Surprised Ever After

Ch. 6: First Day

Charlotte

In a span of four years, this is the third company I've joined, and it's fair to say that something has gone seriously wrong with my career life. Well, that's my life after I met Chloe's dad. What can I say?

"I'm so happy you took this offer," Emily says for the third time, and it's not even 10 a.m. yet. It's maybe about paying off her guilt for throwing me into the mud of drama with her family last winter, as Ashton has said, but I can't spot any sign of insincerity in her blue eyes. Maybe she genuinely needs me to help.

"My pleasure."

She claps her hands like an enthusiastic child about to open her Christmas gift and glances at Chadrick. "Now, I'm going to let Chadrick steal you and show you your office. Shanna will explain more about the job. You've met her before, I reckon?"

"The Marketing Chief? Yep," I reply.

Chadrick, who has been listening to Emily's little welcome speech, props himself up from the chair next to me and buttons his light-blue suit jacket. I haven't seen him in darker colors since I met him, despite his black hair and dark look. "Let's go," he says. "I will bring you to your team, but I will need to leave you a bit for a meeting. And then we'll have lunch together to get to know each other."

Emily sighs. "I would come with you two if I didn't agree to have lunch with Mom."

"Too bad," Chadrick replies, but the grin on his face says otherwise.

Trisure's head office is in the same area as their hotel in the city; the first property Danielle bought when she started the business. She built the hotel originally to accommodate and entertain her late husband's business connections, before slowly growing it into a bigger scale and with various services.

Even though it has grown into a large company, there aren't so many people in the head office. It's probably because the majority of the employees are placed in hotels and resorts. Plus, each branch handles its own payroll and personnel issues. I'm glad that people in the marketing are quite chill, and they seem to get used to the idea of a family member joining the team. It's not like I'm going to take a permanent role, anyway.

"It's good to have you here, Ms. Garnett," Shanna greets me when Chadrick hands me to her, smiling brightly and her eyes twinkling behind her thick square glasses. I can't tell how old she is, but from her salt-and-pepper hair and the soft wrinkles in the corners of her eyes, she must be in her midlife. I like her, though. Her aura is comforting.

"Please, just call me Charlie."

"Charlie," she repeats. "I like that nickname. And oh, I've learned that you were in the marketing role for some time. It's such relief because we do need an extra experienced personnel here."

"I've been doing a marketing job, yeah, but this is the first time I joined a hotel business. So, I don't think I'm that experienced."

"Charlie is very modest," Chadrick says.

Shanna nods in agreement. "She is indeed."

"On that note," Chadrick says, checking his wristwatch. "I gotta go now." He glances at me with a subtle smirk. "See you at lunch."

"Of course." I wave at him before taking the chair from across Shana's office chair, her minimalist PC desk separating us.

"Mr. Maxwell is such a charming young man," Shanna says after Chadrick disappears behind Shanna's office door. "With all the changes and gossip going on in Trisure last winter, we were unsure if we should stay or leave. Plenty of things became unclear and, well, we all needed a steady job to keep moving."