It's My Mistake ~ PUBLISHED

"Wait, that's why you wanted to see me?" I asked. My eyebrows rose again.

Had I got everything completely wrong? I mean, yeah I was shocked he was offering me a job. Not only after I had royally messed up the interview, but I had a job now. I managed to get one. Back in care. Not that I really wanted to work back in care. But I was mainly shocked at myself for thinking he was asking me out on a date!

He nodded, taking another sip of the champagne before answering; "I thought I'd give it a go offering you a job still. Although you have managed to find another job. I was a little worried you'd say no, but I figured it's worth a try as I might be able to match the other job, and it seems I can."

"What?" I frowned. "Why didn't you say this before?"

He smiled back at me. I had a feeling he was deliberately playing with me. "I'd rather tell you in person, so we can discuss what's next—if you take the job."

"You know you could have just told me over the phone!" I huffed a little. I was huffing at myself, not the guy in front of me. Well, okay, I was a little. I held him a little responsible for stringing me along a bit, even if it wasn't intentional.

"I know." He nodded, his smile started to fade. "But I felt like I owed you a meal too."

"You don't... A meal?"

I thought it was just drinks? But a meal?

"You were treated badly by a member of staff—three members, actually. And you nearly tripped on the carpet—which you will be happy to know I've had fixed."

"Yeah, but... You had it fixed?"

He nodded. "You were right, it needed fixing. I stopped the rest of the interviews after you—much to the disgust of some people who were still waiting to be seen—and had someone out right away to fix the carpet."

"Is the owner or manager alright with that?" I frowned.

Who was this guy? Was he head of carpets or something?

He laughed, finding what I said actually quite comical, although I wasn't sure why—unless I said that last part out loud about the head of carpets? Did I? I took a large nervous sip of the champagne.

"Alice, I am the manager!"

My eyes went wide and I coughed on the champagne again, which made him laugh harder. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. "You're the manager of the hotel? Why didn't you say!?"

"I'm not the manager of just that hotel, I'm the manager of all of the hotels. All around the world," he said, and paused slightly before continuing; "Mirren is—was—the head of HR at the hotel, Terry was her boss, who is the manager of that one building, and I'm his boss."

"Fuck," I muttered out loud. Suddenly feeling my nervousness expand in my chest. "So, what, you like, own the hotels?"

"No, not own them, the owners died a long time ago. It's a little complicated. But I just manage them. The whole of the Global Elite name, so that includes this bar too."

"The bar?" I asked, looking at the staff behind the bar. He had just stepped behind the bar casually like he owned the place and they all seemed to let him, move out of his way even.

"This bar is part of the Global Elite Enterprise, as are the hotels, I manage them all. My official title is Global Business Manager. Although it's mostly just delegating work and in some cases dealing with new employees into the company." He smiled mysteriously.

"I had no idea!" I said, staring at the attractive man sat in front of me, who was still smiling a little playfully, as if enjoying my reaction to his own success.

"That's okay, now you know."

"Wait, you want me to work for you?" I asked suddenly, remembering why I was talking to him in the first place. It wasn't that he was just gracing me with his presence; there was a point to this conversation.

He nodded. "That's right, and I'd be happy give you a better wage than what you're earning at your new job."

"But I fucked up the interview?"

He shook his head. "On the contrary, I actually thought you were perfect for the role, you were the only one who stood up for the others, and actually pointed out the carpet. We need someone like you who doesn't take shit and deals with things no matter what."

"But it's just an entry position? Working in admin?"

He nodded. "It's in the HR department, yes. You'll be an administrator to start off with. CIPD training will be supplied, which is the official qualification to work in HR. It's not as fancy as my job, of course. But there are opportunities to progress in the company."

"But I don't... I'm not an administrator. I work in care!"

His eyebrow rose. I knew what he was thinking; he was thinking; you applied for the position. It was true. I applied for an entry level administrator position in HR. I knew what I was getting into. Which was why I was so surprised when I got a call for an interview. But I was still shocked they were interested in me, seeing as I had no experience what so ever.

"Which is why you're perfect for HR."

"Oh!" I said, unsure what else to say. I was also worried about him changing his mind. Not that I was sure about taking it. Not after getting that job at the other place. It's not that I didn't want to take the position Dan was offering me. Far from it. But I was now suddenly nervous about the other job. I had accepted the role. I couldn't back out now, could I?

"If you don't want the position, then that's fine, I'll understand!" Dan said, as if reading the look on my face that I was no longer interested.

"No, it's not that!" I started in a rush. "I just... I wasn't expecting you to offer me a position!"

"Why did you think I wanted to see you?" That annoying eyebrow rose again.

"Well, I thought—" I stopped myself. I couldn't tell him I thought he was asking me on a date. Could I? But he was waiting for me to speak. An awkward silence suddenly came between us and I realised I had to fill it. "I had wondered if it was a date or something?" I whispered across the table.

He laughed, which now made me feel stupid.

Of course it wasn't a date! He was this handsome manager of the whole of Global Elite and I was just a poor boring sod stuck in care work!

"That's not how I intended it to mean, I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression," he said, and I saw a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"No, it's fine, it's just me, I just—"

"But if you want it to be a date...?" he said, cutting me off. I looked up at him in shock, expecting it to be some sort of joke, but he looked deadly serious.

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