Straight to the point then. I lifted my hand in a casual wave. A few people smiled awkwardly, but most of them stared in confusion.
After a brief pause, Anthony continued: “Russel is an expert on crisis management in personal branding, with more experience in the field than we all have put together. Starting today, he will lead the personal brand team. This might seem sudden, but Russel’s employment with Fowles & Tito was the subject of sensitive negotiations, and discretion was required. I’m proud to say that Russel chose us against two other offers from our competitors. His start will be smooth since he has already familiarized himself with the current accounts and his team on paper. Give Russel a warm welcome.”
A somewhat stunned applause followed from the thirty or so people in the room.
“Everybody from the personal brand, please stay for a few more minutes.”
With nods and soft words of greeting, most people left. Six employees remained. I knew their names, skills, and employment history, down to the most junior talent, the twenty-five-year-old Benedict Perkins. I was making the connections in my head even before Anthony started introducing them. Frank Cook, the project manager; Lilly and Rory, the media analysts; and the young woman in the colorful outfit was surely Catrina Wilkes, the copywriter. I shook their hands one by one. They must have been nervous but hid it well. I’d be the first vampire working for Fowles & Tito—it was bound to be a little awkward at first. I did my best to smile warmly.
A thin figure hid behind Frank Cook and a middle-aged woman who must be the family law expert, Vivian Mendoza. Anthony beckoned the person forward.
Seeing the man’s face, I froze.
“And this is Benedict Perkins. Don’t be fooled by his harmless appearance. He’s one of our most talented creatives.”
“Eddie has a devious mind,” Frank stated proudly.
Benedict.Eddie.
What were the chances? I’d spent the weekend searching for this boy!
He was pale as a sheet. His hand trembled when he put it forward to accept mine.
“Good to meet you, Mr. Greenwood.”
“Please, call me Russel. Great to meet you…Benedict?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Eddie.”
I squeezed his hand and gave him a neutral smile. He looked like he’d keel over any second. But then he pulled his hand back, squared his jaw, and straightened. Eddie wiped his face clean of any emotion with a remarkable show of self-control.
Dammit, this little human was my holy grail. I’d found him. Those delicate lips quivered, but then he pursed them and lowered his gaze.
You’re staring, Greenwood. Snap out of it!
I didn’t have time to ponder what having him on my team would mean for me. Not with Anthony breathing down my neck. But I had to talk to Eddie in private as soon as possible.
“I don’t want to keep you from your work for too long,” I said to the group as I stepped back. “We’ll have your standard meeting at 10:30. Then, I’d like to meet each of you individually for lunch or breakfast during the week. Eddie, are you free today?” He’d been the last one to be introduced and still stood closest to me. It wouldn’t seem suspicious to anyone that I chose him first.
He nodded, his face blank. I looked to his left.
“Then Vivian, if you’re available tomorrow morning or at lunchtime?”
Vivian gave me a tense smile. “Breakfast tomorrow works for me, thank you.”
“Wonderful. After the regular team meeting, I’ll book times with the rest of you.”
Anthony patted my shoulder. “Welcome aboard.”
He excused himself, and I saw Eddie trailing out of the conference room right behind him as if he couldn’t get out fast enough. I didn’t blame him.
Frank showed me to my office, which thankfully had solid walls and a heavy door. As soon as he left, I pulled the blinds down. They were the thick, blackout kind I’d requested but hadn’t expected to get so fast. Anthony must have had them installed over the weekend. I sighed with relief as I sank into my new chair. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, and my headache evaporated in seconds.
My mind circled back to Eddie.
The situation was most inconvenient. A delightful surprise, but definitely inconvenient. I hadn’t studied the company’s anti-fraternizing policy in detail because it hadn’t occurred to me that I’d need it, but I could imagine what it said.
As my direct subordinate, Eddie was off-limits. The most delicious blood I’d tasted in a decade, maybe ever, and he was off-limits.
