A prominent tech CEO named Ms. Meyers cut her maternity leave short for an urgent business matter and extra help was required. That was how Abbey landed the job of executive assistant at the last minute, despite her relative inexperience at the highest levels of the corporate world.
Abbey was nervous meeting the boss after having been hired by the HR department last week. Not that Ms. Meyers was scary or anything; she was young by CEO standards, petite and vibrant. A real firecracker of a boss and a bundle of energy. A 5'2" alpha woman.
They were sitting in Ms. Meyers's office and all Abbey could do was stare at the woman's shoulder length blonde hair. It was neat and straight. Abbey noticed that it almost shimmered in the sunlight which entered through the window.
"Not bad," the boss said, reviewing the new assistant's resume. "If HR hired you, that's good enough for me."
Abbey beamed a smile to show confidence. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet, there's much to do. Now, I see that you have plenty of experience preparing telecommunications and presentations."
"Yes ma'am."
"Call me Ms. Meyers. The word
ma'am
makes me feel old."
Abbey cleared her throat. "Yes, Ms. Meyers. Some aspects of my previous jobs included arranging video chats, keeping appointments, and setting up meetings."
"Do you switch jobs a lot?" the boss asked with a quizzical raise of her eyebrows.
As petite and pretty as the boss was, the fact that she was sitting behind a big desk made Abbey unreasonably nervous.
"I've transferred jobs for a variety of reasons," she answered, almost too quickly. "In one case, the department closed down. And there was a lot of infighting in my previous workplace."
"Happens all the time. I saw in your cover letter that you were hoping to make a career with this company, correct?"
Abbey nodded. "That would be a dream. I'm a strong believer in what you represent as a powerful woman in the business world."
"Nicely stated," the boss smiled. "Your response sounded like ass-kissing. But I don't mind since it's my ass that's being kissed."
Abbey tensed. "Oh..."
"I'm only joking. I like you. I like what's on your resume. Do you know why we're rushing this whole process?"
"Yes, the acquisition. At least that's what I'm assuming based on what I've read in the news."
Ms. Meyers was pleased. "Glad to see that you're up to date. A deal came together earlier than expected, so I had to shorten my maternity leave. We're acquiring a major tech firm, so I'll have a lot of meetings."
"Sounds like a plan."
The boss nodded. "Well then, enough talk. You can figure out my style as we go along. I'm very blunt. And I always get what I want."
At that moment, Abbey knew that the rumors about her new boss were true; Meyers was a relentless workhorse that was unstoppable. Working for a woman like that appealed to Abbey.
***
After their meeting, Abbey was given her fair share of errands that morning. She hustled in her small office where she completed various tasks. The rest of the floor was busy with the pending acquisition.
After arranging her boss's schedule, it was time for lunch. She had packed a turkey sandwich in a brown paper bag.
When she stepped out of her small office, the boss was in the lobby area talking to the secretary. The conversation finished the moment Ms. Meyers turned her attention towards Abbey.
"Abbey," the boss smiled, holding two lunch containers. "I've ordered us some food. Toss out whatever you're holding. Let's go outside."
The gesture from the boss caught her off guard. Their first meeting was strictly business, and now, were they supposed to be friends? Whatever the case, Abbey was ready, willing, and able. She put her pitiful sandwich back in her office, knowing she'd eat it for dinner. In exchange, she took a container from her boss. It smelled delicious.
They walked outside to the garden. There was a nice spot of shade under a tree and they headed towards a bench. Ms. Meyers was a different person now; so relaxed and casual, almost like a college geek who became the boss.
Abbey tried not to be so stiff. While she made an effort to be casual, she couldn't help but notice how pretty Ms. Meyers's short blonde hair looked. It fanned across her face in a carefree manner. Shockingly, Abbey's mind wandered to the state of her boss's pubic hair. She shook her head to clear those errant thoughts.
However, there was no denying that Ms. Meyers was more than attractive. Her blue eyes were lively and her face was wonderfully expressive. She had full lips, but wore no lipstick. Like many young CEOs these days, she had a casual vibe to her.
"I missed this spot," the boss said as they sat under the shade, overlooking the company grounds. "I haven't been here in four months. I worked from home on video call. It was great; a buttoned shirt and blazer on top, sweatpants and bare feet below. No one ever noticed, I hope."
Abbey laughed. "If only all work could be like that."
They opened their containers of food and Abbey was delighted by what she saw and the aromas she smelled.
Rich people food!
A girl could get used to that. They both dug in with zeal.
"I could tell you really hated your last job," the boss said after chewing.
"Yeah, I didn't want to go into detail about that."
"Why? If you're going to be my assistant, I expect full disclosure."
Abbey took a sip of juice. "True, but I didn't want to sound whiny. Plus I didn't want to bad-mouth my previous employer. That isn't nice."
"Loyalty. I like that. Loyalty is important in life."
"Always."
"That's partly why I wanted us to have lunch today," the boss said. "I normally don't do this with assistants. I'm usually so busy that I enjoy eating alone."
"Oh, well, thank you for inviting me. It's an honor. Was there anything on your mind?"
"A special job for you."
Abbey's heart rate rose and she could barely eat. "I'd be happy to assist you in anything you need."
Ms. Meyers wiped her lips with a napkin and put her food down. "I have 3 other executive assistants. Brian and Jerry can't do this job because they're men. Sandra can't do it because I've known her for too long and it just wouldn't feel right. So that leaves you,
the new girl.
"
"Interesting," Abbey squeaked.
"My issue is completely natural," Ms. Meyers explained. "And by that I mean, I have a milk problem."
The phrasing and Abbey's state of nervousness left her feeling confused.
"Are you lactose intolerant?"