Blake chuckled. “Approve? It was freaking brilliant, Cassie. That kind of problem-solving is more along the lines of a VP than an executive assistant. You should have an office of your own.”
She still wasn’t used to receiving compliments, and her cheeks warmed. When she’d first arrived, she’d barely been able to handle answering calls and emails, always afraid of doing something wrong, of disappointing someone. But as the months went by, she’d started to polish her rusty professional skills and found she was pretty good at getting things done, especially over the phone. Face-to-face confrontation was a different story.
This wasn’t the first time Blake had mentioned a promotion, but she wasn’t ready. Oh, she was plenty qualified, with a bachelor’s degree in business admin. But if things went bad back in Milwaukee, she’d have to change her name again and vanish, so it didn’t make sense to put down roots anywhere. She let Blake’s comment hang in the air without responding. He finally shook his head.
“Fine. Keep whatever job title you want, but I need your help with something.”
Cassie frowned when Blake hesitated. “What is it?”
“You know I hired a new director of security.” Cassie nodded. She was going to miss Ken Taylor, who was retiring to the Carolinas with his wife, Dianne. Ken had taken the job on a temporary basis after Blake’s last security guy left for a job in Boston. Ken was soft-spoken and kind, and he looked like Mr. Rogers, right down to the cardigan sweaters. He was aware of Cassie’s situation, and he’d made every effort to make sure she felt safe here, including arranging her reserved parking space.
“Nick West starts today. I’d like you to work with him.”
“Me? Why?” Cassie blurted the words without thinking. She laughed nervously. “I don’t know anything about security!”
But she knew all about needing security.
Blake held up his hand. “Relax. I’m not putting you on the security team. He’ll need help with putting data together and learning our processes. I need someone I can trust to make sure he has a smooth transition.”
“So...I’m going to be his executive assistant instead of yours?” Her palms went clammy at the thought of working for a stranger.
“First, we’ve already established you’re a hell of a lot more than my EA. And this is just temporary, to help him get settled in the office.” Blake drained his coffee mug and set it down with a thunk, not noticing the way Cassie flinched at the sound. “He’s a good guy. Talented. Educated. He’s got a master’s in criminal justice, and he was literally a hero cop in LA—recognized by the mayor, the whole deal.”
A shiver traced its way down Cassie’s spine. Her ex had been a “hero cop,” too. Blake’s next words barely registered.
“I’m a little worried about him making the shift from the hustle of LA to quiet Gallant Lake, but he says he’s looking for a change of pace. His thesis was on predictive policing—using data to spot trouble before it reaches a critical point.” That explained why Blake hired the guy. Blake was all about preventing problems before they happened. He did not like surprises. “It’ll be interesting to see how he applies that to facility security. His approach requires a ton of data to build predictive models, and that’s where you come in. You create reports faster than anyone else here.”
Cassie loved crunching numbers and analyzing results. She started to relax. If Blake wanted her to do some research for the new guy, she could handle that.
“I also want you to mentor him a bit, help him get acclimated.”
“Meaning...?”
“Amanda and I are headed to Vegas this week for that conference and a little vacation time. Nick’s going to need someone to show him around, make introductions and answer any questions that come up. He just got to town this weekend, and he doesn’t know anyone or anything in Gallant Lake.”
“So what, I’m supposed to be his babysitter?”
Blake’s brow rose at the uncharacteristically bold question.
“Uh, no. Just walk him around the resort so he’s familiar with it, and be a friendly face for the guy.” He leaned forward. “Look, I get why you might be anxious, but he’s the director of security. That’s about as safe as it gets.”
Her emotions roiled around in her chest. She hated that her employer felt he had to constantly reassure her about her safety. Yes, the guy in charge of security should be safe. All men should be.
“Cassie? Is this going to be a problem?” The worry in Blake’s eyes made her sit straighter in her chair. What was it Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War? The latest in a long line of self-help books she’d picked up was based on quotes from the ancient Chinese tome.
Appear strong when you are weak...
“No, I’m sure it will be fine. And the data analysis sounds interesting. Does he know...?”
“About your situation? No. I wouldn’t do that without your permission. I only told Ken because you’d just arrived and...”
She was hardly strong now, but she’d been a complete basket case back then.
“I understand. I don’t think the new guy needs to know. I don’t want to be treated differently.”
Blake frowned. “I don’t want that, either. But I do want you to feel safe here.”
“I know, Blake. And thank you. If I change my mind, I’ll tell him myself.” She was getting tired of people having conversations about her as if she was a problem to be solved, no matter how well-meaning they were. “When will I meet him?”
“He’s getting his rental house situated this morning, then he’ll be in. I’m planning on having lunch with him, then giving him a quick tour. He dropped some boxes off yesterday. Can you make sure he has a functioning office? You know, computer, phone, internet access and all that? I told Brad to set it up, but you know how scattered that kid can be.”
Two hours later, Cassie was finishing the last touches in West’s office. The computer and voice mail were set up with temporary passwords. The security team had delivered his passes and key cards—his master key would open any door in the resort. Brad, their IT whiz, had been busy over the weekend, and a huge flat-screen hung on one wall. On it, twelve different feeds from the security surveillance room downstairs were scrolling in black and white. It looked like a scene straight out of some crime-fighter TV show.
A familiar voice rang out in the office. “Hel-lo? Damn, no one’s here.”
Cassie stepped to the doorway and waved to Blake’s wife. “I’m here!”
Amanda Randall rushed to give Cassie a tight hug. Cassie hated hugs, but Amanda got a free pass. The woman simply couldn’t help herself—she was a serial hugger. She was also Cassie’s best friend in Gallant Lake. They’d bonded one night over a bottle of wine and the discovery they shared similar ghosts from their pasts. Other than that, the two women couldn’t be any more different. Amanda was petite, with curves everywhere a woman wanted curves. Cassie was average height and definitely not curvy—her nervous energy left her with a lean build. Amanda had long golden curls, while Cassie’s straight auburn hair was usually pulled back and under control. Amanda was a bouncing bundle of laughing, loving, hugging energy. Cassie was much more reserved, and sometimes found her friend’s enthusiasm overwhelming.
“I brought chocolate chip cookies for everyone, but I guess you and I will have to eat them all.” Amanda held up a basket that smelled like heaven.
“You won’t have to twist my arm. Come on in and keep me company.”
Amanda