Doug swallowed hard, but he kept listening, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Additionally, upon the completion of the first contractual year, regardless of whether or not you renew your employment contract, I will hand you the mortgage and mark it paid in full.”
“Even if it’s not?” he whispered.
She nodded. “You are a quick learner. Any remaining balance will be completely forgiven. They will own their home free and clear.” She stood and returned to her seat behind the desk. “And to sweeten the pot,” she added, “I will give you two hundred thousand dollars, cash, in addition to your salary. We’ll call it a performance bonus. The first fifty thousand upon completion of three months of service to me, and fifty thousand each quarter after. I’m guessing that money would help pay some, if not all, of your mom’s medical bills?”
He numbly nodded. This had to be a dream. He could, finally, take care of his parents the way they’d always tried to take care of him and his sisters.
Except…
He closed his eyes and tried not to picture Tate’s blue eyes.
“There is one other catch,” she said.
Of course there is. She probably needs me to sell my soul to her. Screw it, I’ll open my veins and sign in blood if I have to. He opened his eyes. “What?”
“You will sign a nondisclosure agreement regarding the terms of our contract. It will be binding until the end of the first year. If you renew our contract, you will then receive two hundred thousand in salary every year. Health benefits, too, of course, from the start. 401(k). Everything. But you cannot tell anyone, not your parents or other family, friends, no one, about the true nature of our agreement. If my father finds out what I’m doing, it totally ruins things for me here. I need him off my back.”
“So, basically, I pretend to work for you while I’m playing your boyfriend?”
She vigorously shook her head. “No. You will be working, no pretending about it. Gorden will be the first to tell you I’m not easy to work for. I am very demanding. I am a perfectionist. I can be bitchy and a micromanager. But I also reward my staff for their successes. So you will absolutely be working for me. But you will be moving into my home and acting as my boyfriend after a couple of months, if not sooner. I want people to start seeing us together, let word of our after-hours socialization get back to my father. After a while, depending on how it’s looking, I’ll move you into my home. From there on, the act looks good.”
She leaned back and templed her fingers. “Obviously, as part of our agreement, you cannot date anyone else, on the sly or not. After the first year, if you still want to stay on, we can talk about this point and see if we can figure out a way for you to transfer to another office or something so you can have a social life outside of me. We have offices all over this country and in four other countries.” She smiled. “One year of celibacy, and your silence, is all I’m asking for.”
“I can’t tell anyone?”
She shook her head. “No. Not your parents, not your sisters, not any friends. No one. I cannot risk this getting back to my father. I cannot and will not be flexible on this point.”
He wanted to say no. He wanted to stand, thank her for her time, and leave.
He also knew he’d kick himself in the ass for refusing it. He couldn’t get the sound of his father’s choked sob out of his head.
“So, Harper,” he softly asked, “what do I have to do to get this job?”
Inside, she was doing jumping jacks. “I’ll get Gorden in here to take you down to HR and legal, where they’ll get the ball rolling for the background checks. You can officially start Monday as long as all that checks out. Oh, and what do you drive?”
He looked confused for a moment, like he was overwhelmed. “Um, a Honda Civic. Six years old. Bought it used.”
“Still owe on it?”
He nodded.
“Just to show you how serious I am, I’ll pay that off for you, too. Any credit card debt? Student loans?”
He nodded.
She smiled. “Consider them paid in full. Bring all the paperwork with you for all that on Monday. We’ll handle it first thing. And I’ll make sure you get a corporate card for expenses. Feel free to update your wardrobe.” She picked up her phone and called Gorden to come to her office. When she hung up, she smiled at Doug. “You have no idea how glad I am that you came to the job fair today.”
He licked his lips before finally speaking. “Me, too.”
She laughed, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a while. “Seriously, you have no idea how relieved I am. This will get my father off my back, help you and your family out—we all win.”
He nodded and smiled. “Yeah.”
Gorden walked in. “You wanted me?”
She pointed at Doug. “Gorden Smith, meet Douglas Holt. Your replacement.” She’d let Gorden in on her idea yesterday afternoon, knowing he would not reveal it to her father. He hadn’t been thrilled with the idea, but agreed that he wouldn’t tell, either.
He walked over to Doug. “Nice to meet you, son.” He shook hands with Doug. “Come with me. We’ll get everything started.”
He led Doug out of the office, shutting the door behind them. Harper sat back and laced her fingers behind her head. Now, seriously, how lucky was this? As long as his story all checked out, he was the perfect candidate. And she’d be doing a good deed for someone far less fortunate than herself.
Feeling good, she went back to work.
Doug couldn’t feel his legs. Was he really considering this? He followed Gorden to the elevator, which they took down to the next floor.
Tate.
He loved him. He’d planned on spending the rest of his life, fate willing, with him.
And now he was selling out that love…for what?
He took a deep breath as he remembered hugging his father the night before.
For my mom and dad. My sisters.
Maybe it made him a royal shit, but Tate could find someone else. His parents would never have another chance like this again. He couldn’t let them lose what they’d worked so hard for over the years.
He wouldn’t let them lose their home.
Chapter Three
Tate Gillis stretched, cracking his neck and groaning as he felt his back pop from the way he’d been hunched over the computer terminal.
One of his supervisors and best friend, Jenny Taylor, laughed. “Getting pretty hunchbacked, huh?”
“You ain’t kidding.”
“You and Doug want to go out with us tonight?”
“I’d love to, but Doug’s still down in Tampa.”
“Aww. How’s his mom doing?”
“I haven’t talked to him yet today. She was supposed to go home yesterday, but they held her another day because of her blood work results. They want to give her another round of antibiotics before they release her.” He didn’t mention the other problem and that it looked like he would be leaving. No reason to talk about it until he knew for sure.
“Oh, that sucks.”
Tate nodded and glanced at the clock. A smile filled his face. “Hey, it’s four thirty. I can blow this pop stand.”
She laughed. “You sound like medical billing isn’t your dream job.”
He rolled his eyes. “Um, yeah. Sorry, but the best about it is it keeps the lights and internet on, and has health bennies. I do appreciate you getting me the job, don’t get me wrong.”
“You mean you can’t perv porn in the dark?”