CAROLINE'S POV:
I stood outside on the sidewalk, staring at the glass building in front of me – Salvatore Enterprises. My heart was pounding in my chest as I looked at all the people inside, all busy doing something. It was the first day of my new job as personal assistant to Stefan Salvatore, co-owner of Salvatore Enterprises and I was terrified. The company was huge and had designed or co-owned every form of magazine and advertisement in the whole of Virginia. Taking a breath, I made my way through the revolving door and into the main reception area, seeing men in smart and sharp suits, and perfectly preened women clicking about in their heels. I felt uncomfortable, underdressed and out of place. Finding the reception desk, I approached and saw a woman sat at the computer on the other side. She was filing her nails, laughing at something someone was saying on the other end of the earpiece she was wearing. Swallowing a lump in my throat, wondering what I should do to get her attention, she looked up and smirked, looking me up and down before ending her call, forcing a smile onto her face…
"Can I help you?" she asked
"My name's Caroline Forbes. I'm Mr. Salvatore's new assistant." I informed her
"Which one?" she questioned
"Excuse me?" I inquired
"Damon or Stefan." she replied "The Salvatore brothers. Who's assistant are you?"
"Oh, right. Stefan Salvatore. I don't know where to find him or where I need to be…" I admitted
Holding her finger up to silence me, my mouth snapped closed and I watched in shock as she dialled a number and started to talk through her earpiece once more as she looked at something on the computer screen…
"Good morning, Stefan. I have someone in reception or you. Her name's Caroline or Karen or something. She's your new assistant." she informed him "So she says. Okay, I'll send her up. Thank you."
She ended the call and turned away from me, taking something from the printer. Setting it on the desk, she smiled at me… "Your visitor's badge. You'll get a proper one if he decides to keep you. He wasn't expecting you but said he'll see you. Take the elevator to the top floor, and it's your first door on the left. You'll be instructed from there."
STEFAN'S POV:
I hung up the phone after being informed I had a new assistant starting today, one I had no idea about. Moving from my office, I made my way through to Damon, finding him sat in his chair behind his desk, his wife Elena sat opposite him…
"Why do I have a new assistant starting today when I didn't even hire one?" I asked
"Morning to you too, brother," he greeted me "oh, and that would be because I hired one. She's nice, a little uptight but she seems like she'd be a good match for you."
"I don't need an assistant, Damon." I sighed
"Your office says otherwise." he replied "Take the gesture, Stefan. Get her to do your filing or something. My assistant is perfect."
"Hey," Elena proclaimed "I'm not your assistant. I have to go otherwise I'll be late for work. Don't forget we have dinner with your mother tonight…"
"I don't see what the problem is, Stefan." Damon admitted as Elena left "You know I want more time out of the office to spend with Elena. You can't do it all on your own, you need help."
"I don't need some clumsy blonde intern who probably can't use a coffee machine to follow me around like a lost puppy." I informed him, a cough coming from behind me as I was about to continue "And you are?"
"I'm the erm… I'm the clumsy blonde who's here to follow you around like a lost puppy." she replied, tucking some hair behind her ear
"I'm sorry," I sighed, moving over to her "I just had no idea that I had an assistant starting today. I guess I should show you where you're going to be and what you're going to be doing." I admitted as I shut Damon's office door behind me
Leading her down the corridor, I pushed open a door… "This is where the old assistant worked. Make yourself comfortable. There's coat hooks and things there and the computer and everything there. I'll get the IT people to come and set you an account up. I'm just through the door there. You can call me if you need me; number one on the phone will you give you the direct line to me."
"Great." she replied "Oh, wait, what do I call you? Do I call you Sir? Mr. Salvatore? Stefan? What?"
"Not Mr. Salvatore," I informed her "reminds me too much of my father. Stefan will be fine. Is that all?"
"Yep. Actually," she proclaimed as I was about to leave "you have a meeting in 10 minutes with Vision magazine. I took the liberty of printing the notes of their brief and all the details of who will be attending the meeting for you. Anyway…"
"You did this?" I questioned
"When I was offered the job, I did my research and was given your schedule for the next month, so everything for the next month is all organised and set up into files for you. I like to be prepared. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail is what my mother always said." she admitted
"Wise words." I replied
"I like to think so. And for the record, I make a kick-ass cup of coffee." she informed me "Although I draw the line at cappuccino. All that froth is unneeded."
"Well I guess I should get this read before the meeting then…" I admitted
"No need. I memorised it all so you can keep the file," she replied "we should get going. You have to be the first there to make the clients feel like you know what you're doing, not that you don't know what you're doing. Of course you know what you're doing. You're obviously good at what you do because you wouldn't be the co-owner of a multi-million dollar company at 23. I'm going to stop talking. Sorry, I tend to babble when I'm nervous."
I smiled at her warmly and moved to the door, pulling it open… "After you."
CAROLINE'S POV:
I sat to the left of Stefan in the meeting with Vision, watching him talk through the business proposal, the head of Vision magazine listening intently…
"Now would be the time to tell me any ideas you're having…" Stefan admitted
"I was thinking of using a family scene with children acting as parents." he informed Stefan
I pursed my lips together as he continued to speak, quickly bowing my head and jotting down some notes…
"Is there a problem?" the head of Vision magazine questioned
I looked up, seeing he was looking back at me… "No. No problem."
"Then why did you have a look of distaste on your face when I was speaking?" he asked
"She has no problem," Stefan interjected "she's new…"
"No, if she has something to say," he replied "what's your name?"
"Caroline Forbes." I informed him "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone…"
"You didn't. Feel free to speak the truth. You didn't approve of our proposed concept?" he inquired
"It's not that I don't think it's a good idea. It is, but the concept is overused. Your company used the family beach scene two years ago. Times are changing and I think you could use something more modern and appealing to attract your ever rising range of readers." I admitted
"What is it that you suggest then?" he asked
I swallowed a lump in my throat, glancing at Stefan who was sat with his arms folded across his chest…
"I would use a beach scene too," I informed him "but I'd have it as a sunset. The silhouette of a couple holding hands like they're in their own little bubble with everyone and everything else around them insignificant. Then the slogan could be "Visualise the future." I think it works, but it's completely up to you. It's your ad…"
I bit my bottom lip as I dared to look around the table, seeing several faces with grins…
"Okay!" the head of Vision magazine proclaimed "I like it. Can you work with that, Stefan?"
"I'm sure we can work something out." he replied "I take it we have a deal?"
"We have a deal." he informed him "We'll see ourselves out. Miss. Forbes, thank you."
Smiling warmly at the head of Vision magazine as he spoke and made his way to the door, I stood and began to gather up the notes and papers from the meeting, waiting for Stefan to return. Returning seconds later, he handed me a piece of paper…
"You need to type up the new contract and email it to Vision by 4pm." he informed me "And I then need you to call my mother and cancel the dinner I had booked with her for this lunchtime, now that I have to work through thanks to your input."
"Personal calls aren't in my job description." I admitted "I wouldn't know what to say."
He turned to face me… "Neither is inputting ideas into a contract worth thousands of pounds yet you managed that. Make the call, Caroline."
What are you thinking so far?