Title: The Boss Project
Author: Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 11, 2022
Excited about Vi Keelandβs upcoming release,
The Boss Project?
Check out this SNEAK PEEK and meet Merrick and Evie!
Merrick
βMr. Crawford?β My assistant, Andrea, poked her head into my office while I was eating lunch with Will. βSorry to interrupt, but HR asked me to find out if you might have time to talk with one of the candidates for the in-house therapist position?β
I shook my head. βI donβt need to talk to the applicants. I already gave my input to Joan. HR is holding second-round interviews and will let me know what they think when theyβre done.β
βApparently one of the candidates asked if she could have a minute with you after her appointment with HR. But her meeting is starting now, and I know you donβt like anything on your schedule during trading hours.β
βWhich candidate?β
βEvie Vaughn.β
I leaned back in my chair with a chuckle. βSure. Why not?β
She nodded. βIβll let her know.β
Will lifted his chin after Andrea shut the door. βWhat was that little grin about?β
βOne of the candidates for the stress therapist job is interesting, to say the least.β
βIn what way?β
βHer first-interview appointment wasnβt until five one day last week, so when the market closed, I ran downstairs to Paloma to pick up a suit Iβd bought and had tailored. After I left the store, I thought Iβd forgotten my cell phone in the fitting room, so I went back to check. When I opened the door, I walked in on a woman.β
βI hate those places that have one fitting room for both men and women.β
βActually, this place has separate ones. The woman was just in the menβs room. But thatβs not the best part. When I walked in, she was half undressedβ¦and smelling her armpit.β
Willβs brows shot up. βCome again?β
βYou heard me right. Anyway, a few minutes later, my five oβclock appointment walks in, and itβs her. The woman from the fitting room.β
βThe pit sniffer? Get the hell out of here. What did you do?β
βNothing. I played it off like I didnβt recognize her, though she definitely recognized me. I could see her squirming.β
βShit like this only happens to you, my friend. So what went down? How did the interview go?β
βShe was the least-qualified candidate. I donβt even know how her resumΓ© made it into the group that got called for interviews.β
βYet sheβs back here today for a second interview?β
βShe is, indeed.β
Will shook his head. βWhat am I missing?β
βWhen I got home that night, I started thinking about how the board is shoving this position down my throat. They mandated that I hire someone, not that the person be competent.β
Will smiled. βGenius.β
I shook my head. βI need my people to be focused and ruthless while theyβre hereβnot getting in touch with their emotions.β
βI hear you.β
As we finished lunch, Andrea returned and knocked. Evie Vaughn stood right behind her. Her wavy blond hair was up today, and she wore a simple black skirt and jacket with a red blouse underneath, giving her the sexy-librarian look every male fantasizes about at least once in his life. I tried to ignore the stir seeing her caused in me and forced my gaze down.
Andrea peeked her head in the door. βDo you need more time?β
I looked at Will. βWe need to discuss anything else?β
He shook his head. βNot that I can think of. Iβll get the Endicott buy order placed as soon as it hits forty a share.β
βGood.β I turned my attention to Andrea. βPlease show Ms. Vaughn in.β
Will left, tossing me a smirk over his shoulder as he passed Evie.
When the door shut, she took a few steps forward, then hesitated. βThank you for seeing me.β
I nodded and gestured to the guest chairs on the other side of my desk. βHave a seat.β
βYour assistant mentioned you donβt usually take appointments while the market is open.β
βI donβt.β Leaning back, I tented my fingers. βWhat can I do for you, Ms. Vaughn?β
βItβs Evie, please. Andβ¦well, I was hoping you could clear something up for me.β
βWhat would that be?β
βWhy am I here? For a second interview, I mean. You made it pretty clear during the first one that you didnβt think I had the right experience for the position, and I didnβt exactly make a winning first impression in that fitting room. Soβ¦why am I here again?β
I folded my arms across my chest and deliberated how to answer. The politically correct and professional response wouldβve been to say Iβd reconsidered based on how sheβd handled herself during the interview. But Iβd never been accused of being politically correct or professional.
βAre you sure you want the real answer? Sometimes itβs better not to know and just accept the outcome.β
She folded her arms across her chest, mimicking my posture. βMaybe, but Iβd like to know anyway.β
I liked her spunk. It was a challenge to keep myself from smiling. βYou were invited back because you are the least qualified of all of the people we interviewed.β
Her face fell, and I felt a tinge of guilt, even though sheβd said she wanted the truth.
βWhy would you do that?β
βBecause hiring an in-house stress coach wasnβt my idea. My board of directors is forcing my hand.β
βIs it a problem because it wasnβt your idea?β
βI employ a hundred-and-twenty-five people whose jobs are to give me ideas.β I shook my head. βNo, I donβt have an authority issue, Ms. Vaughn.β
She pursed her lips. βDoctorβitβs Doctor Vaughn. I prefer to be called Evie, but if you insist on using formal etiquette, you might as well use my proper title. I hold a PhD in clinical psychology.β
I couldnβt hold back the smile that time. I nodded. βFine. No, I donβt have authority issues, Doctor Vaughn.β
βSo youβre against the position, in general, and you wanted to hire the worst person to prove a point?β
I nodded once. βYou could say that.β
βAre you against therapy?β
βI believe some people can benefit from therapy.β
βSome people? But not your employees? Do you believe your employees donβt have any stress in the workplace?β
βThis is Wall Street, Ms.βDoctor Vaughn. If it werenβt a stressful job, my average trader wouldnβt earn seven figures. I just prefer my people to be focused while theyβre here in the office.β
βDid you ever consider that you might be looking at things backward? Taking an hour out of the day to speak to someone isnβt whatβs interrupting a stressed-out personβs focus. Theyβre already not focused because of their stress level. Therapy could help center someone so they can concentrate better.β
βNoted that thereβs more than one way to look at things.β I studied her for a moment. βIs there anything else you wanted to ask? Or have we reached the point in the discussion where you tell me you hope we never see each other again?β
She smiled shyly. βIβm sorry about that. It wasnβt an appropriate thing to say.β
I shrugged. βItβs fine. Believe it or not, Iβve been accused of being inappropriate a time or two myself.β
She laughed as she stood. βGee, I never would have guessed that from the man who sniffed me during my interview.β Evie held out her hand. βThank you for your time. And your honesty.β
RELEASING
JULY 11th!
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Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
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