"Hey, there she is." Hunter smiled as Aubree walked into the back door.
She had on a black pencil skirt with a slit up the front of her left leg to mid-thigh, a cream colored sleeveless silk blouse with ruffles flowing down the front covered with a black dress jacket with half sleeves.
"I was just telling Stacey to call me when you get in."
"Here I am." She returned his smile, as he pulled her into a hug, she wrapped one arm around him, trying not to drop the box in her hand.
"Are you getting settled in?" Hunter asked as he walked her toward the hall.
"I'm trying."
"I see you already got your ID." He smiled.
"That's good. Come on, I'll show you to your office." He said leading her to an elevator.
"How's Josh taking this move?"
Aubree just rolled her eyes making Hunter smile.
"That bad huh?"
"When I was first offered to apply for this position, he seemed supportive." She said.
"But once you actually got it, things changed?" He asked, Aubree just nodded.
"He didn't want you to take the job?"
"Well, not only that, but he wanted me to completely leave the WWE."
"What? Why?" Hunter asked.
"You've been with us, all in all, about four years, all doing just about the same thing. I mean, I know that this will be adding a lot more responsibility, but, nothing much has changed, besides the location. You were doing this before you started seeing him."
"He didn't know I worked with the talent." She explained.
"He thought I was locked away somewhere in a dark room staring at a computer screen all day."
"He doesn't trust you?"
"I guess not." She frowned.
"Well, I never liked him anyway. He always seemed way too jealous." Hunter said.
"Like he wanted to control you."
"I've tried to let him down easy, but he's just not getting it." She admitted.
"We have lawyers that can take care of that." He told her.
"Steph would kill me if anything happened to you and I could have prevented it."
"I don't think anything will happen." She said.
"He just keeps calling. I'll take care of it."
"Just keep in mind that I'm here, if you change your mind about that lawyer, I'm just a call away." He said as the elevator doors opened into a large room. There were a couple couches, some tables and a tv, where a couple of guys were playing a video game.
"This is the lounge area, a place where they can gather and relax, or eat. Whatever. Follow me, your office is right around the corner."
"Really?" She asked, he looked at her surprised.
"I just thought I would be down with Stacey. In the front of the house."
"If you would feel more comfortable down there, but I thought you would be more accessible to the kids here." He told her.
"I want you to be more than a face in an office. I need you to be part of their lives. Someone they can trust to come to when they are too scared to talk with me or Matt, someone who they won't feel judged by. More than the head of social media. More than someone they say hi to as they walk pass. A friend." He told her, opening the door he was standing in front of.
"Here's your office."
"Thanks." She said, sitting the box she was carrying on the desk, and sliding her jacket off her arms, draping it over the back of the chair.
She took a breath, noting the clammy smell, thinking she would have to bring in some kind of air freshener.
"Speaking of the friend thing, one of the guys that lives next door asked me to come over last night for a get together. I told him no."
"You should have went." Hunter smiled.
"I know how Vince has HQ running, but here, we are more lax. Lots of the staff hang out with the talent after hours. I know you're new here. I know that with your hours you aren't going to have time to meet many people outside of WWE. So go out with them, make friends, but that's where it has to stop. Vince is very high on the no dating policy. He likes to enforce it. And here I am, looking like the biggest hypocrite in the world, I married the bosses daughter." He laughed.
"I just don't know how much I can protect you on that rule though. You know how Vince is."
"No, I understand." She smiled.
"Come on, I'll show you around really fast." He looked at his watch.
"Before my meeting in a few minutes."
He showed her the conference rooms, before going down stairs, and introducing her to the girls at the desk. Then he lead her down the hall to the big glass doors that were propped open.
"Wow." Was all she could manage.
She had seen pictures, but nothing compared to actually seeing it with your own eyes.
The rings were filled with people, as she looked around her eyes fell on the man she met last night.
He was standing on the top rope, a big smile on his face as he waved at her, the guy behind him yelling at him to hurry up.
She waved to him, Hunter following her gaze.
"I take it that's the neighbor?" He chuckled.
"Balor, Amore. Get over here!" He yelled.
"You have other boxes to carry in?" She nodded, as the guys jogged over to them and he introduced them.
"Ms. Jackson here needs help carrying her things in. I have to go, if you need anything , Bree, call." He started to walk away, but then turned back. "Will you be ready for a quick meeting with the talent before lunch?"
"Uh, sure?" Her answer came out as more of a question.
She wasn't prepared for a meeting. She wasn't informed of one until right now.
"Great." He smiled.
"Just the basics of social media and your role here. I'll send you a quick email of the points I need you to go over, I only have a few, the rest is up to you." He told her, turning and walking away.
"Well, so much for a day to get settled in." She said to herself, making the guys smile.
"The boxes are in my car. I really appreciate the help." She said.
"Lead the way." The dyed blond said to her. She started walking, them following a couple steps back.
"This is the chic ya were telling me about?" He asked Fergal, who nodded.
"Man, Devitt you were right. Hot." Aubree couldn't help but smirk at the comment.
"Yeah, well, this chic has ears and can hear you." Aubree called back as she opened the door and stepped into the heat to her car.
"Oh, Ms. Jackson, I didn't mean to offend you."
