She walked away without looking back, leaving Ryan standing under the mistletoe, wondering what exactly had just happened and whether he just made the best or worst decision of his life. The next morning, Ryan's phone rang at 7:00 a.m., jerking him awake after only 4 hours of sleep. Emma was still sleeping peacefully in her room, her breathing steady and calm for once. Mr.
Carter, this is Jennifer from HR at Hayes Industries. Miss Hayes asked me to contact you regarding your salary adjustment. Can you come in this morning at 9:00 to complete the paperwork?" Ryan rubbed his eyes, still half convinced last night had been some kind of fever dream. "Yes, I can be there." "Excellent.
Also, Ms. Hayes has requested a meeting with you at 10:00, her personal office on the executive floor." "That sounded significantly less excellent. Is there a problem?" Not at all, Jennifer replied cheerfully. She just wants to discuss your new role.
New role? Ryan hung up, feeling more confused than ever. His mother agreed to watch Emma for a few extra hours, giving him knowing looks that suggested the neighborhood gossip network had already heard about the Christmas party kiss. News traveled impossibly fast in small communities.
Hayes Industries executive floor was a world Ryan had only seen while cleaning it at night. During business hours, it was all polished professionals and expensive coffee machines and art that probably cost more than his car. He felt completely out of place in his nicest khakis and button-down shirt. Jennifer greeted him warmly, processed his paperwork with impressive efficiency, and explained that his new salary was indeed double his previous pay, effective immediately with full back pay for December.
Then she walked him to Victoria's office, knocked once, and left him standing in the doorway. Victoria looked up from her computer and for a moment Ryan saw something flicker across her face that looked almost like relief. "Close the door," she said. "Please." Ryan obeyed, suddenly nervous despite having done nothing wrong.
"I owe you an apology," Victoria said without preamble. "Last night was manipulative and unfair, no matter how genuine my reasons. I put you in an impossible position to prove a point to people who probably won't change their opinions regardless." That wasn't right. Ryan hadn't expected that.
You got me a $38,000 raise. I'm not exactly complaining. You should be, Victoria replied. I used you as a pawn in corporate politics.
The fact that you benefited doesn't make my methods less questionable. She paused, seeming to gather herself. However, I meant what I said about recognizing competence, which brings me to why you're really here. She pulled up something on her tablet, turned it so Ryan could see.
It was a job posting internal only for director of facilities management. Current director is retiring in March, Victoria explained. Position oversees all building maintenance, repairs, and improvements across our three locations. Salary starts at 95,000 annually, plus benefits.
I want you to apply. Ryan almost laughed. I'm night maintenance. I don't have management experience or a college degree.
There are probably 50 people more qualified. There are zero people more qualified. Victoria corrected firmly. You know this building better than anyone.
You fixed problems the expensive contractors couldn't solve. You work harder than anyone on my staff. And most importantly, you care about doing things right instead of just doing them fast. That's worth more than any degree.
Your executives will never accept me in that role. Ryan said, reality crashing back in. I'm the maintenance guy who kissed the CEO under mistletoe. I'll be a joke.
Let me worry about the executives, Victoria replied. I'm asking if you're interested. Can you see yourself in that role, managing teams, overseeing projects, making decisions that affect the entire company? Ryan thought about it. about having actual authority to fix problems correctly, about making enough money to give Emma real stability, about not working nights anymore, being present for normal parent things like bedtime and homework help.
Yes, he admitted. I'm interested. Good, Victoria said, smiling slightly. Application deadline is January 15th.
I'll be on the hiring committee, but I won't be making the decision alone. You'll have to interview, prove yourself, compete fairly, but I believe you can do this. Ryan stood to leave, then hesitated. Can I ask you something?
Of course. Last night, after we kissed, you looked surprised. Why? Victoria's professional mass slipped for just a moment.
Because I expected it to feel calculated and transactional. Instead, it felt She paused, seeming to search for the right word. complicated. Before Ryan could figure out how to respond to that, her phone rang and the moment passed. Over the next three weeks, Ryan's life changed in ways he hadn't anticipated.
The salary increase meant he could finally afford the asthma specialist for Emma. Her breathing improved dramatically with the new treatment plan. He could buy groceries without calculating every dollar. He started sleeping better.
The constant financial anxiety finally easing slightly, but the gossip was relentless. His co-workers wanted details about the CEO. Some were supportive, others resentfully suspicious. The executives he encountered treated him with barely disguised contempt, clearly viewing him as Victoria's pet project.
And Victoria herself seemed to be everywhere suddenly, appearing during his shifts to discuss building issues, asking detailed questions about maintenance procedures, treating him like a colleague instead of subordinate staff. People are talking, Ryan said one night when Victoria appeared at 11 p.m. to inspect a water leak. He'd reported about us, saying, "I'm sleeping my way into promotions." Victoria's jaw tightened. "People always talk, especially about women in power who don't follow their unwritten rules.
Are the comments bothering you?" "They're bothering me for you," Ryan admitted. "I don't care what people say about me, but you're the CEO. Your reputation matters. My reputation is that I'm a spoiled nepotism hire who doesn't deserve her position, Victoria replied dryly.
One maintenance worker getting a deserved promotion isn't going to make that worse. Besides, I have a solution to the gossip problem. What's that? We go on an actual date, Victoria said, her tone carefully casual.
Public, proper, normal dating like adults do. Then people aren't gossiping about a scandal. They're just gossiping about the boss dating someone, which is significantly less interesting. Ryan stared at her.
You want to date me to reduce gossip? That's possibly the worst reason I've ever heard. That's not the only reason, Victoria admitted quietly. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that kiss, which was supposed to be performance art, and instead felt like discovering something I didn't know I was looking for.
So, yes, terrible strategy for reducing gossip, but excellent strategy for figuring out if this thing between us is real. There's a thing between us, Ryan asked, his heart beating faster. Isn't there? Victoria challenged.
You've noticed it, too. The way conversations feel different. The way we keep finding excuses to see each other. The way that kiss felt nothing like it was supposed to feel.
Ryan had noticed all those things, had been trying to ignore them because dating his CEO seemed like the worst possible idea for someone trying to build a legitimate career. One date, Victoria said, proper restaurant, normal conversation, see if this chemistry is real or just adrenaline from an unusual situation. If it's nothing, we go back to professional colleagues. If it's something, she trailed off, looking more uncertain than Ryan had ever seen her.
If it's something, we figure it out, Ryan finished. But I'm paying for dinner. I don't care if you're the CEO. You're not paying for our first date.
Victoria's smile was radiant. Deal. Saturday, 700 p.m. I'll need to arrange child care.