My name is David Hawthorne, known in some circles as 'Spike' and I run a moderately successful brokerage business. I have lived alone for over ten years now since my previous partner died in a car crash and in that time I have put all of my energies into the business.
That isn't to say that I have been a monk over the years I have had my share of flings: some were just one night stands others could have been more if I'd wanted them to be. The thing was that I didn't and so it was, at the age of 43 that I found myself saying a temporary 'farewell' to one of the few trusted people in my life, my PA of nearly nine years Miranda, as she prepared to go off on maternity leave to have her first child. I was dreading losing the closest thing I had to a friend but the moment couldn't be put off much longer as the baby was due in less than two weeks. Since the death of my partner Miranda had become a confidant so I knew that not having her there to support me was going to be difficult.
Miranda assured me that she had made 'suitable' arrangements and that I would scarcely miss her and as I drove into work on that first Monday I was dreading what would greet me sitting behind her desk. The building was quiet as I walked through to my office, I settled down to some post and was disturbed by a voice, 'Mr Hawthorne?'
I looked up to be greeted by a well dressed man, in his thirties. He was average height, clean shaven and stockily built. 'Good morning sir I'm Chris White, I'm from the agency, your PA arranged for me to start today.'
I was lost for words. Miranda had a sense of humour but this was outside even her best efforts - a male PA! I stood up and motioned him to come in, I put my hand out to shake his and as he took it in a firm warm grip he looked me straight in the eyes and I felt slightly uncomfortable with this stranger who had just walked into my life.
We sat and chatted briefly dealing with the details of his temporary contract, all seemed satisfactory so I showed him to his desk and went back to the post. I worked my way through all the items but all the time my mind was racing, what could Miranda have been thinking to bring this stranger into my life!
During that first day I gave Chris a few tasks: asked him to sort out some files for me, arranged some meetings and generally got him settled in. The day passed uneventfully as did the next and the first week. One thing I did notice about Chris was that he was always immaculately dressed: mostly dark colours, always formally and I suppose I picked up on this style for I looked out some of my suits, bought a few new shirts and even a couple of plain sober ties, not that I'm a 'tie' kind of bloke but it felt right that I at least had something suitable in my wardrobe if the need arose. I took to wearing suits in to work rather than my usual jeans and loose shirt and somehow it felt "right" to be setting that tone with my new employee.
Chris was quietly efficient too I found my desk tidied each night: papers for meetings were delivered to me in neat folders with all the details precisely set out on a headed sheet at the front. He took control of my diary in a way that left me more time for myself and I could see how efficiently he was managing my work load.
Then I needed to work over a weekend and Chris offered to make himself available too. I took him up on his offer and was surprised when he turned up wearing snug fitting jeans and equally close-fitting polo shirt.
We got through the work quickly and as lunchtime approached I offered to take him to lunch. He paused momentarily before accepting and we finished up, got into my car and set off for a local restaurant I knew.
Chris settled back into the passenger seat of my BMW and as I drove I sneaked the odd sideways glance at him. He looked different out of his suit more like a rugby player. During one of my secret glances he must have sensed me looking at him for he turned and met my gaze. My stomach churned. Over the meal we chatted about our lives, he seemed quite well informed about mine (I made a mental note to chide Miranda for that!). We touched on how he came to be a 'temp' and he told me that he did the work in between his main career which was a writer specialising in murder / mystery needless to say I was taken off balance by this revelation. He told me had had several novels published under his "pen-name" and I was rather surprised because I had recently read a review of his latest offering in one of the Sunday "heavies" which seemed to favour both the author and his product.
I said I'd heard of him, in his alter-ego, and a small smile passed across his face which transformed the normally quiet looking man into someone really attractive! As he sat there opposite me I knew why Miranda had chosen this man to work closely with me and I cursed her for her perception and blessed her for her taste! Clearly she knew me far better than I knew she did and far better than I knew myself.