"Its Aubree, or Bree. Not Ms. Jackson. I'd take chic over Ms. Jackson." She smiled at him, her phone buzzing in her hand.
Why was Josh calling her so early? She knew if she didn't answer he'd just keep calling.
She opened her trunk.
"Sorry. I have to take this." She told them, taking a couple steps before answering.
"What is it Josh? I'm at work."
"I want you to quit. I want you to come home. Forgive me. Take me back. I want to be us again." He slurred into the phone.
"Are you drunk?" She asked.
"I've told you to quit calling me. I don't have time for this." She hung up her phone.
"An ex not getting the picture?" Enzo asked.
"Exactly."
"Can't say I blame him." Fergal said under his breath, just so Aubree could hear.
Fergal watched her walk down the hall, her heels making her toned calves flex as she walked. The sway of her hips made it hard for him to pull his eyes away, but they had made it back to her office.
"Ya need anything else?" He asked her.
"No. I think I'm good." He nodded and stepped out her door, hearing her take a deep breath.
He leaned back through her door.
"Ya sure?"
"Maybe a water." She smiled.
"Come on." He smiled at her, showing her the kitchen area.
They sat for a few minutes and talked, no more than small talk.
"I better get back."
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said.
"It just sucks being the new person. No friends, you know? No one to talk too."
"Ya got one friend. I'm here if ya need ta talk." He smiled at her as they stood up.
"I'll see ya at the meeting." He smiled as she walked with him back to the elevator, giving him one last smile before he stepped inside.
Time flew as he couldn't shake the image of Bree's hips as he went through the daily routine.
Before he knew it he was walking down the hall to the small conference room. He took the first seat he came to, it just so happened to be next to Hunter.
The room filled up fast, leaving only standing room, as bodies lined the wall, some leaning against it, others sitting on the floor, some sitting on the low window sill.
Hunter glanced up at the clock, then back to his watch. He looked at Fergal, pulling his wrist over checking his watch, making sure the time was right. Just at that moment they could hear the sound of heels hurrying down the hall. Hunter grinned shaking his head, and Fergal couldn't help but smile.
"Sorry, sorry." She breathed as she walked in the room.
Hunter pointed to his watch.
Fergal looked around and saw there were no other seats open, so he stood and offered Aubree his chair.
"Thanks, stay close though, I'll be up in a minute." She turned back to Hunter.
"Steph called and Vaughn got on the phone and you know how hard it is to get off the phone with her."
"She's made me late for more than one meeting." Hunter laughed.
"Alright guys, listen up." Hunter's voice boomed, commanding attention from everyone.
"This is Ms. Jackson, she is now the head of social media and talent relations. If you need something you go to her." He stood and smiled at Aubree.
"I have to go back to my other meeting. The floor is yours Bree."
She stood and smiled as Fergal slid back into the chair he had given her, as Hunter left the room, she passed his chair to one of the girl who was standing along the wall.
"First things first, my name's Aubree, or Bree, which ever you prefer. I'm going to go through this as fast as I can. I know the room is tight, and its going to get hot in here pretty fast." She went over her points of social media the good and bad side. How to better protect yourself, personal pages, passwords, being a face of WWE. It all took about ten minutes of her straight talking.
"I know that was a lot of information. Just remember I'm here to help." She smiled.
"I will be sending everyone a text later, save my number, from now on I'm the one who will be giving the assignments for signings and meet in greets. If there's an issue with one, come talk to me. The sooner the better so I can find a replacement. I'm very easy to work with as long as there is communication." She looked around the room.
"If there are any questions, if not you are free to go."
Some people filed out, a couple asked a few questions.
Once everyone was out she sat, returning the smile Fergal was giving her.
"How'd it go? Was I too much of a bitch?"
"I don't think so." He said.
"I thought ya did good." He sat there looking at her, as she scribbled some notes down on the pad of paper she had brought with her.
He took a couple deep breaths, trying to gather the courage to ask her to lunch, but decided against it, standing and taking a couple steps, before turning back.
"Awe-Bree?" He asked, making her look up at him, the smile on her face almost made him forget what he was going to say.
"Ya wanna go get some lunch?"
"I really can't." She told him.
"Ah." He said, trying to hide his disappointment.
"Maybe another time?" He said turning towards the door.
"Fergal?" He smiled, loving hearing his name come out of her mouth. He turned back towards her.
"I want to. I'm just swamped. We can order in and eat in my office, if you want?"
"Sure." He smiled, waiting for her to stand, walking with her to her office.
"So, what got ya into this crazy business?" Fergal asked between bites.
"I actually grew up in Stamford, home of WWE HQ. Everyone knows of WWE, but I never thought of working for them, being a wrestler. That wasn't a goal of mine. When I was in high school, Steph and Paul got my name from someone to babysit their girls. I watched them all through college, and when the time came and I was looking for an internship, Paul suggested WWE. I thought, why not? So I took it, and I've been there ever since." She explained.
"They have helped me through a lot of personal stuff, I became really close with them. Don't get me wrong, having them as references doesn't hurt, but I did get the job on my own merit."
"Ya seem very good at yer job." He smiled at her.
"I try." She said, smiling back.
