I ask her.

“This is why I’m late sir.” She stops at my desk and stands there. “I don’t have too many nice clothes and I wasn’t able to find a proper outfit to wear today. I’m so sorry. I promise though, my first paycheck I will buy nicer clothes.”

“You bet you will. In fact, here.” I pull out my top drawer and get out my company checkbook. I pick it up and grab my suit jacket. “We don’t have any appointments today, I will take you to my friends clothing shop and we will buy you some clothes. Consider it a welcoming gift from your new boss.” I smile at her.

She just stands there, her mouth open. “I…I don’t know what to say….” she stutters.

“First, you can say thank you.” I smile again and open the door for her. “Let’s head to my car, Miss Stephan. We’ll let the answering machine take all calls.”

We leave the office, locking the door behind us and catch the elevator to the parking lot in the ground floor.

On the way to my friend’s store, she apologizes over and over about her clothes. “Don’t worry, Miss Stephan. Just seriously, understand that when you come to work, you first reflect me and my company before you reflect yourself.”

“Yes sir,” she says and rolls down the window. “Sorry, I just get easily car sick.”

I sigh. She certainly is a wimp, I think to myself. Her attitude no way matches her body or face.

“So, tell me more about yourself, Miss Stephan,” I say turning the wheel and heading down the main street of town to a parking lot near the store we are headed to.

“Not much to tell, sir.” She says. “I moved away during college and then just moved back–”

“So you went to school here?” I ask pulling into the drive way of the lot.

“Yes, I was born here and went to school…I went to the state college and graduated last year.”

“You seeing anyone?” I asked.

“No, I’ve never really had a boyfriend.” She realized we were parked and rolled up the window. She looked around as we both stepped out of the car.

“The store is this way, Miss Stephan.” We walked to the small boutique, crossing the street and barely missed getting hit by a car. I grabbed her arm and pulled her up to the sidewalk to help her get out of the way. She smiled and blushed and I let go of her arm. “Wouldn’t do me any good to have you killed.” I smiled and once again, she blushed. “So really, no boyfriend?”

“No,” she sighed. “I never really had any time for boys when I was in school. I went to a few dances, went on a date or two in college, but other than that, I’ve been so busy…” I held open the door and she walked in.

“Well, that’s a shame…” I said. “Hi Ann,” I said walking in after Rebecca. I kissed the older woman on both cheeks and held her arms out, “You look gorgeous! You are just looking younger and younger every time I see you!”

The woman laughed and gave me a peck on the cheeks. “You are too sweet Carl!” she exclaimed. “And who did you bring me?” she asked looking Rebecca up and down. “A new girlfriend? She is just lovely Carl.”

“Oh no, Ann, she isn’t my new girl,” I smiled at Rebecca. “Go ahead and look around, Miss Stephans.” I looked back at Ann. “She’s my new secretary.”

“Oh that’s right, you said Lindy had quit.” She looked back at Rebecca who was a few rows of clothes away. “She’s cute but dresses pretty sloppy,” she whispered.

“Yes,” I whispered back. “Please, give her the best treatment today. I can tell you don’t have any other customers right now, so we’ll be quick. I need her to look her best with out going over the top, and I need her to look so professional, you’d think she was a partner.”

Ann laughed. “A partner for life or for your business?” She smiled and walked away before I could remind her there is no romance between me and Rebecca.

I followed Ann. “Miss Stephans,” I said, Rebecca turned around. “This is my good friend who also owns this store, Miss Ann Hankins. She will be helping you to find suitable attire, alright?”

“Yes, sir.” Rebecca said. She put her hand out and shook Ann’s hand quickly. Ann smiled at her and Rebecca smiled as well. “It’s a pleasure ma’am.”

“Oh, aren’t you sweet,” Ann said. “You are so polite…you may call me Ann, dear.”

“Alright,” Rebecca smiled and then glanced my way. I threw her a quick smile then went to sit down on sofa near the changing rooms, grabbing the newspaper and finding the sports section. I overheard the two women talking about sizes and likes and dislikes of clothes.

I heard Ann ask about prices and I called out to her, “Don’t worry about the prices Ann, just get her enough clothes for at least three weeks of work and a few dresses for meetings.”

“Okay dear,” she said back. “Let’s get started. When I’m done, I’m sure sweet Carl will just be speechless.”

Rebecca smiled at the woman and when Ann walked away to get the first set of clothes for her try on, Rebecca caught me looking at her. She didn’t turn away quickly, we smiled at each other.

For almost two hours Rebecca tried on dozens of tops and dress pants, skirts and blouses, a few dresses and a beautiful cocktail dress that I almost wanted her to keep but it was much too flashy. “Perhaps closer to Christmas when we go to the town function at City Hall, maybe then.” I told Ann, winking. She put it in the backroom, which meant she was going to hold it until I came in to buy it.

When Rebecca was pulling of a tight fitting skirt, we all heard a tiny rip. “Oh no,” I heard Rebecca whisper from behind the curtain to the dressing room.

“Have a problem, dear?” Ann asked.

“Yes,” Rebecca’s head popped out and I chuckled, she looked adorable. “It tore slightly when I was taking it off,” she handed her the skirt.

“That’s okay. I’ll be right back; I take it over to the Sue’s Dry Cleaning down the street. She does this for me all the time.” Ann turned around. “I’ll be right back Carl. I’ll put the closed sign up on the door; it shouldn’t take me more than fifteen minutes, alright?”

“That’s fine Ann.” I smiled and watched her dash away with the skirt in her hand. “Take your time.”

A minute or two passed, Rebecca behind the curtain and sitting there on the couch. We were totally silent as we waited, and then Rebecca cleared her throat.